137 SelfWork: Let’s Talk Medications – From a Psychologist’s Point of View
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Medications. You are bombarded with advertisements for them everywhere. And meds for mental health are no exception. In today’s show, I’m offering my clinical perspective as a psychologist (as well as expert advice from Dr. Michael Yapko) after watching thousands of people over the years try out different medications and working hand in hand with the prescribing doctors who are involved in their care. This episode was a request from a listener, who commented, “As someone who has been in and out of therapy for years and generally interested in mental health, I still feel a bit of a stumbling block as I am considering medication and have been looking for reliable guidance in understanding more about this option.” So how do you know when to consider meds, what can you expect to change from them, and how do you know when to stop? I’ll give my perspective on these questions on this episode of SelfWork.
The listener email for today is from someone who feels like she’s lost an important part of her self as she has grown up – and maybe away from some of her passions when she was young – due to her struggle with depression. And she’s shaming herself for that severely.
Important links:
Newsletter from Dr. Michael Yapko explaining his beliefs about medication
Podcast on my mom’s struggle with prescription drug abuse, a battle that she lost
Article in WebMD on how the more recent ketamine infusions work in the brain
Mayo Clinic link to description of serotonin syndrome
You can hear more about many other topics by listening to Dr. Margaret’s podcast, SelfWork with Dr. Margaret Rutherford. Subscribe to this website and receive her weekly blog posts and podcasts!
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My new book entitled Perfectly Hidden Depression has arrived and you can order here! Its message is specifically for those with a struggle with strong perfectionism which acts to mask underlying emotional pain. But the many self-help techniques described can be used by everyone who chooses to begin to address emotions long hidden away that are clouding and sabotaging your current life.
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