medicine
The medicalization of mental illness has given rise to many forms of pharmacological relief that restore chemical imbalances in one's brain.
Why Are Psych Meds Seen as a Moral Issue?
For most health conditions, taking medication is typically accepted without too much fuss as a standard part of treatment. When it comes to mental illness, however, medications aren't just something we take. They often become a part of how we define ourselves, and how others define us. Taking medication becomes a moral question, as well as a medical question.
By Ashley L. Peterson7 years ago in Psyche
How Does Genetics Relate to Mental Illness?
It's a common misconception that we're born with the genes we're born with, and that's that, end of story. Except that's only the beginning of the story, and that's what the field of epigenetics is starting to explore. It has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of why people get sick.
By Ashley L. Peterson7 years ago in Psyche
Social Progress in Mental Health
The American mental healthcare system is the subject of considerable controversy. Edmund Higgins at Scientific Americanseems convinced that many of the current treatments for mental health disorders are insufficient, especially, when considering the lack of scientific advances in prescription medications.
By Claire Peters7 years ago in Psyche
Insight with Your Medication
Going to the psychiatrist for the first time can be intimidating. If you have never gone to the psychiatrist or you have but you recently changed to a new one, I have some advice for you to make things a bit easier. As a disclaimer: I'm not a medical professional. I'm just sharing my experiences as someone who uses these services to hopefully help people in a similar situation.
By Kendall Earl7 years ago in Psyche
Placebo as Healer
According to Health Psychology (2015) the placebo effect is “the medically beneficial impact of an inert treatment”; in other words a treatment that effects the patient not because of its own nature, but instead because of its therapeutic value (Taylor, 2015, p. 321). "The Placebo: Cracking the Code" video states that the "placebo effect challenges the foundation of modern medicine"; this is the case as it proves that certain treatments are not effective because of their nature, but rather the patient’s belief in their effectiveness. If the therapeutic value alone is enough to have an effect on the patient then it would be difficult to prove whether or not there was actually any value to the procedure itself. Health Psychology is a “field devoted to understanding psychological influences on how people stay healthy, why they become ill, and how they respond when they do get ill” (Taylor, 2015, p. 3). The fact that health psychology is a field that is devoted to understanding psychological influences with regards to health makes the placebo effect particularly important and relevant to the field of health psychology as it is based on the notion that belief alone is enough to cure or alleviate symptoms. The placebo effect presents the idea of the mind being able to control the body when the patient has a strong enough belief of the outcome that will occur.
By DIYStudent7 years ago in Psyche
The Feelings My Mental Illness Robbed Me Of
It's been nearly two years since I went on antidepressants. It had gotten to the point where I wasn't leaving the house much and I cried several times a day over things that hadn't happened yet. I was paralyzed by dread that one day my loved ones would die and I'd be left all alone. I'd already lost someone, and I didn't know how I could go through that again and again and again. It was tearing me up and living away from home made me feel like I was wasting the time I had left. But you can't live like that. You have to live your life and not let fear hold you back. You have to build a life for yourself even if it means leaving people behind. So I went to the doctors and I went on antidepressants. Eventually, they numbed the fear and I could get back to living life, though everything was a little numb from then on.
By Corinne McCafferty7 years ago in Psyche
Quit Your Anti-Medication Stigma
I have to say that I’m floored every time I deal with an anti-medication/anti-vaxxer New Ager. That’s nuts. I mean, I need to use Western medicine to stay alive at all. If I’m irresponsible even once, it could kill me. Yes, it is true. One lapse of responsibility and I’m a goner. This is why I need to be responsible for taking my medication, something some of you cannot hope to grasp. So this is why whenever I do any kind of psychic training classes in the Bay Area, I need to be on the same page with you people.
By Iria Vasquez-Paez7 years ago in Psyche
General Info About Celexa Citalopram – Uses and Effects
As a psychiatrist, during my career, I met many different cases. Depression and anxiety were the most frequent diagnosis, and since every patient is an individual, prescribed treatments varied. Some of them didn't need medications, others just needed to talk to someone. The more difficult cases required therapy with strong antidepressants.
By Patricia Sarkar8 years ago in Psyche
