Biological approaches to treating abnormal behavior are:
Psychoactive drugs
These drugs are also known as ‘anti-psychotic drugs, ‘neuroleptics’ or ‘mind-altering drugs’. These mainly have their effects on the brain. They reduce the intensity of hallucinations and delusions by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain. Studies have revealed that treatment of patients with such drugs provides treatment and relief in 6 months’ time period. Some common neuroleptics are clozapine, risperidone, olanzapine, lurasidone etc.
Antidepressant drugs
More than 90% patients having being treated for a mental disorder are given antidepressants. They increase the availability of serotonin and/or norepinephrine. Examples of some common antidepressants are monoamine oxidase (MAO), tricyclic antidepressants (TCA), fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine etc. nowadays, the most common antidepressants in use are Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These have fewer side effects than others and are easy to use. They are not fatal on overdose.
Antianxiety drugs
If the patient is suffering from high level of anxiety and tension, then these drugs are used. They do not provide treatment; in fact they bring the symptoms under control. They are used by doctors as supplementary treatment procedure in disorders like convulsive seizures. Some common antianxiety drugs are benzodiazepines like alprazolam, clonazepam, diazepam etc. Buspirone is a non-benzodiazepine antianxiety drug.
Mood stabilizing drugs
Lithium salts like lithium carbonate are considered as mood stabilizing. They are mainly used to treat manic disorders. Apart from lithium, some anticonvulsants like gabapentin are also mood stabilizing.
Neurosurgery
In 19th century, neurosurgery was used to treat mental disorders. This procedures result in structural changes of brain of the patient. The more accurate name given to these procedures is ‘prefrontal lobotomy’; in which frontal lobes were cut out from deeper centers underlying them.