Not all patients and not all psychiatric problems need psychiatric medicines but there are certainly instances where prescription medicines are the most potent treatment available to relieve a patient’s suffering.  Medicines are commonly an important and effective part of the treatment of many mental illnesses to include depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, panic, sleep problems, attention deficit disorder and several other disorders.

Medications are often utilized at the same time that other forms of treatment such as counseling or behavioral therapies are being used.  As would be expected, the use of prescription medicines introduces potential problems to be dealt with such as medicine risks and side effects.

Psychiatrists are the only mental health providers who are legally licensed to independently prescribe and manage prescription medications for mental illnesses.