The Primary Care Companion To The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry最新文献

{"title":"The Treatment of Obsessions.","authors":"D. McKay","doi":"10.4088/PCC.V10N0214A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.V10N0214A","url":null,"abstract":"Models of treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have undergone substantial revisions and refinements over the past 20 years, with particular focus on cognitive factors and, by association, specific cognitive therapy interventions. Previous approaches to treating OCD relied exclusively on exposure with response (ERP), a procedure that, while highly efficacious,1 is also extremely demanding for clients, with many dropping out either by early treatment termination or through noncompliance with treatment components.2 Cognitive therapy, on the other hand, is viewed as a more acceptable intervention, with lower dropout and lower demand vis-a-vis anxiety-producing within-and between-session exercises. \u0000 \u0000Cognitive therapy has been available for quite some time. However, the approach originally developed was very general, neglecting conditions which had specific cognitive qualities that defied a general “negative automatic thought” framework; that is, there was a relative lack of attention to mechanisms that specifically defined particular psychological problems. Obsessions are notable in this regard. While it may be accurate to point out that individuals with obsessions struggle with negative automatic thoughts, time spent challenging these thoughts is an unproductive endeavor without attending to cognitive features that are specific to the condition. \u0000 \u0000The Treatment of Obsessions presents a treatment manual for addressing the specific cognitive problems associated with obsessions without accompanying compulsions. Dr. Rachman, who has been studying OCD since the early development of ERP, has also contributed significantly to the evolution of current knowledge of how to conceptualize and treat obsessions. The book is brief, intended to introduce readers to the essentials necessary to assess and develop treatment plans for individuals suffering from obsessions. \u0000 \u0000Dr. Rachman begins by providing a conceptual grounding in obsessions, particularly common cognitive features of the condition. Notably, the contemporary model of obsessions focuses on inflated responsibility and catastrophic interpretation of intrusive ideas. The conceptualization is based primarily on the original model of panic by Clark,3 in which anxiety results from catastrophic misinterpretations of physical changes. Rachman points out how obsessions follow a similar pattern, whereby an intrusive thought (e.g., “I could just kill Bill with this steak knife”) is followed by a catastrophic misinterpretation of the thought (i.e., “How could I have such a thought? Deep down, I must be a psychopath”). There are numerous corresponding cognitive biases present in such individuals, including thought-action fusion, overimportance of thoughts, and need for control over thoughts. Dr. Rachman cites Salkovskis4 as particularly influential in providing a template for the development of effective therapies for obsessions. \u0000 \u0000The book is organized to lead readers from assessment to treatment p","PeriodicalId":371004,"journal":{"name":"The Primary Care Companion To The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry","volume":"205 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122876464","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Clinical Manual of Cultural Psychiatry","authors":"Harpriya A. Bhager","doi":"10.4088/PCC.V10N0214B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.V10N0214B","url":null,"abstract":"Cultural issues in mental health have long been underrecognized. The 2007 tragedy at Virginia Tech painfully brings forth the need to address these issues. Further, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires residency programs to provide residents with instruction about American culture and subculture. Dr. Russell F. Lim, the director of diversity education and training at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, has edited the Clinical Manual of Cultural Psychiatry, which defines and discusses cultural issues in psychiatry and the application of psychiatry to various ethnic groups in the United States. \u0000 \u0000The text is divided into 3 parts and comprises 7 chapters and 3 appendices. Part I defines an individual's ethnicity as a “sense of belonging to a group of people who have a common set of beliefs and customs (culture) and who share a common history and origin” (p. 7). Part II illustrates the issues of different ethnic groups, mainly African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Americans, American Indians, and Alaskan Natives. This part explores each group's immigration history (slavery, need for labor or professionals), way of life in the country of origin (traditional) versus that in current American society, and family dynamics including role reversal (like women being the breadwinner), as well as racism, issues in therapy (especially trust) particular to each group, the role of the translator (may interject his or her own views of mental health), each group's perception of symptoms and medications (“too hot or too cold”), and psychopharmacology for each group, among other issues. Part III discusses the differences in metabolism by the cytochrome P450 enzyme system, side effects, and dose