This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Go to /pro/cpd-dashboard page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. CPD dashboard

Go to /account/subscription-details page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. Upgrade to Pro

Physical treatments

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

These are the drug treatments that are used in psychiatry. There have been various suggestions as to how to classify the drugs used in psychiatry, and no classification has achieved universal support. The most popular basis for classification is one using clinical effects of the drugs and perhaps the least controversial of these is the one used by the World Health Organisation - 1967.

Alternative headings are shown in brackets.

  • neuroleptics (antipsychotics or major tranquilisers)
  • anxiolytic sedatives (minor tranquillisers) (includes hypnotics)
  • antidepressants (thymoleptics)
  • psychostimulants eg amphetamine, cocaine
  • psychodysleptics (hallucinogens, psychedelics, psychotomimetics)
  • miscellaneous eg lithium

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.