Psychiatric medication is thankfully losing much of its stigma.  In recent years as thousands upon thousands of individuals are being helped by these drugs, the fear and ignorance are significantly decreasing. Psychiatric medication also known as psychotropic medication is extremely helpful in treating Prenatal and Postpartum Depression and related reactions such as Anxiety Disorders, OCD, Mania and Psychosis.
In order to be prescribed psychotropic medication you must visit a medical doctor or a psychiatrist. Nitza has extensive experience in this area, as in other areas of therapy and treatment for Prenatal and Postpartum Depression, and we can guide you to a doctor that has experience in prenatal and postpartum depression.
The choice of the drug prescribed by the doctor is based on the patient’s condition and on the experience of the treating physician.
Before a psychiatrist recommends medication for the treatment of depression or another prenatal or postpartum reaction, the patient will sit with the doctor or psychiatrist and discuss their situation, symptoms and history.  They will usually be asked to undergo blood work to determine thyroid function, levels of vitamins (mainly from the B group), folic acid and more.
There are different categories of drugs used for different Prenatal and Postpartum Reactions. Some categories of medications include antidepressants, anxiolytics (also known as anti-anxiety medications), and antipsychotic medications. Certain medications take time to ‘kick in’ and may only begin to take effect in three to eight weeks. Therefore, one must be patient and not try to change the medication if one does not feel an immediate change. Always consult your treating doctor before making any changes or stopping your medications.  If you have any worrying side effects, contact your physician immediately or go the closest emergency room