General Education of Psychotropic Medications
Everything we ingest has the potential for side effects. Sometimes a change in medication or dose adjustment can elevated or limit side effects, but sometimes they are unavoidable. It is up to the individual to determine what level of side effects are acceptable to them in exchange for symptoms relief. Many people are willing to tolerate the very profound and debilitating side effects of chemotherapy in order for the chance to save their life. However, no one would endure these side effects in exchange for curing a headache.
Although, I believe there is a benefit for patients to do their own online research, this can also be extremely problematic. First, it can be difficult to discern what information online is credible. A general guide is that websites ending in .org, .edu and .gov are the most reliable. Blogs, Facebook and other social media platforms are the least reliable. If you have questions regarding the accuracy of information, please speak to a clinical professional.
Secondly, psychiatry is still a relatively new field and an imperfect science. There is no conclusive solution and everyone’s reaction to medications is different. This can be a trial-and-error process. What works for one person, may not for another. This is why seeking a professional who specializes in psychiatry is so important. There is a reason a prescriber has to go to school for many years. They have a better understanding of how the different medication options can be tailored to the individual’s needs and have a deeper understanding of the side effect risks. When one looks up side effects of medications, there is often a long list that generally includes how you might die. Please don’t freak out. When medications go through clinical trials, any symptoms a person experiences needs to be listed as a potential side effect. Therefore, if someone is in a clinical trial and has a stroke, even though it is not at all related to the medication, it must be listed as a side effect. Professionals are better able to distinguish between actual risks and those that are extremely unlikely to occur.
Finally, some medications can be used for many different things or can be used “off-label.” For example, if you look up propranolol it will mostly likely say it is to treat blood pressure. This is true, but because of the properties of this medication it can also be an affective treatment for anxiety, public speaking, tremors and aggression. These uses of propranolol are fairly well established, however, there is also preliminary research that propranolol may help prevent PTSD in certain circumstances. All this information would be difficult for a non-medical professional to obtain online.
For more disorder specific information.
Although, I believe there is a benefit for patients to do their own online research, this can also be extremely problematic. First, it can be difficult to discern what information online is credible. A general guide is that websites ending in .org, .edu and .gov are the most reliable. Blogs, Facebook and other social media platforms are the least reliable. If you have questions regarding the accuracy of information, please speak to a clinical professional.
Secondly, psychiatry is still a relatively new field and an imperfect science. There is no conclusive solution and everyone’s reaction to medications is different. This can be a trial-and-error process. What works for one person, may not for another. This is why seeking a professional who specializes in psychiatry is so important. There is a reason a prescriber has to go to school for many years. They have a better understanding of how the different medication options can be tailored to the individual’s needs and have a deeper understanding of the side effect risks. When one looks up side effects of medications, there is often a long list that generally includes how you might die. Please don’t freak out. When medications go through clinical trials, any symptoms a person experiences needs to be listed as a potential side effect. Therefore, if someone is in a clinical trial and has a stroke, even though it is not at all related to the medication, it must be listed as a side effect. Professionals are better able to distinguish between actual risks and those that are extremely unlikely to occur.
Finally, some medications can be used for many different things or can be used “off-label.” For example, if you look up propranolol it will mostly likely say it is to treat blood pressure. This is true, but because of the properties of this medication it can also be an affective treatment for anxiety, public speaking, tremors and aggression. These uses of propranolol are fairly well established, however, there is also preliminary research that propranolol may help prevent PTSD in certain circumstances. All this information would be difficult for a non-medical professional to obtain online.
For more disorder specific information.
If you would like to be evaluated for a psychiatric disorder or seek pharmacological treatment.