The Curious History of Medicines in Psychiatry

In the years following World War II, there were no effective medicines for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression. There were not even names for such things- words like 'antipsychotic', 'mood stabilizer', 'antidepressant' or 'tranquilizer' had not even come into being. Within the next two decades all of these types of medicines were developed. Most of these discoveries occurred inadvertently, often with a chance observation by a physician or scientist who was looking for someth...