PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATION AND ITS EFFECT
Although an abundance of knowledge exists in regards to the severe pharmacological effects of recreational drugs, very little is known about the long term effects of recreational drugs. Recreational drugs are chemical substances taken for leisure purposes and not for medical reasons. Tobacco and alcohol are examples of recreational drugs. Taking excessive drugs may lead to addiction, which may cause health and social problems disrupt the opioid receptory functions and eventually flood the brain with dopamine. Dopamine is responsible for producing feelings of happiness and pleasure. Such effects may cause a person to no longer have joy and gratitude in their lives without consumption of drugs or alcohol. Different types of drugs affect your body in different ways (Eric G). How a drug effects an individual may vary depending on a number of factors which may include; general health, body size, the strength of the drug, and the amount of drug. Also it’s important to note that the strength and quality may differ from one drug to another. The effects of drug can either be long or short-term .similarly, the effects may be psychological or physical. And can include dependency. So the main issues that surround the issue are if the benefits of the medication supersede the side effects.
Psychotropic drugs are used to treat different mental health issues. Anxiety and Depression are among the most mental issues that require psychotropic drugs for treatment. Mental health impairment is caused by a number of factors such as genetics, environmental factors (Gabbard). Also, traumatic events or serious injuries result in psychological symptoms that persist for years. Most healthcare facilities recommend patients to use psychotropic drugs only as a supplement to therapy and avoid using the drugs alone without the therapy or other forms of medication. Different medications treat different mental conditions. Some of the major categories of psychotropic medications:
Antipsychotics
Antipsychotics are used to treat psychotic conditions like schizophrenia. Antipychotics are divided into two categories namely typical and atypical antipsychotics.
Typical antipsychotics include drugs like; Trilafon (perphenazine), Stelazine (trifluoperazine), Prolixin(fluphenazine), Serentil (mesoridazine), Navane (thiothixene) Moban (molindone), Mellaril (thioridazine), Loxitane (loxapine) and Haldol (haloperidol)
Atypical antipsychotics are like ; Abilify (aripiprazole), Geodon (ziprasidone), Risperdal (risperidone), Zyprexa (olanzapine) Seroquel (quetiapine)
They are a very wide category of psychotropic drugs that are used in treating depression. Some of the antidepressants include;
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): These anti-depressants gradually increase the amount of serotonin, serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain. Serotonin brings in a myriad of effects to the body. Common SSRIs include: Celexa (citalopram),Lexapro (escitalopram), Luvox (fluvoxamine), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine) and Zoloft (sertraline).With most antidepressants, it is highly advised that a patient reduce the dose he takes over a given period of time instead of quitting them abruptly. Quitting them abruptly may increase the rate of relapse (Correll CU) .Similarly it is crucial to discuss changing medication or quitting with the psychiatrist that prescribed them in the first place.
Antianxiety medications
These medications treat chronic or acute anxiety issues, from generalized anxiety to panic attacks. Antianxiety and antipanic medications on the market include: Ativan (lorazepam), BuSpar (buspirone), Inderal (propranolol), Klonopin (clonazepam) and Librium (chlordiazepoxide)
Stimulant medication
Stimulants are mostly used with people suffering from attention-deficit hyperactivity (ADHD). They help reorganize the disorganized thoughts. Some of the most prescribed stimulants include; Ritalin (methylphenidate, Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) and also Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine)
Mood stabilizers
Mood stabilizers are used to treat intense mood shift. It is commonly used by people experiencing borderline personality or schizophrenia. Example of the drugs include; Lamictal (lamotrigine) and Lithium
Recover Process
During a mental health recovery process, it is crucial to have support from family, close friends, change in lifestyle, following a proper structured therapy and treatment protocol. Mental health issues may require inpatient rehabilitation for good recovery.
There have been questions raised about prescriptions of such drugs to children this is due to the fact that most of the drugs are mostly meant to be consumed by adults. However with the increase in psychiatric conditions in children it has become rampant for the children to be given similar dosage as the adult. The medication in most instances is usually helpful but the issue that always comes up if there are any side effects to the dosage given to the children as it’s not similar to the adult one (DE Hert M) . In a production by FRONTLINE The Medicated Child, Marcela Gaviria, explore this topic widely as he ponders on the possible benefits and risks that psychiatrists pose to children with mental conditions who get to be given the same prescription as the adults. The issue of long term consequences of the drugs to the children is an essential issue that needs to be talked about further.
