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krosania's picture

Along this line of thought...

It seems to me that one of the best things about having the brain "fix" itself rather than using pharmacotherapy is the sustainability of the treatment effects. If the brain is producing more of a necessary chemical in a specific region of the brain where it was stimulated to do so, that is an effect that will last as long as that part of the brain continues to be stimulated. This is opposed to pharmacotherapy, which stops working as soon as (or a little while after) you stop taking the drug. I think probably why the best thing is for the two to be used together is that typically, use of the drug is intended to get the person to the point where they can respond to the CBT effectively. Many people are prohibited for neurological reasons beyond their control from changing their behavior in a meaningful way. Drug treatments can often break down the barrier that prevents the patient from enacting change, and allows them to then do what is necessary to keep the wall down for good. For this reason, I agree that it is necessary for the person to be highly motivated in order for CBT to work, but I also think that pharmacological approaches can be useful in helping to motivate the person.

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