Instant Psychopharmacology, 2nd Edition

Ronald J. Diamond

Praise for Instant Psychopharmacology

"Effective treatment usually requires good, clear communication, particularly with mental illness. However, the very nature of mental illness obstructs communication efforts. …More than 25 years ago, as a social worker at a community mental health center, I was on the front lines as the policy of de-institutionalization was in full force. All of the area's psychiatric hospitals—including the imposing state institution, the lavish private facility, and the research-oriented university hospital-—were releasing their patients to our outpatient and residential programs. … It was also important to address clients' concerns about taking medications. Numerous experiences with clients who stopped taking prescribed medications and became psychotic and unable to function without hospital structure lead me to the conclusion that these medications were essential to community-based treatment.I wish that Diamond's book were available in those days. Clients, their families, and non-medical professionals would have benefited from his informative, well-organized, easy-to-read book….He maintains a caring and humane tone throughout the book as he addresses the complicated dilemma facing many clients: taking a medication that relieves psychiatric symptoms but produces unpleasant side effects. He suggests that the best way to improve compliance with medication treatment is through open, honest, and respectful communication between clients and professionals and among professionals on a treatment team."
—Robert DeLauro, MSW, Social Work Today

"Social Workers find themselves so often these days working with individuals prescribed various medications as part of their care. Often, we become involved with these persons long after they have begun their medication routine. … Instant Psychopharmacology… is one of the best books I have encountered that describes medications in a straightforward manner.The book is helpful in a variety of ways. It lists the most popular psychotropic medications and describes their uses. It also delineates side effects and costs. Older and current medications are compared. Medications are viewed from the perspective of using them to obtain a life as close as possible to one the individual would like. According to author Ronald Diamond, MD, that requires all people who interact with a patient to be fully informed about all medications being taken. This book helps those of us who did not attend medical school to become comfortable discussing medications. It also allows input from the social work holistic point of view, discussing not only medical, but also emotional and environmental wellness. A welcome addition to every social worker’s library, this book will become a well-worn volume and part of the well-equipped toolkit for a long time to come."
—Wilma Kirk-Lee, MSW, LMSW-ACP, Social Work Today

"This book is a useful guide—and then some…. As a clinical social worker in private practice, I make it my business to be knowledgeable about psychiatric medications’ side effects and contraindications. Many of my clients are on psychotropic medications, so I have taken many courses and read many books on the subject. Diamond’s book tops them all. It is well-organized and clearly written…If you want to quickly refer to antidepressants, simply flip to the chapter about antidepressants. Diamond describes each medication in detail, both in generic and brand forms. He also explains a drug’s general usage, dosages, and contraindications. Tables list medicines along with severity (mild, moderate, severe) of side effects (sedation, insomnia, dry mouth.) Another table compares the approximate cost of a generic drug to the brand-name version. Numerous tables and graphs clearly explain at a glance whatever information is sought…Diamond … also includes tips on taking medication and practical advice on the client/clinician/psychiatrist relationship. He has great respect for social workers’ training and skills on the understanding and knowledge of the total person. This book should be on every nonmedical therapist’s bookshelf. My only recommendation for Diamond is to publish the third edition spiral bound."
—Mila Ruiz Tecala, LICSW, DCSW, Social Work Today

"A clear and concise guide to the new medications. Will be valuable to both providers and patients. Should be required reading for all who treat persons with mental illness."
—Laurie Flynn Director, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill

"[I]ncludes information about the most recently available psychotropic medications…small enough to be read in its entirety and then used as a reference text….[I]ts outline and phraseology [are] convenient. The information on medication combinations is particularly well done, and nowhere else is it so readily available for a nonmedical audience."
—Charles Devitt, READINGS

Overview – Table of Contents

A revision of our best-selling brief guide to all the new medications, this straightforward, easy-to-understand book teaches nonmedical therapists, clients, and clients' families how different psychotropic drugs work. Covering the five major classes of drugs-antipsychotics, antiparkinsonian medications, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antianxiety and sleeping medications-this handy guide provide information on side effects, indications for use, drug-drug interactions, and suggested dosages. All medical information has been updated for the new volume and the author has added discussions of borderline patients and patients with other serious character disorders. Also included are tips on taking medication, practical advice on the client/clinical/psychiatrist relationship, and numerous updated tables and graphs on medications' profiles, generic and brand names, prices, and side effects.

This ideal handbook is a must-have for all nonmedical therapists, clients, and family members seeking to educate themselves about the essentials of psychopharmacology.

To read reviews of this book in Social Work Today, click here.

About the Author

Ronald J. Diamond, M.D., is a professor at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison. He teaches psychopharmacology to hundreds of social workers, counselors, nurses, clients, and families of individuals with mental illness each year.

ISBN 10: 0-393-70391-6
2002 / 160 pages / paperback