Medication Management

Many people struggling with a mental health condition benefit from psychiatric medication to ease symptoms. At Westwood Psychiatry Associates in Westwood, New Jersey, the team provides medication management, helping find the right medication and dose to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. To find out more about medication management at Westwood Psychiatry Associates, call or schedule an in-office or telemedicine appointment online today

What is medication management?

Medication management refers to the use of medications to treat or manage symptoms caused by a disease. In psychiatry, medication management specifically refers to the various psychotropic medications used to reduce symptoms caused by mental illness.

Not all medications work for all people, even those with the same diagnosis. Finding the right psychiatric drug to treat your symptoms takes time.

The team at Westwood Psychiatry Associates has years of experience diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. They understand how medications benefit your mental well-being and provide medication management to find the right prescription for your diagnosis and symptoms.

Who needs medication management?

The team at Westwood Psychiatry Associates conducts a thorough psychiatric evaluation to determine if you need medication management. Not everyone struggling with a mental health condition needs psychiatric medications. 

However, if you have moderate-to-severe symptoms or a chronic mental health condition, then you might benefit from medication management at Westwood Psychiatry Associates. The team treats a wide range of conditions, including:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Bipolar disorder
• Eating disorders
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Substance abuse
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Trauma

The team also provides medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for addiction treatment, which combines prescription medication that controls drug cravings with behavioral therapy.

What happens during medication management?

The specifics of your medication management at Westwood Psychiatry Associates depend on your diagnosis, symptoms, and medical history. The team takes an individualized approach to care, customizing plans to match needs and goals.

When starting a new medication, the team prescribes a low dose and schedules frequent follow-up appointments to monitor symptoms and side effects. Based on your response to the medication, they adjust your dose or change the medication.

Once you're on a psychiatric medication at a dose that provides the best relief from symptoms with the fewest side effects, your medication management follow-up appointments are less frequent. 

You continue on your medication until you and your provider at Westwood Psychiatry Associates decide it’s time to discontinue or change medication. They slowly wean you off the medication to prevent withdrawal or a return of your symptoms. 

In some cases, you may continue on your medication long-term.

Schedule your medication management appointment at Westwood Psychiatry Associates by calling the office or booking online today.