This course looks at a brief history of medications used in mental health, a basic overview of the way neurotransmitters and synapses are involved in their efficacy, the various factors that influence whether or not medications are useful for a person's recovery, some potential adverse effects and contraindications, the alternatives to medications and why and how people may reduce or stop taking them.
This course looks specifically at coming off medications. It discusses various drug groups and the associated adverse effects that may occur when stopping them, the reasons why stopping slowly is healthier, some strategies for how to stop, when it might be important to stop suddenly and managing long term adverse effects of having stopped medications too quickly.