Pharmacotherapy

What is Pharmacotherapy?

Pharmacotherapy is the treatment of health conditions using pharmaceutical medications. It is effective in treating mental health disorders such as ADHD, PTSD, anxiety, OCD, substance abuse, and mood disorders. Clarity Clinic’s psychiatric providers can administer and facilitate pharmacotherapy treatment at any one of our Chicago locations or through our telehealth services.

How Pharmacotherapy Works

The first step is a thorough psychiatric examination and a review of outstanding symptoms.

After a detailed clinical assessment, a pharmacotherapy specialist, either a psychiatrist, certified physician assistant (PA-C), or nurse practitioner (NP), will evaluate if the medication can help you and develop a treatment plan and take into consideration the potential benefits and risks.

When prescribing medications, a provider will ask about any substance you are taking—medical and non-medical—and consider possible interactions or side effects and how to manage them, such as dose reduction or additional counseling.

What Considerations Do Providers Take When Prescribing Medication?

Your mental health condition: The medication administered depends on the mental health condition that is affecting the patient.
Potential side effects: The type of medication providers prescribe will ideally aim to have little to no adverse side effects. The provider considers the possible side effects and will go over how to manage them with you before writing a prescription.
- If adverse side effects do occur, please let your provider know and they will be able to advise and adjust your treatment plan, as necessary.
- If there is an emergency and/or you are experiencing a decrease in your overall mental health condition or an increase in symptoms, especially suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, or hallucinations, please call 911 or call the National Suicide Hotline at 988.
Medication interactions: A provider will also ask about any other substances you might be taking, medical and/or recreational. They will then determine whether there could be a possibility of adverse interactions with the medication they intend to prescribe with whatever other substances are in your system.
Medication allergies: Allergies to any medication, or components of the medication, is a major consideration to avoid allergic reactions.
History of substance abuse: Any history of substance abuse will be taken into consideration while establishing a treatment plan, including the abuse of any psychotropic medications similar to the ones they would be prescribing.