CBT vs Medication
Current scientific research tells us that for mental disorders cognitive behavior therapy(CBT) is at least as effective, and in most cases more so, than prescribed psychoactive medications. Other than severe psychosis, e.g. schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, CBT is the preferred treatment. There are several reasons for this.
First, psychiatry and the medications that they prescribe treat symptoms, not the cause of mental disorders. Once the patient is taken off the drug, the symptoms return. Because CBT helps the patient identify, discard, and change dysfunction thinking to more rational and realistic thought patterns, the change tends to be long lasting and permanent in most cases.
Secondly, psychoactive medications are toxic and all have side-effects. These side-effects include, but are not limited to, dry mouth, drowsiness, disorientation, delirium, agitation, tremor, irregular heartbeat, headache, insomnia, weight gain, gastrointestinal distress, nausea, menstrual irregularity, weight gain, weight loss, loss of sex drive, etc. And remember, these psychoactive drugs treat your symptoms, not the cause of your issues. Many doctors will leave you on these medication indefinitely—years in many cases—if they think they are helping with your symptoms.
Thirdly, many psychoactive drugs are difficult and dangerous to come off of; some are actually physically addictive! And this weaning process has to be overseen by a medical doctor or very undesirable side-effects can occur (this is in addition to the side-effects of the drug itself).
By taking medication, you are compromising your body, accepting serious side-effects, and are only treating your symptoms, not the cause of your emotional issues. While it is true that CBT takes time and requires work by the patient, during treatment you are improving, reshaping your life in ways that will lead to permanent positive change; you are feeling better. It is worth it. Doesn’t CBT just make more sense? It works!
Current scientific research tells us that for mental disorders cognitive behavior therapy(CBT) is at least as effective, and in most cases more so, than prescribed psychoactive medications. Other than severe psychosis, e.g. schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, CBT is the preferred treatment. There are several reasons for this.
First, psychiatry and the medications that they prescribe treat symptoms, not the cause of mental disorders. Once the patient is taken off the drug, the symptoms return. Because CBT helps the patient identify, discard, and change dysfunction thinking to more rational and realistic thought patterns, the change tends to be long lasting and permanent in most cases.
Secondly, psychoactive medications are toxic and all have side-effects. These side-effects include, but are not limited to, dry mouth, drowsiness, disorientation, delirium, agitation, tremor, irregular heartbeat, headache, insomnia, weight gain, gastrointestinal distress, nausea, menstrual irregularity, weight gain, weight loss, loss of sex drive, etc. And remember, these psychoactive drugs treat your symptoms, not the cause of your issues. Many doctors will leave you on these medication indefinitely—years in many cases—if they think they are helping with your symptoms.
Thirdly, many psychoactive drugs are difficult and dangerous to come off of; some are actually physically addictive! And this weaning process has to be overseen by a medical doctor or very undesirable side-effects can occur (this is in addition to the side-effects of the drug itself).
By taking medication, you are compromising your body, accepting serious side-effects, and are only treating your symptoms, not the cause of your emotional issues. While it is true that CBT takes time and requires work by the patient, during treatment you are improving, reshaping your life in ways that will lead to permanent positive change; you are feeling better. It is worth it. Doesn’t CBT just make more sense? It works!