I am not a prescriber, but I have referred some patients to prescribers (generally psychiatric nurse practitioners) to be evaluated for pharmaceutical relief when:
1) The patient requests it
2) The patient is suffering in ways that are impeding their ability to function reliably in a major aspect of their life (e.g. employment, relationships)
3) The patient is experiencing a short-term stressful event that can be made more comfortable via medication.
Regarding the final point, it is important to explain that there are short term pharmaceutical interventions to help with stress. For example, some people have a hard time sleeping due to anxiety after losing a loved one, or a painful breakup. In those cases, a short-term prescription to reduce anxiety levels is perfectly appropriate.

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