Table 3 General views and beliefs (n, %)
Question | Yes n (%) | No n (%) | Don't know n (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
What's your general opinion on psychotropic medication? | |||
Do you believe that they cause sedation without curing? | 62 (46.2) | 21 (15.4) | 51 (38.4) |
Do they act therapeutically? | 31 (23.1) | 37 (27.7) | 66 (49.2) |
Do you believe that they have a common mechanism of action as tranquilizers? | 33 (24.6) | 60 (44.6) | 41 (30.2) |
Do you believe that they act on the brain correcting a biological abnormality responsible for the mental disease? | 36 (27.2) | 49 (36.4) | 49 (36.4) |
Do you believe that they are differentiated in categories (antipsychotics, antidepressants etc.) each with a different mechanism of action and efficacy? | 112 (83.3) | 6 (4.6) | 16 (12.1) |
What is your opinion about the use of psychotropic medication? | |||
Excessive use | 50 (37.0) | ||
Normal use | 19 (14.0) | ||
Low use | 8 (6.0) | ||
I don't know | 57 (43.0) | ||
Do you believe that psychiatrists unnecessarily use high doses of psychotropic medication? | 27 (20.3) | 34 (25.5) | 73 (54.7) |
Do you think that higher doses are more effective? | 2 (1.6) | 101 (75.0) | 31 (23.4) |
Do you take medication frequently (e.g. for headaches, insomnia etc)? | 12 (9.1) | 122 (90.9) | |
Are you generally against medication? | 95 (71.2) | 39 (28.8) | |
Do you fear psychotropic medication more than other medication? | 107 (79.7) | 27 (20.3) |