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Visions Journal

A reminder that this article from our magazine Visions was published more than 1 year ago. It is here for reference only. Some information in it may no longer be current. It also represents the point of the view of the author only. See the author box at the bottom of the article for more about the contributor.

Medications

 

PDF | Vol. 4, No. 2 (2007)

Medications are often a double-edged sword. They can lift symptoms of mental illness or addiction so that people can feel well enough to do all the other hard work needed for recovery. But, they also present a host of complex challenges from side effects and interactions, to affordability and access. This issue of Visions aims to help consumers feel more like partners in their care and tries to present a helpful guide into the complex world of pharmaceutical treatment of mental or substance use disorders.

Background

  • Editor's Message
    (Sarah Hamid-Balma)

  • Medications for Mental Illness: Are we there yet?
    (Debbie Thompson)

  • How Antidepressant and Antipsychotic Medications Work
    (Anthony Tung and Ric M. Procyshyn)

  • Medications Used in Recovery from Addiction
    (Jennifer Melamed)

  • All About Benzos
    (Nicole Pankratz)

  • From Happenstance to Targeted Investigation: A brief history of mental health meds
    (Debbie Thompson) (online only)

  • Myths About Antidepressants
    (Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division) (online only)

Experiences and Perspectives

  • Medications: A quagmire of approaches and attitudes
    (Bob Krzyzewski)

  • Medication Madness
    (V.J.)

  • A Sudden Stop: Medication management taken out of my control
    (Patricia Harding) (online only)

  • A Pharmaceutical Sunset With a Side Order of Weight Gain, Please! My journey, through cocktails, to the light
    (Simone Dina-Blunck) (online only)

  • Medications: Helping me enjoy the world go by
    (Howard Dempster)

  • Tardive Dyskinesia: A Side effect of stigma
    (Susan Katz)

  • Medications and Youth on the Street
    (Don McGinnis)

Alternatives and Approaches

  • To Take or Not to Take? The problem of compliance
    (Fiona McGregor)

  • A Pill for Every Ill — Or an Ill for Every Pill?
    (Barbara Mintzes)

  • Medication in the Press: Evaluating media coverage of psychiatric and addiction drugs
    (Donna Panitow)

  • Using Mental Health Medications in Children and Youth: Some thoughts...
    (Lorne Brandt)

  • Antidepressants in Pregnancy and Lactation: Let’s look at the facts
    (Wende Wood)

  • Medication Research in Psychiatry: New trends and discoveries
    (Sylvia Zerjav)

Regional Programs

  • Working With Your Partner in Health
    (Patrick McGowan)

  • Between Dusk and Dawn—Who Ya Gonna Call? The BC NurseLine Pharmacist Service
    (Barbara Gobis Ogle and Elaine Chong)

  • Plan G: Financial assistance for psychiatric medications
    (Daryn)

  • I Can’t Access or Afford the Medication I Need: Now what?
    (Megan Dumas)

Glossary

Resources

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