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Taking psychiatric medication: listening to our clients
- Authors:
- DAVIS-BERMAN Jennifer, PESTELLO Frances G.
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work in Mental Health, 4(1), 2005, pp.17-31.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This exploratory research reports on interviews of 32 social work students and practitioners in the United States who were currently taking psychiatric medication. A variety of common themes emerged as the stories of the process of taking medication unfolded. Age of respondent, the medical appointment, self-imposed stigma, and sexual dysfunction were all identified as salient variables. This article discusses these themes and presents clinical implications for social work practice. The authors stress the significance of psychological, emotional, and social factors in understanding the process of taking psychiatric medication. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Psychiatric medication: use, attitudes and effect in social work students and clinicians
- Authors:
- DAVIS-BERMAN Jennifer, PESTELLO H. Frances
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work in Mental Health, 1(2), 2002, pp.31-42.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This exploratory, descriptive study assessed psychiatric medication use in two samples. Students in three social work courses and practicing social workers in an American midwestern city were surveyed by mail. Respondents were asked to identify symptoms, psychiatric medication use, effectiveness of drug therapy, side effects, stigma, and to rate the impact of psychiatric medication use on theircurrent or future social work practice. The results indicated that depression and anxiety were common, especially in the social work student sample, with approximately 20 to 25 percent of the sample having taken psychiatric medication. These numbers were even higher when herbal preparations were considered. Both samples reported that medication was helpful, but that taking it was stigmatizing. They also felt, however, that their experience with medication had a positive impact on their current or future career as social workers. Further descriptive results and implications for social work practice, education, and research are presented.