requirements in various ethnic groups, especially in reference to antidepressants, antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines. Appendix A is written by psychiatry residents to provide a resident's guide to cultural formulation; Appendix B is a bibliography of topics related to cultural psychiatry, and Appendix C is a glossary of culture-bound syndromes. \u0000 \u0000To summarize, the Clinical Manual of Cultural Psychiatry is a great resource both for clinicians in assessment and treatment of culture-related issues in patients and for training programs in teaching these issues to medical students and residents. \u0000 \u0000Jason Mensah, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, provided with proofreading as well as with clarifying cultural issues discussed in the review. Dr. Mensah reports no financial affiliation or other relationship relevant to the subject of this review.","PeriodicalId":371004,"journal":{"name":"The Primary Care Companion To The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry","volume":"88 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115159539","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Wiley Concise Guides to Mental Health","authors":"B. Adetunji","doi":"10.4088/PCC.V10N0214C","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.V10N0214C","url":null,"abstract":"Anxiety disorders manifest in a variety of ways, thus requiring diverse treatment approaches. In an era that is skewed toward pharmacologic approaches, it is very refreshing to find a book that provides psychological aspects of case formulation and treatment in a simple and practical manner. By navigating the readers through diagnostic aspects as well as practical treatment methods, Drs. Kase and Ledley have succeeded in providing an exemplarily concise book for psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals. \u0000 \u0000The book is divided into 3 sections: Conceptualization and Assessment (section 1), Treatment of Anxiety Disorders (section 2), and Additional Issues and Treatment Considerations (section 3). The first section deals with a general overview of anxiety disorders, including practical steps in assessment, individually tailored case conceptualization, and treatment planning. The authors also use case illustrations to differentiate how various types of anxiety disorders can manifest. Chapter 2 delves into the application of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to the different types of anxiety disorders. Chapter 3 deals with the steps needed by clinicians to carry out a thorough evaluation; through the use of tables (Table 3.4 and 3.5), this chapter provides a useful comparison of self-report measures for anxiety and depression. \u0000 \u0000Section 2 broadly describes the most widely used treatments of anxiety disorders. Practicing clinicians may especially appreciate the practical explanations about the use of psychoeducation in understanding the maintenance and thus treatment of anxiety disorders. Table 7.1 (p. 102) gives tips for designing hierarchies, while Table 7.2 gives a sample exposure work sheet. Similarly, in chapter 9, readers are guided through the use of assertiveness and skills training, problem-solving approach, relaxation techniques, and guided imagery. \u0000 \u0000The final section consists of 6 chapters that deal with treatment of children and adolescents with anxiety disorders; group, couples, and family therapy; issues relating to supervision; and consultation and collaboration with multidisciplinary professionals. To describe the treatment of anxiety disorders as without challenges would be unrealistic and counterproductive. The authors consequently use chapter 16 to describe the “Clinicians' Top Ten Concerns and Challenges with the Treatment of Anxiety.” The role of supervision is emphasized throughout the book. The authors also provide other useful resources, including self-help for patients (pp. 235–236). \u0000 \u0000Overall, this book is concise and practical and is recommended for all clinicians who treat anxiety disorders on a regular basis.","PeriodicalId":371004,"journal":{"name":"The Primary Care Companion To The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry","volume":"38 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121385740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Faces of Depression","authors":"J. Fogel","doi":"10.4088/PCC.V10N0114B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.V10N0114B","url":null,"abstract":"Faces of Depression contains 8 chapters in which brief stories (1 to 4 pages) of individuals with depression are narrated. These are true-life experiences of “regular” individuals and are not the experiences of famous personalities. Stories include those of adolescents, adults, and spouses of individuals experiencing depression. The book is easy to read and can be understood by those without formal training in mental health or medicine. \u0000 \u0000Each chapter typically begins with an introduction describing a symptom or symptoms of depression per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) and/or other aspects of depression. Sometimes a nontechnical overview of biological aspects of depression is included too. The chapter then follows with brief stories related to that theme. For example, in Chapter 3, “Perceptions,” the first paragraph lists 3 of the 9 formal symptom categories qualifying one for a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (i.e., depression) and also