[skysblue]

Has this happened to you? If so, how did you feel about it?

[susannahsays]

Medication can be very useful. Sometimes you can be too dysregulated chemically to benefit from therapy.

But to answer your question, no this has never really happened to me. I have always had a psychiatrist.

[nottrustin]

It has been quite few years. Back then my PCP was prescribing my medications but felt a pdoc would be better for me as she had tried several things that didnt work. T agreed with me. I refused because I didn't want to tell anybody else my story plus I work at the one psych facility in the area. I told them I would stop taking medication before seeing someone else. The didn't push but T and I did discuss it a few times. Eventually I agreed to see one specific person to try it. I still see that person.

[ArtleyWilkins]

Yes, I needed medication management to help me with severe depression. It was more than a regular doctor was willing to manage. It was initially a scary prospect, but I had the kindest, gentlest pdoc who was great about explaining things to me and listening to my input and needs. I think I may miss my pdoc more than my therapist just because he was such a sweet man; a real gentleman and highly knowledgeable and skilled with medication management. He saved my life more than once.

[Anne2.0]

Back in my previous round of therapy, my T then did suggest it. I was finding therapy pretty overwhelming at the time. I think she said something like if there is something that might help you feel better, why not learn more about it and see if it's right for you. I was all worried about being "doped up" and having side effects and getting addicted and generally not very enthusiastic.

But I did visit a pdoc who was extremely personable and knowledgeable, addressed all my questions and concerns and then I started on a super low dose and built up to something a bit over a minimal dose. It helped a lot and I feel my therapy was more effective, kind of speeded up and not overwhelming. I took whatever it was, some newish SSRI back then, for a little less than a year.

Now I'd be inclined to explore alternatives to things for depression and anxiety, including Bvitamins, a lightbox, St. John's Wort, and CBD oil. I'd probably do medical MJ before trying psych medication, but I'm just a medically avoidant person in general.

As to the question of how I felt about my T making such a suggestion, I appreciated, more after it worked than before. I'd encourage you to a least make a visit in the spirit of learning more about the possibilities. Information is power.

[coolibrarian]

I was ok with taking this "advice" from my T, because it was clear that, at the time, a very long time ago, the meds would stabilize me, and the therapeutic "work" could be achieved more easily.

[satsuma]

No, but my T has talked about medication, and has made contact with my GP about this. I don't see a Pdoc as I'm not under an NHS mental health team, so my GP manages medication, which seems to work fine for me and T.

[healinginprogress]

My T recommended I see "someone with prescribing power." Lol. I trusted (and trust) her judgement so I felt comfortable with her suggestion. Several years later and it was still a very good suggestion.

[SlumberKitty]

No, it was my GP who recommended a PDOC. I didn't start therapy until after I was already seeing a PDOC. I guess I did it backwards. Kit

[starfishing]

I had a therapist suggest I see a psychiatrist or psych NP for the first time a while ago. It was a difficult suggestion for me to hear at the time, both because I had a lot of complicated feelings and stigma about psych medications and because I worried my therapist was indirectly saying I'd failed at therapy or that needing medication meant I was "sick" somehow. It took me a while to agree to what over time became a very strong recommendation--my therapist was so invested in it happening by that point that once I finally said yes, she made the psychiatry appointment for me. It was the right thing to do, and medications have been extremely helpful to me over the years. And it was useful for me to unpack in therapy why I felt the way I did about my therapist making that suggestion.

[GeekyOne]

My GP was prescribing psych meds for me and pushed me to start therapy. Eventually my GP decided I needed to see a Pdoc, and referred me out. Now Pdoc makes sure that I stay in therapy and referred me to my current T when things fell through with previous Ts.