Mental Illness Pros And Cons

Senior Project Mid-Semester Paper:

By Arthur Aldea

I am researching the pros and cons of psychiatric medications and whether or not they should be the first source to treating mental illnesses. My research project - before my panel talk – covered a list of most common mental illnesses and the drugs associated with them. However, after meeting with the teachers that make up my panel I have realized that my project would be too broad and needs to be narrowed down to either one mental disorder or to a certain drug employed to treat mental illnesses. Therefore, thanks to the help of my panelists, I have decided change my research to one mental illness – depression. Why research depression and the medicine associated with it? Depression seems

By doing so I can understand the disorders that absolutely require medications to treat them and the ones that don’t. To begin with, the two overall classifications of mental disorders are called psychosis and neurosis. Psychosis is classifies mental disorders as critical and severe and relates to mental disorders with hallucinations, delusions, and/or altered perceptions of reality (Andreasen). On the other hand, neurosis classifies mental disorders as mild disorders usually linked with anxiety (Andreasen). Examples of mental disorders that fall under psychosis include schizophrenia and dementia; while examples of disorders that fall under neurosis are anxiety, depression or even substance abuse. Generally speaking, psychosis disorders can’t become neurosis disorders, but neurosis disorders have the potential to become psychosis disorders if left untreated or neglected. It is widely believed that people who suffer from psychosis disorders depend on prescribed medications to reduce or control their symptoms due to the overwhelming nature of the disease. This therapy or treatment is usually called somatic therapy and will be discussed later on in the paper. However, despite several neurosis disorders more commonly incorporated drugs in their treatments, depending on the psychiatrists’ diagnoses, some believe that therapies without drugs may be enough to treat the

These drugs include: Celexa, Zoloft, Prozac and Luvox. By researching these disorders I managed to grasp the pros and cons of them and see if they are worth it. Celexa, is considered to the most serotonin-selective of all the SSRIs used to treat depression (Koplewicz, 272). In addition, unlike other SSRIs stopping abruptly is less likely to cause significant side effects, however, in order for it to work properly it essential to be compliant and consistent with the medication (Koplewicz, 273). Furthermore, Zoloft’s side effects seem to be less significant, which is why it seems fewer patients seem to stop treatment with Zoloft and it is believed that patients can take a “drug holiday” to decrease the sexual side effects (Koplewicz, 271-272). In addition, it can also be used to treat anxiety, OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) PTSD (Post Dramatic Stress Disorder) and PMDD (Premenstrual dysphoric disorder) (Grohol). However, like Celexa, because it lasts for short periods at a time, you need to take it more often to get maximum results (Koplewicz, 272). In addition, it can be used to treat anxiety too (Grohol). Prozac, despite having many positives it also has several negatives. These positives include: 1) being able to take it in liquid form for those with problems swallowing