Hear half.
The facts. Shrinks are MDs, deal drugs. Therapists are talktalks, no meds.
Some need only shrinks, some only talk, some both.
What you need to know:
first visit is 45 minutes, you give your history and symptoms. You figure
out a drug.
A month later you eval the drug. Side effects or ineffectual, try another.
When stable, see doc only 15 min every 3months or 6months. Some drugs
eg lithium require blood tests after start and periodically. Some drugs
like prozac are ok if you skip them for a day, some you'll notice if you do.
Prozac doesn't need blood tests either.
Most psych drugs take a month to work, though a few patients notice
early effects, and of course, for somethign like speed prescribed for
ADD, the effects will be felt in half an hour for a few hours or day afterwards. Same with benzos and cannabis. But most psych meds
take a little time.
So: Google what you need, what's generic/cheap/tested or what's state
of the art. Personally, I like thc, nicotine, caffeine, ethanol (cutting down),
serotonin to sleep, prozac chronically, pristiq recently I find I like the
slight stim effects ---not abusable, believe me I'd know, but I can notice
it when I don't take it.
Without chemistry, life would be impossible.
