what do you know about psychopharmacology?
448824
Psychopharmacology is the study of the effects of any psychoactive drug that acts upon the mind by affecting brain chemistry. Amanita muscaria (the common Fly Agaric) is often regarded as the first such drug, with modern theories positing the discovery of its psychoactive properties circa 10,000 BCE. Modern psychopharmacology studies a wide range of chemicals with many different types of effect.\nPsychoactive drug use predates recorded history. Hunter-gatherer societies tended to favor hallucinogenic drugs, and today their use can still be observed in many surviving tribal cultures. The exact drug used depends on what the particular ecosystem a given tribe lives in can support, and are typically found growing wild. Such drugs include various hallucinogenic mushrooms and cacti, along with many other plants. These societies generally attach spiritual significance to drug use, and often incorporate it into their religious practices.
432271
With additional training, yes. Most doctoral programs offer one semester of physiological psychology and one semester of psychopharmacology.  That isn't exactly enough to prescribe medications competently.  \nI know that the states that are allowing psychologists to prescribe meds do require additional training and supervision.  \nWith this training and support, I'm all for it.  I have found that psychologists are most accurate diagnosticians. I have met several psychiatrists who were way off base or made up diagnoses that did not exist.  \nYou will also be surprised as to how much knowledge a clinician can learn just through observation and treatment with a patient.  I worked with schizophrenics for 4 years and by the time I quit, I knew every antipsychotic, therapeutic dosages, appropriate WBCs.... \nSo, patients will be able to get more thorough, well-informed treatment.  \nBut lets also look at it from an economical perspective.  Right now, most patients see both a psychiatrist (about $75 a visit) and a psychologist (another $75 a visit).  I imagine that a psychologist with prescribing privileges would be paid a bit more, but probably not $150 a session.  So, it may actually be cheaper for HMOs.
693680
mostly with the folloiwing drugs\n- anti cholinergic ,\n- anti parkinsonians,\n- analgesic\n-cimetidine\n-digoxin\n-benzodiaziapines\n-antidepressants\n -illicit substances\n and also...with drawal from alcohol
593193
Psychiatric disease characterised by:\n\nObsessions. Persistent distressing thoughts or images that annoy the patient and which he tries to suppress. Note that these are recognised as his own thoughts and do not disrupt his sense of reality. These can cause great emotional burden.\n\nCompulsion. The desire to perform odd rituals that are excessive and hamper everyday life. For example, checking the stove 9 times, or washing your hands 11 times. Failure to perform these creates anxiety.\n\n\nModern anti-depressants (SSRI class) can be useful against OCD when given in high doses. Cognitive therapy is also quite effective for mild-to-moderate cases. Cognitive therapy is a form of psychotherapy with usually short duration and a goal-oriented approach to the patient's problems. Do not confuse with psychoanalysis. \n\nThe exact cause is unknown, but the disease is generally grouped with the "anxiety" disorders.
132405
This is a very useful and infomative site on the general effects of catagorized drugs and individual drugs and the effect on the human body/health.\n\nhttp://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/headsup/facts/index.asp?article=medications\n\nHope this helps. I believe it has all the info you are looking for.
259028
i took pharmacology and it was interesting. It a course about different kinds of drugs. It discusses the affects, the symptoms and the classification of the drug.
325852
Psychiatrists can prescribe drugs.  So I guess it's a matter of whether or not you need drugs.  See a psychologist first and see what they say.
604196
There's some basic info here:\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycholinguistics
166373
Some refinement of this question is most important.\n\nWhat is the mental illness you suffer?  Or, at least, what are the symptoms you are attributing to the mental illness?\n\nMany mental illnesses are characterized by difficulties coping with one or more of life's inescapable stressors; often, either recognizing the stressors and minimizing them, or recognizing the difficulty that is experienced in dealing with them and then learning new patterns of handling the stressor is quite enough.\n\nSome forms of mental illness appear to be due to hereditary malfunctions of critical communications systems in the brain--chemical messengers and their receptors & transmitters, on the whole, though not universally--and these require medication, on the whole.
