Biological Approaches to Treatment
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
- Understand the mechanism of antidepressants (SSRI’s) and antianxiety medications at the level of the synapse
- Describe the pros and cons to treating bipolar disorder with lithium
- Describe the effects of drugs used to treat schizophrenia
Like other medical problems, psychological disorders may in some cases be treated biologically. Biomedical therapies are treatments designed to reduce psychological disorder by influencing the action of the central nervous system. These therapies primarily involve the use of medications but also include direct methods of brain intervention, including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and psychosurgery.
Drug Therapies
Psychologists understand that an appropriate balance of neurotransmitters in the brain is necessary for mental health. If there is a proper balance of chemicals, then the person’s mental health will be acceptable, but psychological disorder will result if there is a chemical imbalance. The most frequently used biological treatments provide the patient with medication that influences the production and reuptake of neurotransmitters in the central nervous system (CNS). The use of these drugs is rapidly increasing, and drug therapy is now the most common approach to treatment of most psychological disorders.
Unlike some medical therapies that can be targeted toward specific symptoms, current psychological drug therapies are not so specific; they don’t change particular behaviours or thought processes, and they don’t really solve psychological disorders. However, although they cannot “cure” disorders, drug therapies are nevertheless useful therapeutic approaches, particularly when combined with psychological therapy, in treating a variety of psychological disorders. The best drug combination for the individual patient is usually found through trial and error (Biedermann & Fleischhacker, 2009).
The major classes and brand names of drugs used to treat psychological disorders are shown in Table 15.3.
| Table 15.3 Common Medications Used to Treat Psychological Disorders. | ||||
| Class | Type | Brand names | Disorder | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychostimulants | Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine | Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) | Very effective in most cases, at least in the short term, at reducing hyperactivity and inattention | |
| Antidepressants | Tricyclics | Elavil, Tofranil | Depression and anxiety disorders | Less frequently prescribed today than are the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) |
| Monamine oxidase inhibitors (MAIOs) | Ensam, Nardil, Parnate, Marpaln | Depression and anxiety disorders | Less frequently prescribed today than are the SSRIs | |
| SSRIs | Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft | Depression and anxiety disorders | The most frequently prescribed antidepressant medications; work by blocking the reuptake of serotonin | |
| Other r