Driving skills in unmedicated first- and recurrent-episode schizophrenic patients

Analysis of our data indicates that a great proportion of schizophrenic patients are impaired in psychomotor functions related to driving skills that cannot be attributed to adverse side effects of psychopharmacological treatment. Besides, we cannot confirm a chronic decline of psychomotor functions related to driving skills at least in the early course of schizophrenic illness.

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[quote=“firemonkey, post:1, topic:35022”]
Analysis of our data indicates that a great proportion of schizophrenic patients are impaired in psychomotor functions related to driving skills that cannot be attributed to adverse side effects of psychopharmacological treatment.
[/quote]How can it not be attributed to psychopharmacology? What is the evidence for this conclusion? Prior to medication I was doing just fine with driving, after medication I was too impaired to feel safe behind the wheel. I would really like to know how they drew the line on this one.

My son told me he never wanted to drive again. Not sure why he said that.
There are plenty of people that drive with MI. Also, a lot of different meds may affect some people`s ability to function well enough to do that.**

I was fine driving before meds (when I wasn’t drunk or stoned, of course). I’m fine now to the extent that I drive professionally. And, yes, I’m med-compliant. If I wasn’t I wouldn’t be safe to drive.

Pixel.

It stinks to not be able to drive and limits my ability to function in my town. It’s difficult to socialize and hold down a job because public transportation is limited and unreliable. When I had places I needed to go to by a certain time and it involved a transfer I always took the bus prior to the one that would theoretically get you there on time because sometimes the initial bus would be too late for the transfer bus. I also have spent many hours at Greyhound stations because the bus was overcrowded and I had to take the next one. That was after they changed the policy. Before then there were people sitting and standing in the center aisle of the bus. I have also seen a lot of shady characters on buses, and currently am afraid to go to the nearest bus stop in my current location due to its criminal reputation. It also has stunk to be dependent on others for transportation because I have to plan everything around their schedules. My family didn’t allow me to drive because they felt I was unable to and it has been a real downer in my life. I hope for the sake of future family members who get my illness and the rest of you that the government doesn’t use a report like that to force everyone else to do the same just like I hope it doesn’t use the reports that typical antipsychotics work as well as atypical ones because in my case they don’t…

You had a colossally horrible reaction to meds. Most of us aren’t like that. You would probably be an outlier, not a common result.

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I got into frequent car accidents and received many traffic tickets before medications. My judgement was poor, my depth perception was poor, and my reactions were slow. But,getting on AP’s and mood stabilizer’s did not change a thing. Recently, the accidents and tickets have increased incredibly, so, I have voluntarily stopped driving completely. I now live in an assisted living center where I get my transportation provided. I have a diagnosis of sza. For the most part,I have always taken my medication’s religiously.