The success myth of psychotropic drugs. Why we need to re-evaluate psychiatric pharmaceuticals

By Stefan Weinmann

Subject:
Is the use of drugs to treat depression and schizophrenia overrated? 

Target audience:
Therapists, carers, social workers, social pedagogues, who work in outpatient and clinical areas.

Content:

Psychotropic drugs put to the test: Studies by the pharmaceutical industry about the effects of psychotropic drugs are often heavily influenced by economic interests. Stefan Weinmann illustrates this with the most important psychotropic drug-groups, antidepressants and antipsychotics, and puts into question the central role of psycho-pharmacotherapy in psychiatry.

Numerous mentally ill people have had positive experiences with pharmaceuticals, which are often a meaningful component of psychiatric treatment. But, whereas quality of life and satisfaction are the main concerns of the user, pharmaceutical studies consider criteria such as reducing symptoms, decreasing the risk of relapse or lessening side effects and therefore disregard the connection between disease and psychosocial factors of influence. The belief that pharmaceuticals are the only possible treatment for mental illness is currently so pronounced that psychiatric therapy is deeply-rooted in medicine.

Stefan Weinmann therefore advocates a stronger inclusion of the family and the social network of the person receiving treatment, and calls for treatment of psychosis according to the patient’s needs along the lines of the Scandinavian models and the recovery movement. He puts into question the established paradigm of psychiatry and calls for a reappraisal of the use of psychiatric medication.

Review:

"The book is surely one of the most important psychiatry books this year. Brilliantly researched, with numerous sources and at the same time very readable, fascinating from start to finish."
Dr. Martin Roser, German Head physician

Author:

Stefan Weinmann, born 1971, does scientific work in social medicine and epidemiology in the area of psychiatric care research at the Charité clinic in Berlin, Germany. He has a doctorate in medicine and health science / public health and is a medical specialist for psychiatry and psychotherapy.

Original title:

"Erfolgsmythos Psychopharmaka. Warum wir Medikamente in der Psychiatrie neu bewerten müssen"

Psychiatrie-Verlag, Bonn, ISBN 978-3-88414-455-8, 264 Pages, €29.95
First published in 2008.

For further information please contact: Ms Kerstin Zander.