Psychopharmacology and Herbal Remedies

Psychopharmacology – though not the ultimate and sole solution to disorders – is a necessity in serious Psychological cases. This specific type of therapy utilizes psychopharmaceuticals which aim to reduce symptoms of different mental disorders. When a person diagnosed with a mental disorder, chemical imbalances occur within their brain, and psychopharmacology is the most effective type of treatment. It is also proven to be a lot more effective when conducted simultaneously with Psychotherapy. The most commonly used psychopharmaceuticals in use currently are mood stabilizers, antipsychotics and antidepressants. This type of therapy is usually administered by Psychiatrists, or basically any physician or clinician who has received training in pharmacology. When utilizing this type of therapy, one has to be aware of how the body deals with the drugs – also known as pharmacokinetics – and how the drugs affect the body – also known as pharmacodynamics. One has to also continuously keep themselves up to date with the recent trends in psychopharmacology as there are frequent improvements made and changes discovered in this specific field.
Some holistic MDs, mental health professionals and others also include the following as worth considering along with drugs that require a prescription:

• St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) which is commonly used for the treatment of depression.
• S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe) an amino acid derivative that occurs naturally in all cells and has many swearing by it as a treatment for depression.
• 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and tryptophan are also recommended as natural alternatives to traditional antidepressants.

As with drugs prescribed by a professional one should be aware of the potential side effects and interaction effects of these chemicals.

Regardless of whether you are considering using a Psychopharmacological approach you should consider supplementing with the types of therapy that improve outcome such as  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Schema Therapy

To schedule an appointment with one of CTA’s therapists in the NY or CT, please call us at 212-258-2577.