Running head: PYCHOTROPIC DRUGS E.G. ANTI-ADHD, ADERALL,
ANTIDEPRESENTS, CNS
Pychotropic Drugs E.g. Anti-ADHD, Aderall, Antidepresents, CNS
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PYCHOTROPIC DRUGS E.G. ANTI-ADHD, ADERALL, ANTIDEPRESENTS, CNS
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The Use and Abuse of Psychotropic Drugs
Introduction
Psychotropic drugs for instance, Anti-ADHD, Adrenal, Antidepressants
antipsychotics; anti-anxiety medications, mood stabilizers and CNS have the capability of
affecting the mind emotions and the behavior of the user. The use of these drugs and their
subsequent effects are significant across all the age groups since they are medicinal in nature.
Young, & Kuhar, (1980, pp. 337-346) connects the phrase “psychotropic drugs” to
psychiatric medicines that alter chemical levels in the brain, which impact mood and
behavior. The use of psychotropic drugs are however a seaway to the use of more illicit
drugs.
The Use and major Effect of Psychotropic Drugs
Antidepressants, one the psychotropic drugs, are used to treat the symptoms of major
depressive disorder. This affects between 7 percent and 8 percent of the population. The
National Institute of Mental Health classifies approximately one-third of adult cases of major
depression as severe. Most antidepressants used today are under the selective serotonin
inhibitor class, or SSRIs. This is a new type of antidepressant, which specifically works on
serotonin levels in the brain (Alwan et al, 2007, pp. 2684-2692).
Swanson et al, ( 2006, pp. 1304-1313) states that the effects of antidepressants extend
to the alteration of nor-epinephrine and dopamine levels in the brain that are other brain
chemicals affecting mood and behavior. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors and MAOIs are
among the older antidepressants whose side effects are more severe including dry mouth and
constipation. These older antidepressants are likely to have several food interactions with
things like wine and cheese (Searight , Burke &, Rottnek 2000, pp.2077-86). On the other
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hand, Kordon, &, Kahl. (2004, pp. 124-36) argue that the common antidepressants under
prescriptions include celexa, cymbalta effexion, wellborn, Zoloft. Despite the continuous use,
all SSRIs contain serious FDA warning to doctors and patients about the increased risk of
suicidal thinking in children, adolescents and young adults. Sleep disturbances, agitation,
appetite changes, and sexual dysfunction are other effects of its use. A victim who has not
sought advice is likely to begin using some illicit drugs with the intention of curbing the
problematic side effects (Elliott, 2002, pp. 736-42).
An ADHD drug is another psychotropic one for treating the ADHD disorder. It is in
the childhood stage in which the disorder is common. Hyperactivity, impulsivity and
difficulty in paying attention or controlling behavior are among the symptoms of the disorder,
which calls for the application of the ADHD drugs. Medicines classified as “stimulants” are
the most commonly applicable ADHD drugs used to treat these symptoms. Scientists view
stimulants to increase the level of a brain chemical referred to as dopamine. This chemical is
associated with pleasure, movement, and attention. A stimulant medication deprives the user
proper sleep and appetite. In some cases, non-stimulants applies besides the stimulant drugs
to control the ADHD. Since the use of the drug deprives the victims of proper sleep, most
would resort to drugs like Khat (miraa). This, therefore, shows how the use of ADHD drug
may influence a user to begin using more illicit drugs (Bellak, &, Black, 1992, pp. 138-47).
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Anxiety And Anti-Anxiety Mendicants
Most patients have abnormal levels of anxiety whose remedy is the anti-anxiety
medication. For many people, anxiety is a very normal emotion even though the levels can
become excessive and can interfere with normal daily activities. Obsessive-compulsive
disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and
PTSD are the five main types of anxiety disorders. The use of beta-blockers is common in
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treating depressions, heart diseases anxiety. However, specific anti-anxiety mendicants
known as benzodiazepines are often prescriptions for patients suffering from anxiety. The
common name of the drug is benzos and they work by targeting a specific receptor in the
brain called GABA. The prescription of benzos intends to function for a short period use to
take care of the risk of dependency. Drowsiness, blurred vision and sleep disturbances like
nightmares are among the side effects of the benzodiazepines. To avoid the unnecessary
nightmares, a victim who lacks proper advice may decide and begin using drugs as alcohol to
make them loses unconsciousness. This way, one has actually begun using an illicit drug due
to the effect of these drugs (Pliszka, 2000, pp. 1983-4).
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Mood Stabilizers
Mood stabilizers, another group of the psychotropic drugs, are applicable when the
bipolar disorder arises. Mood stabilizers or simply manic-depression affects approximately 3
percent of the population. This extent of effect shows that it is a serious issue. Patients with
the bipolar disorder experience an unusual swing in mood very low and very high at times.
