Recovering from Neuroleptic ('Antipsychotic') Drugs

[jo1261]

I have found this list of what to do to be useful when recovering from neuroleptic drugs such as clozapine, olanzapine etc.:

sleep as much as possible, do nothing stressful;
exercise to get the blood flowing;
drink lucozade, the original type because it contains the most glucose;
eat celery, at least 3 sticks per day;
freshly squeezed oranges, (not the reconstituted stuff in cartons that have local tap water added);
travelling to new places and doing new things *(must be NEW places that you've never seen before)*;
and loud music.

[Apotheosis]

Some good advice

[jo1261]

and avoid eating curry

[Apotheosis]

http://theicarusproject.net/alternat...chiatric-drugs

http://www.comingoff.com/

http://spiritualemergency.blogspot.com/

http://www.breggin.com/

http://www.theroadback.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ-Y0YlyfXk

[ntuc]

Antipsychotics / Neuroleptics basically and normally are meant for the treatment of chronic mental illnesses. Actually, clinical evidences 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.


Well, to put it bluntly, such antipsychotics / neuroleptics 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, Parkinsonism disorders etc from such medications in the end.


In such a connection, psychotherapy, emotional and other communication 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 / personal 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.

[Apotheosis]

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.

Thanks for your post. I agree. What you have written is intelligent, honest, rational & accurately sums up the whole situation of illness/meds/genuine recovery.

It's a shame so few people see it.

[ntuc]

Thanks for the positive comments and I truly and greatly appreciate that. Next, I hope that my explanations above would turn out to be helpful to the intended readders especially in terms of seeking holistic therapy for the mental illnesses, particularly the serious ones.

[jo1261]

Antipsychotics / Neuroleptics basically and normally are meant for the treatment of chronic mental illnesses. Actually, clinical evidences 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.

when i was in the hospital the patients there were given the drugs as something to take 'to keep you safe' or 'just in case you you are ill'. the neuroleptic ('antipsychotic') drugs were dished out like antibiotics which seems unacceptable to me. if any1 complained about the drugs in anyway the dose was increased because all nurses/docs presumed that we all must find the drugs pleasurable or the dose wasnt high enough. at least 3 patients there that i know of were having fits on these drugs. some of them had to concentrate hard to be able to speak coherently

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.

my undesirable side effects were the main effects and they have always been there in varying forms, - oscillating between pain and paranoia and apathy and absentmindness, dizzyness etc

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.

so you know what will help to restore my brain to the state it was in before the drug abuse ?

[jo1261]

these days my side effects , or i should call them withdrawal effects because i dont take the drugs anymore, are mainly pain and narcolepsy

[ntuc]

'when i was in the hospital the patients there were given the drugs as something to take 'to keep you safe' or 'just in case you you are ill'. the neuroleptic ('antipsychotic') drugs were dished out like antibiotics which seems unacceptable to me.


Well, my opinion is that the medical personnel dispensing the antipsychotics / neuroleptics should have intead exercised close monitioring with due diligence and medical ethics on the mental conditions of their patients troubled with mental disorders particularly in terms of determining the appropriate dosage of such medications given to their patients rather than just giving them an ever-increasing dosage over time for the sake of their very health care.


At the same time, the patients should also be given cognitive behavioural therapies / psychotherapies by the medical personnel-in-charge and if possible, all the necessary helpful and emotionally inspiring advices, communication supports as well as the counselling assistances from their kin, relatives and friends who really care about their well-being.


To the minimum extent, the particular patients should be taught on the effective ways of calming themselves down and to remain optimistic about the conditions of their illnesses. One particular example would be to help them to divert most of their unwanted attentions from worring, grieving and feeling deeply depressed / concerned about their mental illnesses to the other light and simple activities in which they are deeply interested, such as drawing, listening to music (especially the sentimental ones) , watching funny comedies, playing video games, surfing the internet etc. Besides, somtimes an inspiring and yet casual chat with them conducted by the counselling therapist, their kin /relatives / close friends about the topics / issues at which they are good at / deeply interested in would also be helpful in lifting up their spirits.



The key point here would be to make all the necessary efforts to help these patients to cheer up / boost their sense of personal confidences and enable them to have lesser worries about their mental illnesses as well as to help them to develop their own ability to cool down so as to bring their conditions under control especially during the times of the manifestations / recurrences of all the undesirable symptoms of their mental illnesses.


Next, when these patients are able to change their perceptions (about what they see and mentally feel, naturally rather then artificially through the intake of medications) in a positively inspiring way about their surroundings, environments, people around them and then their mental conditions, particularly through the non-medication helps of psychotherapy, emotional, counselling and communication supports, then it would be very much easier for them to form their own positive thoughts and subsequently develop positive behavioural changes (as opposed to the prior / existing negative ones that are resulting from their negative views about their surroundings, environments, people around them, or any changes in them which in turn may be deemed to be stressful, emotionally unacceptable to them).