PL3232: Biological Psychology - Term Paper
Conventional Western medical techniques (i.e., using drugs to treat symptoms) are the only sensible way to treat disorders or medical problems. Critically discuss.
On the assumption that medical symptoms need to be treated, conventional western medicine has, more often than not, been used as the primary treatment for disorders or medical problems. Accompanied by scientific research and testing of pharmaceutical drugs, which are “based on the biological understanding of the organism” (MacIntosh, 1999), conventional medicine is typically deemed proven and accurate.
For instance, research has shown that low levels of serotonin in relation to other neurotransmitters in our body, such as norepinephrine and dopamine, contributes to depression. With further research, fluoxetine (Prozac) was found to “block the presynaptic reuptake of serotonin” (Durand & Barlow, 2006), which increased the serotonin levels eventually. Hence, fluoxetine is now a common drug used to treat depression. With such strong biological basis, conventional medicine appears to be a sensible means of treating disorders or medical problems.
However, as conventional medicine stands on its own, it is incomplete and thus, fallible. Firstly, despite scientific research backing, conventional medicine runs the risk of causing side effects in patients. In the treatment of ADHD in children, studies have shown that the use of stimulant medications, albeit effective in “reinforcing their brain’s ability to focus attention, resulted in unpleasant side effects of insomnia, drowsiness or irritability” (Durand & Barlow, 2006). In another instance, HIV-infected patients, who are usually prescribed antiretroviral drug treatment, often suffer side-effects of neuropathy, an abnormal functioning of damaged nerves (Chiaffarino, 2006). Such side effects only serve to pose additional physiological and even psychological problems to patients since they have effectively more symptoms to treat.
Secondly, conventional medicine assumes a sole need to treat biological symptoms and undermines the psychological effects that could arise due to the disorder, which can consequently confound treatment outcomes as well. In the case of cancer patients, not only do they have physiological effects of pain to deal with, the chronic nature of the disease may also cause them to be disheartened and lose hope in themselves. As such, they may need emotional assistance to be able to develop a positive and “‘fighting’ approach in managing their own disease” (Barnett, 2001) so as to benefit in their overall treatment. This psychological aspect of treatment is an issue that conventional medicine fails to tackle.
Since conventional medical techniques are limited in treating disorders and medical problems, it perpetuated the rise of alternative and complementary medicine. These non-conventional forms of medical techniques seek to address the inadequacies of conventional drug therapy.
Alternative medicine can be understood as a treatment which is “not the standard of care in conventional medicine” (MacIntosh, 1999). It can be seen as a substitute for conventional medicine. On the contrary, complementary medicine is a “non-standard treatment given in conjunction with conventional therapy, typically to enhance treatment outcome” (MacIntosh, 1999). Instances of alternative and complementary medicine include acupuncture, homeopathy, maintaining good dietary nutrition and psychospiritual therapy. They are often sought after by patients with chronic diseases, with many of them who “found relief for symptoms and efficacy for a particular health problem” (Faass, 2001).
Pain is a highly enduring symptom in cancer patients. Although analgesics are usually prescribed to them, there is a significant population who are “either very resistive to high doses of it or particularly prone to its accompanying side-effects” (Filshie & White, 2001). In these cases, patients can resort to acupuncture which “stimulates endogenous opioid release in the body” (Filshie & White, 2001), thus relieving pain. It also releases serotonin which has antidepressant activity that is crucial to curbing depression that is often comorbid with cancer patients (Filshie & White, 2001). Clearly, acupuncture proves to be an effective alternative to analgesics in dealing with physiological symptoms of pain. Even for those who are able to withstand the effects of analgesics, acupuncture can still be utilized as a complement to drug therapy in helping patients deal with emotional problems that arise from facing their illness.
Alternative and complementary medicine is also frequently used to treat children with ADHD since it is a chronic problem which “affects multiple domains of functioning, mainly academic, social and behavioral” (Sinha & Efron, 2005). Furthermore, stimulant medications administered to treat ADHD fails to eliminate all symptoms and causes side-effects. A complementary treatment that is practiced is biofeedback where exercises are repeated to “create or improve pathways of attention and impulse control” and allows the person to learn “appropriate mental state for a given situation, such as listening to instructions” (Healthwise, 2004). Herbal medicine such as Kava and St John’s wort are also carefully taken by patients to regulate their mood (Healthwise, 2004) when they experience side-effects of irritability from the stimulant medication.
As mentioned earlier, HIV patients are prone to side-effects of neuropathy as a result of their antiretroviral drug treatment. Once again, complementary medical techniques such as physiotherapy and massage can be used to treat the pain, numbness and muscle weakness in the body associated with neuropathy (Chiaffarino, 2006). Acupuncture and psychospiritual therapy can also be included in treatment to help patients relax and deal with any mood disorders.
