Antipsychotics / Neuroleptics For Mental Disorders - Comment

[trperkins]

Antipsychotics / Neuroleptics For Mental Disorders - Comments



In terms of antipsychotics / neuroleptics meant for the treatments of mental disorders , clinical evidences actually indicate that those troubled with mental disorders, especially the serious ones, shouldn't just rely solely upon the medications as the one and only means of solution to their mental problems.


To put it bluntly, such medications, they are no different from sleeping pills whereby their calming effects just 'come and go' after the lapse of their effective period whilst their potential disastrous side effects can be permanent upon manifestations. In medical sense, such mental disorders, especially the serious ones is mainly caused by the malfunctionings of the mood regulator neurotransmitter, especially Serotonin in the brain. Next, though the related medications can to a certain extent bring such a severe mental disorder under control by 'artificially' regulating, blocking and controlling the re-uptake of it in the brain of the persons suffering from it, medications alone however, by no means would be able to deal conclusively with the problems due to the fact that the root causes of such a disorder is actually resulting largely from the environmental, circumstantial and other interpersonal factors (or the changes of them) that are deemed to be emotionally and adversely unacceptable to the ones suffering from it to a very great extent. Such negative changes in turn actually account for the negative behavioural changes in them as described


In short, it remains the truth that most of the antipsychotics / neuroleptics meant for especially the treatment of chronic mental illnesses would tend to work in such a way that they would need to change / alter the chemical balances in the brain of those taking such medications in the process of bringing such disorders under control. In the process of doing so, such a mechanism would unavoidably and eventually antagonize the neurotransmitters of the nervous system, especially the serotonin and dopamine (which is necessary for various neuromuscular functions), and hence disturb and interfere with the normal functionings of the nerves of the human body.


Next, though it may take years for such undesirable side effects / scenario to manifest onto the ones taking such medications, I am just in the opinion that in the case of the medications having potentially such unwanted side effects, it would naturally be the duty of the medical personnel / specialists-in-charge to take all the precautionary measures to safeguard the well-being of the patients for the sake of their healthcare and welfare.


The real-life examples that I have come across so far is such that for the ones relying merely upon medications and nothing else to deal with their mental disorders, they would tend to develop both emotional and psychological dependences upon such medictions over the long-term whilst getting their mental conditions deteriorated from time to time, eg, from neurosis to psychosis and then just acquire all those almost irreversibly disastrous undesirable side effects like Extrapyramidal Symptoms, Tardive Dyskinesia, Dystonia, Akathisia, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, Parkinsonism disorders etc from such medications in the end.


In such a connection, psychotherapy, counselling, emotional and other communication / interactive supports would be needed to complement the use of the related medications to achieve greater curative effects for such patients troubled by chronic mental disorder.


As such, medications is one thing, but the mental / cognitive abilities of the patients themselves to eventually change their views and perceptions about their environments / surroundings, circumstances and people they are facing in a more positve way, particularly developed through the help of such counselling supports from the others in order for them to really get better and gradually develop positive behavioural / personality changes, is simply another thing that cannot achieved solely with the help of medications alone.


In a nutshell, medications alone by no means can be a substitute for the positive interpersonal experiences that such patients would eventually need for genuine improvement and recovery of their sanity and the use of them should at the same time be complemented by other psychotherapy efforts to achieve the purpose of holistic healing.


Lastly, I hope that the information given above will turn out to be useful to its intended readers. Thank you.


Related Reference :


Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) :

http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/extrapy ... ptoms.html (http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/extrapyramidal-symptoms/extrapyramidal-symptoms.html)


Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) :

http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/tardive ... nesia.html (http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/tardive-dyskinesia/tardive-dyskinesia.html)


Antipsychotics :

http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/antipsy ... otics.html (http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/antipsychotics/antipsychotics.html)

[trperkins]

Follow-up



Well, objectively the point is that all such medications for mental disorders, including the antipsychotics / neuroleptics are important and extremely much more useful than anything else in serving the primary purpose of bringing down and suppress all the hardly controllable and involuntary symptoms of the mental disorders such as violent emotional outbursts, purposeless abrupt traumatic reactions, various phobia behaviours, miscellaneous involuntary and uncontrollable deep hallucinations / delusions etc. This is the case especially and particularly when no other interpersonal efforts from other persons could achieve such a purpose.



However, when it comes to genuinely treating the mentally-ill people so as to enable their mental conditions and cognitive sanities to get practically and realistically better and better in a permanently sustainable manner from time to time as well as to let them feel more and more confident about themselves, that would be another different story. This is due to the very undisputed fact that all the antipsychotics / neuroleptics and any medications for mental disorders, well, no matter how advanced they are, there is simply no way for such medications to deliver any of the actual healing effects that are equivalent to the interpersonal counselling therapies / emotional supports from the close ones etc, that the mentally-ill people need for further genuine improvements of their mental conditions (so as to enable them so slowly and graudally regain their actual sanities and cognitive / mental abilities from time to time) and their final recoveries in the end. This is mainly due to the fact that when it comes to mental illnesses, no medications would be able to permanently, irreversibly, and particularly, realistically and practically change the mentally psychological, rather than the bodily / metabolism-related physiological aspects of what and how the mentally-ill people would perceive, feel, think about their surroundings, environments and the people they deal with, as well as their resultant actions, reactions, behaviours based on their respective subsequent outcomes of those 3 key factors. Whilst normally, such medications for mental illnesses, with their artificial neurological effects, would merely just serve the purpose of temporarily and mechanically numb the cognitive senses of their users so as to artificially make them "unable to feel and think about anything at all" throughout the effective period of each dosage of such medications. And as such, medications for mental disorders alone would thus not be able to realistically, practically and genuinely enable to get the mentally-ill people totally cured in the end. Hence, other non-medicational efforts as mentioned, explained and elaborated in detail in my prior posts above are thus required and indispensably necessary to enable the mentally-ill people to achieve the realistic, genuine and practical long-term real improvements for their mental conditions and sanities gradually step-by-step towards the path of full recoveries.



