Medicating Mental Illnesses

A mental disorder is a psychological or behavioral condition that occurs in a person with the potential to cause distress or even disability making normal development difficult. Mental disorders are more accepted nowadays and discussed more frequently than they were years ago. Today, approximately one in three individuals have some sort of mental disorder.

Prior to taking any medication a professional must first diagnose the illness needing to be treated. Some mental disorders are schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorder, ADHD or bipolar disorder. Once the illness is diagnosed, a course of proper medication can be prescribed. The patient must be made aware of the side effects, the proper directions for dispensing, warnings from the FDA, and the potential interactions that might occur from other substances being taken.

It is imperative to realize that psychiatric medications do not cure mental disorders, they only treat the symptoms. People who are plagued with a mental illness can have a tremendous difficulty getting through each day. With the aid of medication these same people are able to function in a normal fashion. Sometimes several medications or combination of medications are required before the proper dose is achieved. If the correct drug is not given, side effects can be worse than the disease. Some common side effects are dizziness, blurred vision, rapid heartbeat, rashes, hormonal problems, weight change, sleepiness and sensitivity to the sun.

Common psychotropic medications are classified in the following groups: psychiatric; antidepressants; anxiolytics; mood stabilizers; antipsychotics; stimulants. There is no need to live with the symptoms of any mental disorder since there are so many available drugs on the market to make your every day life more pleasurable. Seek help if you feel you are in need of some.