Treating Psychological Abnormality

Treating Psychological Abnormality

Biological Therapies

1. Drug Therapy (Chemotherapy)

Drug therapy is the most common way to treat mental disorders. Even though other therapies may be used, drugs will often be used alongside these therapies as well. It is based on the assumption that mental disorders are created by an underlying biological process, in particular a chemical imbalance in the body. There are different catagories of drugs;

-Anti-anxiety drugs - Used to treat anxiety and stress disorders. For instance, benzodiazepines are a set of drugs used to reduce anxiety e.g. Valium. They do this by increasing th neurotransmitter called GABA. GABA naturally calms brain activity and thus has a relaxation effect. It also reduces the neurotransmitter serotonin which is a natural stimulant

- Anti-depressant Drugs - Used to treat depression. For instance MAOI (monoamine-oxidase inhibitors) drugs block the action of a certain enzyme that breaks downt the neurotransmitter seratonin, so the natural stimulant seratonin is increased which in turn reduces the symptoms of depression

- Anti-Psychotic Drugs - Used to treat people suffering from psychotic symptons like hallucinations and delusions often found in those suffering from schizophrenia. For instance Chlorpromazine reduces the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the…