We will help you understand your unique situation, the nature of your problem and its possible causes, and help you make treatment choices according to your preferences.

Psychiatric  diagnosis

Psychiatric diagnosis is more than giving someone a diagnostic label.  We will help you understand how brain chemistry, childhood experiences and life situations may have contributed to the distress you are having. This full understanding is more important than a diagnostic label. Understanding the complex interplay of all these factors by an experienced doctor has a bigger role than symptom checklists, blood tests or brain scans in making a psychiatric diagnostic formulation. Where needed, the impact of physical illness (like a hormonal disorder) on the psychiatric diagnosis will be considered and suitable tests will be ordered. 

Therapy Referral

Your treatment plan may include talk therapy or medication management. If referral to a psychotherapist/ counselor is needed, we can help you choose from many psychologists, psychotherapists and counselors in Northeast Indiana with whom we have had close working relationships for a long time. Medication management, as needed, can continue at our office. You may also find a therapist through https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists?search=46805

Psychiatric Medications

When your problems are mainly based  on brain chemistry, Dr Rustagi may recommend medications which are often helpful and often well-tolerated.  It is always our goal to strengthen your healthy natural personality rather than changing or suppressing it. We try to minimize side effects and also help you understand them. We will help you compare possible harm from treating versus possible harm from not treating your problem medically.

How often you have follow-up visits will depend on the symptoms and nature of medications prescribed.

We  partner with you in obtaining the necessary prior authorization from insurance companies for medications.  You may have to take some initiative in this matter to help us in the prior authorization process. We will also help you get medication discounts where possible.

Genetic testing

We have studied many available options for genetic testing to help with choice and dosing of medications and have chosen a company whose offering in this area is completely satisfactory to us. Please contact us for details.  We are happy to factor in the genetic factors in treatment choices.

Psychological testing

Psychological and Neuropsychological testing is of value in only some situations. After our initial evaluation, we can advise you if such testing is needed. If you have already had such testing in a clinic or at school, please give us those records before or during your initial evaluation. If you have not had such testing and in our opinion such testing is needed, we will refer you to a testing psychologist. 

Holistic, Integrative, Complementary and Alternative medicine approaches

We welcome discussion of these approaches based on reasonable scientific evidence. i

Regular wholesome meals, vigorous exercise as permitted by your health and your physicians, and timely rest with regular daily  sleep-wake cycle are extremely important in maintaining good mental health. 

Many supplements are not formally regulated like medications. We are  open to discussing supplements within the framework of available scientific evidence. Interaction with prescribed medications  has been studied to a variable degree for different supplements. We can discuss the pros and cons of using supplements in your situation.   Please feel free to bring this issue up for discussion as needed.

Nutrition and weight management

We favor wholesome nutrition over supplement pills unless a specific nutritional deficiency has been established by appropriate testing. We support our patients in maintaining sustainable strategies for achieving and maintaining their weight in a healthy range. We encourage diet plans that can be sustained over years as a part of healthy lifestyle.