Many of us are familiar with the process of being diagnosed with medical diseases. For example, we can tell whether someone has a broken arm by doing an X-ray. However, it’s impossible to do this with mental disorders. Obviously, patients can still feel emotions like depression. But it’s what happens when they present with these feelings that is being debated.

Psychiatrists are often quick to put these complex emotions down to chemical imbalances in the brain. But there are no tests that can reliably tell whether a patient has these imbalances. Despite this, psychiatrists will still prescribe drugs to “correct” these problems. This will benefit the billion-dollar drug companies, but it might not be the right choice for the patient.

What Happens When Patients Get the Wrong Drug?

Even though there is no way to test for chemical imbalances, that doesn’t stop psychiatrists from prescribing drugs to “fix” the problems these imbalances cause. This is like a doctor putting your arm in a cast, without knowing whether it was broken in the first place. It also ignores the drug-free alternatives that could prove just as effective.

Sadly, though, some patients have been led to believe that drugs are the only way to solve their mental health issues. But this can expose them to some serious problems. For example, some people report serious side effects. The drugs can change personalities, according to a recent study. These changes often occur quickly. Sometimes, these changes occur within just a few months of beginning the treatment. However, the effects of the personality shift will last for years.

Another Serious Complication is How Addictive These Drugs Can Be

Sometimes, they can be more dangerous than street drugs. This will put the lives of patients at risk, as they grow increasingly desperate to take their medication. Sometimes, people can rely on drugs to function properly.

One of the most shocking examples of this is in electroshock therapy. In this case, hundreds of volts of electricity will be shot through the patient’s brain.

This has been known to result in serious side effects, like seizures. If you, or someone you know, has experienced adverse treatment contact the FDA and make a formal complaint. You should also report it to us, so we can investigate.

What Alternatives Do You Have?

We believe that all patients have a right to informed consent. You should know about the drugs you are taking and how they can affect your body. This often means sitting down with a doctor, so they can talk you through all these effects. You should also talk about all the natural, drug-free approaches. This will allow you to make a truly informed decision about whether taking psychiatry drugs is right for you.

You Should Also Look at a Differential Diagnosis

This is where a doctor will go through your medical history. They will perform a thorough medical examination. This will let them rule out any physical causes. For example, there are cases of blood clotting in the brain causing changes in behavior.