Breaking the Barrier of Treatment Resistance in Psychiatry: The Power of Psychodynamic Psychopharmacology

The alarming rise of treatment resistance in psychiatry is a pressing concern, and the root causes are multifaceted. The shift towards biomedical psychiatry has led to a neglect of psychodynamic and psychosocial factors, with a greater focus on treating symptoms rather than the individual. Moreover, the increased emphasis on electronic medical records has resulted in a breakdown in the person-centered prescriber-patient relationship.

But there is a way forward. Psychodynamic Psychopharmacology offers a novel approach that integrates research on evidence-based prescribing processes with psychodynamic insights and skills to enhance treatment outcomes for patients who are difficult to treat.

Understanding Psychodynamic Psychopharmacology

The first part of this groundbreaking book delves into the evidence base that guides how, rather than simply what, to prescribe. By combining psychosocial aspects of medication with biomedical considerations, psychodynamic psychopharmacology provides a more optimized approach to addressing treatment resistance.

The Psychodynamics of Treatment Resistance

In part two, the book explores the psychological and interpersonal mechanisms that contribute to pharmacological treatment resistance. Learn how patients’ ambivalence about their illness, medication, or prescriber can manifest in nonadherence, and how medications can support a negative identity or replace healthy capacities. Gain basic skills for addressing these dynamics and improve treatment outcomes.

Technical Recommendations for Addressing Treatment Resistance

The final section of the book provides detailed technical recommendations for tackling issues such as countertransference-driven irrational prescribing, primitive dynamics, and the overlap between psychopharmacological treatment resistance and treatment nonadherence and nonresponse in integrated and collaborative medical care settings.

By putting the individual patient back at the center of the therapeutic equation, psychodynamic psychopharmacology offers a model that moves beyond compliance and emphasizes the alliance between patient and prescriber. This empowering approach enables patients to become more active contributors in their own recovery.

Book Details:

• Publisher: American Psychiatric Association Publishing
• Publication Date: February 10, 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9781615371525, 9781615374007