Psychopharmacology

Psychopharmacology

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Psychopharmacology

Psychopharmacology refers to the scientific evaluation of drugs and their impact on the behavior, frame of mind, and perception of an individual. This medical field includes researches on a wide range of prescriptions with psychoactive properties while focusing on their chemical interactions with the human brain. The target sites of these drugs are in the central nervous system (CNS) and initiate numerous changes in the psychological or physiological functions of the body (Ettinger, 2011). Some of these studies deal with substances such as stimulants and antidepressants with the main aim of identifying their pharmaceutical properties as well as their psychological and physical effects.

One of the positive aspects associated with psychopharmacology is the attainment of vital information that forms the background of training sessions on mental healthcare. In addition, this field of expertise is helpful in the enhancement of treatment and guidance in the home setting. Accordingly, clinics can use these findings to provide effective treatment plans managed by psychiatrists who offer medication support in supervised healthcare settings (Ettinger, 2011). For this reason, psychopharmacology is a vital element in the facilitation of collaborative treatment.

Nonetheless, there are certain drawbacks associated with this medical aspect. For instance, some of the psychiatric medications have numerous side effects. This is evident in such substances as stimulants, which result in psychosis. Moreover, stimulants and antipsychotics are ineffective if used for a long period. Furthermore, scientific studies have confirmed that most of the psychiatric drugs result in brain damage especially since patients who rely on these medications for a long time can hardly function properly without introducing them into their body system. This results in neurotoxicity, which facilitates other disorders including immobility and reduced reasoning capacity (Ettinger, 2011).

References

Ettinger, R. H. (2011). Psychopharmacology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.