The dichotomy of drugs and psychotherapy

Psychiatrists increasingly combine medication with psychotherapy when treating depression and other disorders. Among the public and practitioners, however, there remains controversy about the compatibility of these treatments. The roots of the controversy can be traced to the ubiquity of dualistic beliefs about mind and body and the historical development of mental health professions. Confusion has also been generated by deriving notions of etiology from observations of phenomenology and treatment response. Understanding these issues will help the practitioner to more successfully combine treatment modalities when both are indicated.