Strategies

• Treatments for mental illness

  • Drug therapy (antipsychotics)
  • Electroconvulsive therapy Psychosurgery
• Antipsychotics


  Work by blocking dopamine receptors (typical) or reducing serotonin activity (atypical) to rebalance neurotransmitter levels
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)


  Involves passing an electric current through the brain while the patient is under anesthesia, not recommended except in particular circumstances
• Typical (first generation) antipsychotics


  Work by blocking D2 receptors
• Atypical (newer generation) antipsychotics


  Work by reducing serotonin activity and blocking some D2 receptors
• Typical antipsychotics


  • Mainly focus on positive symptoms (e.g. hallucinations)
  • Side effects are well understood and include short-term drowsiness, blurred vision, weight gain; long-term increased risk of tardive dyskinesia (muscle stiffness)
• Atypical antipsychotics


  • Work on negative symptoms too (e.g. apathy)
  • Side effects are not well understood
• Treatments are evaluated using effectiveness and appropriateness
• Drug therapy can be considered a chemical straight jacket as it doesn't actually resolve the underlying issues, which has ethical implications
• Electro-Convulsive Therapy (ECT)


  Electrodes are placed on an anaesthetised patient and a brief electrical stimulus is delivered to cause a seizure
• ECT is not recommended by NICE in the UK except for very particular circumstances
• ECT


  • Not fully understood; it has been found to decrease blood flow and metabolism in the temporal lobes, affect immediate responses, and alter neurochemical levels (e.g. dopamine) and reduce the severity of any underlying affective symptoms
  • Can cause physical trauma, heart problems, and memory loss
• Psychosurgery


  Historical procedures such as lobotomies have been used, which involve cutting most of the frontal cortex to resolve mental health issues
• Psychosurgery causes emotional blunting, a reduction in spontaneity and responsiveness