Biological therapies: Drugs and ECT

DRUG TREATMENTS

Antipsychotics were able to control the symptoms of schizophrenia, making it possible to discharge thousands of people from mental hospitals to lead near-normal lives.

In 2003, 40,000 children and teenagers in the UK were taking prescribed SSRIs for the treatments of antidepressants.

AntiPsychotic Drugs

Chlorpromazine are used to combat the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. They block the action of the neurotransmitter dopamine by binding to it but not stimulating it.

AntiDepressants

Depression is thought to be due to insufficient amounts of neurotransmitter such as serotonin. Anti-depressants work either by reducing the rate of re-absorption or by blocking the enzymes which breaks down the neurotransmitter.

EVALUATION

Effectiveness

WHO reported relapses rates after one year were highest when schizophrenics were treated with placebo. This suggests that drugs play an important role, although treatment with drugs alone is less attractive than drug treatments combined with psychology support.

Ease of use

chemotherapy requires little effort from the user. however, many clinicians advocate a mixture of chemotherapy and…