Nevertheless, despite alternative and complementary medicine gaining a foothold in current medical settings, many lack the support of scientific research and testing, unlike conventional medicine. Therefore, their overall effectiveness still needs to be evaluated (Barnett, 2001). Perhaps the most sensible way to treat disorders and medical conditions is to integrate alternative and complementary medicine into the conventional model, such that the treatment methods are more holistic, since each approach on its own, is incomplete. As such, it is important for health practitioners to be informed of the use of alternative and complementary medicine by their patients so that they are aware and can ensure that alternative methods are appropriately integrated to optimize treatment outcomes (Faass, 2001).
To recapitulate, the mere use of drugs to treat biological symptoms is insufficient. Psychological problems that arise from dealing with the illness and additional physiological symptoms that evolve from the side effects of drug treatments can also influence patients’ conditions. Hence, only by means of an integrated medical technique can one sensibly and effectively treat disorders and medical problems.
References:
1) Durand, V. Mark, & Barlow, David H. (2006) Essentials of Abnormal Psychology. United States of America: Thomson Wadsworth.
2) Barnett, Mandy (2001). Integrated Cancer Care: Holistic, Complementary and Creative approaches. Barraclough, Jennifer (Ed.), Overview of Complementart therapies in Cancer Care (pp. 3-17). New York: Oxford University Press Inc.
3) Filshie, Jacqueline & White, Adrian (2001). Integrated Cancer Care: Holistic, Complementary and Creative approaches. Barraclough, Jennifer (Ed.), Acupuncture (pp. 69-82). New York: Oxford University Press Inc.
4) Faass, Nancy (2001). Integrating Complementary Medicine into Health Systems. Faass, Nancy (Ed.), Utilization Data on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (pp. 12-20). United States of America: Aspen Publishers, Inc.
5) Faass, Nancy & Gaudet, Tracy W. (2001). Integrating Complementary Medicine into Health Systems. Faass, Nancy (Ed.), Developing an Integrative Medicine Program: The Universty of Arizona Experience (pp. 35-40). United States of America: Aspen Publishers, Inc.
6) Kukuruzovic, RH. (2005). Complementary medicines and therapies, surging ahead in popularity: How is conventional medicine responding? J. Paediatr. Child Health, 41, 21–22
7) Sinha, D & Efron, D. (2005). Complementary and alternative medicine use in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. J. Paediatr. Child Health, 41, 23-26
8) Chiaffarino, Francesca. (2006). Use of complementary and alternative medicine in HIV-infected subjects. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 14, 193-199
9) Townsend Letterfor Doctors and Patients’ Archives. (1999). Understanding the Differences Between Conventional, Alternative, Complementary, Integrative and Natural Medicine. Retrieved September 2006 from http://www.tldp.com/medicine.htm
10) Healthwise: For Every Health Decision. (2004). Complementary and alternative medicine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Retrieved September 2006 from http://health.yahoo.com/topic/add/resources/article/healthwise/ue4897
On the assumption that medical symptoms need to be treated, conventional western medicine has, more often than not, been used as the primary treatment for disorders or medical problems. Accompanied by scientific research and testing of pharmaceutical drugs, which are “based on the biological understanding of the organism” (MacIntosh, 1999), conventional medicine is typically deemed proven and accurate.
For instance, research has shown that low levels of serotonin in relation to other neurotransmitters in our body, such as norepinephrine and dopamine, contributes to depression. With further research, fluoxetine (Prozac) was found to “block the presynaptic reuptake of serotonin” (Durand & Barlow, 2006), which increased the serotonin levels eventually. Hence, fluoxetine is now a common drug used to treat depression. With such strong biological basis, conventional medicine appears to be a sensible means of treating disorders or medical problems.
However, as conventional medicine stands on its own, it is incomplete and thus, fallible. Firstly, despite scientific research backing, conventional medicine runs the risk of causing side effects in patients. In the treatment of ADHD in children, studies have shown that the use of stimulant medications, albeit effective in “reinforcing their brain’s ability to focus attention, resulted in unpleasant side effects of insomnia, drowsiness or irritability” (Durand & Barlow, 2006). In another instance, HIV-infected patients, who are usually prescribed antiretroviral drug treatment, often suffer side-effects of neuropathy, an abnormal functioning of damaged nerves (Chiaffarino, 2006). Such side effects only serve to pose additional physiological and even psychological problems to patients since they have effectively more symptoms to treat.
Secondly, conventional medicine assumes a sole need to treat biological symptoms and undermines the psychological effects that could arise due to the disorder, which can consequently confound treatment outcomes as well. In the case of cancer patients, not only do they have physiological effects of pain to deal with, the chronic nature of the disease may also cause them to be disheartened and lose hope in themselves. As such, they may need emotional assistance to be able to develop a positive and “‘fighting’ approach in managing their own disease” (Barnett, 2001) so as to benefit in their overall treatment. This psychological aspect of treatment is an issue that conventional medicine fails to tackle.
Since conventional medical techniques are limited in treating disorders and medical problems, it perpetuated the rise of alternative and complementary medicine. These non-conventional forms of medical techniques seek to address the inadequacies of conventional drug therapy.
