Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Medication management plays a crucial role in supporting your mental health journey. The Atlantic Behavioral Specialists LLC Team, serving Vienna, Fairfax, and Sterling, Virginia, provides expert guidance to help you achieve the best possible outcomes from your prescribed medications. Our providers partner closely with each patient to explore medication options, monitor effectiveness, and ensure proper usage to maximize therapeutic benefits.
Medication management refers to the careful selection, monitoring, and adjustment of medications used to treat ongoing mental health conditions such as:
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Tricyclic antidepressants
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
Anti-anxiety medications
Mood stabilizers
Stimulants
Antipsychotic medications
These treatments are often most effective when combined with psychotherapy. Because many individuals also take medications for other health issues—such as high blood pressure or diabetes—our team takes a comprehensive approach to ensure that all medications work safely together.
Medication management supports your well-being in several key ways:
Medications can affect people differently. Regular reviews help determine whether your current prescriptions are achieving the intended results. If not, your provider may adjust dosages or recommend an alternative medication.
All medications can have side effects—some mild, others more significant. Through ongoing monitoring, your provider helps minimize unwanted effects and ensures your treatment remains both safe and tolerable.
Some medications and supplements can interact in harmful ways. For example, combining SSRIs with opioids may cause serotonin syndrome, a potentially dangerous condition resulting from excess serotonin. That’s why it’s vital to share all your medications, supplements, and herbal products—like St. John’s wort—with your provider. Our team ensures that every element of your treatment works together safely.
Your provider will recommend a review schedule tailored to your needs. Most patients benefit from three to four visits per year, while others—such as those changing medications or managing complex conditions like schizophrenia—may need more frequent follow-ups.