Do you think putting a young person on APs would worsen their chance at recovery?

Medications
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I’ve always had this theory that if I wasn’t put on such heavy medication at a young age I maybe wouldn’t have so much issues.

When I was young I would be on a cocktail of an AP, AD, and stimulant. Also something to help me sleep, and something to help me if I got bad anxiety. At some points in my adolescent life I had to take pills four times a day.

Doing the math I’ve been on APs since I was 15. That’s over seven years of being on anti psychotics. I know it’s alright for an adult mind, but do you think that might, potentially rot a young persons brain? Or at least change the chemical makeup of it?

I’ve been on seroquel, risperadone, mainly. However I’ve been on others as well that worked less for me. My doctors are also trying anti convulsants as mood stabilizers.

Has anyone else been on APs since they were very young? Or does anyone have any helpful information for me?

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They’ve kept you alive. So that’s a good thing.

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That is true. 151515

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I think that pdocs are very careful about what they prescribe to young people. If you were prescribed something at 15, it was obviously for a reason. Personally, i’ve only been on antipsychotics for about 3 - 4 years, but i’ve been on antidepressants since i was 16. I can honestly say that the medication has made a big difference to me.

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I think doctors would be very careful about prescribing meds to adolescents.

You must have really needed it.

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I don’t like how drugs are the first line of defence against mental issues for youngsters. Diet and vitamin / mineral levels should be looked at first, since it shouldn’t be assumed that every child is eating an optimal diet.

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I was heavily medicated starting at 17. I know that is not as young. However, there were a few years in my 20s where I was off of medication and doing really well. I say that because they helped my brain not hurt it.

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I agree with you, but I also wasn’t playing up my mental illness when I was young. To think of it I actually experienced a lot of symptoms even younger. I had visual hallucinations throughout my childhood.

When they diagnosed me they went through all my old report cards ect. I guess there was some reoccurring comments about me in there that helped them realize this was an issue for a while.

Of course, I’m glad I experienced my childhood unmedicated. My mum just thought I saw ghosts. I’m glad she never thought to look into until later in my life. I had a somewhat normal childhood.

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I would not be as messed up as I am today had I not have been on APs. I was not as young as 15, but 17 is still pretty young to have the first line of action be heavy medication if you ask me. Brains start to rely on medication for specific neurotransmitters instead of creating its own once they’re regularly administered, it would only make sense that there’d be a potential risk with developing brains. Some kids will need APs so it shouldn’t just not be given to kids ever, but medication probably shouldn’t be the first thing to do.

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