Well that is why therapy in combination with the medications is more effective. However not everyone is able to change their coping mechanisms enough to reduce the over-all symptoms so that would determine how long they might need assistance from a drug/medication.

The way I see it my symptoms and pain don't have much to do with strength or lack of it. I used to think that was it, so I hated myself even more because I could never toughen myself up enough to overcome it all...and blamed it on myself. But to each their own, the mental problems I have will probably be a lifelong struggle. So my focus is more on trying not give up on life over it and trying to treat the symptoms as well as look into eating healthier and other things for my well-being so its bearable rather than an end to to the symptoms.

With risk of self harm I don't always have time to do a bunch of soul searching and talk therapy trying to figure it all out or the specific roots to everything when some of it might not even be purely psychological could be those mythical brain chemicals screwing with me, sometimes I need more immediate relief or it gets dangerous.