Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using drugs in psychotherapy.

As in many other things, there are several advantages and disadvantages to using drugs in psychotherapy. One advantage I’ve come across involving drugs in psychotherapy is instant gratification. A good example of this is anti-anxiety medications; after taking a xanax, valium, or other minor tranquilizer a panic attack usually subsides rather quickly and allows the patient to gather their thoughts and talk about what they were feeling. This advantage is both short-term and long-term. Using drugs alongside therapy also allows the patient to have some independence. They do not have to see their therapist every single day in order to work through their problems. Going back to the anxiety example, if the patient’s day to day anxiety is
lessened they are more likely to be able to work through the underlying causes of their disorder than if they were living through panic attacks.
Where there is good there is also bad. Some disadvantages of using drugs in psychotherapy are the presence of side effects, withdrawal, and an increased tolerance to the drugs being taken. Some side effects of medication can actually present new problems to deal with in therapy, thus lengthening the healing process. The second disadvantage is withdrawal.
The goal of therapy is to eventually “fix” the person, for lack of a better term, and this sometimes involves ceasing therapy and begin able to take them off their medication when they are able to live normally. When reducing their dosage or taking them off completely, they can experience some intense withdrawal symptoms that they would not experience from therapy alone. A third disadvantage is that over time the patient will become more and more tolerant to the drug they are on, which will call for higher doses.
Overall, I think drugs alongside therapy can be extremely beneficial and from my observations from friends and colleagues partaking in this type of healing, the positives often outweigh the negatives. However, it is up to each individual client and their therapist to decide what’s best for them.