ABSTRACT
Any healthcare practitioner who is legally authorized to prescribe medication can write a prescription for a psychotropic. One of the distinguishing characteristics of the knowledgeable practitioner, who will maintain greater success with mental health patients, is the practitioner who can successfully manage the side effects of a medication. The manner in which a practitioner discusses side effects can have a major effect on whether the person takes the medication, or becomes a frightened, non-compliant patient. Some practitioners will ignore or fail to assess side effects because they don’t know how to offer solutions if the patient admits to having them. This chapter will discuss the common and potentially uncomfortable side effects that occur with psychotropic medications, and how the astute clinician can manage them. Less common, but potentially more serious, adverse reactions are discussed in Chapter 17.
