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Course description
This
course explains what types of psychiatric drugs
may be prescribed for different mental health
disorders, the risks versus benefits of the
medication, and how patients cope with different
drug regimes. Brief up-to-date details are given
of each disorder so this unit also acts as a
guide to the field of mental illness.
Questionnaires are included that patients can
use to judge whether they may be experiencing
side effects. There is also background
information about the pharmaceutical industry,
how it researches and markets its drugs, and the
debate about responsible versus haphazard
prescribing and the use of psychoactive drugs on
children. Anyone concerned about or needing to
be informed about the use of prescribed drugs
for mental health issues, and needing more
information, will benefit from this course.
Topics
include:
Brief
descriptions of how drugs work
Brief introductions to various mental health
problems
How the
following conditions are managed:
Psychoses (including schizophrenia)
Depression
Bipolar Disorder
Anxiety
Children's mental health problems
Sleep disorders/insomnia
Dementia and cognitive impairment
Sexual problems
Plus
additional material on:
Dependent and withdrawal
Side-effects (with questionnaires)
Legal issues (consent, liability)
Abuse of psychiatric drugs
Marketing of psychiatric drugs
Ethics and the drug industry
Problems with drug research
Recommendations for further reading and list of
web sites
This course will be of interest
to counsellors, hypnotherapists, psychotherapists,
complementary practitioners, volunteers and
others who come into contact with people taking
psychiatric drugs, as well as all
those who care for mental health patients and
for people who have been prescribed medication
for mental health conditions. Those who
study this course will be better able to
understand the applications and risks of
psychiatric drugs and to discuss their use with
other people involved including doctors. If you
are a therapy tutor/trainer, this course will
give you the knowledge to incorporate a module
on psychiatric drugs in your syllabus.
The
course will also benefit students who are hoping
to apply to university to study nursing,
pharmacy, clinical psychology, social work, etc.
since you will be able to talk about your
knowledge at interview.
If you are a qualified therapist
or health professional this course will lead to
the
Certificate of Professional
Development in Psychiatric Drugs
Awareness - P.D. Cert. (Psych. Drugs)
Recommended period of study:
approx. 3 months or less.
A FREE textbook will be included for students
from the UK.
Students
outside the UK will need to pay extra for the
textbook and postage.
Study will be carried out
by reading the textbook and submitting written
assignments – these can be sent by e-mail.
There is no minimum study time and the student
may complete the course by submitting all
coursework to satisfactory standard.
Feedback will be given by the
tutor (who has a UK degree in psychology, plus
qualifications in counselling and
psychotherapy) and all material submitted will
be treated in strictest confidence.
There is no particular
qualification required to take this course, but
students should have good written English and be
able to work with material of Advanced Level
standard or above.
This course is NOT a substitute
for counselling or psychotherapy, or for medical
or psychological care, and people with psychological
or mental health problems
should seek appropriate treatment with a
counsellor or psychotherapist. People with
medical problems (including serious mental
illness or suspected mental illness) should consult their medical
practitioner.
This course is NOT a
qualification in counselling or psychotherapy,
though it may be used in conjunction with such
qualifications to signify additional specialist
learning. This course is NOT a
qualification in psychiatry - psychiatry is a
specialism for medical doctors only. This
course does not give anyone the licence
to diagnose mental illness or to prescribe
drugs. |
