Types of medicinal drugs
Antipsychotic Drugs:Are drugs which came with the introduction of chlorpromazine. This chlorpromazine was used calm patients down before surgery. It was known as the wonder drug of 1954. This drug is effective in treating the positive symptoms of psychosis such as delusions, hallucinations ,bizarre behavior and patients with schizophrenia. Another drug was introduced called clozapine. It is effective in treating positive symptoms as well as negative symptoms of psychosis. This drug contains risks such as side effects which can be destructive as a result it has to be well monitored. Lithium is another antipsychotic drug used to control patients with bipolar mood disorders and it also lessens depression. Its prolonged can lead to kidney failure, convulsions and other serious reactions. The high dosage and side effects of these drugs can lead to dry mouth and throat, sore muscles and joints, sexual impotence, heavy sedation and muscle tremors. these drugs do control the symptoms but they do not cure the disorders.
Antidepressant Drugs: The first antidepressant drug was iproniazid which was used cheer up the moods of people feeling depressed. It worked very well but it was later found to be the cause of liver damage and was stopped. Another drug is MAO inhibitors and tricyclics. MAO inhibitors are used for depressions accompanied by anxiety or panic symptoms, reducing levels of two neurotransmitters and also increase the levels of these neurotransmitters. The MAO requires a strict diet and carefully monitored dosages in order to have their effect. They also cause side effects such as dizziness, liver damage, sexual impotence, raised blood pressure and other things. The tricyclics are used for uncomplicated, major depression. These tricyclics also cause side effects, increased perspiration, weight gain, intellectual confusion and heart disease. The new antidepressant drug is flouxetine (trade name Prozac) which affects the brain neurotransmitter. It produces less negative side effects such as skin rashes, weight loss and agitation. People have stopped taking it because of the side effects.
Antianxiety Drugs(or tranquilizers):Are used to reduce the felt presence of anxiety. Another antianxiety drug is meprobamates. Meprobamates is a muscle relaxer. Another antianxiety drug is the group of chemicals called benzodiazepines (trade name Librium or Valium). Theyaffect mostly the central nervous system their impact is very good. They help people to feel less anxious. Their effect does not last long as a result people tend to rely on them and become addicted to them, that is the only danger of the drug. These tranquilizers have helped schizophrenic patients to return to a more or less normal life. They can also remove the schizophrenic's hallucinations and delusions.
Psychic energizers: These drugs work the opposite way as tranquilizers. They work in different manners as from patient to patient. They mostly have an effect on the nervous system. People do not rely on them.
Dilantin:This drug is used to control epilepsy which is a brain malfunction that forces people to live in fear of the "fit". Many sufferers grow out of the situation and they can stop using them.
Amphetamines: These drugs are used tomake children calm down who have hyperkinesis. Hyperkinesis is a disease which makes children unstable. The child can use the drugs until he/she is out of the condition without getting addicted.
Thalidomine: It is a sedactive drug which is taken by pregnant women. These women take it to give birth to phisically malformed children. These children are not mentally defective and many of them live healthy normal lives.