“Prescription privileges” vs. psychologists’ authority: Psychologists do better without drugs

Abstract

In the past few years a number of clinical psychologists in the upper echelon of APA have been espousing “prescription privileges” for the profession. This is being undertaken without a serious attempt to analyze the consequences. First and foremost, a reading of the psychiatric literature in recent years on psychotropic drugs, like the old organic treatment approaches (insulin, electroshock, lobotomy, etc.) have not fulfilled their initial promise. They can cause cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological problems, sexual dysfunctions, etc., causing the irreversible tardive dyskinesia and the often fatal neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Surveys of consumers have shown that a large percentage prefer to be seen by psychologists because psychiatrists are “too ready to prescribe drugs.” It is felt that it would be a mistake for the profession to get into the doubtful benefits of psychotropic drugs.