psychotropics
Brain chemistry changers
Psychotropics are substances that affect mental processes—mood, perception, cognition, or behavior.
The term covers a broad range: antidepressants, antipsychotics, sedatives, stimulants, and hallucinogens all qualify.
The patient was prescribed several psychotropics for her condition.
In clinical contexts, the word often implies prescription medications rather than recreational drugs.
Medications treating clinical despair
- anxiolyticsDrugs reducing pathological worry
- benzodiazepinesSedative-hypnotic drug class
- sedativesDrugs that calm
- stimulantsAgents that heighten arousal
barbiturates · SSRIs · MAOIs · tricyclics · amphetamines · opioids · nootropics · tranquilizers
Mental health medicine
- prescriptionMedical dispensing authorization
- dosageMeasured medicine amount
- medicationTherapeutic substance for illness
- therapyCurative mental treatment
clinical · trials · FDA · off-label · outpatient · inpatient · monitoring · contraindications
Hallucinogenic substance from fungi
- LSDPsychedelic hallucinogen
- mescalinePsychoactive cactus alkaloid
- DMTPowerful naturally occurring hallucinogen
- ayahuascaPsychoactive Amazonian plant brew
peyote · ketamine · salvia · MDMA · psychedelic · shrooms · acid · trip
Mood-regulating brain chemical
- dopamineReward-linked neural messenger
- norepinephrineAlertness and stress hormone
- neurotransmittersChemical neural messengers
- GABAInhibitory brain neurotransmitter
glutamate · receptors · reuptake · agonist · antagonist · serotonergic · dopaminergic · cholinergic
antidepressants
Medications treating clinical despair
- anxiolyticsDrugs reducing pathological worry
- benzodiazepinesSedative-hypnotic drug class
- sedativesDrugs that calm
stimulants · barbiturates · SSRIs · MAOIs · tricyclics · amphetamines · opioids · nootropics · tranquilizers · hypnotics
psychiatry
Mental health medicine
- prescriptionMedical dispensing authorization
- dosageMeasured medicine amount
- medicationTherapeutic substance for illness
therapy · clinical · trials · FDA · off-label · outpatient · inpatient · monitoring · contraindications · interactions
psilocybin
Hallucinogenic substance from fungi
- LSDPsychedelic hallucinogen
- mescalinePsychoactive cactus alkaloid
- DMTPowerful naturally occurring hallucinogen
ayahuasca · peyote · ketamine · salvia · MDMA · psychedelic · shrooms · acid · trip · visions
serotonin
Mood-regulating brain chemical
- dopamineReward-linked neural messenger
- norepinephrineAlertness and stress hormone
- neurotransmittersChemical neural messengers
GABA · glutamate · receptors · reuptake · agonist · antagonist · serotonergic · dopaminergic · cholinergic · synaptic
depression
Prolonged low state
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- bipolarHaving two opposite poles
- schizophreniaPsychotic disorder with delusions
mania · psychosis · PTSD · dysthymia · panic · OCD · insomnia · stabilization · remission · relapse
- Drug RegulationFDA, DEA, controlled substances, drug scheduling, Schedule II
- Neuroactive Drugsdopamine, serotonin, GABA, acetylcholine, norepinephrine
- Psychopharmacologyantidepressants, anxiolytics, benzodiazepines, SSRIs, SNRIs
psychotropicsanalgesics
Drugs that reduce pain
antibiotics · antihypertensives · immunosuppressants · anti-inflammatories · chemotherapeutics
psychotropicsplacebos
Inactive substances given as medicine
vitamins · supplements · saline · nutrients · inactive ingredients
- psychotropic drugsCompounds affecting mental processes