All in all, such constructive non-medicational impersonal and (or) interpersonal efforts and emotional supports are very much important in reinforcing and strengthening the confidences, self-wills, determinations and sanities of the mentally-ill people in helping them to recover from their mental illnesses gradually, realistically and sustainably step-by-step.



Apart from that, given that negative behavioural changes caused by mental disorders are actually caused by such negative feelings and negative thoughts formed by negative sensory perceptions of anything around one's surroundings, one should thus try to control oneself when coming across and dealing with all those scenarios so as to try one's best not to have too strong emotional attachment / feelings for all those negative surroundings etc as well as try not to over-react to them. In short, one should apply one's reasonable senses and judgements and rationalities when dealing with anything unpleasant to them.



Theorectically, since one's reactions / responses / behaviourial changes actually arise from one's thoughts, such reactions / responses / behavioural changes would thus not occur at all if one could choose to ignore all those unpleasant phenomena totally and not form any negative thoughts in their minds at all. However, that would sound to be easier said than done.



As a summary,



I'm suggesting the following as a solution to mental disorders :



1/3 of medicational helps + 1/3 of psychotherapies, interactive, interpersonal, emotional, communication, conselling supports from the others + 1/3 of self-determinations, self-initiatives, self-controls, self-wills and self-disciplines to think positively, rationally, realistically and practically as well as to lead a normal and healthy life



These are actually the advices I have obtained from many neurologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists and psychologists as well as the very conclusions I have experienced myself.



Next, I must admit that it's quite arbitrary for me to do so in the first place. However, given the fact that there are more and more people nowadays, especially the ones having the mental disorders who would tend to rely heavlily, and if not completely, but at the same time, rather ignorantly upon medications as their sole and only means of dealing with their mental disorders, hence, by assigning the numerical proportion of '1/3' to each of those 3 variables for that 'equation' I'm just trying to convey a message to the intended readers that such factors as external psychotherapies, interactive / interpersonal, emotional / moral supports from the others as well as self-controls / self-efforts to think positively, they are just fairly as important as the medications when it comes to dealing with mental disorders.



Further Information

http://www.anxietyforum.net/forum/viewt ... highlight= (http://www.anxietyforum.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6976&highlight=)

[jhon01]

Hello,

nice to share the information which is really helpful for everyone here in this forum thanks for making the threads look good with nice views

[Robbed]

There are a few problems that I see with the information presented here:

1. No distinction is made between cognitive disorders (like depression and anxiety) and serious mental health conditions (like psychosis, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder). The former are typically caused by stress and faulty thinking, while the latter are truly biological conditions.

2. Depression and/or anxiety (ie 'neurosis') CANNOT degrade into psychosis. Although it is common for anxiety sufferers to GREATLY fear that this will happen, it generally doesn't. And if it does, it only does so because the person was predisposed to psychosis in the first place.

3. Except for a few rare instances, antipsychotics and neuroleptics are COMPLETELY inappropriate for depression and anxiety disorders. They can, as stated, cause dangerous (and sometimes permanent) side effects like Tardive Dyskinesea. And akathesia is just downright brutal. Generally speaking, these side effects are likely to make being on these drugs MUCH more unpleasant than most any depression/anxiety that anyone might suffer from. ESPECIALLY if the depression/anxiety is only mild to moderate in severity. Only when depression/anxiety is VERY severe AND milder treatments have failed should depression/anxiety be treated with antipsychotic medication.

4. Medication is not required for recover from depression/anxiety. Yes, it can alleviate symptoms in some people some of the time, and to some degree. But medication does not cure anything. And even with milder (than antipsychotics, that is) medications like the SSRIs, side effects can be significant to the degree that they are worse than the anxiety disorder itself. Also, withdrawing can be difficult from ANY psych drugs. The bottom line: any medications should be used only when relief from cognitive-based therapies is insufficient.

[trperkins]

Robbed



Basically, I objectively quite agree with your points.



However, please bear in mind that different mentally-ill people may just have their respective different symptoms as well the different degrees and types of severities of such symptoms. Hence, such different mentally-ill people with their respective different problems would thus need their very own suitable and appropriate different solutions to deal with their mental disorders and illnesses.



Therefore, when I suggested the holistic approach for mental disorders / illnesses such as follows :



1/3 of medicational helps + 1/3 of psychotherapies, interactive, interpersonal, emotional, communication, conselling supports from the others + 1/3 of self-determinations, self-initiatives, self-controls, self-wills and self-disciplines to think positively, rationally, realistically and practically as well as to lead a normal and healthy life,



that is actually and generally meant to provide whatever helpful and useful helps and cures to at least improve the mental conditions of the mentally-ill people genuinely, gradually and slowly step-by-step towards the desired path of full recoveries.

