Advances have been made in diagnostic methods. These imaging techniques are being used to map brain structure and function in people with normal and abnormal behavior, giving scientists greater understanding of how the brain functions in people with and without mental illness. Research that has differentiated one psychiatric disorder from another has led to greater precision in diagnosis. Treatment of Mental Illness Most psychiatric treatment methods can be categorized as either somatic or psychotherapeutic. Somatic treatments include drug therapy and electroconvulsive therapy.
Many psychiatric disorders require a combination of drug therapy and psychotherapy.
Indeed, most studies suggest that for major psychiatric disorders, a treatment approach involving both drugs and psychotherapy is more effective than either treatment method used alone. Over the last 40 years, a number of psychiatric drugs have been developed that are highly effective and widely used by psychiatrists and other doctors. These drugs are often categorized according to the disorder for which they are primarily prescribed. For example, antidepressants, including imipramine, fluoxetine, and bupropion, are used to treat depression. Antipsychotic drugs, such as chlorpromazine, haloperidol, and thiothixene, are helpful for people with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia.