Bio Medical Therapy

By: Connor Sloan and Katie Trusty

What are the goals of Bio Medical Therapy?

• Biomedical therapy is used for people who are suffering from clinical health problems. The major theory behind this therapy is that pain is directly linked to a biological dysfunction and by treating this dysfunction the pain will disappear(VMC 2010).

Required Diagnosis

• Many disorders can be treated with Bio Medical Therapy such as:

• Autism• Parkinson’s Disease• Schizophrenia• Depression• And many more

Therapy Choices• The main three Bio Medical therapies include

• Psychopharmacology• Electroconvulsive Treatment• Psychosurgery

Psychopharmacology

• The field of psychopharmacology studies a wide range of substances with various types of psychoactive properties.

• Psychopharmacology is used by Psychiatrists to try and cure or help psychotic disorders

Psychopharmacology Continued– Drugs are prescribed to change brain chemistry, anti

depressants and antipsychotics are an example.• Some brand name drugs include

– Xanax– Prozac– Ziprexa– Clozaril– And thousands more

Electroconvulsive Treatment• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a procedure

in which electric currents are passed through the brain (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010).– This procedure deliberately triggers a brief seizure. Electroconvulsive therapy

causes changes in brain chemistry that can immediately reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses.• It often works when other treatments are unsuccessful.

Psychosurgery• Psychosurgery, also called neurosurgery for

mental disorder (NMD), is the neurosurgical treatment of mental disorder.– Psychosurgery is a collaboration between psychiatrists

and neurosurgeons. – Psychosurgery is a “Last Resort” to helping

psychological issues

Psychosurgery Continued

• Psychosurgery is used to treat advanced cases of Schizophrenia, Depression, OCD, and many other psychological disorders.

• The most common types of psychosurgery in current or recent use are capsulotomy, cingulotomy, subcaudate tractotomy and limbic leucotomy– About one third of patients report improvements to their conditions after

surgery

Problems with Bio Medical Therapy

• Antidepressants are being overprescribed in the US

– According to a CNN census from 1998 to 2008 the rate of anti depressant prescriptions has rose 48%.

– "Doctors are now medicating unhappiness," stated a CNN correspondent. "Too many people take drugs when they really need to be making changes in their lives”(CNN).

Well known patients of Bio Medical Therapy

• Jim Carrey-Prozac• Antidepressants

• Rosey O’ Donnell- Inversion Therapy• A form of ECT

• Pete Wentz- Lorazepam• Antidepressants

Sources• Cohen, Elizabeth . (Producer). (2010). Cdc: antidepressants most prescribed drugs in the u.s.. [Web]. Retrieved from

http://articles.cnn.com/2007-07-09/health/antidepressants_1_antidepressants- high-blood-pressure-drugs-psychotropic-drugs?_s=PM:HEALTH

• Dr. Alta , A. Smit. (n.d.). Metabolic disease. Retrieved from http://www.encognitive.com/files/Metabolic%20disease.pdf

• Mayo Clinic Staff, Initials. (2010, July 09). Electroconvulsive therapy (ect). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/electroconvulsive-therapy/MY00129

• Meyers, D.G. (2007). Behavior Therapies. In C. BRune, & N. Fleming (Eds.). Psychology Eighth Editions (pp.712-713.). New York: Worth.

• PlanetPsych, Initials. (1999). Biomedical therapy. Australia: PlanetPsych.

• Schimelpfeing, Nancy. (2007). Pete wentz admits he has bipolar disorder. Retrieved from http://depression.about.com/b/2007/08/07/pete-wentz-admits-he-has-bipolar-disorder.htm

• Schimelpfening, Nancy. (2007). Does rosie o'donnell's inversion therapy help depression?. Retrieved from http://depression.about.com/b/2007/03/19/does-rosie-odonnells-inversion-therapy-help- depression.htm

•VMC, Initials. (2010). Biomedical therapy. Australia: Virtual Medical Centre.