WK 2 SOCW 6443: Assignment: Client Advocacy and Connecting Neurobiology to Psychopharmacological Interventions

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Running head: NEUROBIOLOGY CONSIDERATIONS CASE STUDY 1

NEUROBIOLOGY CONSIDERATIONS CASE STUDY 4

NEUROBIOLOGY CONSIDERATIONS CASE STUDY

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NEUROBIOLOGY CONSIDERATIONS CASE STUDY

Post a brief description of the possible pharmacological recommendations for treating Suzy. 

Suzy is suffering from an anxiety disorder. The possible pharmacological recommendations for treating Suzy’s anxiety would be first-line drugs. Suzy requires pharmacotherapy and I would recommend the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) for treating Suzy. The medications will help reduce Suzy’s feelings of anxiety (Lichtblau, 2010).

Explain any neurobiological considerations that inform your recommendations.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors reduce anxiety by affecting the neurotransmitters that are used to communicate between brain cells. These antidepressants treat and manage anxiety by stabilizing brain neurotransmitters which improve their mood and reduce feelings of anxiety (Healthline, n.d.).

Explain the benefits and limitations of your recommendations.

The benefit of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors is that the drugs help to regulate the patient’s mood, social behavior, sleep, sexual desire and function, appetite, and digestion. With Suzy’s history of her mother’s overdose, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors will be beneficial to her because she will not worry about getting an overdose because the drugs have a greatly reduced risk of toxicity in overdose. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have better tolerability compared to other antidepressants. There is a limitation of serotonin reuptake inhibitors in young adults and pediatric patients because the drugs may increase the risk of committing suicide in these groups of patients. Initiating selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors therapy on young adults and pediatric patients may increase their potential to commit suicide and the suicidal risk should be anticipated and managed clinically. This limitation of SSRIs is in line with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strict warning in 2004 for all SSRIs (Healthline, n.d.). The association found that SSRIs increased suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young adults.

The benefit of norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors is that it increases the activity of the nervous system and the patient’s body which increases the ability to focus and elevate mood. The recommendation of norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors is limited to patients with liver damage, high blood pressure, pregnant, and breastfeeding mothers. If Suzy belongs to any of the mentioned groups of patients then she should avoid taking norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (Preston et al., 2017).

References

Healthline. (n.d.). Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs). Retrieved 4 September 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/serotonin-norepinephrine-reuptake-inhibitors-snris#warnings

Lichtblau, L. (2010). Psychopharmacology demystified. Nelson Education.

Preston, J. D., O’Neal, J. H., & Talaga, M. C. (2017). Handbook of clinical psychopharmacology for therapists (8th ed.). Oakland, CA: New Harbinger. Chapter 4, “Pharmacology” (pp. 45–56)