Hello! This Dr. Nazneen Ladak. I m a Psychiatrist.

Now I’m gonna talk really in detail about the different causes or conditions which we come across Psychiatry. Generally I’m going to talk about the myths, the common myths you people have questioned about.

First, going to the psychiatrist means you are mad. Second that it is all in your head try to improve on yourself why do you need to be on medicine. Third, these medicines are addictive. Fourth, are these medicines safe? Well let me tell you going to a psychiatrist doesn’t mean that we deal with mad people.

We deal with people who are open minded , who have understood the concept and who are broad and who seek help because they cannot function in their day to day activities. Now it’s all in your head, no! It’s not all in your head – it happens when there is a chemical imbalance. Chemical imbalance can be intrinsic or extrinsic i.e. due to circumstances.

Now e.g. thyroid, it is a medical condition where you take thyroid hormones because your body cannot produce thyroid. Similarly your brain cannot produce chemicals and that’s why you are taking this medicine.

When you can take medicines for thyroid, for diabetes for blood pressure, what is wrong in taking medicines for your brain? Isn’t the brain part of your body? These medicines are FDA approved, approved by the government so how can they be harmful. Some people say addiction ho jati hai. No! It is not addictive. We taper it and we stop it. You don’t get hooked on to it lifelong. Well it depends from case to case.

If there are more than 2 relapses in the sense we put you on medicines, we taper the dose and then you are off medicines. But if you relapse twice or thrice , then you have to take the medicines for lifelong. Just like you take your thyroid medicines, your B.P. medicines, your diabetes medicines, and if they are harmful then why are you taking such medicines also.

So the whole concept is like these medicines are not harmful and they you are being monitored by your professional by a healthcare professional, a psychiatrist. For instance vitamin hai, vitamin is very good, supplement is very good for everybody. You take 1 , it works wonders but if you take the whole bottle what happens? You develop vitamin toxicity. If you have a capacity to have 4 chappatis and you have 20 chappatis then chappatis are also harmful. Food is also harmful if it is taken in more than the quantity.

Similar way if everything is in moderation and guided by a professional , it is fine – you need not sweat about it. If these medicines are helping you to function on a normal basis to cope up with your personal relationship, your work relationship and your friendships , then I don’t think there is any harm to it.

If you are feeling happy, if you are feeling normal then why don’t you take help and take these medicines. It is simple as such, not that I’m promoting medicines, we give medicines only if it is required that’s why you are come to us and if they helping you out you should take it.

If you have any other question or you want to seek an appointment then you can go through Lybrate.com. Thank you!