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Psych Meds Made Simple: How & Why They Do What They Do
People living with mental illness are often left out of the loop when it comes to understanding how exactly medications work. This book will explain pharmacology in a simplified way to help you understand the effects, both positive and negative, of psych meds, and why these effects occur. It's everything you didn't realize you wanted to know about medications!
The book begins with the essentials of pharmacology and moves on to cover all the major classes of psychiatric medications. You'll learn why one medication in a particular class might be a better fit for you than another. Are you having weight gain from your medication? You'll find out why, and what other medications might be less likely to have the same side effect.
I've pulled together what I've learned in my training as a nurse and (former) pharmacist and years of clinical experience, added in my personal perspective from having taken many of these medications, and distilled it down to the essential elements you need to know to take charge of your own health and illness.
The book begins with the essentials of pharmacology and moves on to cover all the major classes of psychiatric medications. You'll learn why one medication in a particular class might be a better fit for you than another. Are you having weight gain from your medication? You'll find out why, and what other medications might be less likely to have the same side effect.
I've pulled together what I've learned in my training as a nurse and (former) pharmacist and years of clinical experience, added in my personal perspective from having taken many of these medications, and distilled it down to the essential elements you need to know to take charge of your own health and illness.
- GenresPsychologyMental Health
79 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 4, 2019
168 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Ashley L. Peterson
4 books52 followersAshley began her career in health care as a pharmacist in 2002, but she quickly returned to school to get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. During her 15-year nursing career, she specialized in the field of mental health, working primarily with people with serious and persistent mental illness in both hospital and community settings.
Two years into her nursing career, Ashley was hospitalized and diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Since then, she has been passionate about sharing her own experiences to challenge stigma and generate open conversations about mental health and illness.
For her Master of Psychiatric Nursing thesis work, she used a research method called autoethnography to situate her own experiences with mental illness within nursing culture, addressing issues like stigma. She published several papers in peer-reviewed nursing journals based on this work.
Since illness-related disability has brought her nursing career to a close, Ashley has shifted her focus to writing and advocacy efforts online, including on her blog, Mental Health @ Home.
Two years into her nursing career, Ashley was hospitalized and diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Since then, she has been passionate about sharing her own experiences to challenge stigma and generate open conversations about mental health and illness.
For her Master of Psychiatric Nursing thesis work, she used a research method called autoethnography to situate her own experiences with mental illness within nursing culture, addressing issues like stigma. She published several papers in peer-reviewed nursing journals based on this work.
Since illness-related disability has brought her nursing career to a close, Ashley has shifted her focus to writing and advocacy efforts online, including on her blog, Mental Health @ Home.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 5, 2019
I've been reading author Ashley L. Peterson's popular blog "Mental Health @ Home" for years and it has been a wonderful resource. Peterson's "Psych Meds Made Simple" is a book I wish I had back in 2007 when I was diagnosed with postpartum bipolar disorder. Back then, I was considering taking different types of psychiatric medication and it was a baffling, frustrating process, to say the least!
Ashley's professional experience as a mental health nurse and her personal struggle with depression have made her the ideal person to write such a book. She's an excellent writer and "Psych Meds Made Simple" is clearly written. Thank you, Ashley, for creating a book that will be of tremendous use to the mental health community and beyond!
Dyane Harwood
Author, "Birth of a New Brain—Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder"
Foreword by Dr. Carol Henshaw
Ashley's professional experience as a mental health nurse and her personal struggle with depression have made her the ideal person to write such a book. She's an excellent writer and "Psych Meds Made Simple" is clearly written. Thank you, Ashley, for creating a book that will be of tremendous use to the mental health community and beyond!
Dyane Harwood
Author, "Birth of a New Brain—Healing from Postpartum Bipolar Disorder"
Foreword by Dr. Carol Henshaw
March 15, 2019
This book provides all the information you need about Psych Meds in a simple, easy to understand format.
Written by former pharmacist and nurse, Ashley L. Peterson uses her extensive knowledge and clinical experience alongside her own personal experience to give an understanding of how these medications work in the body and why side effects occur.
Beginning with a very readable chapter on Neurotransmitters and Receptors, Ashley gives just enough detail to promote understanding without overwhelming the reader with science. This basic level of understanding makes sense of the information contained in the subsequent chapters, which cover all types of Psych Meds.
A useful book for those wishing to understand more about the action and function of certain medications or with a general interest in medicine.
Written by former pharmacist and nurse, Ashley L. Peterson uses her extensive knowledge and clinical experience alongside her own personal experience to give an understanding of how these medications work in the body and why side effects occur.
Beginning with a very readable chapter on Neurotransmitters and Receptors, Ashley gives just enough detail to promote understanding without overwhelming the reader with science. This basic level of understanding makes sense of the information contained in the subsequent chapters, which cover all types of Psych Meds.
