The role of pharmacists in managing mental health disorders: a review

Pharmacists are participants in the treatment and management of mental disorders as integral members of multidisciplinary healthcare teams. Their roles extend beyond dispensing medications to providing counseling, promoting adherence, managing drug interactions, assessing treatment outcomes, and supporting symptom management—all while ensuring empathy and confidentiality. They face challenges such as nonadherence, communication barriers, and public stigma. Pharmacists manage complex drug interactions, particularly those between psychiatric medications and nutritional supplements. In hospitals, clinical pharmacists optimize therapy, monitor treatment effectiveness, and train staff in mental health pharmacotherapy. This article emphasizes the need for specialized training for pharmacists to enhance their mental health care competencies. Countries such as the USA, UK, and Australia have successfully implemented such programs, while Bulgaria is integrating mental health care into pharmaceutical practice, expanding the responsibilities of pharmacists and raising public awareness. These achievements highlight the essential contribution of pharmacists to improving mental health outcomes and addressing related challenges.