[Robbed]

Robbed



Basically, I objectively quite agree with your points.



However, please bear in mind that different mentally-ill people may just have their respective different symptoms as well the different degrees and types of severities of such symptoms. Hence, such different mentally-ill people with their respective different problems would thus need their very own suitable and appropriate different solutions to deal with their mental disorders and illnesses.



Therefore, when I suggested the holistic approach for mental disorders / illnesses such as follows :



1/3 of medicational helps + 1/3 of psychotherapies, interactive, interpersonal, emotional, communication, conselling supports from the others + 1/3 of self-determinations, self-initiatives, self-controls, self-wills and self-disciplines to think positively, rationally, realistically and practically as well as to lead a normal and healthy life,



that is actually and generally meant to provide whatever helpful and useful helps and cures to at least improve the mental conditions of the mentally-ill people genuinely, gradually and slowly step-by-step towards the desired path of full recoveries.

However, because, as you say, people have different symptoms, different degrees of severity, etc, a 'one size fits all' approach which ALWAYS includes medication is not the best way to go, either. When it comes to medications, the fact of the matter is that they do NOT cure anything. ALL psych meds are really nothing more than palliative care (they only mask symptoms). And, although some people benefit from them, many don't. And many of those folks who don't benefit from medications actually suffer as a result of taking them. Also, although no tests have been done in this area, it is quite possible that using medications might actually PREVENT some people from recovering who might otherwise (this is actually the case for a significant number of schizophrenics when it comes to antipsychotic medications). Even if these people actually benefit in some way from medication. Given all these factors, I just don't think that medications should be given to EVERYBODY. Not unless nonpharacological treatments have failed.

[trperkins]

"However, because, as you say, people have different symptoms, different degrees of severity, etc, a 'one size fits all' approach which ALWAYS includes medication is not the best way to go, either. When it comes to medications, the fact of the matter is that they do NOT cure anything. ALL psych meds are really nothing more than palliative care (they only mask symptoms). And, although some people benefit from them, many don't. And many of those folks who don't benefit from medications actually suffer as a result of taking them. Also, although no tests have been done in this area, it is quite possible that using medications might actually PREVENT some people from recovering who might otherwise (this is actually the case for a significant number of schizophrenics when it comes to antipsychotic medications). Even if these people actually benefit in some way from medication. Given all these factors, I just don't think that medications should be given to EVERYBODY. Not unless nonpharacological treatments have failed."



Ok, I would like to clarify that in terms of medications for mental disorders, they hardly and actually do not serve as real cures for mental disorders and illnesses such as what I have explained in one of my previous post earlier on as follows :



Well, objectively the point is that all such medications for mental disorders, including the antipsychotics / neuroleptics are important and extremely much more useful than anything else in serving the primary purpose of bringing down and suppress all the hardly controllable and involuntary symptoms of the mental disorders such as violent emotional outbursts, purposeless abrupt traumatic reactions, various phobia behaviours, miscellaneous involuntary and uncontrollable deep hallucinations / delusions etc. This is the case especially and particularly when no other interpersonal efforts from other persons could achieve such a purpose.



However, when it comes to genuinely treating the mentally-ill people so as to enable their mental conditions and cognitive sanities to get practically and realistically better and better in a permanently sustainable manner from time to time as well as to let them feel more and more confident about themselves, that would be another different story. This is due to the very undisputed fact that all the antipsychotics / neuroleptics and any medications for mental disorders, well, no matter how advanced they are, there is simply no way for such medications to deliver any of the actual healing effects that are equivalent to the interpersonal counselling therapies / emotional supports from the close ones etc, that the mentally-ill people need for further genuine improvements of their mental conditions (so as to enable them so slowly and graudally regain their actual sanities and cognitive / mental abilities from time to time) and their final recoveries in the end.



So, I hope that by going through the related prior post above, that will clear your doubts. Thank you.

[Robbed]

I think my main issue here (and indeed my main issue with medication) is the predominant belief that it is an absolutely ESSENTIAL part of the treatment of depression and anxiety. But the fact is that, lots of times, depression and anxiety sufferers are probably better off without it, especially in the long term. If a medication existed which could alleviate all depression/anxiety symptoms in a large proportion of the population with extremely minimal side effects, I might think somewhat differently. But that doesn't exist. Today's psych meds are FAR from perfect, and are every bit as likely to increase suffering as they are to help. This is why I just can't come out in favor of their use as a first-line treatment for depression and anxiety. ESPECIALLY since, in the long term, cognitive treatments are MUCH more effective. This is particularly the case for neuroleptics, which have the potential to cause permanent harm. If drugs like SSRIs should only be used when cognitive treatments fail, then neuroleptics should only be used when all milder drugs have failed. For depression and anxiety, they are truly treatments of last resort.

[trperkins]

I think my main issue here (and indeed my main issue with medication) is the predominant belief that it is an absolutely ESSENTIAL part of the treatment of depression and anxiety. But the fact is that, lots of times, depression and anxiety sufferers are probably better off without it, especially in the long term. If a medication existed which could alleviate all depression/anxiety symptoms in a large proportion of the population with extremely minimal side effects, I might think somewhat differently. But that doesn't exist. Today's psych meds are FAR from perfect, and are every bit as likely to increase suffering as they are to help.



