Psychopharmacology: The Medicines of Psychiatry

Abstract

Alongside misunderstandings attributable to inappropriate use of medical terms such as ‘diagnosis’, ‘disease’ and ‘pathology’ in relation to mental health difficulties, a parallel set of misunderstandings has developed around the parts drug treatments can play in alleviating them. This use of medicines is known as psychopharmacology: the study and use of drugs as treatments for mental health difficulties. Drugs of one sort or another have played a part in alleviating human distress from time immemorial. Alongside their use as intoxicants, alcohol, opium and other preparations have been used for their calming and anaesthetising properties since ancient times. Indeed, alcohol in over-ripe fruit may play an evolutionarily role in attracting small primates, who, in their turn, play a part in dispersing seeds (Dudley, 2004). Contemporary psychiatry relies heavily on medicines. Much of the recent history of the profession is that of the development, use and evaluation of drug treatments. Understanding contemporary psychiatry is impossible without an understanding of the drugs psychiatrists use, their properties and their shortcomings.