mentions that these symptoms must lead to impairment in one's typical functioning to qualify the individual for the diagnosis of depression. Eight stories from different individuals relating to this depression theme are included in this chapter. \u0000 \u0000Throughout the book, the stories of 16 individuals are woven into each particular depression-related theme as introduced by the beginning (or middle) of the chapter. Besides reviews of the typical experiences and symptoms of depression, there are 2 chapters on related topics: Chapter 5, “Cognition and Culture,” includes content on culture-specific experiences as they relate to depression, and Chapter 7, “Relatives,” includes content on diseases that simultaneously occur among those with depression (e.g., brief stories of individuals with fibromyalgia and some of the anxiety disorders). \u0000 \u0000Faces of Depression would be of interest to medical students, medical residents, clinical psychology graduate students, social work students, and other students training to help those experiencing depression. This book would help them understand the challenges of those who experience depression. Also, primary care physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals may find this book useful to recommend as reading to the caregivers and/or spouses of those whom they are treating for depression; by reading this volume, these individuals may better understand the challenging experience that their loved one is experiencing.","PeriodicalId":371004,"journal":{"name":"The Primary Care Companion To The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry","volume":"79 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126034512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed.","authors":"T. Treuer","doi":"10.4088/PCC.V10N0114C","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.V10N0114C","url":null,"abstract":"Ethics is a critical issue in every helping profession, in which the clients—patients—are in trouble and seeking help. This is especially the case in psychotherapy, for which the focus of intervention is targeting the most internal, sometimes hidden and intimate world of an individual. Since its first edition (1991),1 Ethics in Psychotherapy and Counseling: A Practical Guide has served as one of the most comprehensive texts providing practical guidance regarding ethical behavior for therapists and counselors. \u0000 \u0000The book insightfully highlights the ethical values of respect, responsibility, integrity, confidentiality, competence, and concern in detail. It helps clinicians to be thoughtful about ethical principles, potential challenges, and dilemmas as well as about getting appropriate training and supervision that can help them better navigate these challenging waters. The strength of the current edition is that it deeply discusses the competence of a human therapist as well as the critical thinking on how to create strategies for self-care and—in general—how to help without hurting. It puts the codes and complaints into historical and empirical context and guides clinicians in how to respond to ethics, licensing, and malpractice complaints. The issues of beginnings and endings in therapy, absences and accessibility, and the use of informed consent are also explored in detail. \u0000 \u0000One of the most important parts is the guidance on how to respond to suicidal risk and how to recognize the early warning signs when a supervisory consultation is required. Boundary issues and sexual relationships with clients are also very important aspects of ethical behavior discussed in the text. Although it is striking that the majority of disciplinary actions taken against practitioners by licensing boards are due to sexual misconduct, and civil suits against a therapist for incompetence account for only a minority of all claims, I have the impression that the issue of sexual misconduct is overwhelmingly discussed here and that the disproportionately large amount of discussion of the topic rather reflects the authors' research interest. Sexual abuse of clients is just the tip of the iceberg, but the vast majority of the ethical issues related to incompetence and other hurts usually and probably do not reach the threshold of legal claims. \u0000 \u0000Although ethical principles and guidelines are common in all forms of psychotherapy, some fine tuning, distinction, and focus on special features would have been useful; e.g., detailed discussion of individual versus group therapy and of behavioral versus dynamic approaches could have highlighted the important aspects of ethical behavior related to the applied psychotherapy approach per se. Case vignettes or case reports also could have been helpful to illustrate the practical issues of some complex situations, especially since this is a “practical guide.” For those who would like to read extensive case studies that provide illu","PeriodicalId":371004,"journal":{"name":"The Primary Care Companion To The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry","volume":"49 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128190268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Geriatric Medicine for Old Age Psychiatrists","authors":"V. Badrakalimuthu","doi":"10.4088/PCC.V10N0114A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.V10N0114A","url":null,"abstract":"The interface between psychogeriatrics and geriatric medicine is complex, particularly owing to overlapping presentations of physical and mental illness. Thus, rather