Alternative medicine can be understood as a treatment which is “not the standard of care in conventional medicine” (MacIntosh, 1999). It can be seen as a substitute for conventional medicine. On the contrary, complementary medicine is a “non-standard treatment given in conjunction with conventional therapy, typically to enhance treatment outcome” (MacIntosh, 1999). Instances of alternative and complementary medicine include acupuncture, homeopathy, maintaining good dietary nutrition and psychospiritual therapy. They are often sought after by patients with chronic diseases, with many of them who “found relief for symptoms and efficacy for a particular health problem” (Faass, 2001).
Pain is a highly enduring symptom in cancer patients. Although analgesics are usually prescribed to them, there is a significant population who are “either very resistive to high doses of it or particularly prone to its accompanying side-effects” (Filshie & White, 2001). In these cases, patients can resort to acupuncture which “stimulates endogenous opioid release in the body” (Filshie & White, 2001), thus relieving pain. It also releases serotonin which has antidepressant activity that is crucial to curbing depression that is often comorbid with cancer patients (Filshie & White, 2001). Clearly, acupuncture proves to be an effective alternative to analgesics in dealing with physiological symptoms of pain. Even for those who are able to withstand the effects of analgesics, acupuncture can still be utilized as a complement to drug therapy in helping patients deal with emotional problems that arise from facing their illness.
Alternative and complementary medicine is also frequently used to treat children with ADHD since it is a chronic problem which “affects multiple domains of functioning, mainly academic, social and behavioral” (Sinha & Efron, 2005). Furthermore, stimulant medications administered to treat ADHD fails to eliminate all symptoms and causes side-effects. A complementary treatment that is practiced is biofeedback where exercises are repeated to “create or improve pathways of attention and impulse control” and allows the person to learn “appropriate mental state for a given situation, such as listening to instructions” (Healthwise, 2004). Herbal medicine such as Kava and St John’s wort are also carefully taken by patients to regulate their mood (Healthwise, 2004) when they experience side-effects of irritability from the stimulant medication.
As mentioned earlier, HIV patients are prone to side-effects of neuropathy as a result of their antiretroviral drug treatment. Once again, complementary medical techniques such as physiotherapy and massage can be used to treat the pain, numbness and muscle weakness in the body associated with neuropathy (Chiaffarino, 2006). Acupuncture and psychospiritual therapy can also be included in treatment to help patients relax and deal with any mood disorders.
Nevertheless, despite alternative and complementary medicine gaining a foothold in current medical settings, many lack the support of scientific research and testing, unlike conventional medicine. Therefore, their overall effectiveness still needs to be evaluated (Barnett, 2001). Perhaps the most sensible way to treat disorders and medical conditions is to integrate alternative and complementary medicine into the conventional model, such that the treatment methods are more holistic, since each approach on its own, is incomplete. As such, it is important for health practitioners to be informed of the use of alternative and complementary medicine by their patients so that they are aware and can ensure that alternative methods are appropriately integrated to optimize treatment outcomes (Faass, 2001).
To recapitulate, the mere use of drugs to treat biological symptoms is insufficient. Psychological problems that arise from dealing with the illness and additional physiological symptoms that evolve from the side effects of drug treatments can also influence patients’ conditions. Hence, only by means of an integrated medical technique can one sensibly and effectively treat disorders and medical problems.
References:
1) Durand, V. Mark, & Barlow, David H. (2006) Essentials of Abnormal Psychology. United States of America: Thomson Wadsworth.
2) Barnett, Mandy (2001). Integrated Cancer Care: Holistic, Complementary and Creative approaches. Barraclough, Jennifer (Ed.), Overview of Complementart therapies in Cancer Care (pp. 3-17). New York: Oxford University Press Inc.
3) Filshie, Jacqueline & White, Adrian (2001). Integrated Cancer Care: Holistic, Complementary and Creative approaches. Barraclough, Jennifer (Ed.), Acupuncture (pp. 69-82). New York: Oxford University Press Inc.
4) Faass, Nancy (2001). Integrating Complementary Medicine into Health Systems. Faass, Nancy (Ed.), Utilization Data on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (pp. 12-20). United States of America: Aspen Publishers, Inc.
5) Faass, Nancy & Gaudet, Tracy W. (2001). Integrating Complementary Medicine into Health Systems. Faass, Nancy (Ed.), Developing an Integrative Medicine Program: The Universty of Arizona Experience (pp. 35-40). United States of America: Aspen Publishers, Inc.
6) Kukuruzovic, RH. (2005). Complementary medicines and therapies, surging ahead in popularity: How is conventional medicine responding? J. Paediatr. Child Health, 41, 21–22
7) Sinha, D & Efron, D. (2005). Complementary and alternative medicine use in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. J. Paediatr. Child Health, 41, 23-26
8) Chiaffarino, Francesca. (2006). Use of complementary and alternative medicine in HIV-infected subjects. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 14, 193-199
9) Townsend Letterfor Doctors and Patients’ Archives. (1999). Understanding the Differences Between Conventional, Alternative, Complementary, Integrative and Natural Medicine. Retrieved September 2006 from http://www.tldp.com/medicine.htm
10) Healthwise: For Every Health Decision. (2004). Complementary and alternative medicine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Retrieved September 2006 from http://health.yahoo.com/topic/add/resources/article/healthwise/ue4897
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