USMLE Mnemonics Psychiatry and Ethics

Patient will have 3 of 7 within 12 month period:

"WITHDraw IT":

Withdrawal symptoms

Interest or Important activities given up or reduced

Tolerance

Harm to physical and psychosocial known but continue to use

Desire to cut down, control

Intended time, amount exceeded

Time spent too much

Side effects of psychiatric drugs:
1-antipsychotics=SHADE + the extrapyramidal sideeffects.
S=Sedation
H=Hypotension
A=Anticholinergic
D=dermatological SEs
E=Endocrine(impotence,gynaecomastia……)
2-Antidepresants=SHACSS
S=sedation
H=hypotension
A=anticholinergic
C=cardiac
S=seizure
S=sexual
3-Amtimania(lithium)=ABCDW
A=acne
B=bad thyroid(hypothyroidism)
C=Congenital anomalies(epsteins anomaly)
D=diabetis insipidus
W=Wbc count may increase

These stages can occur in any order or simultaneously;
D: Denial
A: Anger
B: Bargaining
D: Depression
A: Acceptance
"DABDA"

side effects of Lithium.

L - Leucocytosis
I - Insipidus (Diabetic)
T - Tremor, Teratogenicity (especially in the first trimester)
H - Hypothyroidism
I - Increaded Weight Gain
U - Vomitting (substitute V for a U), Nausea, GI disturbances
M - Miscellaneaous - ECG Changes, Acne

Here is another way of remembering the side-effects of Lithium , which is high-yield, as it is the drug of choice for Bipolar disorder.
BLIND CAAT HITS

BLIND -Stands for Visual disturbances
C- for chorea
A for Athetosis
A for Acne
H for Hypothyroidism
I for Insipidus diabetes
T for Tremor and Taste changes
S for Severe weight gain

borderline personality disorder " PRAISE"

P-paranoid

R-relationship instability

A-anger outbursts,abandonment fears,affective instability

I-Impulsiveness, Identity disturbance

S-suicidal behaviour

E-emptiness

Lithium that :-
Renal Function tests and Thyroid function tests are done before instituting therapy.