ABSTRACT
One of the first questions patients ask, often before they even begin medication, is “How long do I have to take this?” Beyond a straightforward request for information, the patient may be asking what the clinician’s viewpoint is on the commonly held myth that once a person starts on a psychotropic medication it must be continued for life. At other times, the question may be based on the assumption that there will be a number of side effects to “bear with,” and the patient wants to know how long the period of discomfort will be. These questions are an opportunity for the prescriber to begin to discuss the “game plan” for medication treatment.
