Talk Therapy vs Psychoactive Drugs
opinion Essay
2738 words
In today’s society, a lot of emphasis is placed on administering drugs and medicating people with psychological issues; however, most of these ailments and issues have the ability be treated through the use of talk therapy rather than medication. Americans are particularly guilty of over medicating when it comes to our more common mental health diagnosis such as, ADHD, depression, and anxiety. We as a society expect things to be done at the snap of a finger; in our advancement of science, we have been able to discover ways of offering the results we want quickly, inexpensively, and with little effort. Unfortunately, although the use of medications, also known as psychoactive drugs, occasionally remove the symptoms, but they do little to remove the causes of these mental health issues. In addition, to the lack of solution that the use of psychoactive drugs offer, they can also have unwanted and dangerous side effects. These can include simple physical irritants such as dry mouth and head aches, and can range up to dependency and substance abuse, and in some cases even death. Moreover, there are cases of inappropriate prescribing, where doctors are authorizing the use of medications that don’t work or are not pertinent to the issue the patient is experiencing. Furthermore, some of these doctors are issuing these medications without subjecting the patient to a proper mental health evaluation by a psychological professional.
Thankfully there is an alternative that can solve the cause of these ailments while avoiding the negative effects that the psychoactive drugs leave on the patient. The alternative is talk therapy, or more professionally known as psychotherapy. If a higher emphasis is placed on psychotherapy rather than the curre...
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...ohol, John M. Psy. D. “Depression Treatment: Psychotherapy, Medication or Both?” Psych Central. N.p. (2008). Web. 17 Nov. 2013
Heitler, Susan. Ph.D. “8 Reasons to Cheer for Psychotherapy and to Broaden Its Availability.” Psychology Today. N.p. 10 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2013
Smith, Brendan L. “Inappropriate Prescribing.” American Psychological Association. 43.6 (June. 2012): 36. Web. 11 Nov. 2013
United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Increasing Prevalence of Parent-Reported Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Among Children.” 12 Nov. 2010. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Web. 14 Nov. 2013
United States. National Institute of Mental Health. “Mental Health Medications.” 2008. Health and Education. Web. 16 Nov. 2013
Wedge, Marilyn. Ph.D. “Why French Kids Don't Have ADHD.” Psychology Today. N.p. 8 March. 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2013
In this essay, the author
- Opines that americans are guilty of over-medicating when it comes to their more common mental health diagnosis such as adhd, depression, and anxiety. psychoactive drugs can have unwanted and dangerous side effects.
- Explains that there is an alternative that can solve the cause of mental disorders while avoiding the negative effects that the psychoactive drugs leave on the patient.
- Explains that over-medicating is a problem, but it's not hidden behind closed doors. children diagnosed with adhd are often treated with medication or drug treatment.
- Analyzes how marilyn wedge, a family therapist and author of suffer the children, compares france's low rate of diagnosis and medicating for adhd with the united states.
- Explains that adhd in france is a medical condition with psychosocial and situational causes, whereas in the united states it is biological disorder with biological causes that can be solved with medication.
- Opines that the lack of attention to detail by american doctors is cheating us out of real, long-lasting, and prevalent solutions to our mental health issues.
- Opines that psychoactive drugs do nothing more than mask the symptoms of psychological disorders, but they aren't a solution at all. a pharmaceutical drug only has to prove that it does more for the patient than nothing.
- Explains that psychotherapy is just as effective as the psychoactive drugs being offered. the study involved two hundred and forty outpatients with moderate to severe major depressive disorder.
- Explains that psychotherapy offers lasting results, such as the ability to deal with and handle the issue on your own if it does ever happen to re-arise.
- Explains that the most publicly recognized problem with psychoactive drugs and medicating people with mental health illnesses would have to be the negative side effects.
- Explains the problem of inappropriate prescribing of psychoactive drugs. if you had a heart problem, you wouldn't go to dermatologists, but cardiologists specialize in the field of cardiology.
- Explains that the public is so uninformed that they think their primary care doctor would be the appropriate professional to see about their psychological issues, but their doctors are authorizing the use of medications that don't work or are not pertinent to the issue the patient is experiencing.
- Analyzes how john grohol, psy. d., discusses a common question he hears from patients involving this lack of treatment options.
- Opines that psychotherapy is a long-lasting treatment option that gives patients the best hope of long term recovery from whatever ailments they may have faced. psychotherapy avoids the added stress of always having to take your medication and worries.
- Opines that we need to limit the amount of drugs we are putting in our bodies and look for other healthy alternatives that offer the best possible solutions for ourselves.
- Opines that psychotherapy offers more overall benefits than medications and a real solution to mental health issues.
- Opines that americans need the ability to have the best treatment option, available to them, that offers a true solution to their mental health issues and keeps the person healthy without the risks of side effects and dependency.
- Explains that psychotherapy is effective and here’s why. american psychological association.
- States that cognitive therapy vs. medications in the treatment of moderate to severe depression. arch gen psychiatry.
- Explains grohol, john m. psy. d., “depression treatment: psychotherapy, medication or both?” psych central.
- Explains heitler, susan, ph.d., "8 reasons to cheer for psychotherapy and to broaden its availability." psychology today.
- States that smith, brendan l., “inappropriate prescribing.” american psychological association.
- States that the centers for disease control and prevention has increased the prevalence of parent-reported attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder among children.
- States that the united states national institute of mental health. “mental health medications.” 2008. health and education.
- Explains wedge, marilyn, ph.d., “why french kids don't have adhd.” psychology today.
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