Psychiatric medications

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Psychiatric medications, also known as psychoactive drugs, exert an effect on the mental state and are used to treat mental illness. They are mostly synthetic compounds, although some are naturally occurring. They sometimes have adverse side effects that may reduce patients' drug compliance. Some of these side effects can be further treated by using other drugs such as anticholinergic (antimuscarinic) medications.

A doctor who specializes in the field of psychiatric medications is a Psychopharmacologist - a specialist in the field of Psychopharmacology.

[edit] Types of medication

There are four main groups of psychotropic medication. These are the anxiolytic/hypnotics, the antipsychotics, the mood stabilisers and the antidepressants. Additionally, there are various other miscellaneous types of medications, such as those used in the treatment of substance misuse and dementia.

[edit] See also

• Psychoactive drug
• Children and Psychiatric Medication - a multimodal presentation
• Psychiatric Treatments and Medications