The Psychoactive Effects of Psychiatric Medication: The Elephant in the Room
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs November 1, 2013 Joanna Moncrieff, David Cohen, Sally Porter 59 citations
Psychiatric medications produce psychoactive effects similar to recreational substances, a fact often obscured by the assumption that these drugs have disease-specific actions. These psychoactive effects can directly modify disturbing symptoms, but they also carry costs to mental well-being and raise dependence risks, requiring support for withdrawal. The reality that psychoactive effects can alter symptoms independently undermines the idea that psychiatric drugs work by targeting underlying disease processes and affects placebo-controlled trial results. This also challenges the validity of modern diagnostic systems. Extensive research is needed on acute and long-term mental, behavioral, and physical effects during and after consumption and withdrawal to enable informed use.