Biological Therapies

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  • Created by: india3010
  • Created on: 23-04-15 12:19
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  • Biological therapies: Drugs and ECT
    • Drug
      • A quarter of all the medication in Britain is a psychiatric drug
        • In 1950 2 important discoveries were made this change the outlook for people with mental llness
          • Antipsychotic reduce the symptoms of schizophrenia
          • Tricyclic help a vast number of people with depression
            • This is now used by 40,000 children and teenagers
      • Antipsychotics
        • Used to combat the positive symptoms of schizophrenia
        • Block neurotransmitter dopamine
        • Only act temporerly
        • There is lower levels of side effects from using the drug
        • Side effects include involuntary movement of the tongue and mouth
      • Antidepressant drugs
        • Depression is caused by a lack of seratonin
        • Anti depressants work by reducing the rate of reabsorption or by blocking the enzymes which break down the neurotransmitters
        • The mostly commonly prescribed is SSRIs
    • ECT
      • ECT is used in severely patients where medication and psychotherapy didn't work
      • How it works
        • A electrode is place above the temple on the non dominant side of the brain
        • The patient is unconscious before the electric shocks were given
        • A small current is passed through the brain for half a second causing a seizure lasting a minute
        • ECT is usually given 3 times a week with the patient requiring between 3 and 15 treatments
      • Why does it work?
        • Abrams (1997) has conducted a study lasting for 50 years however we are no closer to understanding how it works
        • ECT alters the way the parts of the brain communite
        • There are disagreements to how it exact effects work
    • Evaluation
      • Drug treatments
        • Research evidence shows that chemo work
          • After a year relapse rates were 55%
          • 25% with chlorpromazine relapped
          • 2%-23% relapsed when taking chlorpromazi and family intervention
        • Placebo effect
          • Kirsch (2002) found that people who took a placebo fared just as well and those who took the real drug
      • ECT can save lives
        • It works particularly well for people who suffer from depression
        • Because some people who have depression have suicidal tendencies so ECT can save lives

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