In a much as counselling is helpful in mental health support, medication is often necessary for a full recovery. Psychiatrists are trained in assessment and medication management of a wide variety of behavioural health conditions. This is why other mental health practitioners such as psychologists refer patients to a psychiatrist for prescription medication.
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who is able to prescribe the right medication. In your first consultation, the doctor will take into account and assess your medication history, allergies, medical issues and your current symptoms. Along with this, the length and severity of the symptoms, your family history, and other questions are considered to develop a full understanding of how the problems affect you.
Due to the complexity and fast-paced nature of psychopharmacology, it requires continuous study in order to keep up with new advances.
This includes an understanding of:
- Protein binding: How available the medication is to the body.
- Half-life: How long the medication stays in the body.
- Polymorphic genes: Genes which vary widely from person to person.
- Drug-to-drug interactions: How medications affect one another.