Psychotherapeutic Nursing Process

Psychotherapeutic Drugs and the Nursing Process
Psychotherapeutic drugs are used for treating patients with various degrees of mental and emotional disorders. These disorders can interfere with their ability to function in society and limit their ability to perform normal everyday activities which may require the use of psychotherapeutic drugs (Lilley, Rainforth, Collins, & Snyder, 2017). There are many different categories within psychotherapeutic drugs that may be prescribed depending on the type of disorder diagnosed. Anxiolytics, mood- stabilizers, antidepressants, stimulants, and antipsychotic drugs are commonly prescribed to treat anxiety, affective disorders, and psychoses. After the daunting process of finding the right drug therapy,
A strong, trusting relationship between patients and physicians may therefore protect against nonadherence, as confirmed by a new meta-analysis that found that, where the alliance between clinicians and patients was strong, patients were more likely to adhere Thompson & McCabe, (as cited in Chapman & Horne, 2013). Provide a clear and simple explanation while maintain a caring empathetic demeanor ensures the patient has a good understanding of the drugs effects, interactions, and length of time expected before therapeutic effects are achieved (Lilley et al., 2017). Teach patients how to relieve some of the expected adverse effects as suggested by Mental Health America (2017): For dry mouth, try sugarless gum or mints; for constipation, drink plenty of water and eat lots of fruits and vegetables; for nausea, take your medication with a meal (“Dealing with side effects” section). Inform patients that some drugs may take 3-6 weeks before therapeutic effects show (Lilley et al., 2017). Emphasize the importance of adhering to drug therapy as prescribed and to avoid abrupt discontinuation of drug therapy that can produce unwanted adverse effects and can become life threatening (Lilley et al.,
Interventions such as psychotherapy along with prescribed drug regimen teaches patients to acquire useful skills in managing their illness and improving adherence to therapy (Lilley et al., 2017; World Health Organization [WHO], 2017). Other nonpharmacological therapies include: support groups, spiritual support systems, meditation, and visualization (Lilley et al., (2017). In fact, WHO (2017) states that patients who received support from peers had shown considerable amount of improvement to therapy. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle plays a huge role on the patients overall wellbeing (Parekh, 2016). Center of Disease Control provides evidence that shows improvements in patients with mental health conditions from exercising 3-5 times a week for 30 to 60 minutes ("Physical Activity and Health | Physical Activity | CDC",