There are quite a number of side effects which are characterized with psychiatric medications, some of which are somewhat analogous across a range of drugs. The use of medication in the administration of treatment to psychiatric disorders comes with side effects that span almost all classes of drugs. That said, it is very clear that patients exhibit diversified side effects and respond differently to psychiatric drugs. In other words, there isn’t a single dosage that works for everybody implying that a patient may respond positively to one drug and negatively on another.
Antipsychotics
Some of the mild effects of these drugs include muscle spasms, shaking, blurred vision, dry mouth, tiredness, and disquiet. On the other hand, the acute or long term effects constitute tardive dyskinesia. This is a disorder that is marked by involuntary movements that mostly affects both the outer and inner parts of the mouth. Apart from the mouth, other body parts including legs and arms are still affected. These effects are triggered by continuous and long term ingestion of Antipsychotics
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Atypical Antipsychotics
Some of the most conventional effects of these drugs include rapid weight gain, fatigue, blurry vision, and constipation. In some cases, these drugs trigger insomnia, fatigues and general body weakness. The long term effects of atypical antipsychotics include tardive dyskinesia. This disorder affects the mouth, tongue, and the lips. Just like antipsychotics, continuous and long term ingestion of these drugs trigger acute or long term effects.
Mood Stabilizers
Basically, these drugs are used to provide treatment to mood swings, bipolar disorder and in other cases, they are used to intensify the impact of other medications on depression and anxiety. Lithium being one the stabilizers is used to treat mania. Lithium works in the sense that it decreases irregular activity of the brain hence providing a general serene atmosphere. However, inasmuch as they have positive effects, they are also accompanied by side effects. Some of these effects may mature and detriment the life of patients. The side effects include rashes and itching skin, extreme thirst, repeated urination, tremor, Nausea, inaudible speech, blurred vision, and hallucinations among others.
Anticonvulsants
Possible effects of anticonvulsants include spinal pains, weight gain, anxiety, tremor, constipation, shakiness, diarrhea, appetite change, mood swings, and headache among others. Furthermore, anticonvulsants may damage the pancreas and the liver. They may also increase the levels of testosterone on teenagers and might eventually lead to polycystic ovarian, a condition which might affect fertility.
Stimulants
A stimulant is any drug that excites the body. To be more precise, they constitute those drugs that trigger and stimulate the brain and the entire central nervous system. They prompt vigilance, raised moods, wakefulness, and intensified speech. Nonetheless, inasmuch as they are vital in stimulating the body, they are accompanied by quite a number of side effects when used in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Some of the common side effects of stimulants include, mood swings, decreased appetite, and insomnia. The most common stimulant drugs include, amphetamine and Dexedrine; methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin; dexmethylphenidate (Focalin); lisdexamfetamine; and atomoxetine (Strattera).
Tricyclic antidepressants
These drugs constitute a group of antidepressants medications that have similar chemical formation and biological impacts. They are used to treat depression and obsessive compulsive disorders. However, in their functions they are accompanied by side effects which include, dry mouth, intensified hear beats, weight gain, dry mouth and blurred vision. Furthermore, they may cause hitches in the urinary tract leading to urine retention and sexual dysfunction.
MFT Responsibilities
Marriage and family therapists are quite different from general therapists. This claim is substantiated by the fact that MFTs base their treatments on problems that are associated with relationships. In that sense, their most common clients include divorced couples, bereaved families, and abused children.
My goal and objective as an MFT is always focused on helping families and couples to maneuver a range of emotional problems including mental disorders, divorce, and death of family members. Having the knowledge of a MFT, I employ various approaches to help families identify the feelings that are embedded on quite a number of harmful behaviors and as athereventually design ways of twisting these emotions so that they can be dismissed, forgotten or dealt with. In general, my work is to try to provide the right ways and techniques of living a peaceful life.
A marriage and family therapist is an expert who seeks to get a long term solution to both psychological and emotional disorders as a well as range of problems that are triggered by relationships and other family upheavals. MFT is somehow distinct from traditional therapy in the sense that specialists believe that the problems that people undergo must be perceived from a relationship context. In other words, their relationships are the major determinants of their fate in life. Hence, treatment is not just centered on the relationship but also the people who have or share close relationships with the affected person.
