Medication Used to Treat Mental Illness
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Medication Used to Treat Mental Illness
The best type of medication for the patient would be antidepressants. From the symptoms given, the patient is most likely suffering from depression, and the most likely medication to be given is antidepressants. For instance, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are a type of antidepressant, maybe the best since they are mild and give that the patient is elderly; they may not have great side effects. Though they have side effects such as agitation, dry mouth, and nausea, they may be the most preferred type of antidepressant prescribed to the patient since they are relatively safe to the elderly.
When administering the first dosage to the client, some of the important teachings may include the meaning of depression and what causes depression. By doing this, the patient will be well aware of her condition; it will be easy to treat it. The patient can thereby identify some of the factors causing the depression and be a step forward in managing the condition. Also, I would teach the patient some of the side effects of the medication to be prepared and be aware of them.
Some of the changes that I would expect to see with the client include the reduction of the symptoms and also the intensity. She should, for instance, be able to get better sleep, have less or no fatigue, and concentrate better. Some of the alternatives for the patient if she is not displaying the expected outcomes include adjusting the dosage since it is proven that the main reason why antidepressants fail to work is that they are not prescribed in the right amounts (Hashimoto, 2020). Other methods, such as counseling, may also be combined with the use of antidepressants to ensure that the patient has a quick recovery.
References
Hashimoto, K. (2020). Impact of age on the optimal dose of antidepressants. EClinicalMedicine, 18. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2019.12.003