than an exception, it had increasingly become a rule that primary care physicians—especially those with interest in managing the physical and mental illnesses of the elderly—have to be able to systematically analyze the symptoms of mental illness and arrange a comprehensive treatment plan. Hence, the obvious question, “Where to start this acquaintance?” The answer to this question asked by generations of physicians is Geriatric Medicine for Old Age Psychiatrists. \u0000 \u0000The authors, in their introduction, paraphrase Einstein: “Everything will be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler.” The authors attempt to achieve this goal in their own witty and humorous style of writing over the 6 chapters that follow the introduction. \u0000 \u0000I remember once attending a workshop on neuropsychiatry at which one of the eminent neurologists who spoke about neurologic examination said that he would teach us to do a neurologic examination in a minute's time—by finding out whether the patient could see, talk, and walk! This, he assured us, was not meant to be a satire on nonspecialists, but assessment of anything beyond such modalities of functioning would necessitate referral to a neurologist. \u0000 \u0000An extension of this observation could be found in this book's chapter titled “History and Physical Examination,” in which the authors note that “many aspects of physical examination are not very reproducible and have low inter-rater reliability” (p. 9). The authors also offer 2 different ways of collecting basic medical history—the pragmatic-functional and the comprehensive-traditional approaches. My only issue with this chapter is that it has condensed the legal aspects of treating medical conditions in the mentally ill. Despite their best efforts, such summarizing does not do justice to very important issues such as consent and the Mental Capacity Act. \u0000 \u0000Physician investigations often reveal 1 or 2 unexpected abnormal results. Then the charade begins with telephone conversations with specialists, which would make the physician believe that he or she has found out an extremely rare case—Eureka! The authors put a roadblock to such extravagances with their erudite chapter, “Interpretation of Abnormal Results.” Where they strike gold is in their ability to simplify the physiologic process and utilize this fundamental base to drive through the meaning of subtle to overt abnormalities. As a cynic, I would differ from the authors' style of listing the variabilities alphabetically, thus wedging a whole host of hematological indices between interpretations of calcium and other electrolyte abnormalities. \u0000 \u0000The sheet anchor of this book is the chapter titled “Clinical Management.” The authors are very thorough in listing various symptoms and going through their differential diagnoses. They then address specif","PeriodicalId":371004,"journal":{"name":"The Primary Care Companion To The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry","volume":"56 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-02-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129816912","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Private Practice","authors":"C. White","doi":"10.4088/PCC.V09N0612A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.V09N0612A","url":null,"abstract":"Manualized therapies continue to gain in popularity among therapists. These “newer” therapies have a growing body of evidence documenting their effectiveness in treating mental illness. These burgeoning efficacy data and the typically limited number of treatment sessions have not escaped third-party payers. In fact, insurance pressure has contributed to the momentum enjoyed recently by therapies such as interpersonal therapy (IPT), cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). \u0000 \u0000Dialectical behavior therapy is the brainchild of Marsha Linehan, who created it to treat patients with borderline personality disorder. The central idea is that such patients have competing dialects that cause significant emotional stress. As a means of coping, these patients often engage in self-harm as a maladaptive means of regulating emotions. Traditional DBT requires significant resources as patients undergo both individual and group therapy during a course of treatment. The group component is psychoeducational and primarily didactic in nature. Several core modules of skill sets focusing on emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness are presented to the patients. During individual sessions, parasuicidal behaviors are normally the primary target. Additionally, patients are coached in the application of skills taught during the group sessions with emphasis on practice to obtain skill mastery. Typically, a team of therapists skilled in DBT are required to coordinate both the group and individual sessions. These logistical challenges can restrict the practice of DBT to academic centers where educational or research subsidies are provided. \u0000 \u0000Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Private Practice challenges the above assertions. The book provides an argument that DBT is not beyond the reach of a solo practitioner. Breaking with tradition, the author suggests that DBT can be used in a more piecemeal approach where limited resources require such an adaptation. Moreover, extensive research is presented that documents DBT's efficacy well beyond its original target of patients with borderline personality