In psychopharmacology, there are several beliefs that clinicians have and which seem plausible based on reasoning from pharmacological effects but turn out to not be supported by the empirical evidence available.
Simple and Practical Mental Health will subject such beliefs to a careful, thorough examination. And if the belief is confirmed to be a myth, we will add it to this page.
I think it is very important to subject our beliefs to rigorous inquiry. I will refer to this field as psychopharmythology and will call such myths psychopharmyths.
What beliefs in psychopharmacology do you think are myths and belong on this page? Post your comment at the bottom of this page under “Leave a Reply”.
Completed reports: Treatment
Is fluvoxamine (Luvox®) more effective for OCD than other SSRIs?
Among the TCAs, is clomipramine uniquely effective for OCD?
Can lamotrigine monotherapy be used for maintenance treatment in bipolar I disorder?
Lamotrigine: No additional benefit at 400 mg per day?
Do stimulant medications work for major depressive disorder?
Is “low dose” lithium sufficient for antidepressant augmentation in MDD?
Does prazosin work for PTSD? If so, for which symptoms?
Completed reports: Side effects
Is mirtazapine less sedating at higher doses?
Does antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction tend to resolve spontaneously over time in most patients?
Does bupropion treat antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction?
Does weight gain with second-generation (atypical) antipsychotics plateau after the first few months?
Is antipsychotic-induced tardive dyskinesia reversible if the antipsychotic is stopped?
Do psychostimulant medications cause clinically-significant increases in blood pressure?
Does lurasidone (Latuda®) really have a low risk of increasing serum prolactin?
Greater risk of switching with serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)?
Does valproate cause Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)?
Is topiramate the most effective treatment for antipsychotic-induced weight gain?
Is bupropion more likely to cause seizures than other antidepressants like SSRIs?
Is TD less likely with second-generation (atypical) antipsychotics?
Can beta-blockers cause depression or is this a myth?
Does vitamin E work for tardive dyskinesia?
Do psychostimulants cause or worsen tics?
Can melatonin increase blood sugar?
Does dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome (DAWS) occur only or mainly in patients who developed an impulse-control behavior disorder on the medication?
Completed reports: Drug interactions with food or other drugs
Can patients on MAO inhibitors not eat pizza?
Does lamotrigine decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives?
Pending questions: Are these psychopharmyths?
We will post our reviews and answer these questions soon. In the meanwhile, what do you think? Please post your comments under “Leave a Reply” at the bottom of this page.
– Can anticholinergics be used to treat antipsychotic-induced tardive dyskinesia?
– Is bupropion not appropriate for major depressive disorder with anxious features?
– Is bupropion less likely to worsen the course of bipolar disorder than other antidepressants?
– Does nortriptyline really have a therapeutic window?
– Are TCAs really more effective than SSRIs?
– Is vilazodone less likely to cause sexual dysfunction than the SSRIs?
– Is duloxetine more likely than other antidepressants to cause liver damage?
– Is pimozide (brand name Orap) the most effective antipsychotic for delusional disorders?
– Is melatonin best if taken sublingually?
– Are benzodiazepines truly disinhibiting in patients with intellectual delay and associated agitation?
– Are stimulant medications contraindicated with MAO inhibitors (MAOIs)?
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Chris Cotner says
I have heard that quetiapine is equally sedating at any dose. Myth or fact?