University of Connecticut | 
Barry's CornerJune 2008
It's Summer finally and hopefully you are having time away to unwind and relax. I want to take June's space to talk about a common theme of questions asked of me throughout the last semester which focused around psych medications. Questions about medications come up a lot because not only do a large percentage of students take meds, but many students come to campus having been on meds for some time. To be honest with you I am not entirely a big fan. Saying this is gonna get me in way big trouble though. Many feel deeply helped by medications and I have several staff members who are medication prescribers by profession. So, what the heck is the deal with the Director of the UConn Counseling Center saying such a thing!??! First things first. It is without a doubt that many are helped by medications. Some folks are so disabled by their symptoms they are barely able to function and certainly are not able to make use of therapy. In these cases, meds can make a significant positive impact. But I also know that with any good treatment comes over utilization. Medications are so readily available these days, can be prescribed by any number of medical professionals, and the side effects can be minimal. But, you say, if treatment is available and can seemingly make life better, what's wrong with taking advantage of it? "Nothing" is one of my responses. The other response I want to make is this. Please remember you have skills, you have abilities, and you have strengths that can help you cope with life and its demands. This should be our first line of defense before turning to something as serious as medications. Also remember life is normally full of difficulties. When you feel badly because bad things are happening, this is a pretty normal thing. Just because you are feeling badly does not mean something is wrong with you. Feeling badly is a sign, often times, that something is not right in life and needs your attention. We should be sure to not to medically do away with feelings simply because they do not always feel good. Bad feelings have important messages in them and should be listened to and not suppressed. Remember, it is hard to have good feelings without having bad ones, too. I saw a commercial for a medication recently that featured a cartoon woman who had all sorts of emotion words stacked on her shoulders that were apparently "getting her down." She took the medication and the emotions magically fell onto the ground where she then took a broom and dustpan and swept them up and put them in the trash. Wow! We should resist the temptation sold to us with medications if the message is that our emotions are garbage to be thrown away when we do not like them. I merely suggest that we are whole, capable people with whole lives that have ups and downs. Give your natural abilities a chance. Seek therapy which focuses on you and your natural abilities to help yourself further develop. College can uniquely be a time of great changes, great transitions, and great challenges. Trust in your own innate strengths. I do! Medications really should come only after meeting with a therapist and discussing your all your options. Medications are a supplement to therapy and rarely the therapy itself. Medications can suppress symptoms but they do not solve problems. So? Medications? Sure. The professionals at CMHS can help you with this, but we are a counseling center first and foremost and as such we provide therapy as our primary treatment. We work to help you to develop and grow and to supplement the strengths you naturally have. To further aid such a process, we can prescribe to you, but it is not the default, and it is not given simply because you may ask for it. It is only considered after thorough assessment and consultation. Seek therapy first and if medications are needed after that, we will work with you on this option. So that's the gig from the inside about medications. Now, have a great Summer and we shall see ya in the Fall! |
Barry's Corner Archives
|
