Popa is making a good point. True, it’s a minority opinion, but that doesn’t make it any less valid.
If you say CBT is the only research-based, effective treatment out there, you’re saying that mental illness is not biologically based, because CBT assumes that it is merely habits of thinking rather than biological forces causing mental illness.
And if you say medication is necessary to treat mental illness, you’re saying that mental illness is biologically based, and CBT can’t work because habits come from the neurotransmitters, not vice versa.
Both methods ignore the whole person. Perhaps both the biology and the crazy thoughts come from one cause. Childhood experiences, trauma, poor emotional intelligence, abusive family… you can treat the symptom, but it will just come out another way.
Psycho-dynamic Psychotherapy, that is, talking to someone, talking about your life and experiences, having someone else help you realize where problems originated and deal with them at their root, is far more effective long term than either CBT or medication.
So I agree with Popa. If you want to deal with your problems, get psychotherapy. If you want a quick fix or to treat the symptom, CBT and medications are fine.