Guidance for Psychological Therapists: Enabling conversations with clients taking or withdrawing from prescribed psychiatric drugs

[India]

Tremendously exciting news in the U.K. on a new guidance release for psychological therapists. Endorsed by several recognised bodies including the BACP, UKCP . As this British Psychological Society release explains:

New guidance for therapists with clients taking prescribed drugs

04 December 2019

New guidance from the BPS and its partners, published today, gives psychological therapists the information they need to help clients struggling with side effects and withdrawal issues which have resulted from an increase in the prescription of psychiatric drugs.

 

 

Guidance for Psychological Therapists: Enabling conversations with clients taking or withdrawing from prescribed psychiatric drugs was produced following Public Health England’s acknowledgment of the growing problem of prescribed drug dependency and withdrawal in its recent ground-breaking report.

 

The guidance means clients will be better supported to understand the difference between emotional distress, relapse and the side and withdrawal effects of psychiatric drugs.

 

A 2019 survey of psychological therapists revealed that most work with clients who have taken, or are taking, psychiatric drugs. Fewer than one in ten felt their training equipped them to deal adequately with client’s questions on this topic.

 

Our chief executive Sarb Bajwa said:

 

“We strongly recommend this guidance to psychological therapists. Our members have continually told us they need more support to work confidently with clients taking or withdrawing from prescribed drugs.

 

“The evidence reviewed in this guidance provides an up-to-date summary of the main effects, adverse consequences and possible withdrawal reactions of psychiatric drugs.”

 

The guidance, facilitated by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence in the last parliament, has been steered and endorsed by the four psychological therapy organisations that represent 80,000 of the UK’s psychological therapists, and by senior clinicians and researchers in the field.

 

They are the British Psychological Society, UK Council for Psychotherapy, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and National Counselling Society. The National Survivor User Network has also endorsed the guidance.

 

(https://www.bps.org.uk/news-and-policy/new-guidance-therapists-clients-taking-prescribed-drugs)

 

The guidance booklet can be accessed here for free:

file:///C:/Users/franc/Downloads/APPG-Guidance-for-therapists-WEB-v2.pdf

https://prescribeddrug.info/

 

Podcast on the guidance on Mad In America:

https://www.madinamerica.com/2019/12/psychological-support-psychiatric-drug-withdrawal/

[hayduke]

https://prescribeddrug.info/

 

My psychologist sent me this PDF from various UK mental health peak bodies, as found above.  Professor Joanna Moncrieff is among the contributors.  It's good to see progress in the clinical space busting harmful myths and clearing the way for better mainstream health services practices.

 

This doco may be helpful to show counsellors, doctors and prescribers to gauge whether they will be helpful to you, or to update their information on the topic if you already have a regular.

 

It's not a primary source but as it's clinical in context I thought better to post it here than the 'in the media' section.

 

A few highlights:  the "medical model" is challenged, quick tapers are looked at critically, and some people who were put on these drugs are heard from.

[hayduke]

Sorry India, hadn't seen you post this when I reposted the same document above.  Hope you're doing ok.

[ChessieCat]

34 minutes ago, hayduke said:

Sorry India, hadn't seen you post this when I reposted the same document above.  Hope you're doing ok.

 

I've merged the 2 topics.