In that case MFTs seek to modify perceptions and behavior and also enhance interaction in families that are facing emotional crises. Guidance and counseling as well as other therapeutic techniques are offered by asking questions to allow MFTs to pinpoint the feelings and behavior of the clients and then amass information using approaches such as interviews, observations, and discussions. The subsequent step is usually inclined on the development of an implementation of a treatment plan and guidance sessions with the client. Before completion, research is carried out and sometimes MFTs may go the extra mile of seeking case files and work in conjunction with other social workers, school heads, doctors, and lawyers among others to identify the causes of their clients’ condition. These services can be discharged in mental health centers, clinics, hospitals and private healthcare facilities.
Psychotropic medications are usually merged with therapy in the treatment of psychiatry disorders. Quite a considerable number of studies have presented the significance of this combination. Results obtained from a study of bipolar and Schizophrenia revealed that when the medication treatment and traditional therapy are amalgamated, there are always decreased relapse rates when compared with only therapy or medication. Furthermore, there were less dropouts of patients when a combination of both techniques were used than when one of them was being used.
However, in spite of the aforementioned claims there are quite a number of professionals who have opposing stands regarding the amalgamation of the two approaches. Some studies present that therapy alone is more appropriate and efficient than the use of medication. According to Sophia F. Dziegielewski and George A. Jacinto, 2016 the probability of side effects when using therapy is equal to zero but when the medication is incorporated, chances of having side effects are quite high. This claim imposes the question of whether medication can actually serve the best interest of the affected individual or not. In their book, George and Sophia, 2016 claim that development of medications to provide treatment in psychiatric ought not to replace therapy. Instead, therapists are should integrate Psychopharmacology and therapy for the betterment their services and their clients.
For the achievement of success in any psychiatric endeavor, therapeutic relations between therapists and clients are important. Research indicates that clients usually examine the rigidity and confidence of their therapists. Confident therapists are always depicted and perceived as better and able. Their clients trust that they can form a robust relationship and provide the right treatment. For that matter, therapists ought to be knowledgeable about medication in order to answer any question imposed by their clients. This basically boosts their confidence.
In the provision of treatment, the attitude and beliefs of clients should be put into consideration. Some clients have the tendency of sighting out their views, perceptions, and understanding on disorders and medication. Some of these ideas are impacted by the media and the prevalence of drugs in the modern world. This leads to the imposition of a range of questions to therapists about medications and treatment choices from the clients. Some of them may insist on the medication technique thinking that drugs might fuel and fix their conditions within a short time. On the other hand, some clients perceive medication as an act of cowardice to incapacitate psychological disorders hence they dismiss it and opt for therapy alone. This simply tells therapists that one ought to understand the basis of the drug which the client is taking, in order to communicate the essential information of the client’s medication and the right therapy.
Quite a number of researchers seem to advocate the incorporation of medication in the treatment plan process. Further, they believe that Psychopharmacology ought to be perceived as being one of the much mediation disposed for therapy. In that case, therapists ought to have an understanding of the type of medication that aligns with the client’s condition; hence, if mental health providers are to sojourn all treatment alternatives, they must have a working knowledge in psychopharmacology. With that in place, therapists will be able to inform their clients about all treatment alternatives that are available and that can suit them.
In general, the relationship that is established between the client and the mental health provider is one of the determining factors of any therapeutic endeavor. This connection has the probability of intensifying if the client perceives the therapist as more confident and knowledgeable, which can only be gained by exploration of Psychopharmacology. Professionals and experts ought also to give psychopharmacology in their treatment plans. Medication ought to be studied and appraised in any treatment planning process to pinpoint any risk that it may impose to clients. The use of drugs should also be part of the treatment process in the instance where the drug being used aligns with the needs of the client. As a marriage and family therapist one should also consider the significance of medication awareness. In other words, one should have an understanding of the potential side of effects and symptoms of any drug. This helps in the determination of the right diagnosis to clients.
The attitude and belief that therapists have is also a determinant of the success of the treatment process. Research shows that many therapists always dismiss the impact and significance of medication in their treatment plan. Most of them have suggested that drugs could interfere with therapy, others observe it as defeat in their work while others have observed it as a clutch. Meanwhile, the inference of many studies is that therapeutic techniques alone are inadequate for the achievement of success in any treatment.
The attitude and belief that a therapist has is important in the use of medication treatment. Due the prevalence and increased use of medication, therapists should consider moving out of the traditional perspectives and mindset which view medication as hostile and endorse the marvels of both medication and therapy in treatment. In general, my overall perception, as well as my thoughts and feelings in working with medication treatment as a marriage and family therapist are positive. However, inasmuch as medication is concerned therapists ought to have a working knowledge of Psychopharmacology. Additionally, medication should be combined with therapy to achieve the full potentials of any therapeutic endeavor.
