Baggage Check: Pills' Place?

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Dr. Andrea Bonior dives into the world of psychology.

AND THE CHAISES are getting lonely: a new study shows that psychiatrists are relying less on talk therapy and more on medication, a trend fueled in part by insurance limitations and the exploding popularity of prescription medications.

That medication is taking the place of psychotherapy isn't news to anyone who's turned on a television lately ("Ask Your Doctor About Fill-In-The-Blank!") But less well-known are the dangers of relying on pharmaceuticals alone. Not only do some psychiatric medications cause side effects that need to be monitored regularly, but there is evidence that for many common disorders, relying on medication alone can make someone more prone to relapse. It's the band-aid problem: When a person simply takes a pill, they are not necessarily building the techniques, insights, or confidence to change maladaptive patterns — the thoughts, feelings and behaviors that helped bring on their condition in the first place.

No doubt pills have their place, and in many cases a combination of psychotherapy and medication is the best bet of all. But to rely on just a prescription, like seeking out a norovirus for weight loss, is asking for trouble. And for all this new research that reminds us that psychiatrists are doing less and less therapy, we should be reminded that psychologists — who in most states do not dispense medication at all — are more than ready to do the job.

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