A useful book for those wishing to understand more about the action and function of certain medications or with a general interest in medicine.
February 5, 2019
This is a great book! It discusses in detail how psych drugs work and what they do. If you've ever wondered how the experience of taking Zoloft varies from that of taking Prozac (even though they're both SSRIs), or if you've ever needed to know which different classes of drugs help with sedation (there's more than one!), then this book is for you. But this book goes into a lot more than that. It reads as a great primer for anyone who wants to understand psychopharmacology, written by someone who's been there both personally and professionally.
I'd recommend this book for anyone who's thinking of taking psych meds, and also for anyone who's bad at science and needs a primer. (I wanted to take psychopharmacology in college, but the class was full. I wound up taking science for liberal arts, which was really easy; but the truth is, I'm terrible at science. This book helped explain the basics to me.)
The author describes scientific concepts in a broad sense so you can get the gist of what's happening in your brain regarding neurotransmitters (whether or not you're taking drugs). She has a blog at https://mentalhealthathome.org/ which I enjoy reading every day.
I like her gentle approach to the issue of taking meds while pregnant. Again, knowledge is power. The book is straightforward and educational.
I'd recommend this book for anyone who's thinking of taking psych meds, and also for anyone who's bad at science and needs a primer. (I wanted to take psychopharmacology in college, but the class was full. I wound up taking science for liberal arts, which was really easy; but the truth is, I'm terrible at science. This book helped explain the basics to me.)
The author describes scientific concepts in a broad sense so you can get the gist of what's happening in your brain regarding neurotransmitters (whether or not you're taking drugs). She has a blog at https://mentalhealthathome.org/ which I enjoy reading every day.
I like her gentle approach to the issue of taking meds while pregnant. Again, knowledge is power. The book is straightforward and educational.
May 16, 2019
In a world where people think "big pharma"is the cause of the world's problems this book is a refreshing change. Psych meds made simple gives a very educational and realistic look into what medication actually is and also what it isn't. If you are curious about any kind of book on this topic than you should buy this book.
April 24, 2019
Helped me put pieces together of meds I’m taking and have taken
A virtual library of well-researched and quality information about medications and their side effects. Learned a lot more than I already knew being on psych meds for almost 30 years.
A virtual library of well-researched and quality information about medications and their side effects. Learned a lot more than I already knew being on psych meds for almost 30 years.
March 13, 2022
What an absolutely fantastic book!
Don't be fooled, as I was, by how few pages there are. There is a fabulous amount of information packed in here. And it is very well written, so it seems every line has something worthwhile - my highlighting was a bit redundant, as my volume now looks like a rainbow!
I can't comment so much on the range of information presented, for as a psychiatrist by trade I'm not sure how much a layman or even a trainee might want or need to know. What I can say, however, is that the information provided is set out in the clearest, most logical and easily accessible manner I have yet come across. It has actually helped me make sense of information I've had to force into my brain before now. Previously there were random facts about side effects, transmitters, pathways etc that I just had to learn by rote, but having read this book I can see (at last!) how it all fits together logically. After years of medical school and clinical practice I had learned the 'how', but this book helped me appreciate the 'why', and I will be forever grateful!
If you're already considering this book, then it has my strongest recommendation.
Don't be fooled, as I was, by how few pages there are. There is a fabulous amount of information packed in here. And it is very well written, so it seems every line has something worthwhile - my highlighting was a bit redundant, as my volume now looks like a rainbow!
I can't comment so much on the range of information presented, for as a psychiatrist by trade I'm not sure how much a layman or even a trainee might want or need to know. What I can say, however, is that the information provided is set out in the clearest, most logical and easily accessible manner I have yet come across. It has actually helped me make sense of information I've had to force into my brain before now. Previously there were random facts about side effects, transmitters, pathways etc that I just had to learn by rote, but having read this book I can see (at last!) how it all fits together logically. After years of medical school and clinical practice I had learned the 'how', but this book helped me appreciate the 'why', and I will be forever grateful!
If you're already considering this book, then it has my strongest recommendation.
August 4, 2020
Excellent read for anyone interested in psych med function
Enjoyed reading this book. Very informative and easy to read given the topic involving neurotransmitters. Highly recommended for anyone interested in learning more about psych defines and how they work.
Enjoyed reading this book. Very informative and easy to read given the topic involving neurotransmitters. Highly recommended for anyone interested in learning more about psych defines and how they work.
December 11, 2022
Great summary
Pretty quick tour of the world of psych meds, but can't fault it one bit, such a handy reference for work too!
Pretty quick tour of the world of psych meds, but can't fault it one bit, such a handy reference for work too!
April 30, 2024
I used this in a training class for counselors. It's written in an understandable way and helps readers be informed about different medications and how they work. May need to be regularly updated.
August 12, 2022
reading for my MSW
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews