Medication Used In the Mental Health-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Medication used in the Mental health and addictions. Answer: Introduction The aim of the assignment is to discuss the medication used in the mental health and addictions. In this assignment, different types of medications are discussed. It includes antipsychotic medications, antidepressants medication, mood stabilizers, Anti-anxiety (anxiolytic) medication, medications for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Medications for Substitution Treatment, and the medications used in the management of Withdrawal. For each of the medication, the role in the treatment of the specified issue, the potential side effects and other adverse reactions that may occur when taking the medicines are discussed. Antipsychotic medications Antipsychotic medications are used to change the chemistry of the brain and help in reducing psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations, issues in thinking and delusions. Examples are Zyprexa (olanzapine) and Apo-Olanzapine (olanzapine). In this examples, Zyprexa is the brand name of the drug and olanzapine is the generic name of the drug which is the active ingredient of the medicine. In the second example, Apo-Olanzapine is the brand name and olanzapine is the generic name (Olfson, King, Schoenbaum, 2015).Antipsychotic medications work by changing the level of chemicals present in the brain that are known as neurotransmitters. These chemicals help in carrying the messages present in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which is majorly targeted by antipsychotics. Antipsychotics reduce the hallucinations and delusions by changing the levels of chemicals and also help in improving the mood and reduce the level of anxiety. Several Antipsychotics such as clozaril( clozapine), Latu da( lurasidone) are also used to treat bipolar disorders. These drugs improve the manic episodes in a quick manner and reduce the impulsive and aggressive behaviors of the patients. They also regulate the functioning of the circuits present in the brain and change the mood, perception and behavior (Drug, 2015). There are several side-effects of using antipsychotic medications which may differ from person to person. These include gain of weight, drowsiness, drying or watering of mouth, dizziness, stiffness of muscles, nausea and constipation. Adverse reactions of antipsychotics may lead increase in the level of cholesterols in the blood and increase the risk of diabetes (Olfson, King, Schoenbaum, 2015). It may also lead to restlessness and pain or irregular menstruation in females. Antidepressants medication Antidepressants are used to cure the symptoms of depression and are used by several individuals to improve their psychosocial health. They work in order to reduce the symptoms of depression, anxiety, sadness and low self esteem. They are also used to treat anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, eating disorder, chronic pain etc .Examples of antidepressants are Adapin (doxepin) in which brand name is Adapin and Generic name is doxepin and the other example is Aplenzin (bupropion) (Fox, Kaye, Liu, 2015). These medicines work by affecting the chemicals present in the brain called as neurotransmitters mainly serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. They relieve patients from depressive symptoms by affecting the levels of neurotransmitters. There are different types of antidepressants such as atypical antidepressants which include razodone, mirtazapine, tricyclic antidepressants include imipramine, doxepin etc (Caron, Gether, 2016). There are several side effects of depression such as gain of weight, increase in appetite and dryness in mouth. They may also lead to emotional issues, restlessness, mania, confusion, lack of sleep and agitated behavior in individuals. They are considered safe for pregnant women during pregnancy and when they are breast feeding. There are several antidepressants which may lead to side effects when an individual is suffering from any physical and mental health condition. For example, bupropion (Wellbutrin) plays a significant role in reducing the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression. Adverse effects of using antidepressants may result in suicidal thoughts and behavior in young individuals especially those who are under the age group of 25 (Bet, Hugtenburg Penninx, Hoogendijk, 2013). Mood Stabilizers Mood stabilizers are referred as psychiatric pharmaceutical drug that are used in the treatment of mood disorders such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and shifts in the mood. They help in suppressing the swings between depression and mania and in the treatment of borderline personality disorder and schizoaffective disorder. For example, lithium is considered as one of the most important mood stabilizer and it was the first drug to be approved by the US FDA. Anticonvulsants are also considered as mood stabilizers. Examples of valproic acid ( Depakine) and valproate semisodium (Depakote). Valproic acid is the trade name and depakote is the generic name. Similarly, valproate semisodium is the trade name and Depakote is the generic name (Chiu, Wang, Hansberger, Chuang, 2013). Omega-3 fatty acids are also mood stabilizers that lead to an improvement in the mood and reduce the depressive symptoms of mood disorder. Lithium works by inhibiting the enzyme GSK-3B. Anticonvulsants work by blocking the voltage- gated sodium channels by affecting the glutamate system of brain. Benzodiazepine is used in the treatment of bipolar symptoms in individuals who face issues while sleeping (Vardi, Warner, Philip, 2014). There are several side-effects of mood stabilizers such as valproic acid can lead to irritation in the stomach. Carbamazepine can lead to a reduction in the number of white blood cells. Mood stabilizers and anticonvulsants like valproate, carbamazine and lamotrigine may lead to a deficiency in folate , thus leading to depression. Mood stabilizers and anticonvulsants work by interfering with the absorption of folic acid and the formation of L-methylfolate (Kales, Gitlin, Lyketsos, 2015). Anti-anxiety (anxiolytic) medication An anxiolytic medicine is used to lower down anxiety levels in individuals and reduces the physical and psychological symptoms. Light therapy is also found to have anxiolytic effect. They are known to have a tranquilizer effect and are called as minor tranquilizers. Benzodiazepines and barbiturates also lead to anxiogenic effects such as sedation if they are used for a longer duration of time. Examples of anti- anxiety medicines include Alprazolam (Xanax) and Bromazepam (Lectopam, Lexotan). Alprazolam is a trade name of the drug and Xanax is the generic name of the drug. Bromazepam is the trade name of the drug and Lectopam is the generic name (Hanley Mintzes, 2014). Benzodiazepines play a significant role in leading to a short term and long term relief when individuals are suffering from severe anxiety. Carbamates also lead to sedative effects and lead to relaxation in the muscles. Antihistamines also possess anxiolytic properties and provide relief during tension and anxiety. Hydrxyzine is an effective antihistamine and is as effective as benzodiazepines in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Opioids are also used as medicaments that play a crucial role in reducing pain, depressive symptoms, obsessive compulsive disorder, and other health issues that occur due to anxiety (Muse, Stahl, 2017). There are several side effects of anti-anxiety (anxiolytic) medication such as they may result in dizziness or drowsiness in individuals. They may also result in reduced blood pressure and rate of breathing, issues in memory and concentration. If these drugs are used for a longer duration of time it may lead to addiction. The adverse effects of these drugs may lead to an increase in the dependency resulting in coma and the death of individuals (Burger, 2016). Medications for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder There are several medicines that are used in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder which involves symptoms such as attention problems, impulsive nature of individuals, and aggressive behavior. Examples of these drugs include Clonidine ( Kapvay ) and guanfacine ( (Intuniv ). In this example Clonidine is the trade name of the drug and Kapvay is the generic name. Similarly guanfacine is the trade name of the drug and Intuniv is the generic name of the drug. There are other examples such as adderall and amphetamine which play a vital role in reducing impulsive behavior and hyperactive behavior in individuals. Stimaulant medicines are majorly used in the treatment of ADHD in individuals belonging to all age groups (Barkley, 2014).They lead to a quick response in the behavior of patients and improve the symptoms in around 70 individuals out of 100. Atomexetine is also used as a non stimulant medicine that is widely used for children, teenage individuals and adults as we ll. There are several side effects of the medicines that are used in the treatment of ADHD such as stimulant medicines can lead to slow growth and development in children. They may also lead to addiction in children which may lead to adverse conditions. Adverse reactions of these drugs may lead to stomach pain, irritation, decrease in appetite and a lack of sleep. There are several stimulants, which may lead to heart problems and irregular blood pressure in individuals (Burger, 2016). Medications for Substitution Treatment There are different types of medicines that are used as substitution treatment of opiates such as heroin. Opioid substitution therapy helps in supplying several medicines such as methadone or buprenorphine which are given orally to individuals in order to reduce the dependence of opiate. There are different types of substitution therapy programs are been conducted to lower down the number of deaths from the overuse of drugs and risk behaviors due to HIV infection. These therapies are used to cure the chronic health conditions in patients as well. Examples are suboxone( methadone) in which suboxone is the trade name of the drug and methadone is the generic name (Martin, Hickman, Hutchinson, Goldberg, Vickerman, 2013).There is a drug known as subutex (buprenorphine) which is also used in opiod substitution therapy in which subutex is the trade name and buprenorphine is the generic name of the drug. These drugs help in reducing the withdrawal symptoms in individuals who are addicted to different types of narcotic drugs. There are several side effects of these drugs such as they may lead to cardiovascular diseases especially when they are taken along with alcohol or other medicines. They may also lead to slow rate of breathing and drowsiness in individuals. Adverse reactions of methadone may lead to severe headache along with pain in the chest, dizziness and ultimately death (Bond, Lader, 2016). Medications used in the management of Withdrawal There are several medicines that are being used in the management of withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, seizures, restlessness, depressive symptoms and tremors. These symptoms occur by the use of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines and alcohol. Examples are suboxone( methadone) in which suboxone is the trade name of the drug and methadone is the generic name. There is a drug known as subutex (buprenorphine) which is also used in opiod substitution therapy in which subutex is the trade name and buprenorphine is the generic name of the drug (Gowing, Farrell, Ali, White, 2014). They are being used in the detoxification and dependency of opioid and act as opioid agonists by activating the opioid receptors present in the brain.They remain effective for a longer period of time and help in reducing the withdrawal symptoms due to addiction of drugs. There are several side effects of drugs that are used in the treatment of withdrawal symptoms such as muscle pain, anxiety, fatigue, loss of appetite, and mood swings. Adverse reactions of suboxone (methadone) may lead to severe dizziness, irregular breathing events, changes in the mood such as confused state of mind, hallucinations and agitation. It may also lead to difficulty in waking up and irregular heart beat in individuals (Schuckit, 2014). Buprenorphine may lead to an increase in the effect of drugs that cause drowsiness. Conclusion Hence, it can be concluded that these medications are being used widely in the treatment of different psychosocial issues such as depressive symptoms, anxiety, and aggressive behavior. The assignment has helped in gaining deep insight into the side effects of different medication and role that is played by them in addiction and mental health. References Bet, P. M., Hugtenburg, J. G., Penninx, B. W., Hoogendijk, W. J. (2013). 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