Many people who struggle with mental health conditions can benefit from medications to ease their symptoms. David Kraus, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist at Fifth Ave Psychiatry, PLLC, in the Flatiron District of Manhattan in New York City. He provides behavioral health medication management. Dr. Kraus helps you find the right medication and dose to manage your symptoms. To learn more about behavioral health medication management, call the office or book an appointment online today.
Behavioral health medication management is the use of prescription psychiatric medications to manage behavioral health conditions. These medications reduce symptoms, helping you feel better.
Dr. Kraus is an experienced and skilled adult psychiatrist who provides behavioral health medication management at his practice, Fifth Ave Psychiatry, PLLC.
Dr. Kraus determines who needs behavioral health medication management after an initial consultation. Many mental health conditions can improve with psychiatric medication, including:
Some patients only need medication to manage their behavioral health. Others benefit from a combination of psychiatric drugs and psychotherapy.
Dr. Kraus determines the best treatment for you based on your diagnosis and current mental and emotional state.
At Fifth Ave Psychiatry, PLLC, Dr. Kraus offers ketamine treatment with Spravato® for depression. Spravato is a nasal spray Dr. Kraus administers at his office.
At your first behavioral health medication management visit to Fifth Ave Psychiatry, PLLC, Dr. Kraus conducts a thorough examination. This allows him to fully understand your mental health needs. This includes a review of your symptoms, mental and medical health histories, and family history.
If needed, he’ll conduct a psychological test to better understand how you think, feel, and behave. This test helps Dr. Kraus determine the correct diagnosis to explain your symptoms so that he can prescribe the most effective medication.
When starting a new medication, Dr. Kraus schedules frequent (weekly or biweekly) follow-up appointments to monitor how well you respond to the medication. He makes adjustments as needed based on your symptoms and side effects.
Once you’re on the proper medication and dose, Dr. Kraus sees you less frequently — once a month or once every three months.
The length of your behavioral health medication management will depend on your diagnosis, how severe your symptoms are, and how you respond to the medication and therapy. Some people only need medication for a short time, while others need psychiatric medication for years.
Dr. Kraus works closely with you, helping you decide when to discontinue your psychiatric medication. You should never stop taking these medications on your own. Abruptly stopping causes severe symptoms, like mood changes, nausea, vomiting, and body aches.
To learn more about behavioral health medication management at Fifth Ave Psychiatry, PLLC, call the office or schedule a consultation online today.