HLTHAGE 2G03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Miracle Drug, Anxiolytic, Antipsychotic
20 Apr 2016
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Lecture 11: the psychopharmaceutical revolution past and present. Somatic treatments relatively ineffective or dangerous, primarily for severe mental illness. Discovered by a french military surgeon soon whispers in paris about new wonder drug. More effective and less harmful than somatic treatments. End of therapeutic nihilism and psychiatry"s disconnect from real medicine. Explosion of curiosity in neurochemistry and biology of mental illness. Calmed down guinea pigs worked on humans too. Discovered by swiss psychiatrist looking for biochemical treatment after psychoanalysis failed. Lsd as a window to psychosis, psychotherapeutic. Miltown (minor tranquilizer) extends beyond psychiatric circles. 1955-1970, so popular that industry and pharmacies could not keep up with demand. Emotional problems like woman"s frigidity, bride"s uncertainty, and wife"s infidelity. Keeping women in place ie. those who want to keep wartime jobs, education, singledom, or to reject husband"s advances. This is how the drug was marketed.
