Introduction
The human body is designed to enjoy life and the actions performed. Our evolutionary biology ensures that everything necessary for survival makes people feel good. The balance of neurochemicals that have evolved over millennia has been disrupted by modern life, which has made people more prone to depression, anxiety, and dissatisfaction (Saha et al., 442). However, pharmaceutical companies seek to correct this imbalance with pills (Godasi et al., 216). Psychiatric or psychotropic medications are psychoactive drugs that affect the chemical composition of the brain and nervous system. Thus, these medications are used to treat mental illnesses and other abnormalities.
Discussion
On the one hand, Psychiatric medications can reduce symptoms and prevent relapses of a mental disorder. Medications can also help patients minimize drug cravings and maintain abstinence from addictive substances. A recent study shows that 4 out of 5 people with severe mental illnesses who take antipsychotics successfully cope with their symptoms (Saha et al., 2019). It has been shown that these medications have the following positive effects in the treatment of mental diseases: stop or reduce psychotic symptoms, have a mood-stabilizing effect, and relieve anxiety (Saha et al., 445). Moreover, they reduce suicidal tendencies and other types of self-harming behavior, prevent psychotic states, reduce depression, and can have a calming and relaxing effect (Godasi et al., 215). Thus, it can be seen that psychiatric substances can positively affect a person’s condition.
On the other hand, in addition to the possible benefits, each psychiatric medication can cause undesirable side effects. These side effects may occur with short-term or long-term use. Psychiatric drugs can affect almost every aspect of a person’s life. These include decreased alertness, headaches, nausea, sexual problems, tooth decay, oral health, diabetes, gastrointestinal bleeding, serotonin syndrome, suicidal feelings, hypomania, or mania (Godasi et al., 214). The provocative argument that we are indeed seeing relatively little progress in the therapeutic mechanisms of drug treatment is often based on the striking observation that many primary neural targets for treating depression and schizophrenia remain unchanged.
Conclusion
There is no universal recipe for creating a neurochemical balance corresponding to happiness. Many psychotropic drugs regulate the number of essential chemicals in the brain. Thus, psychiatric substances can affect the human body both positively and negatively. However, it should not be denied that the negative effect is based precisely on the side effects of using medications and not specifically on the impact of these substances.
Works Cited
Godasi, Ganga Raju, et al. “Attitudes Toward Psychiatrists, Psychiatric Medications, and Mental Illness Among Medical Undergraduates: A Cross-Sectional Study.” Indian Journal of Social Psychiatry vol. 37 no. 2, 2021, pp. 212-228. Web.
Saha, Koustuv, et al. “A Social Media Study on the Effects of Psychiatric Medication Use.” Proceedings of the International Conference on Web and Social Media. Vol. 13, 2019, pp. 440-451. Web.