This would quickly help identify one suffering from the disorder. This feature distinguishes
manic depression from the depressive disorders whereby people typically experience
depressive symptoms. In people younger than 25 years of age, the approximate of the
diagnosis of this disorder is 50 percent. Among the mendicants under the prescriptions of
mood stabilizers, include Depakote, Tegretol, Lamictal, and Trileptal. However, lithium is
always in the first line of treatment of the bipolar disorder. Hence, it is the major stabilizing
agent. Among the side effects of use of mood, stabilizers are suicidal thoughts, thyroid
problems, and weight gain (Dunne, 1999, pp. 349-72).
According to Young, & Kuhar, (1980, pp. 337-346), there are patients suffering from
psychoses as a disorder. The appropriate attention towards the disorder is the application of
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the anti-psychotics. However, doctors are not exactly sure of how the antipsychotic drug
works. Most experts believe antipsychotics block specific dopamine receptors in the brain.
The dopamine reactors are quite overactive in patients with symptoms of psychoses, which
includes hallucinations and delusions. FDA does not fully support the use of these drugs for
children with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and hence it only approves such use to a
limited extent.
Second Generation Antipsychotic Medications (SGAs)
While in some cases, irritability is associated with autism, the 2nd generation
antipsychotics, has emerged the newer which have a fewer side effects and therefore are
preferred to the first generation hence are more commonly used than first-generation
antipsychotics such as haldol. The disorder negatively influences the metabolism of a victim.
This frequently cause significant weight gain and can increase the risk of diabetes. Victim
risks of a permanent and irreversible condition resulting from tardive dyskinesia which result
occurs in addition to tremors, muscle spasms and restlessness. In this manner, a person has
involuntary movements of the tongue, lip, mouth, and arms and legs.
Statistics that the National Institute of Mental Health conducts reveals that 5 percent
of people on antipsychotics will develop tardive dyskinesia every year (Young, &, Kuhar,
1980, pp. 337-346). This is less common with newer antipsychotics. Many experts are also
concerned about the prolonged use of the drugs in children, given that there are very limited
long-term safety studies for their use in the children. Abilify, Clozaril, Fanapt and
GeodonInvega are among the commonly applied prescriptions under antipsychotics.
Apart from the above psychotropic drugs, there is this powerful one called the
psychiatric drug. These drugs alter the mind largely. The causes that the scientists connect to
the psychiatric disorders include chemical dysfunction in the brain, hereditary cases. This
therefore highlights that it is natural and so it is beyond control. Still it is wise to realize that
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one’s lifestyle can override genetic predispositions and may be a major underlying cause of
chemical imbalance or dysfunction. Psychiatric drugs should not be the first defense more so
when attending to children suffering from mental illness.
Slick advertisements about the psychiatric drugs misleads since the information it
bears is very different from what we know as the reality. Psychiatric drugs do not specifically
have measurable biological imbalances to correct the levels blood sugar, cholesterol and so
on. This distinguishes it from other drugs, which can measure these health conditions. It is
therefore very dangerous to treat what do not physically exist (Young, & Kuhar, 1980, pp.
337-346; Ross, pp. 2006, pp. 1149-1152).
Adderall
Adderall drug is psycho stimulant and applies for patients with an attention problem
and narcolepsy. It is also important in performance and cognitive enhancer, and as an
aphrodisiac. It consists of two salts, which are the major ingredients. These are
dextroamphetamine salts and levoamphetamine salts. The drug works by increasing some of
the activities in the brain. This results when the trace amine associated receptor 1 (TAAR1)
and vesicular monoamine transporter 2(VMAT2) interact. It shares many properties with the
human trace especially, an isomer of amphetamine that the human body
produces. (dextroamphetamine saccharate, amphetamine aspartate, dextroamphetamine
sulfate and amphetamine sulfate) Tablets. Adderall is a mixture of four different
amphetamine salts - Dextroamphetamine Saccharate, Amphetamine Aspartate,
Dextroamphetamine Sulfate, and Amphetamine Sulfate - that is used to treat Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Treating ADHD with Adderall was approved by the
FDA in 1996.
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Adderall has been approved for use in patients age 3 years and older. People with
even mild cases of hypertension should avoid Adderall use. Amphetamines can cause mania
in people with bipolar disorder. People with a history of drug abuse need to use extreme
caution when taking this medication.
Common side effects include restlessness, dizziness, insomnia, headache, dryness of
the mouth, weight loss. These usually wear off with time. Less common side effects of this
medication include euphoria, unpleasant taste, diarrhea, constipation, other gastrointestinal
disturbances.
Conclusion
Besides the curative function of psychotropic drugs, we consider their use risky as
well. This is because the use of the mendicants with the aim of treating a disorder is likely to
result into a worse condition than before its application. In conclusion, the use of
psychotropic drugs is more of their abuse.
References
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