• Higher doses and longer term use of psychiatric drugs often mean brain changes can be deeper and longer lasting. The drugs are then often harder to come off and can have more serious adverse effects. The human brain is much more resilient than was once believed, however, and can heal and repair itself in remarkable ways.
• Neuroleptic or major tranquilizer drugs are claimed to be “anti-psychotic,” but in fact do not target psychosis or any specific symptom or mental disorder. They are tranquilizers that diminish brain functioning in general for anyone who takes them. They are even used in veterinary science to calm down animals. Many people on these drugs report that their psychotic symptoms continue, but the emotional reaction to them is lessened.
• The psychiatric use of chemicals such as Thorazine and lithium was discovered before theories of “chemical imbalance” were invented, and do not reflect any understanding of the cause.
• Newer anti-psychotic drugs called “atypicals” target a broader range of neurotransmitters, but they work in basically the same ways as older drugs. Manufacturers marketed these drugs (which are more expensive than older ones) as better and more effective with fewer side effects, and they were hailed as miracles. But as reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry, New York Times, Washington Post, and elsewhere, this has been exposed as untrue, with some companies even covering up the extent of adverse effects like diabetes and metabolic syndrome. However, because newer drugs are somewhat different, people on older drugs might feel better by switching to newer ones. This may be because dosages are often smaller, it can take longer for negative effects to show, and individuals have different expectations of different drugs.
• Sometimes people are told that adverse drug effects are due to an “allergic reaction.” This is misleading: psychiatric drug effects do not function biologically in the body the way food or pollen allergies do. Calling drug effects “allergic reactions” treats the problem like it is in the person taking the drug, not the drug’s effect itself.
• Benzodiazepene – Valium, Xanax, Ativan and Klonopin – addiction is a huge public health problem, and withdrawal can be very difficult. Use for more than 4-5 days dramatically increases risks.
• Psychiatric drugs are widely used in prisons to control inmates and in nursing homes to control the elderly.
• Sleep medication like Ambien and Halcyon can be addictive, worsen sleep over time, and cause dangerous altered states of consciousness.
• Because they work like recreational drugs, some psychiatric medications are even sold on the street to get high. Stimulants like Ritalin and sedatives like Valium are widely abused. Because of their easy availability, illegal use of psychiatric drugs, including by children, is widespread.
• The “War on Drugs” obscures the similarities between legal psychiatric drugs and illegal recreational drugs. Anti-depressant “selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs)” work chemically similar to slow-administered oral cocaine. Cocaine was in fact the first prescription drug marketed for “feel good” anti-depression effects, before being made illegal. Coca, the basis of cocaine, was even once an ingredient in Coca-Cola.
A previous article entitled Health Risks of Psychiatric Drugs provides information... ADHD drugs, drug effects ve Health Risks
Counseling psychology provides clients of all ages with psychotherapy that helps them alleviate stress, improve their well-being, resolve crises and function in a more healthful manner. Counseling psychology is similar to clinical psychology, the difference being that clinical psychology normally only treats patients with psychological problems serious enough to require institutional care, while counseling psychology normally treats clients who aren’t institutionalized.
Counseling psychologists specialize in treating clients with mental or emotional issues related to their daily life, such as adjusting to changes in marital status, career or family life. There doesn’t have to be “something wrong with” a person who seeks out a counseling psychologist.
Counseling psychologists are trained in treating serious conditions, so they at times take on patients with serious disorders, though they’re more apt to refer them to a clinical psychologist or a psychiatrist. Counseling psychologists aren’t usually allowed to prescribe or administer pharmaceutical, leaving that job to psychiatrists. Some of the most common issues that counselors address include:
Counselors are trained to handle a wide variety of problems, but some counselors specialize in dealing with a certain type of issue (like substance abuse or marital problems), while others specialize in treating a certain age group (like adolescents). Some counselors lean toward a certain philosophical approach to psychotherapy, such as behavioral, cognitive, analytical (Jungian), psychoanalytical (Freudian), humanistic (Maslow) or Adlerian.
Candidates need to start their post-secondary education by getting a four-year bachelor’s degree, preferably a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in clinical psychology. A bachelor’s degree is enough to get some counseling jobs as a social worker, but not to get licensed as a counseling psychologist.
The aim of undergraduate programs in clinical psychology is to provide general courses in general and clinical psychology to provide students with a well-rounded foundation. Here are some recommended undergraduate subjects for students to consider:
Undergraduate students who plan to start a private practice should consider taking a business class.
Graduate coursework includes core classes in psychology and specialized courses in counseling, human lifespan development, vocational psychology, psychological assessment, statistics, consultation, supervision and psychopathology.
Counselors can work in social work with a two-year master’s degree, but in many cases only under the supervision of a licensed psychologist.
Becoming a licensed counseling psychologist requires getting a doctorate degree in psychology, preferably a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree in counseling psychology. A doctor’s degree requires an addition two years after getting a master’s degree, plus at least a year of internship, where they train under a licensed psychologist.
Counseling psychologists can work in any city, for a wide variety of employers, including governmental agencies, hospitals, mental health institutions, law enforcement agencies, universities, corporations and the military.
Most counseling psychologists eventually start their own private practice or form a partnership with other psychologists or other types of health care professionals. Some end up teaching at a university.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website the estimated 2017 median annual wage for clinical, counseling and school psychologists was $75,090, while the mean hourly wage was listed at $37.03.
Apple is expected to unveil its biggest and most expensive iPhone today as part of a lineup of three new models.
The buzz is around a rumoured iPhone that is supposed to boast a 6.5-inch OLED screen, up from 5.8 inches on the existing iPhone X. OLED is a step up from traditional LCD technology in offering a display without a backlight, so black is truly black rather than simply dark.
Apple’s attempt is to feed consumers’ appetite for increasingly bigger screens as they rely on smartphones to watch and record video, as well as take photos wherever they are.
It was the first mass-market smartphone to demand a USD 1,000 starting price. Although the iPhone X didn’t fulfil analysts’ lofty sales expectations, it fared well enough for Apple to up the ante with the bigger model, whose price is expected to unveil on Wednesday.
By making more expensive iPhones, Apple has been able to boost its profits despite waning demand as people upgrade phones less frequently. IPhones fetched an average price of USD 724 during the April-June period, a nearly 20 per cent increase from a year earlier.