Interesting article by a psychiatrist who was influenced by Robert Whitaker, a journalist who was indirectly influenced by Scientology philosophies.
Xenu must be proud.
There is problem with me.
I am not effective on antipsychotic drugs.
Even Thomas Insel said
It appears that what we currently call “schizophrenia” may comprise disorders with quite different trajectories. For some people, remaining on medication long-term might impede a full return to wellness. For others, discontinuing medication can be disastrous. For all, we need to realize that reducing the so-called “positive symptoms” (hallucinations and delusions) may be necessary, but is rarely sufficient for a return to normal functioning. Neither first nor second generation antipsychotic medications do much to help with the so-called negative symptoms (lack of feeling, lack of motivation) or the problems with attention and judgment that may be major barriers to leading a productive, healthy life.
From what I can see - it doesn’t seem so different than what Thomas Insel (Head of the NIMH) has said (and many other researchers I talk to on a fairly frequent basis).
“We realize that for too many people, today’s treatments are not good enough. New, better treatments are essential if we are to improve outcomes for all – that is the promise of research. But in the meantime, we need to be thoughtful about the treatments we have. Clearly, some individuals need to be on medication continually to avoid relapse. At the same time, we need to ask whether in the long-term, some individuals with a history of psychosis may do better off medication. This is a tough call, where known risks need to be balanced against potential benefits. As the RAISE project has emphasized, shared decision-making between patients, families, and providers is essential for long-term management of psychotic disorders.”
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/2013/antipsychotics-taking-the-long-view.shtml
I’ll read the article again more objectively.
That’s interesting. I kind of agree with the article because I’ve found herbal supplements to be more effective.
When i lowered my med just a little bit, i start going into depression, and couldn’t sleep even with sleeping pill, my positive symptoms were all in control, my brain was so used to the medication that i couldn’t tolerate until my brain adjust, thats how much the med screw my brain. And its been 8yrs that i am taking med, if i only knew in the beginning about the harm the med. can bring to me i would try supplements, but now its too late
I’ve thought for a long time the medicines I’ve taken for 45 years are very likely doing me harm. At this point in time, as in the past I’m better off on them.
this reminds me of when I finally became compliant- my psychiatrist kept using the phrase “fool with” but by his tone i could tell that he meant “■■■■with”.
He asked me if i was sure i needed to"fool with" antipsychotics and mentioned that they were “nothing to fool with.” I can see why; they’re maybe the heaviest drugs in the world and the side effects can be extreme. They really are nothing to “fool” with. I was highly functioning in school but i was an alcoholic and only remotely sociable if I was buzzing or drunk, so I took the leap of faith into medication.
I am in remission now, but it was not quick or painless. I take two medications along with my antipsychotic to counter its side effects, and the result is a practically healthy mind. I could have been an athlete if i wasnt on medication because i was ok if i worked out and drank every night to keep my agitation at bay.
I am not the vegetative, slow to respond type of schizophrenic, I am the “madman” type. I still cant do the workout routines I did when i was psychotic, they required insane levels of energy that I just dont have now that I am medicated. I still hit the gym though, and I am ~170lbs and 5’6, i look like i workout.
I think he may be on to something, i’ve seen guys who take three handfuls a day and it didn’t do anything at all, why keep giving them to them?
If the meds are nessecary and actually do something for the patient then sure, although other routes should always be considered when it comes to treatments, but until they find something better it’s pills for me.
For me personally, I simply don’t function very well without antipsychotics. I have been without for a period of my life - delusions and psychosis will quickly follow. I used to take higher doses of antipsychotics, now what is working for me even better are lower doses.
@StarryNight
Could you tell me what herbal supplements you’ve found to be helpful and what symptoms they’ve helped with. In my case, many supplements seem to help with my energy and concentration temporarily before becoming seemingly ineffective, but I sometimes wonder how much my response patterns to supplements might be influenced by the Abilify that I’m taking (and whether I might respond better to supplements without the Abilify).
shadow
I don’t think Abilify interferes with supplements. Valerian root & melatonin helped me with sleep. Sometimes just tea seems to work for feeling anxious or having symptoms. I also found that caffeine and B vitamins are just as effective as stimulants for negative symptoms. I would continue to take your medication as prescribed, but adding vitamin C and B 12 plus taurine can’t hurt. The other night I took Zinc and it seemed to help also.