The Complete Guide to Psychiatric Drugs: Straight Talk for Best Results (Paperback)

by Edward H. Drummond (Author) "Unhappy all her life, a thirty-one-year-old woman has felt good, alive, normal, only in the last few months since she's been taking Prozac..." (more)
Key Phrases: pronounced dry mouth, drug that causes sedation, potentially irreversible disorder, United States, Benzodiazepines Alprazolam, Alcoholics Anonymous (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A complete guide to knowing your treatment options and taking control of your therapy If you think you may have a psychiatric problem or if you have been diagnosed with one, this book will help you get the best possible treatment. Written by top expert Edward Drummond, the book arms you with all the information you need to fully understand your treatment options and make informed decisions about the drugs you take. Dr. Drummond separates fact from hype to give you the real, complete story about all the psychiatric drugs currently prescribed. In plain English, he explains how each drug works, which symptoms the drug will improve and which it might not, side effects and how to manage them, precautions that should be taken, and much more. Drawing upon his years of experience helping patients understand their illnesses and take charge of their treatments, Drummond:

• Explains what is currently known about the causes and cures of virtually all recognized psychiatric disorders
• Describes the full range of medications that have been proven effective against them
• Helps you to determine whether or not you should try medication
• Provides guidelines for using medications safely and sensibly and for getting the best results with them
• Explores dietary treatments, exercise, relaxation techniques, meditation, self-hypnosis, yoga, and other non-drug therapies
• Explains how to combine drug, non-drug, and alternative therapies for maximum benefit

Your complete guide to choosing and using medication and other treatments for Anxiety • Panic Attacks • Agoraphobia • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder • Phobias Posttraumatic Stress Disorder • Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder • Bipolar Disorder Depression • Autism • Asperger’s Disorder • Drug Dependence • Anorexia • Bulimia • Insomnia Psychosis • Schizophrenia • Schizoaffective Disorder • Delusional Disorder • Alzheimer’s Disease

From the Back Cover

A complete guide to knowing your treatment options and taking control of your therapy

If you think you may have a psychiatric problem or if you have been diagnosed with one, this book will help you get the best possible treatment. Written by top expert Edward Drummond, the book arms you with all the information you need to fully understand your treatment options and make informed decisions about the drugs you take.

Dr. Drummond separates fact from hype to give you the real, complete story about all the psychiatric drugs currently prescribed. In plain English, he explains how each drug works, which symptoms the drug will improve and which it might not, side effects and how to manage them, precautions that should be taken, and much more. Drawing upon his years of experience helping patients understand their illnesses and take charge of their treatments, Drummond:

*Explains what is currently known about the causes and cures of virtually all recognized psychiatric disorders *Describes the full range of medications that have been proven effective against them *Helps you to determine whether or not you should try medication *Provides guidelines for using medications safely and sensibly and for getting the best results with them *Explores dietary treatments, exercise, relaxation techniques, meditation, self-hypnosis, yoga, and other non-drug therapies *Explains how to combine drug, non-drug, and alternative therapies for maximum benefit

Your complete guide to choosing and using medication and other treatments for Anxiety * Panic Attacks * Agoraphobia * Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder * Phobias * Posttraumatic Stress Disorder * Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder * Bipolar Disorder Depression * Autism * Asperger's Disorder * Drug Dependence * Anorexia * Bulimia * Insomnia Psychosis * Schizophrenia * Schizoaffective Disorder * Delusional Disorder * Alzheimer's Disease

The Complere Guide to Psychiatric Drugs
Straight Talk for Best Results

*How to Decide If Drugs Can Help You *A Complete Drugs-by-Drug List *Alternatives and Non-Drug options *How to Start and Stop Drugs Safely *The Best Treatments for Anxiety, Depression, and More

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471353701
• ISBN-13: 978-0471353706
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,217,850 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get your questions answered with this book, September 29, 2004

By	Jim S (Upstate, NY) - See all my reviews

Psychiatric syndromes like depression, anxiety, and bipolar are explained along with reasons why certain drugs are used instead of others.

About two pages are devoted to each medication. Common, expected side effects are described. For example, Paxil is said to take two to four weeks to cause improvement, even though side effects may appear in one to two days. Fatigue, weakness, and sexual dysfunction are the most common side effects. Your symtoms may return if you stop taking Paxil--even if taper off the medication gradually.

If you want to know how exactly drugs work, Appendix A shows the part of the synapse/neuron that is involved for each of the major classes of psychiatric drugs.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful Information, February 18, 2001

By A Customer

For the person who is contemplating phsychiatric treatment, "medication" can have an intimidating impression especially if it is a foreign subject. The book will help you make you this important decision by giving you updated information on the newest prescription drugs. For those who are uncomfortable, alternatives and non-drug options are discussed as well. A wide range of psychiatric syndromes are covered: Anxiety disorders, ADD, Bipolar, Depression, Developmental disorders, Drug dependence, Eating disorders, Insomnia, Pshychosis, and even Alzheimer's Disease. A wide range is covered..

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Complete Guide to Psychiatric Drugs: Straight Talk for Best Results, January 3, 2007

By	S. Collins - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Complete Guide to Psychiatric Drugs: Straight Talk for Best Results (Paperback)

This book is very easy to understand. It is a great resource for clinicians and therapists.