What Are Psychiatric Medications?

Psychiatric medications treat mental health disorders. Sometimes called psychotropic or psychotherapeutic medications, they have changed the lives of people with mental disorders for the better. Many people with mental health problems live fulfilling lives with the help of these medications. Without them, people with mental health problems might suffer serious and disabling symptoms.

How Does ADS Help?

Alcohol and Drug Services (ADS) has a psychiatrist and a family nurse practitioner on staff who specialize in psychiatric medicine and in the treatment of various mental health disorders.

While in treatment at ADS, any client can receive psychiatric evaluation and medication therapy if it is determined that is an appropriate course of treatment for the client's problem.

Appointments with ADS psychiatric professionals can be scheduled through each client's personal substance abuse counselor. ADS uses a treatment team approach as part of each client's overall treatment planning. The treatment team works with each client to help them gain the most benefit from their treatment experience.

When addressing substance abuse and addiction issues, it is very important that other mental health problems be addressed and managed while an individual strives for sobriety from alcohol and illicit drugs.

The phrase "co-occurring disorder" is sometimes used in treatment. It refers to the presence of a Substance Use diagnosis plus another disorder like depression or anxiety.