PSY 433 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Sigmund Freud, Psychoactive Drug, Psy
29 Jul 2020
Department
Course
Professor
Psychopharmacology
1
PSY 433 Psychopharmacology
Lecture 3
Is psychotherapy an alternative? What are its advantages?
• Using psychotherapy can help people manage the thoughts, emotions or behaviors that are in fact
what end up leading to the consumption of psychotropic drugs.
• Psychotherapy is not only an alternative, but in many cases its results are more satisfactory and
lasting, with relapse less frequent.
• Psychotherapy does not have the harmful side effects for the person or their physical health that
the drugs have.
• Psychotherapy, even if it is from the private sphere, is cheaper than a lifetime consuming drugs.
• He has proposed solutions for problems that psychopharmacology cannot cover: from therapy
you can work on self-esteem, or social skills, partner conflict ... today there is no pill for that.
• The only knowledge and the analysis of the causes of the problems is the only thing that can
make it probable that when faced with the same future difficulty I can act differently, otherwise I
may tend to repeat myself and therefore sooner or later find myself in the same undesired
situation.
• Listening to your emotions and being aware of your needs is the first step in meeting the need.
• Many difficulties in which your psychologist can help you do not need medication, and if
necessary will let you know.
• Through psychological therapy you are in control, you do not need something external because
you are the one who manages your internal world.
• The therapy encourages acceptance versus pathologization.
• Sometimes it will be necessary to take medication, also in combination with therapy, always
consult a specialist both to start treatment and to withdraw it.
In short, from psychology stands the proposal to advocate for personal growth, acceptance of
emotions, problem solving and the achievement of "health" as a broad concept to which different
factors are transversal: health to mental, physical, social or affective level.
"Modern science has not yet produced a reassuring medication as effective as a few kind
words . " - Sigmund Freud.
