When I first started struggling with major depression and anxiety, I thought therapy would be enough. I found a great therapist, someone who really listened and helped me unpack some of the emotional weight I’d been carrying. And while therapy helped me understand why I felt the way I did, the heaviness didn’t fully lift. The anxiety still clung to me. The exhaustion never really went away. That’s when my therapist gently suggested I see a medication management provider.
At first, I hesitated. I worried about what it meant to “need” medication. But what I’ve come to learn — and what I wish more people knew — is that therapy and medication aren’t either/or. They work best together, especially when depression and anxiety are affecting every part of your life.
Medication isn’t about changing who you are. It’s about giving your brain the support it needs so you can show up for therapy, for your relationships, and for yourself. When symptoms are overwhelming — when you can’t sleep, when your thoughts are racing, when getting out of bed feels impossible — it’s hard to engage with the deeper work therapy asks of you. That’s where medication can help stabilize things, making space for real progress.
A medication management provider doesn’t just hand you a prescription and send you on your way. They take the time to understand your symptoms, your history, your goals. They monitor how your body responds, adjust dosages if needed, and work with your therapist to make sure everything is aligned. You get two professionals looking out for you — one focused on the emotional and psychological side, the other on the biological and medical side. Together, they create a more complete, personalized treatment plan.
And honestly? Having that kind of team made me feel like I wasn’t fighting this alone anymore.
There’s still a lot of stigma around taking medication for mental health, but the truth is, depression and anxiety are complex. They affect how we think and how our brains function on a chemical level. Therapy can help us untangle the mental knots, while medication can quiet the noise just enough for healing to actually begin.
If you’re already seeing a therapist and still feel like something’s missing, it might be time to consider adding a medication management provider to your care. It’s not a sign of failure — it’s a sign that you’re serious about getting better, and willing to use every tool available to feel like yourself again.
Because you deserve to feel well — not just “getting by,” but truly living.