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What Therapies Are Used to Treat Psychological Problems?

What Therapies Are Used to Treat Psychological Problems?. Drug Therapies. Medications used to treat mental health problems . Not a cure, but can reduce symptoms. Stabilizes symptoms so psychological issues can be addressed. Antianxiety Drugs. Sedatives used to reduce tension and anxiety

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What Therapies Are Used to Treat Psychological Problems?

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  1. What Therapies Are Used to Treat Psychological Problems?

  2. Drug Therapies • Medications used to treat mental health problems . • Not a cure, but can reduce symptoms. • Stabilizes symptoms so psychological issues can be addressed.

  3. Antianxiety Drugs • Sedatives used to reduce tension and anxiety • Benzodiazepines (i.e. Valium, Xanax) • Influence GABA, serotonin, norepinephrine • Side effects: highly addictive (physical dependence), reduces cognitive and motor functioning, high relapse rates • New medication, buspirone (BuSpar) doesn’t have these negative side effects but takes longer to reduce symptoms

  4. Antipsychotic Drugs • Major tranquilizers, reduce psychotic symptoms • Thorazine, Haldol • Reduces action of dopamine • Disadvantages: not universally effective; more effective on positive symptoms; side effects (numerous physical and motor effects, tardivedyskinesia) • Influence serotonin and dopamine; affect both positive and negative symptoms

  5. Antidepressants • Alter mood and alleviate symptoms of major depression • Tricyclics: affect norepinephrine, serotonin; 60-85% effectiveness • MAO Inhibitors: increase monoamine in brain; more serious side effects • Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): most frequently prescribed, leaves serotonin in synapse longer; less severe side effects; useful in treatment of other disorders • Associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and adolescents

  6. Antimanics: Mood Stabilizers • Alleviate manic symptoms of bipolar disorder • Lithium: affects glutamate, serotonin, dopamine • Controversy regarding effectiveness • Anticonvulsant drugs and calcium channel blockers as alternate treatment • Compliance is an issue; miss feelings of mania

  7. Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) • Series of treatments; anesthesia and muscle relaxant given; volts passed through brain inducing seizure; quick, painless • Treatment of last resort for depressed patients • Effective for 50-80% of patients • May affect release of neurotransmitters or alter function of brain structures • Side effects: cognitive impairments, high relapse rate

  8. Psychosurgery • Done in collaboration with neurosurgeons and psychiatrists. • During the operation, which is carried out under a general anesthetic  and using stereotactic methods, a small piece of brain is destroyed or removed • About 1/3 patients show significant improvement after treatment.

  9. Risks include seizures, incontinence, decreased drive and initiative, weight gain and  cognitive or affective problems. • Currently, interest in the neurosurgical treatment of mental illness is shifting from ablative psychosurgery (where the aim is to destroy brain tissue) to deep brain stimulation DBS) where the aim is to stimulate areas of the brain with implanted electrodes.

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