Controversial Issues Exam 2 Part 1

Kramer vs. Fisher and Greenburg

SSRI's can literally transform personality

• MAO inhibitors
• Tricyclics
• SSRI's

• Ex. Parnate
• Many side effects, plus Risk of high blood pressure if certain food arent avoided

• Ex. Imipramine
• Many side effects

• Ex. PRozac
• Inhibit reuptake of serotonin
• fewer side effects

very subtle symptoms the average person would notice but that a trained clinician can pick up

biological, genetically propensity to develop a given problem such as depression, would prob see symptoms in parents or other relatives

Using psychotropic drugs to improve quaility of life even of they are really in need for acceptable funtioning

• Anti depressant is overrated
• Placebos help 20 to 30% of the patients

30 to 40% of studies show no difference between drug and placebo

Studies with negative outcomes tend not to be published

people seek out help when at their worst so they will likely improve to some extent over time with or without treatment

When taken off drug 60% or more patients relaspe within a year

Antidepressant may be helpful initially but they may stop working after a time , body adapts

neother the patient nor the doctor knows who is in the drug or placebo groups

Active placebos mimic the drugs side effects, most studies use inactive (inert) placebos

Demonstrated that use of an "active" placebo eliminiated the superiority of an antidespressant over and inactive placebo

Practive in which some doctors prescribe multiple psychotropic drugs and the same time. Dont know what actually causing the improvments or worsenings