Antidepressants & therapy?

[sighbridget]

I've been in therapy for a little over a year and things are starting to worsen with my anxiety and depression. My therapist said short-term medication is a possibility as a tool in my recovery. Has anyone used antidepressants while going to therapy?? It would be really helpful to hear some positive feedback. Medication is a kind of scary thought to me.

[michigan07]

Yes, I have. While medication is not a solution by itself and should be done with therapy, when used it can help alleviate the symptoms you are experiencing.

[sighbridget]

Thanks so much!

[jbtwentytwo]

Best results are achieved when medication is taken as an adjunct to psychotherapy. Taking medication alone may alleviate symptoms but can lead to relapse if the causative (behavioural) factors of the issue themselves are not addressed. It is for this reason that some psychotherapy institutions require patients not to take any medications, although this is a luxury that many severely ill people cannot afford.

By short-term medication, it is likely that your therapist is referring to benzodiazepines which are not anti depressants. These can improve mood and relieve anxiety short-term making them a useful tool in therapy. Antidepressants on the other hand, like SSRI's require a minimum of 6 months of daily use.