Amanda Kostura, LISW-S from Carve your Own Path, Inc. here in Fairlawn, and Nick Angelis, CRNA discuss alternatives to life-long pharmaceuticals for mental health issues. Pain and depresiion often occur together, so they give practical advice on how to manage complex conditions. Ketamine, TMS, Spravato, various types of psychotherapy, lifestyle changes and prescriptions–oh wait, aren’t we trying to avoid medicine? Turns out some people need it. However, they stress the importance of setting goals and evaluating progress. The hope is to eventually wean from powerful treatments, much like someone with diabetes might need insulin but eventually manage their disease mostly with lifestyle choices.