This webinar event will be staged by the Division of Clinical Psychology (a branch of the British Psychological Society) Scotland. The organisers say:
“The information Services Division (ISD), Scotland, released figures in 2019 showing that the use of psychiatric medications, in particular antipsychotics, antidepressants, and drugs used to treat ADHD have all been steadily increasing over the last decade.
In fact there had been a 48% rise in the use of antidepressant medication.
These medications as a group were also disproportionately used by women and by those living within the most deprived areas of the country. This understandably sparked concerns that as a nation we are becoming dependent on psychiatric medication to deal with mental health difficulties, as well as failing to address social and economic aspects of these societal difficulties.
The Scottish Govt similarly released figures during consultation for a Short Life Working Group at the beginning of this year indicating that in 2019/20 a third of Scottish adults are currently in receipt of a prescriptions for either benzodiazepines, z-drugs (sleeping pills), gabapentinoids (neuropathic painkillers, some of which are also used to treat anxiety), opioids, or antidepressants. Deprivation was again associated with the frequency of prescriptions of all five categories.
As Clinical Psychologists and other therapists, we often have relatively little knowledge of psychiatric medications – detailed information of the effects of different types of medication on the brain, understanding range and dose, the effects of polypharmacy approaches, repercussions of long term use, how to use them alongside therapy, and safe ways to decrease usage with an understanding of the likely side effects. This often prevents us from thinking in a meaningful way with our clients about their psychiatric medications.”
You can find out more (and register) from here.