Psychoanalysis and medication: is real integration possible?

The author first summarizes historical tensions surrounding the use of medication in psychoanalytic treatments. Next he examines the now-popular viewpoint that clinicians should consider only descriptive criteria in deciding whether to medicate. He then describes how medication use can potentially undermine patients' full integration of psychic experiences. Finally, he presents clinical material to illustrate why clinicians ought to consider patients' defensive processes as a core part of the initial decision about medication use.