Yup, I totally agree with what you say.



As a matter of fact, the modern day medical profession nowadays have almost and mostly become prevailingly and ubiquitously money and profit-oriented in such a sense that a substantial majority of the medical professionals, personnel, specialists as well as general practitioners (GPs) anywhere are primarily, or rather, solely concerned with the medical fees that their prospective and existing patients can afford to pay them for their medical services in the first place as their one and only priority rather than the subsequent outcomes of their health cares and well-beings having received the so-called "medical treatments". In short, the modern day medical profession, rather than serving the purpose as a noble vocation, such as the scenario and phenomena in the distant past, it has actually deteriorated and derogatorily mutated nowadays into a commercial-like profit-seeking industry such as the other overtly profit-oriented business organisations.



This is why I just can't come out in favor of their use as a first-line treatment for depression and anxiety. ESPECIALLY since, in the long term, cognitive treatments are MUCH more effective. This is particularly the case for neuroleptics, which have the potential to cause permanent harm. If drugs like SSRIs should only be used when cognitive treatments fail, then neuroleptics should only be used when all milder drugs have failed. For depression and anxiety, they are truly treatments of last resort.



Once again, I agree with your points as well.as a matter of fact, western medications are just like double-edged swords whereby they could give and generate curative and therapeutical effects to their patietns and users for intended purposes whilst inevitably, they would tend to have certain undesirable side effects for which informed precautions against such undesirable side effects are necessary to be taken by the related patients and users to fend off their potential disastrous manifestations.



Next, given the undisputed fact that any western medications, including the medications for mental illnesses and disorders are anyhow unavoidably having their undesirable side effects, that's precisely the primary and main reason why newer and newer drugs and medications with ever-increasing curative and therapeutical effects along with ever-decreasing undesirable side effects are appealed, requested and demanded to be explored, experimented and invented by the medical science profession from time to time for the sake of better and better health cares and well-beings of the related patients and users. Besides, that's actually and unquestionably the very basic economic law of supply and demand, or else, ongoing, painstaking and relentless efforts would have never been put in in the first place to achieve such necessarily appealed, requested and demanded purposes.




Nevertheless, the main curative and therapeutical purpose of such medications for mental disorders and illnesses would still remain that in the cases whereby the scenarios and phenomena of the certain serious symptoms of mental disorders and illnesses such as the examples of what I have mentioned earlier on in my previous posts above have just become substantially and nearly impossible to be controlled, contained and suppressed through interpersonal and other non-medicational efforts, then, the related mentally-ill patients would then naturally would be left with no other choices and options under such circumstances but to take the related medications as the very last resort to artificially get calmed down, pacified and mentally-soothed through the temporary artificial neurological therapeutical and curative effects of such medications for mental disorders and illnesses.



Next, the point is that once all such mentally-illed patients just get calmed down, pacified and mentally-soothed, and hence could more easily relate and talk to the others, then, this would be the stage whereby all the non-medicational interpersonal efforts should come in to effectively talk senses, cultivate and nurture more and more emotional supports and calming forces into them. In short, through such interpersonal efforts under such situations when the related mentally-ill patients are mentally-conscious enough, can and are able to lucidly listen to the others, then there will be much higher chances of success for such purely persuasive non-medicational interpersonal and emotional supports to produce better results in changing how the mentally-ill patients would perceive, feel and think about their conditions, problems, environments, surroudings, the people they deal with etc in improving their mental conditions and sanities genuinely and slowly step-by-step for the better and better from time to time.



All in all, in terms of medications for mental disorders, they in fact, merely serve as a last resort such as what I have explained earlier on above, in order to enable the mentally-ill patients to temporarily be able to calm themselves down, think clearly and be able to listen to the others and to, most importantly, to enable such non-medicational and purely persuasive interpersonal efforts and emotional supports to take place effectively to help them improve their mental conditions and sanities for the better and better slowly and gradually step-by-step towards the path of full recoveries.




















I think my main issue here (and indeed my main issue with medication) is the predominant belief that it is an absolutely ESSENTIAL part of the treatment of depression and anxiety. But the fact is that, lots of times, depression and anxiety sufferers are probably better off without it, especially in the long term. If a medication existed which could alleviate all depression/anxiety symptoms in a large proportion of the population with extremely minimal side effects, I might think somewhat differently. But that doesn't exist. Today's psych meds are FAR from perfect, and are every bit as likely to increase suffering as they are to help.





Yup, I totally agree with what you say.



As a matter of fact, the modern day medical profession nowadays have almost and mostly become prevailingly and ubiquitously money and profit-oriented in such a sense that a substantial majority of the medical professionals, personnel, specialists as well as general practitioners (GPs) anywhere are primarily, or rather, solely concerned with the medical fees that their prospective and existing patients can afford to pay them for their medical services in the first place as their one and only priority rather than the subsequent outcomes of their health cares and well-beings having received the so-called "medical treatments". In short, the modern day medical profession, rather than serving the purpose as a noble vocation, such as the scenario and phenomena in the distant past, it has actually deteriorated and derogatorily mutated nowadays into a commercial-like profit-seeking industry such as the other overtly profit-oriented business organisations.






