The role of psychotropic drugs in group therapy

The purpose of this paper is to examine those aspects of the drug treatment of mental disorder which relate to the human environment or group in which the patient finds himself. Although great claims are made for modern drug therapy, a distinction must be drawn between the specific effects of drugs and the effects of the environment itself. Psychotropic drugs are not specific in a particular disease, although they may modify specific symptoms. Two special cases are selected for an examination of the effects of the environment on drug action-deep insulin treatment and lysergic acid diethylamide. The psychological phenomena induced by deep insulin differ according to whether treatment is given individually or to a group of patients; and the psychological significance of insulin treatment lies in the ability of the treatment situation to help the patient to become a full member of the group. Similarly the group influences relating to LSD treatment are examined.It is concluded that the attitude of social groups to psychotropic drugs is determined by the real or apparent effects these drugs have on super-ego function. This appears to have some relationship to the so-called placebo phenomenon.The fact that clinical trials tend to lead to results unduly favourable to the drugs tested is noted and some suggestions are made as to how these trials can be improved.