Effects of Psychiatric Medication.
Psychiatrist medication may be effective in treating some cases but it may not be necessary. (Seligman) In a research by Pennsylvania University, it was discovered that during a sixteen month of cognitive therapy was more effective at preventing depression relapse than anti-depressants when taken at the same length of time (Grohol). Basically while antidepressants were helpful for treating mental health cases, patients who had slight depression benefitted more when they seeked other forms of treatments such as therapy, than they did from prescribed medication. However the reaction of a person from difference medication is important because for some patients, antidepressants may only be slightly more effective than a therapy or other medications.
Psychiatric medication can also be very useful. For example, for those with paralyzing anxiety, medication can “reduce the volume.” such medication can kick start your day and give you morale to have that perfect day. And for those suffering from severe mental health conditions like schizophrenia, such medication can be very important for safety and stability. Most people have numerous benefits when taking psychotropic medication. But the medication should be prescribed by qualified health care providers on frequent basis.
The psychiatric medication can greatly support. In line with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, people facing anxiety, depression, life crisis always find it difficult to focus on their symptoms, self-growth. The medication in most cases helps to stabilize a patient and thus gives the person required progress in their recovery journey. Based on a research, Journal of the American Medical Association. In their detailed description shows cognitive behavioral therapy mixed with targeted medication in most cases leads to substantial improvement of attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms. This is a very notable outcome in mental health. And it shows success.it is a success as it may reduce psychotherapy and even the elimination of any other medications.
There may be positives from such medication however; psychiatric medication may have negative effects. Some psychotropic drugs used for medication do come with physical side effects such as drowsiness, changes in appetite, sleep disturbance. They may also carry psychological or emotional side effects such as emotional numbness, mood swings and disinterest in activities. Medications likes Antipsychotics may cause permanent damage by leading to conditions like Parkinsonism, and may cause death if taken for an improper dose is taken. In 2005, Harvard Mental Health released an article that detailed an increasing on risks connected with SSRI anti-depressants. The risks they highlighted included; increase in suicidal thoughts among the youth under the age of 24 years. However much most patients benefit from taking such antidepressants, a large chunk experience an unending harm as a result of using the medicated drugs. That is why it is subsequently important for the psychiatrists to ensure they effectively discuss the positives and negatives that are brought about by the drugs. And if the risks exceed the benefits then it’s important to seek better alternative for the treatment, are worth the potential benefits or if an alternative treatment method may be a better option.
Psychiatric medication can also interfere seriously with a patient’s emotions psychotherapy process. A leading medication with such is the psychotropic medication.it involves having difficulty numbness for certain emotions once the drug has been used. For instance, many patients usually complain experiencing lack of emotions or feelings they once felt before taking the drugs. Most lose the urge to laugh, cry or feeling a joyful sensation. Some go as far as having low libido. When critically analyzed, these are the side effects brought about by SSRI. Psychiatric medication can also obstruct emotional processing for some, covering up many fundamental issues and thereby hindering the psychotherapy process.
It is widely reported that patients with mental illness are at risk of dying 20 years earlier than their expected life circle due to physical health .some of the effects that are likely to enhance such deaths include; side effects from psychotropic medications, lifestyle, stigma of having the mental diseases, poor accessibility to health centers and also diagnostic overshadowing. It is therefore essential for the service providers to ensure that safety when giving the prescriptions and also advise the clients accordingly. Similarly the patients should endeavor to make appropriate consultations when using any other un prescribed drugs. The main reason for this is to ensure that the patients do not mix different drugs of which some may lead to a calamity like death when used together.
Conclusion
Whilst psychotropic medication is crucial and in a better way can help in good recovery, reduction of suicide rate and also assist with the symptoms, it is important to also note that it can clearly have a great impact negatively on the patients well-being and physical health .also it is crucial for the health workers dealing with the mentally ill patients to ensure that they have a good relation with their patients to help avoid any relapse and also to help them maintain a proper physical health. Even as effects differ among individual, the interactions underlying host factors are of importance too. For future researches mainly to the psychiatrics, they should do thorough follow ups of their patients to avoid calamities like; sudden death, sexual and reproductive health and also the impact the drug has on its patient in the long term. This will help them adjust on their researches for better prescriptions.