This is why I just can't come out in favor of their use as a first-line treatment for depression and anxiety. ESPECIALLY since, in the long term, cognitive treatments are MUCH more effective. This is particularly the case for neuroleptics, which have the potential to cause permanent harm. If drugs like SSRIs should only be used when cognitive treatments fail, then neuroleptics should only be used when all milder drugs have failed. For depression and anxiety, they are truly treatments of last resort.







Once again, I agree with your points as well.as a matter of fact, western medications are just like double-edged swords whereby they could give and generate curative and therapeutical effects to their patietns and users for intended purposes whilst inevitably, they would tend to have certain undesirable side effects for which informed precautions against such undesirable side effects are necessary to be taken by the related patients and users to fend off their potential disastrous manifestations.


Next, given the undisputed fact that any western medications, including the medications for mental illnesses and disorders are anyhow unavoidably having their undesirable side effects, that's precisely the primary and main reason why newer and newer drugs and medications with ever-increasing curative and therapeutical effects along with ever-decreasing undesirable side effects are appealed, requested and demanded to be explored, experimented and invented by the medical science profession from time to time for the sake of better and better health cares and well-beings of the related patients and users. Besides, that's actually and unquestionably the very basic economic law of supply and demand, or else, ongoing, painstaking and relentless efforts would have never been put in in the first place to achieve such necessarily appealed, requested and demanded purposes.




Nevertheless, the main curative and therapeutical purpose of such medications for mental disorders and illnesses would still remain that in the cases whereby the scenarios and phenomena of the certain serious symptoms of mental disorders and illnesses such as the examples of what I have mentioned earlier on in my previous posts above have just become substantially and nearly impossible to be controlled, contained and suppressed through interpersonal and other non-medicational efforts, then, the related mentally-ill patients would then naturally would be left with no other choices and options under such circumstances but to take the related medications as the very last resort to artificially get calmed down, pacified and mentally-soothed through the temporary artificial neurological therapeutical and curative effects of such medications for mental disorders and illnesses.







Next, the point is that once all such mentally-illed patients just get calmed down, pacified and mentally-soothed, and hence could more easily relate and talk to the others, then, this would be the stage whereby all the non-medicational interpersonal efforts should come in to effectively talk senses, cultivate and nurture more and more emotional supports and calming forces into them. In short, through such interpersonal efforts under such situations when the related mentally-ill patients are mentally-conscious enough, can and are able to lucidly listen to the others, then there will be much higher chances of success for such purely persuasive non-medicational interpersonal and emotional supports to produce better results in changing how the mentally-ill patients would perceive, feel and think about their conditions, problems, environments, surroudings, the people they deal with etc in improving their mental conditions and sanities genuinely and slowly step-by-step for the better and better from time to time.







All in all, in terms of medications for mental disorders, they in fact, merely serve as a last resort such as what I have explained earlier on above, in order to enable the mentally-ill patients to temporarily be able to calm themselves down, think clearly and be able to listen to the others and to, most importantly, to enable such non-medicational and purely persuasive interpersonal efforts and emotional supports to take place effectively to help them improve their mental conditions and sanities for the better and better slowly and gradually step-by-step towards the path of full recoveries.

[Robbed]

Next, given the undisputed fact that any western medications, including the medications for mental illnesses and disorders are anyhow unavoidably having their undesirable side effects, that's precisely the primary and main reason why newer and newer drugs and medications with ever-increasing curative and therapeutical effects along with ever-decreasing undesirable side effects are appealed, requested and demanded to be explored, experimented and invented by the medical science profession from time to time for the sake of better and better health cares and well-beings of the related patients and users. Besides, that's actually and unquestionably the very basic economic law of supply and demand, or else, ongoing, painstaking and relentless efforts would have never been put in in the first place to achieve such necessarily appealed, requested and demanded purposes.

The interesting thing here is that nothing new has really come out in quite some time. For instance, these days, you still here about how drugs like SSRIs and SNRIs are new, revolutionary, and SO much better than 'older' drugs. But the fact of the matter is that this class of drug is over 20 years old! Many of the currently available antidepressants are nearing, if not over, 20 years old. And those that are newer are, for the most part, 'me too' drugs that were manufactured just to get a piece of that antidepressant pie (Lexapro and Cymbalta come to mind here). As for antipsychotics, newer ones have come out (such as Abilify and Zyprexa). But, for the most part, they are almost as nasty as the older stuff. It would seem that, since new drugs (especially new classes of drugs) are expensive to develop AND since Big Pharma is making plenty of cash from current classes of drugs, there is little interest in developing anything TRULY new.


Nevertheless, the main curative and therapeutical purpose of such medications for mental disorders and illnesses would still remain that in the cases whereby the scenarios and phenomena of the certain serious symptoms of mental disorders and illnesses such as the examples of what I have mentioned earlier on in my previous posts above have just become substantially and nearly impossible to be controlled, contained and suppressed through interpersonal and other non-medicational efforts, then, the related mentally-ill patients would then naturally would be left with no other choices and options under such circumstances but to take the related medications as the very last resort to artificially get calmed down, pacified and mentally-soothed through the temporary artificial neurological therapeutical and curative effects of such medications for mental disorders and illnesses.

