Question

what you believe are the greatest strengths and weaknesses of using the medications to treat psychological disorders. Evaluate the employment of psychoactive drugs in the treatment of disorders over the lifespan from both an ethical and risk-benefits perspective. Summarize the theories of psychiatric disease and the scientific rationale behind its treatment through the employment of drug therapies. Explain what you believe to be the greatest challenges in the use of psychoactive medications over the next several years. Support your statements with references and logical arguments.

Answer 1

Strengths –

# Medication helps when therapies fail to help. Taking drugs that has minor side effects may be better for the patient who is unable to cope with his/her symptoms. And in some cases medication is important for the patient to manage his daily routine.

# medications prove very useful in some cases where suicidal thoughts need to be curbed and there is not sufficient time to wait for counselling to work

# many antidepressants do not have long term side effects. Diet of the patient may be altered is Some old antidepressants are prescribed as they react poorly with some foods.

# other than the above, such medications help improve sleep, mood, appetite and reduce depression and anxious symptoms

Weaknesses-

# body rapidly develops dependence and consumption for more than two weeks leads to defects with cognition, memory, sexuality, headaches, sedation, dry mouth, dizziness, weight gain, gastrointestinal issues

# effective treatments for bipolar disorders builds up in body over time and can damage organ system including cardiovascular system, kidneys and can also lead to neuropsychological side effects.

# tardive dyskinesia is yet another side effect of taking such medications for long time, it causes involuntary muscle movements specially near mouth, persistent muscle spasms, restlessness and terror.

These drugs have improved many lives and continue to do the same , however many ethical issues like- prescribing for children , pregnant women etc are involved. However from the same perspective, not making such drugs available for people when counselling and therapies are slow to work is also not ethical.

Psychiatrists must abide by the ethical rules of evaluating patient’s history( involving past treatments and responses) before any prescription.

Behaviourist models of addiction ( Behavioural theories) focus on directly observable behaviour. Drug self-administration is an example of instrumental behaviour.

Many cognitive theories explain drug addiction in terms of cognitive constructs. One theory proposes that self regulation is an important factor in the development o drug use problem.

I feel that insufficient number of trained psychologists/psychiatrists who would explain, guide proper drug consumption and counsel and suggest diet routine alongside prescription and give time to patients and clear their doubts may be a big challenge in years to come.