Psychopharmacology and Mental Health
In addition to the cultural trend of digital media usage, the COVID-19 crisis has clearly affected society’s social dynamics and how we are able to relate to and interact with others, causing social isolation, loneliness, and feelings of fear/anxiety. This is a paradox because the very thing (digital media) that has contributed to a rise in serious mental health issues in the past, is now something we need to keep us connected and improve our mental health! We now need to find a digital media balance combined with strategic treatment models for mental health practitioners to treat patients so these staggering statistics can improve. The concerns about the virus and its effects have caused feelings of uncertainty, which has developed in many parts of the world, into a cycle of panic and fear. Consider the fact that when one is stressed, old psychological patterns can emerge, creating discord with family and/or friends. This compounds our psychological stress, and invariably leads to other major health issues.
Given these considerations, the first step of treatment should consist of an improved understanding and approach to a combination of therapy strategies that include psychotherapy, behavior therapy, and psychopharmacology. Now that mental health is a widespread issue, this combined approach is getting more attention as the field of neuroscience continues to uncover new ways to treat a variety of mental disorders. In combination with psychotherapy, promising breakthroughs and advancements in psychotropic medications may result in refining drug treatments for mental disorders by offering safer and more effective selections with less negative side effects. In this article, the neurochemical effects of psychotropic drugs will be discussed, with an emphasis on the drug Seroquel, as well as both positive and negative side effects that may occur as a result of taking psychotropic medication(s).
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