I can't really speak for people with psychotic disorders (which are in a VASTLY different league from mere depression and anxiety). But it is MUCH easier than most medical folks think for people with conditions like depression and anxiety to get to a state where they can help themselves without having to resort to medication. You have to remember that MUCH of the problem here is that, with depression and anxiety, much of what you think you can and can't do is determined by what you believe. And when you are told by a doctor that you NEED medication, many people are likely to believe they REALLY do, and behave accordingly.

[trperkins]

"I can't really speak for people with psychotic disorders (which are in a VASTLY different league from mere depression and anxiety). But it is MUCH easier than most medical folks think for people with conditions like depression and anxiety to get to a state where they can help themselves without having to resort to medication.



Well, just like what have explained in my previous post that medications for mental illnesses and disorders would only serve as a last resort especially for the really serious cases of depressions, anxieties and other seriously psychotic disorders, particularly when none other non-medicational efforts can help such patients to calm themselves down, think lucidly and listen sensibly and meaningfully to the others who want to help them with persuasive interpersonal comforts and give them all the non-medicational emotional supports they need for genuine improvements of their mental conditions towards the path of full recoveries.



"You have to remember that MUCH of the problem here is that, with depression and anxiety, much of what you think you can and can't do is determined by what you believe. And when you are told by a doctor that you NEED medication, many people are likely to believe they REALLY do, and behave accordingly."



One thing is that, the very genuine truths about what such medications really are would surely come to light in the end and the ugly truths about the downsides of such medications for mental disorders and illnesses would surely speak louder than anything especially when the patients taking such medications are totally immune to them in such a sense that such drugs and medications would no longer be useful or work out anything curatively desirable for them, or, such in a case whereby the various totally undisputed undesirable side effects of such medications for mental disorders such as addictions, neuromuscular, neurological and neuro-degenerative symptoms etc just suddenly manifest onto the related patients in the end.



Next, under such circumstances and scenarios, would the words from the related profit-oriented and deceptive "doctors" who totally don't care at all about the health cares and well-beings of their patients, but are concerned solely about the medical fees that such "doctors" will receive from their patients, or rather "customers", well, would the "words" of such unscrupulous "doctors" would still be "believable" to the related patients under such situation and circumstances ?



In addition, about the potentially misleading "words" from such deceptive "doctors" as well as any other doubtful sources / information about such drugs and medications for mental illnesses / medications, I would suggest both the prospective and existing users of antipsychotics / neuroleptics as well as other drugs and medications for various mental illnesses and disorders to ascertain the genuity and truthfulness about the virtual efficacies along with the respective side effects of such drugs and medications by comparing, cross-matching and cross-verifying their related given information with various truthful, reliable and unbiased medical sources such as http://www.drugs.com/ etc. Next, by doing so, one would reasonably be able to really, informedly and rationally identify and ascertain the particular drugs and medications that would work out the best solutions for their respective mental illnesses and disorders.



In addition to the suggestion above, seeking at least a second unbiased and objective opinion from the reliable and ethical medical professional, specialist, personnel etc would also be an added advantage too in genuinely confirming the suitability and appropriateness of the most useful drugs and medications for the treatments of respective different symptoms of different mental illnesses and disorders.



Whilst generally the bottom line and criteria are such that the particular drugs and medications chosen should possess far greater curative and therapeutical effects compared to their related side effects, and at best, such drugs and medications selected should have almost negligible or very minor side effects for the sake of the health cares and well-beings of their related users.



Lastly, coupled with the other non-medicational efforts of psychotherapies, interactive, interpersonal, emotional, communication, conselling supports from the others as well as self-determinations, self-initiatives, self-controls, self-wills and self-disciplines to think positively, rationally, realistically and practically as well as to lead a normal and healthy life on the part of mentally-ill patients themselves, such as what I have explained in my previous posts above, I believe that all these tremendous efforts of holistic healings would bring forth the greatest, genuine, sustainable and permanent curative and therapeutical effects to the related mentally-ill patients.



In the meantime, surely and definitely all these combined multifacet efforts of holistic healing would definitely beat the mere temporarily short-lasting artificial "curative" effects of such medications which would last only for mere few hours over the effective period of each dosage of such drugs and medications for the so-called purpose of "treatments" of mental disorders and illnesses.

[trperkins]

Dopamine & Mental Disorders



Dopamine is actually one of the main neurotransmitters chemicals secreted and released by the countless of neurons (nerve cells) and brain cells of our miscellaneous bodily nervous systems and brains. Whilst the other main neurotransmitters chemicals would be Serotonin which plays the important role in "determining" how we feel based on whatever we see / perceive.



And well, the main function of the fluidly neurotransmitters chemical dopamine, which exist everywhere and anywhere in our human bodies and within the miscellaneous nervous systems, and "work" closely, mechanically and spontaneously with one another, is actually to control and co-ordinate our human bodily movements through their synaptic activities.



Basically, the synaptic activities is all about sending and receiving the various nerve and sensory impulses (originating from our sensory perceptions, feelings and thoughts) to the brains along the miscellaneous bodily nervous systems so that all the human bodily movements can be conducted freely at will by any normal human beings.



