Resilient Prescribing: An Approach to Psychotropic Use in Deployed Environments

Abstract

ABSTRACT Resilient prescribing is an approach to the use of psychotropics that considers the significance of the treatment beyond the direct effects of the medication. Within this strengths-based approach, those who are prescribed medications must retain a sense of self-efficacy, understand the importance of their own actions in their recovery, have reasonable expectations of what a medication can and cannot do, and avoid the adoption of a disempowering illness identity. These constitute the principles of resilient prescribing. In this manuscript, we explore these principles with consideration for how they may be applied in deployed settings where the ability of service members to recover from behavioral health concerns is mission critical. These principles offer a roadmap to prescribing that builds upon the service members’ own strengths and has the potential to amplify the positive impacts of mental health treatment.