Generally speaking, psychopharmacology is the scientific study of drugs and medications that are used for psychological treatments. Oftentimes, these types of drugs influence an individual’s mood, emotions, behavior and patterns of thinking. Antidepressants are perhaps the most well-known type of drug; around the globe antidepressant sales eclipsed 20 billion dollars in 2004. That same year, antipsychotic drugs brought in about 14 billion dollars globally.

With the assistance of a psychiatrist or a psychologist who is able to prescribe medication, drugs like antidepressants can help improve a person’s psychological functioning. However, it’s important to consider all treatment options in order to identify the best strategy to improve a person’s quality of life.