Psychotherapy Without Medication(s)?

Psychiatric medications have come a long way over the years.

However, like all pills, psychiatric meds have their trade-offs. They all come with the possibility of unpleasant side effects.

That's a big reason why some people with serious forms of mental illness elect to seek professional treatment with psychotherapy without trying medication(s).

So is it possible to overcome moderate to severe anxieties, depression, bipolar disorder, and other forms of mental illness with psychotherapy alone...therapy without medication?

Maybe. But I wouldn't try it.

The thing is, if someone has mental illness, they need to get mentally healthy as quickly as possible. And psychotherapy is a slow process.

Also, talk therapy has only limited success.

Therefore, I think it's a bad idea to try to overcome serious forms of mental illness with psychotherapy without medication(s).

HI Medved,

I edited your post to make your link hot. I think it worked. I hope so.

I think in some cases of anxiety talk therapy alone can help. It has helped me before, but to an extent. Eventually I needed medication especially when the depression set in. I still go to therapy. Have been for years. I think it is nice to have somebody you can check in with that you can trust. Somebody that more or less has your back.

I hope you all have a good rest of the day...

Hugs, Karen...

I would consider my illness severe over the last 15 years. I haven’t touched medication. Iam still suffering... however, there have been times where talking and therapy alone have dramatically helped. And even solved issues. I was even somewhat stable for the last two years as long as I avoided a fair few things. But I’ve also not really got completely better because I kept avoiding and also ocd kept me in check so could feel ok whilst being completely not normal, my ocd has been my coping mechanism but in Order to actually be free, i need to set the ocd free. I’d say I haven’t been suffering to the extreme like what I used to but not much to get me there if I’m not careful with my ocd which I try to keep on top of. It’s a long and winding road, lifestyle and self care go a long way but it is still then extremely difficult, I have been tempted to take meds several times now but I’m afraid what if they don’t work. My therapists have often urged me to take them but I haven’t... yet. I keep thinking and hoping that I’ll get better naturally but if things become too unbearable again I will have to I think. I’m sick of being sick