[bdeaner]

FYI

[pieceofthepuzzle]

Whereas anti-psychotics are probably over-used, and inappropriately used in many instances, they can and do help truly psychotic patients. I have personally seen a schizophrenic who thought aliens were after him totally revert to reality and what would pass with pretty much anyone as normal cognition and behavior in about a day after receiving an effective anti-psychotic. Patients who have abnormal brain chemistry can be markedly helped by the right medications. The problem is that psychosis is a wastebasket diagnosis that probably includes a large number of different syndromes and causes. The same drug may work for one person, but be ineffective, harmful, or totally inappropriate for others. Haldol has been way overused and has been given very frequently to elderly patients who became confused during hospitalization. That is inappropriate and very unfortunate.

[Zevonismymuse]

Tardive Dyskinesia is practically inevitable if a person remains on the drugs long enough. I worked in locked psych for many years and I agree with most of the points made in this article. In my experience most psychosis has a very young age of onset, usually in late teens or early twenties and people tend to cycle out and have diminished symptoms after a period of a few to several years depending on the severity of their symptoms. In many cases the side effects of these drugs is worse than the illness being treated. And to the best of my knowledge the damage done to the brain is not reversible. This is a serious and complex issue. People who are psychotic can be a danger to themselves and others but I believe we have the ability to devise more civilized treatment approaches in the treatment of the mentally ill.

[Quix]

Note.

[gusopol3]

praecox dementia— the name for schizophrenia in the pre -drug era. Again the illnesses are serious and your attempts to minimize them are tragic and misguided.