What is the role of medications?
Some mental illnesses are partially or completely caused by abnormal brain anatomy or brain cell function. These are sometimes passed down genetically from one generation to the next. Hereditary disorders are transmitted by abnormal genes from either the mother or the father or both. Schizophrenia, manic-depression, attention deficit disorders, and some types of depression and addictions are examples of mental illnesses that may be genetically transmitted. Medications are the foundation of the treatment of these disorders. In other cases the symptoms of mental illnesses such as anxiety, headaches, irritability, insomnia, fatigue, lethargy, heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, and depressed mood may be caused mainly by maladaptive behavior patterns or unfortunate environmental situations. In these cases psychotropic medications such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or tranquilizers are often used to alleviate the symptoms until the benefits of psychotherapy can help resolve the under