694852
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is one of the major drugs making up the hallucinogen class of drugs. Hallucinogens cause hallucinations—profound distortions in a person’s perception of reality. Hallucinogens cause their effects by disrupting the interaction of nerve cells and the neurotransmitter serotonin. Distributed throughout the brain and spinal cord, the serotonin system is involved in the control of behavioral, perceptual, and regulatory systems, including mood, hunger, body temperature, sexual behavior, muscle control, and sensory perception
455402
Assuming you are not some kind of fanatic, you might find it interesting to look into the work of Thomas Szasz and R.D. Laing.  These two took a radical view of psychiatry, psychology, and mental health in general that strongly criticized the medical model applied in these fields.  They believe that mental illness is a cultural construct rather than a disease, and that psychiatrists essentially practice a poorly conceived form of mind control intended to pacify social deviants.  As I said, they were radicals and never attracted many adherents among mental health professionals.  But their ideas were plausible at least, and they should be read by anyone with a serious interest in the theory and practice of mental illness treatment.\n\nAlso assuming you are not a crank, you might take note of the fact that millions of people have been helped by psychiatric pharmacotherapy, beginning with Thorazine, Haldol, tricyclic and MAO inhibitor antidepressants, and other side effect-ridden agents, on up to the current generation of SSRI's (e.g. Zoloft), atypical antipsychotic agents (e.g. Zyprexa), and mood stabilizers (e.g. Depakote and Klonopin) which are more effective and produce fewer side effects than earlier medications.  \n\nThere is at least one valid criticism of current psychiatric practice, and that is that it relies exclusively on biological models and treatment methods for mental illness.    Most psychiatrists today do little more than monitor their patients' medication(s).  They have relegated "talk" therapy to psychologists and social workers, who are also able to achieve good results with millions of people whose problems cannot be and are not solved completely by medications.\n\nI think you are probably a crank though.  Slow down, take it easy, and do some reading.  You don't need to be fighting a war.
396910
Are you on medication?  If not, you may want to check into it.
430016
I am ready to start my graduate studies in psychology and while  finishing my bachelors degree was fortunate enough to work for Valley Mental Health in S.L.C. Utah. If clinical is what you desire you will be needing biological, psychopharmacological, statistical,experimental psychology and the list goes on. You will be busy but you will also be the smartest girl in the group (lots and lots of useful info). Need class guidance (tja_j@yahoo.com) good luck!!
379370
try davisdrugguide.com, or webmd..  If you worked at a hospital there are some really great medical programs in many of the ER's where you can pull up almost any drug and info about it.   \n\nwww.harcourthealth.com/merlin/lilley/\n\nThis was inside the pharmacology book I have. I did not check to see if you can access all the info.   If you are in nursing school alot of the books have good websites that have a ton of information.  \n\nHope this helps!
1096467
Psychology is the study of the mind.  It is a category that would include mental health.  Example:  how the brain is conditioned (how people learn).  \n\nMental health is how to take care of your mind.  It is a subcategory of psychology.  Someone in the mental health field might study about different mental disorders like schizophrenia.
65208
Yes, particularly in teenagers. This is common knowledge now, and reinforces that the user of those medications should have a support network of friends and relatives that can help monitor behavior on these meds.
1155620
Being a psych major, I'm partial to Psychology.  It was definitely fun & interesting (although Sociology prob would be too).  In terms of marketability, it seems to me there is no contect - Psych wins.  Aside the fact that there are direct professions (& many opportunities) that you can pursue (e.g. Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Child Psych, etc.), it is also very useful for other professions such as Marketing (which I currently do), Advertising, Market Research & Statistics.\n\nThat being said, my reco to you (if you are contemplating a major in colleges) is to go with the one you enjoy more.  College is the time to learn & experiment.  Grad school is the time to prepare for your career.  Also, in general, it's good to do what you love - you're usually better at it, too.