Nevertheless, the synaptic activities of the neurotransmitters chemical dopamine, in certain cases, can be interrupted and disrupted by the artificial curative mechanisms of certain medications, especially the mind-altering drugs such as antipsychotics / neuroleptics that serve to numb the cognitive senses of the brains by preventing the "neuro-traffics" of such nerve and sensory impulses from getting sent to / from the brains, resulting thus in miscellaneous neurological and neuromuscular disorders which are caused by interruptions to the synaptic activities of the neurotransmitters chemical, dopamine.



As such, please consider the excerpts below :

"All antipsychotic drugs tend to block D2 receptors in the dopamine pathways of the brain. This means that dopamine released in these pathways has less effect. Excess release of dopamine in the mesolimbic pathway has been linked to psychotic experiences. It is the blockade of dopamine receptors in this pathway that is thought to control psychotic experiences"

which are quoted from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipsychotics



In such a connection, the neurological and neuromuscular disorders caused by interruptions to the neurotransmitters chemical dopamine would be especially the movement disorders of Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) , Tardive Dyskinesia, Dystonia, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS), Parkinsonism etc.


Hence, please consider the excerpts below :

"Dyskinesias are movement disorders and can include any of a number of repetitive, involuntary, and purposeless body or facial movements.
They can include:

Tongue movements, such as "tongue thrusts" or "fly-catching" movements
Lip smacking
Finger movements
Eye blinking
Movements of the arms or legs.

An individual may or may not be aware of these movements. These movements are usually quite recognizable, and many people fear that others will know they are taking an antipsychotic medication due to these unusual movements.

Tardive dyskinesia is a dyskinesia that occurs after long-term treatment with an antipsychotic medication. Sometimes, this condition may become permanent."

which are quoted from :

http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/extrapy ... ptoms.html (http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/extrapyramidal-symptoms/extrapyramidal-symptoms.html)



Other Related Information :


Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) :

http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/tardive ... nesia.html (http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/tardive-dyskinesia/tardive-dyskinesia.html)



Antipsychotics :

http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/antipsy ... otics.html (http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/antipsychotics/antipsychotics.html)




Related Information About Synaptic Activities Disorders of Neurotransmitters Dopamine & The Related Cures For Them :



http://www.curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1631689#i

http://www.curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1428915#i

http://www.curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1428920#i

http://www.curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1233341#i

[trperkins]

Miscellaneous Nervous Systems & Neurotransmitters



Well, apart from the well-known central nervous system, there are other nervous systems such as peripheral nervous system, somatic nervous system, autonomic nervous system, enteric nervous system, sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic nervous systems etc in our human bodies that co-ordinate with one another through the ubiquitous neuron networks to maintain the all the normal functionings of our human bodies.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Nervous_System - Central nervous system (CNS)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheral_nervous_system - Peripheral nervous system (PNS)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomic_nervous_system - Autonomic nervous system (ANS)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somatic_nervous_system - Somatic nervous system (SNS)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enteric_nervous_system - Enteric nervous system (ENS)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sympathetic_nervous_system - Sympathetic nervous system (SNS)


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasympat ... ous_system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasympathetic_nervous_system) - parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS)



As for the different types of neurotransmitters, they would include dopamine, serotonin, Amino acids, glutamate, aspartate, serine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, Monoamines, norepinephrine (noradrenaline; NE, NA), epinephrine (adrenaline), histamine, melatonin, acetylcholine (ACh), adenosine, anandamide, nitric oxide, etc which are secreted and released by neurons (nerve cells) and brain cells in the human bodies of these miscellaneous nervous systems as mentioned above along with the ubiquitous neuron networks of our human bodies to maintain the normal functioningis of our human bodies.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurotransmitter - Neurotransmitters



Next, if the synaptic activities of these neurons (nerve cells), brain cells, miscellaneous nervous systems and the ubiquitous neuron networks are interrupted and disrupted by the disastrous side effects of medications, the resulting medical consequences would in totally inconceivable and unimaginable such as what I have explained earlier on in my prior posts above.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_synapse - Chemical synapse / Synaptic activities

[Robbed]

Speaking of neurotransmitters, much is made by the medical community about their alleged central role in depression and anxiety. However, this is largely unproven. There is, for instance, no lab test that can be done to show that depression or anxiety sufferers do indeed suffer from low serotonin levels. And even if depression and anxiety sufferers indeed DO tend to suffer from low serotonin levels, this does NOT establish a causal relationship between low serotonin and depression/anxiety. Low serotonin may simply be a RESULT of suffering from anxiety disorder. Also, more than likely, serotonin is probably low only in specific parts of the brain (but normal or even above normal in other parts of the brain). All of this certainly explains why globally increasing serotonin levels with drugs like SSRIs typically does not give entirely satisfactory results.

As for antipsychotics and dopamine, once again, dopamine levels may be out of balance in people suffering from psychosis. But it is impossible to say whether this is the actual cause. And since, like antidepressants, antipsychotics generally do not produce entirely satisfactory results, I would suspect that there is probably MUCH more to psychosis than a simple chemical imbalance.

[trperkins]

Speaking of neurotransmitters, much is made by the medical community about their alleged central role in depression and anxiety. However, this is largely unproven. There is, for instance, no lab test that can be done to show that depression or anxiety sufferers do indeed suffer from low serotonin levels. And even if depression and anxiety sufferers indeed DO tend to suffer from low serotonin levels, this does NOT establish a causal relationship between low serotonin and depression/anxiety. Low serotonin may simply be a RESULT of suffering from anxiety disorder. Also, more than likely, serotonin is probably low only in specific parts of the brain (but normal or even above normal in other parts of the brain). All of this certainly explains why globally increasing serotonin levels with drugs like SSRIs typically does not give entirely satisfactory results.

