Should family Doctors be prescribing psychiatric meds?

I agree that doctors shouldn't give out medications if they don't know much about the disorder the medication is meant to treat. However, because so many people do suffer from depression (up to 20% of the population at any given time), it's not as if doctors are giving out medications for a rare disorder. It is also important that the doctor refer the patient to a therapist so that the core issues can be addressed.

One of the BENEFITS of having physicians prescribe these medications, however, is that many people are just not really able to afford to see a psychiatrist. Also, some people who really need medications may feel stigmatized by seeing a psychiatrist and find it easier to get their meds from a physician.

I agree... They should not, and yet they do everyday.

It should be sanctioned and better controlled! Especially when it comes to the Benzo's... No one should ever just be given a bottle of Xanax, Valium or Restoril by a family practitioner because then, you have a mental illness AND an addiction to deal with! Family practitioners are 10 times more likely to prescribe a benzo than a mental health professional! Even the Nurse practitioners know better than to get a mental patient started on a benzo when it has not been completely and fully assessed ahead of time weather or not this patient has a predisposed addictive personality along with a medical illness.

Good point! And as for above...

***The nurses like to believe that they know just as much as the Doctors do not so... Take that mess with a grain of salt too!

All doctors study every part of your body in Med school... But if they know everything, why are there specialists? If they know everything, why not let your general practitioner do your dental work or your podiatrist prescribe your asthma medication?

There are over a thousand medical codes for each and every different kind of schizophrenia alone... And different meds and med combinations for most of them... I don't think that a 15 minute consultation or discussion with a regular doctor on what makes you nervous upset or sad should be the end result of either a diagnosis or a pharmaceutical solution.

I'd say that the effects of most meds are worse than the problem they attempt to solve and *that* is shotty at best. And when they're able to find the right combination (for those needing more than one symptom to be corrected) they have to keep giving you new meds to cater to your unique needs. As for the effects - I mean, sure, you're not completely down in the dumps but you can't go to the bathroom right and, when you do, you end up fainting (in some cases). You don't want to kill yourself but you worry about something that you can't help but do. Or you just end up becoming a zombie and have no opportunity to get those natural highs that come from the higher end of the Bipolar spectrum (again, saying that's the case). In most situations, it's not harmful for the average person to get therapy, just unnecessary. At a certain point a person no longer knows what's best for their overall mental health or just doesn't know the best way to handle their problems and so this is when therapy is needed. A lot of people get counseling when they really don't need it but, in some cases, come out more able to handle themselves when things DO get difficult, saying that it ends up being that way. Of course, therapy can become just as addictive as any of the drugs they prescribe - you feel helpless and unable to continue until you get that visit in. There has to be a separating factor in the relationship between therapist and client or else the therapist would then *become* the client. It's like an actor that takes his/her role too seriously. Just think about what would happen if Anthony Hopkins weren't able to separate himself from his role as Hannibal...it's scary just thinking about it. But there's a definite note of distance between the two which could make it more difficult for some to heal. As long as the patient realizes there *has* to be some degree of separation, there'll probably be more healing than harm done. It's like the old adage goes...everything in moderation.

WOW, people really think all doctors are saints! A doc in my town was prescribing Prozac to a 22 year old mother of two without ever assessing her true mental state. She ended up having DSS sieze the kids after she stopped feeding them for 3 days. Turns out she was schyzophrenic!!! This doctor had little or no knowledge of psych meds or mental illness. And he was 70 years old. Way to go Doc!

Why are these nurses so defensive about Doctors, I thought we have nurses to keep doctors from doing the wrong thing. Any doctors want to weigh in on this??? I doubt it...

All medical doctors have studied brain/chemical disorders and wouldn't prescribe something if they didn't think the patient needed it. This should be a short-term thing. If the patient has continued emotional problems, the doctor will undoubtedly send the patient to a psychiatrist. How dare you state that doctors have no knowledge of mental issues? Are you the Zoloft Police?

I think not! My husband is a type 2 diabetic, takes blood pressure medicine , cholesterol meds, pain medication, pills for stress, insomnia, was on Viagra, and much more. He takes pills for restless leg syndrome, and more, He also has sleep apnea, and takes pills to help him sleep. Do you think she should see another doctor, I am very worried about him because he has gotten aggressive with me several times. He also drinks when he plays golf with his friends 2 sometimes 3 times a week.

Yes and No. Depending on if you have been formally diagnosed by a psychiatrist first. If you have astable dianosis, then they can (but shouldnt). A psychiatrist should deal with perscribing psychiatric meds since that what the specialize in.

They can yes. What is best is to have an assessment with a psychiatrist have her/him prescribe the medication and from there you can tell your family doctor about the prescription and he can take over prescribing it for you.

I get mine from my MD. I probably wouldn't be alive if she didn't. I think that in certain circumstances, they can. Like, I was already in counseling & I've seen several shrinks before she gave me a script for my meds. But if someone has never been in counseling, maybe they should be evaluated before they are given meds.

Of course they have knowledge of it they are DOCTORS, don't ask questions you have no knowledge on, they don't just hand at pills at all, they have to assess people first, put your brain in gear

As for the person below me nurses do 3 years hard training what have you done????????? so don't question what we know

For the person asking this question if you think you can do a better job then why don't you do it, if you don't think you need to be on these drugs then get a second opinion, if your not on these drugs then why does it concern you, everyone makes mistakes, bet you made a few, or are you just perfect, think not