When worlds converge: Combining depth psychotherapy and psychotropic medications

Abstract

The use of medication further widens the scope for the psychoanalyst. The psychoanalyst attempting to combine disparate paradigms must balance maintenance of an analytic attitude with the activities necessary for appropriate diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric illness. Conflicting beliefs about the cause of symptoms, disdain for "quick fixes," lack of role models, and inexperience in using medication are among the issues that create obstacles for psychoanalysts attempting to achieve this balance. Implications for nonmedical analysts and psychoanalytic training are also considered.