Many clients benefit from medication if symptoms are such that daily activities are unmanageable or if stress prevents them from taking care of personal needs. A medical provider familiar with mental health symptoms, medication’s affects, and who has a functional medicine perspective can be very helpful. As a counselor I am not permitted to provide medication recommendations, however an understanding of what medication does, including it side effects is very important in understanding the needs of the client. It is important for the counselor to consider whether the client’s experience is a mental health issue or the effect of medication they are on. Side effects of medication may create the challenges the client is dealing with. Typical complaints I hear from clients that may be caused by their medication are that they can’t sleep, they can’t focus, or manage their weight. Consulting with their medication management provider can be very helpful in reducing side effects when the provider changes medication or the quantity taken. Clients sometimes reflect that they do not believe they can feel “normal” while on several medications because of side affects. They often comment on how much better they feel after getting off of medications for pain that have stopped being effective.
A path to wholeness