2023-09-18 17:13:00
Belgians consume too many psychotropic drugs. These are often misused, which is why an awareness campaign is starting. It is intended for health professionals.
Antipsychotics are successful, a growing number of fellow citizens use them daily. However, these medications can have side effects and even risks for our health. “We are mainly talking regarding sleeping pills and medications used once morest anxiety, which especially give the feeling of fatigue in the morning and dizziness at night. And then also memory problems and psychological problems. For anti-depressants, it is more regarding the fact that we no longer have the emotions we usually have, or sexual problems“, explains Thierry Christaens, general practitioner and President of the Belgian Psychtropics Expert Platform.
An awareness campaign launched
In 2022, one in four Belgians have consumed psychotropic drugs. This Monday, the Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke launched an awareness campaign aimed at health professionals, in particular general practitioners, pharmacists and psychologists, in order to curb this “worrying consumption”. “The frequent and partly inappropriate use of psychotropic drugs in our country is very problematic,” he says. “It is therefore urgent to move towards more appropriate use of psychotropic medications, through a reasoned, in-depth and concerted approach.”
Frank Vandenbroucke hopes that health professionals will always try to move first towards a non-drug solution. When starting treatment, they will need to pay particular attention to the side effects but also to the duration of this medication.
Reaction of the National Order of Physicians
“I think doctors tend to prescribe too many psychotropic drugs“, confirms Christian Melot, French-speaking vice-president of the National Order of Physicians. “The relationship between doctor and patient is one of trust. If the patient does not tell the whole truth, he may abuse the doctor’s trust.“
According to him, to avoid this situation, everything is a question of collaboration between the doctor, the pharmacist and the patient. “It’s a triangle that must talk to each other and try to have points of agreement and trust“, explains Christian Melot. “For example, a medical opinion from the Order of Physicians was drawn up with the Order of Pharmacists so that a commission might work on this problem of over-prescription, whether for psychotropic drugs or other medications.“
“The quickest solution is the pill”
This explosion of prescriptions essentially comes from the fact that people wait until they are in crisis, in a critical phase, to consult and sound the alarm. “Often people wait a long time before coming to the doctor and therefore the quickest solution is the pill, but this is not always the best solution. Psychological help is often much more effective in the long term“, indicates Thierry Christaens.
One of the solutions therefore lies in taking into consideration psychological help, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, which will allow better stress management in the long term.
psychotropic antipsychotic BelPEP
1695060168
#Overconsumption #psychotropic #drugs #Frank #Vandenbroucke #launches #awareness #campaign #aimed #health #professionals
