Clinical Psychology Treatments

There are two main types of clinical psychology treatments: medication and psychotherapy. A combination of the two is most effective for most disorders. Different types of medications such as antidepressants or antipsychotics may be prescribed depending on which disorder is present. There are several different types of psychotherapy, and often a psychotherapist will use whichever technique best suits a client.

Antidepressant medications

• The most common type of antidepressant medication is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Some well known SSRIs include Prozac and Zoloft. SSRIs are generally safe and effective, and are prescribed for a variety of disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders and eating disorders. There is some concern that SSRIs may increase the risk of suicide, especially in adolescents, however an analysis of clinical trials by the American Psychiatric Association found no relationship between SSRIs and suicide rates. SSRIs can cause severe mood disturbances in bipolar disorder, so they should be prescribed only if the client is also taking a mood stabilizing medication.

Antipsychotic Medications

• There are two types of antipsychotic medications. Older antipsychotic medications such as haliperidol, are called called typical antipsychotic medications, and newer medications such as clozapine, are called atypical antipsychotics. These medications are often but not always effective at preventing psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations; however, they can have severe side effects such as obesity. They are usually used to treat severe psychotic episodes in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Although psychiatrists prescribe atypical antipsychotics much more often, a study by the National Institute of Mental Health showed there is little difference in the effectiveness of the two types of drugs.

Psychotherapy

• There are two major types of psychotherapy: interpersonal psychotherapy and cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. Interpersonal psychotherapy is a more traditional form of psychotherapy where the psychotherapist helps a client with relationships and other stressful factors in his life. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on a client's thinking and behavior, trying to change destructive thought patterns and develop healthy behavior. A study in Clinical Psychology found that there is little difference in effectiveness between the two types of treatments, however there can be a large difference between different therapists. So the type of psychotherapy does not matter nearly as much as the skill of the therapist.