disorder. The book is designated for both seasoned as well as novice DBT therapists. \u0000 \u0000In the first 2 chapters, the theoretical underpinnings of DBT are compared with other psychotherapy frameworks and evidence for the DBT approach is presented. Chapter 3 examines the possible psychological and neurobiological factors underlying a patient's emotional sensitivity. DBT's central thesis that emotional sensitivity (high emotional arousal, delayed return to baseline, and hypervigilance to threats) leads to maladaptive avoidance and escape behaviors is developed in the next chapter. This is followed by a chapter that establishes the goal of DBT as balancing acceptance of emotional problems and pain with specific skill strategies to change them. The author then illustrates the generalizability of DBT by applying it to various mental disorders o","PeriodicalId":371004,"journal":{"name":"The Primary Care Companion To The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry","volume":"94 Suppl B 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134249754","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Depression: The Mood Disease, 3rd ed","authors":"D. Dunner","doi":"10.4088/PCC.V09N0512B","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.V09N0512B","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":371004,"journal":{"name":"The Primary Care Companion To The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry","volume":"42 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124479169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bipolar Disorder: A Guide for Patients and Families, 2nd ed; Depression: The Mood Disease, 3rd ed","authors":"D. Dunner","doi":"10.4088/PCC.V09N0512A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.V09N0512A","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":371004,"journal":{"name":"The Primary Care Companion To The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry","volume":"144 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131562073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"What Your Patients Need to Know About Psychiatric Medications","authors":"B. Gebhardt","doi":"10.4088/PCC.v09n0412","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.v09n0412","url":null,"abstract":"I suspect most physicians struggle as I do to adequately educate our patients about the medications we prescribe for them. Primary care physicians in particular prescribe a wide array of medications and also often refill medications prescribed originally by specialist consultants. Prescription education for patients with psychiatric conditions is especially tough. With their mental illness, how much information are they retaining as we discuss the potential side effects of mood stabilizers, antidepressants, or atypical antipsychotics? \u0000 \u0000What Your Patients Need to Know About Psychiatric Medications is a book written for physicians who prescribe psychiatric medications, but it is also a book written for those patients and their caregivers. The goal is to furnish prescribers understandable yet thorough patient education material about psychiatric medications. \u0000 \u0000The authors accomplish this goal. The book begins with a nice introduction and instructions on how to best utilize the information. These brief chapters are quite helpful. \u0000 \u0000Next is another brief, easy-to-understand section on “Medications in Pregnancy,” including a concise table outlining the risk categories (A through X) of medication use in pregnancy. This 2-page section itself makes a helpful handout for pregnant patients. \u0000 \u0000The bulk of the text is patient-focused, educational descriptions of commonly used psychiatric medications, including antianxiety, insomnia, antidepressant, mood stabilizer, antipsychotic, attention deficit disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and cognitive enhancing medications. \u0000 \u0000The authors organize the medications by category (anti-anxiety, antidepressant, insomnia, etc.). Each category begins with an overview of all the medication types used to treat a specific condition and a description of how these medications work. For example, the section on antianxiety medications gives a brief, understandable description of various anxiety conditions (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder) and then a brief description of benzodiazepines, nonbenzodi-azepines, and antidepressants used to treat these disorders. Each category of medication, for example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, also has a general information sheet that is pertinent to the class of medications as a whole. This is followed by information on each specific medication in that class. The medications are listed alphabetically. The generic and trade names are given for each medication. \u0000 \u0000The description of each medication includes available strengths, generic availability, medication class, general information (usually how it works), dosing information (this is very specific regarding time, with or without food, etc.), common side effects, adverse reactions and precautions, use in pregnancy and breastfeeding, possible drug interactions, overdose, and special considerations (for example, what to do if the patient misses a dose). Althou","PeriodicalId":371004,"journal":{"name":"The Primary Care Companion To The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129372967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}