It
is highly likely that you, a member of your family, or a close friend
will face the decision of whether to use a medication to treat a
diagnosed psychiatric disorder. Do you have the skills and knowledge to
participate in the decision to use a drug as therapy?
This course prepares you to be an effective collaborator with your
physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist when deciding if a medication
is appropriate treatment. The course introduces fundamental principles
for the use of drugs as therapy. It encourages students to have
realistic goals regarding the strengths and limitations of psychiatric
medications. It provides basic understanding of how a drug acts upon the
brain to improve behavioral symptoms. You will learn how new drugs are
developed to become viable options for treatment, and how they are
ultimately approved for being prescribed. Additionally, this course
provides perspective on the proper use of psychiatric medication as a
part of a multifactor treatment program.
Altogether, you will acquire a working knowledge to gain confidence
that a psychiatric medication is being used wisely to give the best
advantage for a successful improvement of symptoms while minimizing risk
of side effects.
