In the case of most mental illnesses, there are two main treatments used: therapy or counseling and medication. Medication helps correct the chemical imbalance to minimize symptoms. Therapy helps patients learn coping skills to manage their condition, or sometimes address the root of the issue. These treatments can be given separately or in conjunction with one another. But which is the most effective? Individuals may have different opinions based on their personal experiences, but is there any science to definitively place one above the other? In this blog, let’s dive into the findings of studies on the efficacy of psychotherapy and medication for mental illness.
Psychotherapy vs. Medication: Which Is More Effective?
In 2017, a study was taken based on the treatments of 29,879 patients with depression to see whether psychotherapy or medication was more effective at offering functioning and higher quality of life. At first, there was no notable difference in the efficacy between the two. However, the analysts reviewing publications and databases for these patients then removed publication bias from the equation, as certain publications may have been more biased towards one form of treatment than the other. When this was done, psychotherapy was proven to be somewhat more effective than pharmacotherapy — medication treatment.
However, one conclusion that was clear throughout the study was that the most effective treatments were a combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. This study only focused on patients with depression, but other studies have had similar findings for ADHD. Other findings from a 2013 study showed some variation in effectiveness for various conditions, such as:
- For dysthymia, medication was significantly more effective than therapy
- For OCD, therapy was significantly more effective than medication
- Pharmacotherapy was more effective than non-directive counseling
- Psychotherapy was more effective than tricyclic antidepressants (such as Norpramin, Tofranil, or Pamelor)
In any of these cases, while one might have been found more effective than the other, it was generally agreed that a combination of the two produced the best results.
How Psychotherapy Helps In Mental Health
Psychotherapy involves working with a therapist or counselor — whether long-term or short-term — to address the sources and triggers of your mental illness. By better understanding your mental illness, you can develop a coping strategy to prepare for potential triggers. The goal of psychotherapy is not typically to get rid of your mental illness, often an impossible task. Rather, it is to help you live a life worth living and achieve your goals despite your mental illness.
Some psychotherapies are designed to help patients process trauma that may have caused or exacerbated their mental illness. By processing their trauma, they can mitigate the symptoms of PTSD and other related conditions. Other therapies help patients to dive into the thought process that informs their behaviors and then reframe their thoughts. In doing so, patients form newer neural pathways and healthier ways of thinking. Different therapies will have different effectiveness, depending on the patient’s background and the mental illness they face.
How Pharmacotherapy Helps In Mental Health
Pharmacotherapy, on the other hand, is a more independent treatment. Psychiatrists prescribe a medication which the patient then takes daily in order to address the chemical imbalance causing their mental illness. For ADHD patients, they may take medication that provides an uptick in dopamine. Patients with anxiety and depression often take medications that offer an increase in serotonin levels.
These medications do not completely erase any symptoms of mental illness. What they do is help to correct a chemical imbalance that causes those symptoms to occur. In doing so, symptoms are reduced. Patients who take medication for mental illnesses often find that they have more motivation and energy to go about their daily tasks than they would have without the medication. By having more motivation to face the day, they are able to achieve more of their goals and stay on top of their daily tasks, thus decreasing stressors that could exacerbate mental illness.
How Therapy and Medication Work Together
Often after a mental health diagnosis, a psychiatrist will recommend both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy to help patients manage symptoms. It is ultimately up to the patient whether they want to pursue one or both. Therapy can happen over a set period of time and may involve breaks in between. Medication is more of a daily constant and you should always speak to your psychiatrist before going off your medication, so as not to suffer harsh withdrawal symptoms.
Medication can help to give you the motivation you need in order to approach therapy and tackle new changes in your life. However, without therapy, you may find yourself stuck in poor coping mechanisms or behavior patterns brought on by your mental illness. Therapy can help you reframe those thoughts and behavior patterns and develop healthy coping mechanisms. By utilizing both treatments, you can take control of your mental illness, instead of letting it control you.
Some patients may prefer to avoid medication and focus on therapy. If you have an adverse reaction to certain medications, you may feel comfortable going without pharmacotherapy and simply treating your mental illness with talk therapy. On the other hand, many patients finish therapy or take a break from it but still prefer to take daily medication in order to manage their symptoms. These treatments can be taken separately and are sometimes preferred that way. However, the most effective results repeatedly come from a combination of the two.
The best plan for your own mental wellness is to speak with a mental health provider. They can take all of your unique circumstances into account to decide the right treatment for you. This is where Rivia Mind can help. Contact us today to learn more about our services or to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
