However, something that you may not be as familiar with are the differences between the types of medication that you have been taking. Have you ever wondered why some medicine can be found over the counter while others require a physician to write you a script? 

From a technical perspective, the major difference in how medications are categorized is defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Per the FDA standards a prescription drug is defined as: 

“A substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease.”

Everything outside of this is considered over the counter (OTC) or as we like to call it: Natural Medicine! OTC medication is not regulated by the FDA and as a result, one should be very aware of what they are taking and how it can affect their body. One common misconception is that anything over the counter is not as potent or effective as prescription medication. However, the fact is that research suggests an integrative approach which makes use of multiple treatment strategies in addition to prescription medication is a “vital component of patient care.”  With that in mind, here are a few more details about each type of medicine. 

Prescription Drug Medication

Most readers will be readily familiar with prescription medication. These types of medication require a formal script written by a physician and must be filled at a pharmacy. Used for a wide variety of symptoms, prescription medication tends to have fast acting results that alleviate symptoms related to health issues a patient may be experiencing. The mechanism of action for these types of medication is to force a chemical reaction to occur in the body in order to override the negative processes. In cases where illness is severe, prescription medication can be vital to restoring balance. The drawback to this method is that even in the most controlled setting, unintended side effects can occur as the body responds to the chemical alterations. There is also the possibility of dependence and prescription abuse which occurs in about 20% of patients taking controlled prescription medication.

While most prescription medications are very effective at treating the manifest symptoms of illness, oftentimes they do not address the root cause. As a very basic example, if you have a sinus infection which is causing repeated headaches, simply taking a prescription strength dose of Tylenol is not going to solve the issue. In the same way, a multifaceted approach is necessary to deal with more complex behavioral health issues which involve a variety of bodily organs and metabolic processes. 

Cost is another factor to take into account when evaluating prescription medication. When a patient is insured, prescription medication is often an inexpensive method of treatment. However, without insurance, or for medications that are commonly denied from prior authorization, the cost often skyrockets out of proportion and can become a financial burden. Thankfully, new generics are approved daily to help keep essential medications available for issues that patients may face. 

Natural Medicine 

The use of natural medicine is an approach that aims to restore deficiencies in hormones, vitamins, and other key nutrients of the body. Although it often takes a bit longer for these medications to build up, their effects are much more controlled because they are making use of compounds that are usually found in the body's natural physiological makeup. For example, low levels of vitamin B12 and folate have been associated with depression in recent clinical trials. A holistic approach which combines supplementation of the missing vitamin with other psychiatric techniques and medication if necessary can be effective in treating both the symptoms and root cause of depression or any other issues a patient may be facing.

One must be careful though, because not all supplementation is created equally. Some products that are widely available are often formulated at a strength which is below the daily recommended value, and not sufficient for someone who may be experiencing deficient levels of a vitamin or nutrient. This results in either having to take upwards of 2 to 3 times the dosing recommendation, or at worst the natural medicine has no effect. Additionally, without blood work testing it may not be possible to identify areas where an individual may be out of balance. This means that a patient could be supplementing something that their body already has more than enough of, but ignoring an area that they are deficient in. Our recommendation will always be to speak with a physician who can identify common symptoms, perform lab work, and establish a personalized treatment plan to address any concerns. 

If used properly and proactively, natural medicine can be an effective way to take preventative action. Its use does not guarantee that an individual will not become sick, but evidence shows that it can lessen the severity of sickness when it does occur. For example, with the advent of COVID 19, clinical trials found a correlation between low vitamin D levels and more severe symptoms in patients. In general, Dr. Ellis recommends eating a whole food diet and limiting processed food with genetic modifications, artificial ingredients, chemicals, additives, added sugars, dyes, preservatives, and hydrogenated oils to make sure that your body gets all the nutrients that it needs. In addition, taking Dr. Schultze's Superfood or a quality daily multivitamin provided by Xymogen is highly recommended.

If you are looking for more information on a personalized approach to behavioral health our clinic would love to speak with you!