Obesity related to the use of psychotropic drugs, considered in its psychodynamic aspect.

Abstract

It is a well known fact that one of the side-effects of the psychotropic drugs is a disturbance of body weight in the form of obesity. We believe this to be a serious side-effect because obesity is often the main reason why the patient discontinues his psychopharmaaceutical therapy, thereby causing a recrudescence of his mental illness. We have proposed that this type of obesity be designated by the diagnostic term "psychopharmacotherapeutic obesity". This paper contains a formulation and discussion of views and concepts related to a consideration of the psychodynamic aspect of the subject. Special emphasis has been given to commenting on the problem of psychopharmacotherapeutic obesity from the standpoint of etiogenesis, psychological effects, and its importance in relation and conjunction with the development and formation of the individuals' psychosomatic identity.