Medication Management

Psychiatric drugs are often primary treatments for moderate-to-severe mental health disorders. Berhanu Bedassa, PMHNP, at Bridge of Hope Mental Health Services in Portland, Oregon, provides a medication management service to ensure your medicines are safe and effective. He also believes that understanding how psychiatric medications integrate into your mental health care is critical to successful treatment. Call Bridge of Hope Mental Health Services or schedule a medication management review online today to benefit from Berhanu’s expertise.

What is medication management?

Medication management is a service that Berhanu offers to patients taking one or more psychiatric drugs. These medicines often play a vital role in treating mental health disorders, including:

• Major depressive disorder (depression)
• Anxiety disorders
• Bipolar disorder
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Eating disorders
• Personality disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Schizoaffective disorder
• Substance use disorder

Medications can reduce symptoms, help you benefit more from psychotherapy (talk therapy or counseling), and allow you to manage incurable conditions. But their use must be monitored carefully.

Why should I have medication management reviews?

You’ll benefit from regular medication management reviews if you take prescription drugs like:

• Antidepressants
• Mood stabilizers
• Anti-anxiety drugs
• Stimulants
• Antipsychotic medicines
• Addiction withdrawal medications

These medicines have valuable properties but can also cause side effects. Some are tolerable when weighed against the symptoms of mental health problems. But others are unbearable, and some are dangerous.

At a medication management review, Berhanu can change your prescription if you have any of these problems. He also ensures that the drugs you take have the desired effect. If they aren’t helping, he can put you on a more effective medication.

What happens at a medication management review?

Medication management reviews begin by discussing how well your current prescription’s working. Tell Berhanu about improvements or if your symptoms remain the same. He’ll ask about side effects, so tell him if you have any problems with your current medications. You need regular blood tests with some medicines, like lithium (a mood stabilizer).

Berhanu also checks that you take your medications correctly. This includes the correct dose at the recommended time of day and as directed, for example, before or after eating. He must know about drugs you regularly take for other health problems, like blood pressure pills or prescription painkillers.

These substances can sometimes affect how psychiatric medications work and could cause harmful effects. Herbal therapies, over-the-counter medicines, and dietary supplements can also interact with your psychiatric drugs, so give Berhanu a list of everything you take to be safe.

After the medication management review, Berhanu makes any necessary changes and advises you when to return for your next review.

Call Bridge of Hope Mental Health Services for more information, or book your medication management review online today.