As for antipsychotics and dopamine, once again, dopamine levels may be out of balance in people suffering from psychosis. But it is impossible to say whether this is the actual cause. And since, like antidepressants, antipsychotics generally do not produce entirely satisfactory results, I would suspect that there is probably MUCH more to psychosis than a simple chemical imbalance.



"Speaking of neurotransmitters, much is made by the medical community about their alleged central role in depression and anxiety. However, this is largely unproven."

Well, it's totally undeniable that human bodies depend on the neurological mechanisms of neuron, brains, neuron networks, miscellaneous nervous systems, the many types of neurotransmitters chemical for all our bodily functionings which include cognitive and movement abilities etc. And that's the reason why the people with Parkinsonism, Dementia, Alzheimers etc whose brain cells and neurons have been substantially destroyed (and hence no neurotransmitter chemicals can be released / secreted out of them) could not think, act and behave properly at all.




There is, for instance, no lab test that can be done to show that depression or anxiety sufferers do indeed suffer from low serotonin levels. And even if depression and anxiety sufferers indeed DO tend to suffer from low serotonin levels, this does NOT establish a causal relationship between low serotonin and depression/anxiety. Low serotonin may simply be a RESULT of suffering from anxiety disorder. Also, more than likely, serotonin is probably low only in specific parts of the brain (but normal or even above normal in other parts of the brain). All of this certainly explains why globally increasing serotonin levels with drugs like SSRIs typically does not give entirely satisfactory results.

In fact, the drugs like Prozac etc could only temporarily and artificially restore the chemical balance of the brains of the mentally-ill people by re-uptaking and maintaing the proper balance of dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitter chemicals of their brains. However, since such an artificial medical mechanism is all by way of "forced suppression" so as to artificially blocking any nerve and sensory impulses from getting sent and receive to and from the brains, and hence, artificially blocking the "neuron network traffics" the mental conditions of the related mentally-ill people would then suffer a greater relapse of their mental illnesses when the therapeutical effects of such "forced suppressions" of each dosage of the related medications just lapse completely, while the previously medication-forced- suppressed nerve and sensory impulses would just turn violent and out-of-control (when they are no longer artificially suppressed by medications anymore) and manifest in far worse uncontrollable and involuntary behavioural and personality changes in the related mentally-ill people. Hence, that's why in such cases, the cures are worse than the diseases themselves .



So, that's why I have said that other non-medicational efforts such as what I have mentioned and explained earlier on in my previous posts are primarily important in genuinely and permanently restoring the sanities of the mentally-ill people bit by bit and step by step.



"As for antipsychotics and dopamine, once again, dopamine levels may be out of balance in people suffering from psychosis. But it is impossible to say whether this is the actual cause. And since, like antidepressants, antipsychotics generally do not produce entirely satisfactory results, I would suspect that there is probably MUCH more to psychosis than a simple chemical imbalance."



As a matter of fact, everything has its shortcomings, flaws and defects. For example, in the case of people suffering from Tardive Dyskinesia, Dystonia and other movement disorders due to interruptions and disruptions to the synaptic activities of the neurotransmitter chemical dopamine, well, given that such fluidly and nearly totally transparent neurotransmitter chemical secreted by countless neurons and brain cells are hardly observable and distinguishable by any medical examinations such as MRI, CT-scannings etc whereby the people with Tardive Dyskinesia, Dystonia etc would obviously show their involuntary and uncontrollable movement disorders to the related doctors, nevertheless, no conclusive medical examinations, observations, diagnosis supported by any hard evidences can be given at the same time. So, that's why under such scenarios and phenomena, such movement disorders are labelled as "undiagnosed diseases".



Next, I suffer from Tardive Dyskinesia before and my efforts of seeking the mainstream treatments from the western medical science just turn out to be totally futile such as the scenarios and phenomena explained above. And the fact that my Tardive Dyskinesia movement disorders are totally cured once-and-for-all about 6 years ago through a totally needle-free acupuncture / acupressure technique, which has fully cured countless of people having the same problem as mine so far, and well, the flaw and defect of this acupuncture / acupressure technique is such that, regardless of the ongoing ample empirical evidences about its obviously evident and prompt efficacies, the mainstream western medical science still would not recognise the validity of it simply for the mere reason that the healing mechanisms of such a totally needle-free acupuncture / acupressure technique are not be able to be observed, explored and studied by them, regardless of its obviously evident, prompt and 100 % healing efficacies as supported by more and more countless empirical evidences.



In such a connection, what I wish to say is that for anything that we do not know or have not yet known, it doesn't mean that they are phoney, fallacious or non-existent.



All in all, under any circumstances, I firmly and reasonably believe that for any patients / people seeking treatments for any of their illnesses, especially the desperate ones, I reckon that they would want the best and most effective treatments for themselves under any circumstances and situations. Anyhow, for anyone seeking treatments for their illnesses, their sole and only purpose is to get their illnesses and disorders totally cured, and preferably, once and for all.