Psychiatric Drugs Gain Acceptance

A growing number of Americans now have a positive opinion on psychiatric medications, a new study contends. About five out of six people surveyed felt psychiatric medications could help people control psychiatric symptoms. But many also expected the medications could help people deal with day-to-day stress. "This finding calls for a more targeted and selective approach in public information campaigns aimed at improving public understanding of the proper uses of psychiatric medications," said the lead author of the report, Dr. Rami Mojtabai, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. (The Los Angeles Times, 7/31/09)