A maintenance schedule, not a one-time fix
Anyone who has watched the racing at Bowman Gray Stadium knows a car does not win on the engine alone; it wins on the pit stops. Psychiatric medicine works the same way. The first prescription gets you on the track, and regular check-ins keep it running: adjusting the dose, catching side effects early, and changing course when life changes. With offices in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point, Burlington, and Asheboro, your next check-in is never far away.
Who we follow
Adults and teens 15 and older living with depression, generalized anxiety or panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, ADHD, bipolar disorder, the aftermath of trauma, PMDD, or sleep that has fallen apart alongside any of these.
The first lap: weeks one to four
Most medicines start low. An upset stomach, a headache, or strange dreams are common at first and usually settle within a couple of weeks. With antidepressants, sleep and energy often improve before mood does, so do not judge the medicine on day five.
Middle laps: finding the right dose
At follow-ups, your provider asks how you are sleeping, eating, concentrating, and feeling, and has you repeat the same brief scales from your first visit. Comparing the scores shows whether you are actually gaining ground. If you are stuck, the dose may rise; if side effects outweigh benefits, a switch may make more sense than grinding it out.
The long run: staying well
After you recover, visits spread out. Most people stay on an antidepressant for six months to a year after feeling better, because stopping too soon invites relapse. Bipolar disorder and recurrent depression usually call for longer treatment.
Night crews and plant shifts
The FedEx hub at PTI, distribution centers along I-40 and I-85, hospital night shifts, and the battery plant in Liberty keep the Triad running around the clock. If you sleep from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., your "morning" medicines go at 3 p.m. and sedating ones before that daytime sleep. Your provider plans around your real hours.
Routine safety checks
- Lithium: blood levels on a schedule, plus kidney and thyroid function
- Valproate: liver tests and a blood count
- Several antipsychotics: weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol, worth watching closely in a region where diabetes is common
- Stimulants: blood pressure and pulse
Your provider explains why each check matters and how often it is needed.
Controlled prescriptions in North Carolina
Schedule II stimulants come without refills. Before every new prescription, your provider looks you up in North Carolina's Controlled Substances Reporting System, which tracks controlled prescriptions statewide.
Humid summers
A July afternoon at the zoo in Asheboro or mowing the yard in Kernersville can drain your fluids fast. Low fluids push lithium levels up and make some other side effects worse. Keep water handy, and call us right away for shakiness, vomiting, or confusion.
Grandparents and long medicine lists
Older patients often fill prescriptions from three or four doctors. Some over-the-counter sleep aids, allergy pills, and bladder medicines can fog memory or raise fall risk, and several interact with antidepressants. Your provider will go through the whole bag of bottles and talk with your primary care doctor if you agree.
Teens, pregnancy, and nursing
When a patient is 15 to 17, a parent or guardian helps decide. If you are trying to conceive, pregnant, or breastfeeding, bring it up early; some medicines suit those times better, and quitting a working medicine suddenly has its own dangers.
When it is time to change
If a medicine only gets you partway, your provider may raise or lower the dose, try another, or add a second. After several misses, GeneSight testing can help explain why. If you want to stop, tell us first so we can taper slowly.
Call us before your next visit if...
...dark thoughts about hurting yourself show up or grow, you are suddenly sleeping very little and feel unstoppable, a rash appears, or you pass out. For a crisis, call or text 988, or call 911.
Getting started
First-time patients begin with a psychiatric evaluation. Moving your care from another prescriber? Bring every bottle. Visit any of our offices at 447 Arlington St in Greensboro, 102 W 3rd St in Winston-Salem, 1831 Eastchester Dr in High Point, 500 S Main St in Burlington, and 135 MacArthur Street in Asheboro. Become a patient without a referral.
Why Choose Triad Mental Health Partners?
- Providers across Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and the Piedmont Triad who actually listen and take their time
- Now accepting new patients because waiting makes everything harder
- We accept most major insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare — and work with you on costs
- A practice that treats you like a person, not a number