[Drug dependence and psychotropic drugs]

Although the utility of psychotropic drugs has been well demonstrated, caution must still be exercised in their use. Among their potential risks, drug dependency must be kept in mind. This risk is well accepted with regard to benzodiazepines, and it appeared useful to study the potential risk for antidepressants, neuroleptics and thymoregulatory agents. Whatever the drug, the predominant factor appears to be psychological dependency. Prevention of drug dependency is most often achieved by informing the patient, limiting the length of use of the drug, making regular reevaluation of symptoms and of drug indication, and frequently be establishing a "treatment contract". The importance of the patient-physician relationship in the prescription of such treatment must be underlined.