Certain mental disorders are caused by or accompanied by neurochemical abnormalities. The use of psychotropic medications has dramatically increased over the past two decades in all age groups, particularly with children. Therefore, psychopharmacology, the branch of pharmacology dealing with the psychological effects of drugs, needs to be carefully studied by all helping professionals. This article addresses: the importance of diagnosis, understanding the basic psychotropic medications by name and how they work, an awareness of side-effects/complications, and the importance of staying current with research in this field. (GCP)