- Individual medication management evaluations
- Brief therapy and individual support and therapy
- Small group therapy on a wide variety of topics
Medications
There are numerous neurotransmitters acting in the brain in many complex ways. Today's medicines are able to modify this brain chemistry to alleviate the elements of depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, psychosis, some addictions and so on. They help to correct the underlying symptoms that are often genetic in origin but are increased by our social issues and personal lives that affect our mental state and overall health of the body.
Therapy
This is an overused word for a vast subject that helps people in many seen and unseen ways.
There are many types of therapy and not any one therapy is the sole answer for one or all. Some therapy may be in group or individual format.
Usually an individual sesson or brief therapy time with a physician or longer time with a counselor, or other professional may help in the following ways:
1. Vital emotional release: Too often our problems and issues block our emotional bodies and cause a whole host of issues that can affect the body and mind. Some of these blocks are conscious while others are subconscious and most is unconscious, that is not in our awareness. The process of one on one time is a catalyst for the emotional release of past pain, pressures and issues that come to the surface to be healed. Our mind and body ultimately do not allow us to "bury the past and forget about it." Rather, we eventually become a pressure cooker where our emotions must be released in a safe environment or we may end up with lack of peace and harmony and various bodily ailments that are not necessarily responding to conventional medicine.
2. Learning to express what is on the inside with words, emotions and creativity A healing process takes place when we can bring into words or through creative means in art, music and the like our inner dialogue of who we are, the illusions about ourselves and our fears and resistances that often cloud our highest and best.
3. Reworking old family patterns. We are molded by our past and have the power to gradually create a better future by understanding our family patterns that have affected us in the present. Awareness of such patterns is half the process in healing. Once aware we can reparent and nurture ourselves in healthier ways that we may not have necessarily received as children. We can gradually forgive and accept in order to embrace a more coherent and peaceful life.
4. Repair and rebuilidng of our sense of Self: Too often we are salmon swimming upstream and therapy can provide an avenue to examine and rebuild who we are and take down who we thought we were. Without a solid sense of Self we may continue to repeat old patterns that are not healthy in our work and personal lives.
5. Dealing with negativity Too often we can become stuck in our shadow self and in our negative thinking that slows us down. Therapy can help us recognize when these behaviors are taking place and provide some tools to help us think in opposite directions to forge a new path of behaviors, attitudes and feelings.
Simple Preventive Medicine Suggestions
Where appropriate, preventive medicine suggestions in exercise, sleep hygeine, basic use of some herbal preparations, diet changes and developing and deepening one's own belief system and philosophy of life can help as we take conventional medicines and take some time for therapy.
Our own Efforts and Contemplation
Our own efforts are vital in the healing process. Too often many want the physician and/ or therapist to wave a magic wand and make years of issues and patterns of behaviors go away. However, we have to "make quilts as life gives us scraps" and become our own teacher in solving our problems. Journal writing, efforts to reach out to the community in service, discovery of our talents, our own self help reading, exploration of internet articles are important to empower us little by little in our growth of Self-awareness.....
Are Psychiatrists, physicians? Yes, all psychiatrists are physicians fully licensed and board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. They have gone through the full gamut of medical school and residency and also variable training and exposure to psychotherapy modalities. Some are interested in a more holistic and integrative approach for mind and body.
Am I crazy if I see a psychiatrist? Issues in Psychiatry are no different than any other medical specialty. Would one sit at home if their leg was broken? No, it would be mended by an orthopedic surgeon.
Are psychiatric problems and issues "real?" Depression, anxiety and other problems are biologic disorders that need treatment as in any other specialty. More importantly if it is real to you than that must be validated and dealt with.
Why should we have to pay for therapy and treatment and why are costs so high? In any medical specialty there are hidden costs that must be met to maintain the practice. In addition, there is a value on expertise that society at large places on for different professions. Professional fees are becoming more out of pocket to deal with the vast complexities of insurance that sometimes physicians choose to deal with or not. Anything of value and treatment will have a cost because exchange is needed between the service and the person receivnig the service. We spend vast amounts of money on gifts, our personal care and the like.
When it comes to therapy and treatment there can be resistance and even resentment to pay. Such feelings need to be understood as to the origin of where that is coming from from within us. Part of healing is to value the treatment through the exchange of payment. And, when we are motivated enough and when our issue are important enough to us, we will find a way to pay or to modify our treatment in such a way where we can find benefit.
Will I be on medications forever? This is highly individual and variable depending on the person and their issues. It can be discussed with their physician. Often, however, todays medicines are being used for long periods of times to avoid relapses and create remission of symptoms, depending on the problem.
Why do I have to take responsibility for my health? I want a quick fix! The problems did not arise overnight and will not be fixed overnight. Too often we have not empowered ourselves enough to realize that we alone are responsible for our thinking behaviors, eating patterns and emotions. It is easy to blame the outside until we look within to realize we have to modify how we react to the outer world.
 © 2007 - 2009 Rama Pemmaraju Rao, M.D.
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