Certificate in
Psychiatric Drugs Awareness
Distance Learning Course Details

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)

Textbook available on KINDLE™

   College accreditation: International Association for Distance Learning.
   Course approved by Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy
   for professional development purposes.  

Total recommended period of study: approx. 3 months or less. Continuous enrolment. No time limit.

Cost: £125.00  (125 Pounds Sterling - for currency conversion see www.xe.com ) EXCLUDING TEXTBOOK

Update October 2011 - Due to unforeseen fluctuations in the cost of this book, we are no longer offering free textbooks to UK students on this course.  We recommend that anyone wishing to do the course buys the Kindle edition of the book. It can be ordered using the Amazon links to the title on this page.

Method of study: 

Textbook study. Written assignments based on the set textbook. Assignment questions are issued by email and students return their written work by email. Grades and feedback are issued by email.

Course description and syllabus

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

Entry Criteria:  Open entry.

Suitability:

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.

The course is offered for educational and professional development purposes only. Only medical doctors can prescribe drugs.

Qualification

Successful graduates will receive the Certificate in Psychiatric Drugs Awareness. 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)  These are awarded by UK College of Holistic Training and are private UK qualifications.

The college is accredited by the International Association for Distance Learning.

The course is approved by The Institute for Meridian Psychotherapy (which is linked to UKCHT) as a professional development course (see societies page for explanation).

This course is accepted by Calamus International University (a non-UK, private distance university with private accreditation) for credit towards a degree.

Please see our FAQs page for general information.

We reserve the right to change the syllabus and other details of any course at any time.

To apply for this course now, go to our Application page