Is medication really better than meditation?
A Common Fear about Medications for Depression and Anxiety. Many of my patients who I see in our practice were initially very hesitant to see a psychiatrist. A common fear that they have is that once they start taking a medication that they will have to stay on it too long or even forever. While some people who have had multiple episodes of depression or anxiety may benefit from longer term medication, many if not most patients can discontinue their medication after an appropriate amount of time. Many patients are relieved when I tell them that medication can be a temporary treatment, especially if they are learning long term strategies from therapy or other modalities to maintain their mental health. Two examples from other areas of health care help further explain this concept.