Therapy

• What do antipsychotics treat?

  Symptoms of psychosis, specifically schizophrenia
• What are the two types of antipsychotic drugs?

  Conventional and atypical
• How do conventional antipsychotics work?

  By blocking dopamine action in the brain
• What do atypical antipsychotics treat?

  Both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia
• What is the biological cause of anxiety?

  Too little GABA and too much adrenaline
• How do Benzodiazepines work?

  They enhance GABA to slow down the CNS
• What do beta blockers do?

  They reduce levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline
• What is one strength of drug therapy?

  There is supporting evidence for its effectiveness
• What is typically used to compare drug effectiveness?

  Randomised control trials
• What did Soomro et al (2008) find about SSRIs?

  They are more effective than placebos for OCD
• What did Kahn et al (1986) find about Benzodiazepines?

  They are superior to placebos for anxiety treatment
• What is a limitation of drug therapy studies?

  Most studies lack long-term data
• What are the components of drug therapy?

  • Antipsychotics
  • Antidepressants
  • Antianxiety medications
• What are the differences between conventional and atypical antipsychotics?

  • Conventional: treat positive symptoms, block dopamine
  • Atypical: treat positive and negative symptoms, fewer side effects
• What are the effects of SSRIs on serotonin levels?

  • Increase serotonin availability in synapses
  • Prevent reabsorption of serotonin
• How do antianxiety medications work?

  • Enhance GABA to slow down CNS
  • Reduce adrenaline/noradrenaline levels
• What do drug therapies demonstrate in treating stress and anxiety?

  They are superior to placebos.
• Why is the short duration of studies a limitation for drug therapy evaluation?

  It results in little long-term data.
• What does the lack of long-term data indicate about drug therapy research?

  More longitudinal research is needed.
• What type of trials are typically used to evaluate drug therapies?

  Randomised controlled trials.
• What did Soomro et al (2008) find regarding SSRIs and OCD patients?

  They were more effective than placebos.
• How long did Soomro et al (2008) observe the effectiveness of SSRIs?

  Up to 3 months.
• What did Kahn et al (1986) find about Benzodiazepines?

  They were superior to placebos.
• What is a limitation of drug therapy regarding treatment duration?

  It usually lasts only 3-4 months.
• What are the strengths of drug therapy compared to other treatments?

  • Cheaper for patients
  • Prescribed on the NHS in the UK
  • Requires less time investment from practitioners
• What is a strength of drug therapy in terms of patient meetings?

  Meetings are infrequent after initial consultation.
• Why is drug therapy considered efficient?

  It is easy to administer compared to others.
• What is a limitation of drug therapies regarding the treatment focus?

  They treat symptoms, not underlying causes.
• How can antidepressants affect individuals with childhood trauma?

  They provide only a short-term solution.
• What syndrome can result from treating only symptoms with drug therapy?

  Revolving door syndrome.
• What is a limitation of drug therapy regarding side effects?

  Many have serious side effects.
• What did Soomro et al (2008) find about SSRIs?

  They have unpleasant side effects.
• How can side effects impact the effectiveness of drug therapy?

  They may discourage patients from taking medication.
• What ethical issue arises from the use of placebos in drug therapy?

  Patients may receive inferior treatment.
• What is a fundamental research ethic regarding treatment?

  No patient should receive inferior medication.
• Why is substituting a placebo for effective treatment problematic?

  It exposes individuals to inferior treatment.
• What is a weakness of drug therapy regarding valid consent?

  Patients may not be fully aware of side effects.
• How can practitioners affect valid consent in drug therapy?

  They may withhold information about side effects.
• What ethical issue arises from patients not giving valid consent?

  It raises ethical concerns with drug therapy.