#antipsychotics

[schizosupport]

Speaking of drugs, there's a new antipsychotic that has now been approved by the FDA, 'Cobenfy'. What's interesting about it is that its mechanism of action is completely different from any other existing antipsychotic since the 1950s where the 'current lineup' was born. It regulates acetylcholine (related to memory, learning and attention) and doesn't touch the dopaminergic system at all. In clinical trials it has proven an effective treatment for positive symptoms of psychosis at least on par with existing antipsychotics. A completely new mechanism of action gives hope to people who are treatment resistant and that's likely where it will be used most at first. But it is also going to have a very very different side effect profile, so for a lot of people this could prove more tolerable and helpful than the existing medications.

Now that it's going to start being prescribed, it will generate a lot of real world data. I'm daring to be cautiously optimistic.

[nudityandnerdery]

Important seasonal reminder, if you're on meds for chronic or mental illnesses, they can cause you problems with the heat! Thanks to spoonfulofhan on Twitter for these! She also has tips for dealing with the heat:

[serenityquest]

[whereserpentswalk]

When I say I want pysch meds to be less stigmatized I don't just mean people should be allowed to talk about the ways meds helped them, or talk about how they used to have depression and then meds cured them. People need to be allowed to talk about the way medication has harmed them and hurt them, about going off of meds, about the way the system forces meds onto people and doesn't care about their well beings, about side effects that most neurotypical people would find horrifying, about not wanting to be on meds, about being on meds but not magically becoming normal. The neurodivergent/mentally ill experience should not be watered down to make people comfortable, and especially not to make people comfortable with the largely neurotypical run medical system that often victimizes us as much as it helps us.

[schizodiaries]

excessive heat and antipsychotics

Where I live, temperatures during the summer can reach “triple digits,” or over 100 °F (37 °C). We had our first triple digit weather of the year just last week, and it’s only going to get hotter as we progress further into summer.

Something I learned only a few years ago is that some medications, including antipsychotics, can affect your body’s ability to regulate heat. Meaning that those who take these meds are more at risk of life-threatening, heat-related illnesses such as hyperthermia or heat stroke.

If you’re on psych meds and live in an area known for extreme heat or humidity, please do your very best to stay as cool as possible. Keep plenty of water with you, try to stay in cool and shaded areas, wear loose-fitting and lightweight clothing, and familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses. (These are things everyone should do but I wanted to emphasize it for psychiatric medication users specifically because of our impaired ability to regulate our body temperature. But I want everyone to stay safe in hot weather.)

Here are some links to some helpful information I found, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control And Prevention*

Preventing Heat-Related Illnesses

Symptoms of Heat-Related Illnesses

Heat and Medications (intended for clinicians but has useful info for patients as well)

Risk Factors of Heat Stress (PDF/infographic intended for workers)

*Note that because this is a U.S. based organization that they will use Fahrenheit for temperature. I recommend using google search to convert units of measurement.

[hellsbaby]

i don’t want to take antipsychotics, what if i lose my sparkle?

the sparkle: i’m being gang stalked by the cia. they put a chip in my brain

[zebulontheplanet]

I’m a calm person. I don’t usually have meltdowns. This is because I’m on antipsychotics that make me very calm.

This is the reality for a lot of autistic people who are on antipsychotics. Some are on antipsychotics just for their autism, some for other reasons but they help with their autism.

Autistics getting on antipsychotics for their meltdowns to be less damaging and violent is more common than people think and it needs to be talked about more.

[souvlakic]

[neuroticboyfriend]

reminder that seroquel is neurotoxic. as in, toxic to your nervous system. i understand some people are willing to deal with that for the medicinal benefit but i need every person on this to know. you are taking a neurotoxic substance.

you are taking a substance that acts on 47? receptors in your brain (most medications act on one to several but my god not 47). it is an anticholinergic (class of medications that have been linked to dementia), an antihistamine, and it blocks serontonin. it is basically a chemical lobotomy and in fact, thats how some doctors describe antipsychotics when they were developed - as a chemical alternative to a lobotomy.

it also carries risk of metabolic syndrome, movement disorders, increases stroke risk, (rarely) can increase your QtC interval (heart thing) leading to a condition that causes sudden death. if you have sleep apnea or POTS it can make that worse - same with diabetes and insulin resistance. i could go on. the side effects from this are many and serious.

i dont have energy for sources now so please factcheck me and do your own research but by the love of god.. i just want mentally ill people to know the risks of their medication so they can make an informed choice. especially since many of us are on this for years, indefinitely, effectively for the rest of our lives.

please, if you're on any antipsychotic (or any medication), do research and do what's best for you. ask for alternatives if you must. you deserve and need a good quality of life and it is entirely understandable and normal for the risks and harms of these medications to outweigh the benefits.

if you continue to take these please monitor your health and implement preventative measures. be safe. you are loved.

[schizopositivity]

So I was searching for a new psychiatrist online, and every website filter, every description they have, for individual providers and medical groups will include a whole bunch of different mental illnesses and life situations that they specialize in. Basically every mental illness and stressful life situation you could think of. But I didn't see schizophrenia or psychosis on any list. They had mental illnesses that can have psychotic symptoms (like bipolar disorder or PTSD) and mental illnesses that have overlapping symptoms with schizophrenia (like ASD and ADHD) but didn't have psychosis or schizophrenia anywhere.

And this is so frustrating, because I'm used to therapists not knowing how to treat schizophrenia/psychosis at all, that's been every therapist I've ever had and I've sadly learned to deal with that. But for psychiatrists, I'd really love to be able to be prescribed high doses of antipsychotics by someone who knows how that affects people. Someone who has enough experience to list that as a specialty. I live in a small city with a long list of psychiatrists, I even checked ones farther away that could do online sessions. Still after hours of combing through websites I found nothing. I was even told by my therapist that normal primary care providers regularly hesitate or refuse to prescribe antipsychotics because it's a "liability".

And it feels so unfair. Seeing psychiatrists say "mental health is so important! I can help you find your best self!" while ignoring all of us who rely on antipsychotics to function. For me my antipsychotics are the biggest reason I'm alive today, that I have a job, that I have a long term relationship, that I have friends, that I can even function. Going off of antipsychotics is not a safe option for me.

The pharmacy requires refill approval from a psychiatrist or Dr. so that I can have access to my meds. And I shouldn't have to keep settling for mental health care workers who don't understand my illness, don't want to prescribe my meds, and don't care to try.

I don't understand how there can be such a major gap in mental health care that's never even talked about. For a lot of us with schizophrenia, antipsychotics are extremely important, and going off of them can have major consequences. The fact that medication can dramatically improve our lives is incredible, but the fact that so many mental health care workers don't understand it, don't want to prescribe it, or just guess when prescribing it is horrendous, and has life-changing consequences for us.

It feels so isolating to not even be on a long list of mental health problems, and to speak to countless people who've dedicated their life to the mental health field, yet don't even consider you as an option. I just got rejected by a group of 6 psychiatrists working in an office together. In a quick email they said they wouldn't be able to provide care for me. Apparently all of them, who are available and licensed to care for people with mental illnesses, don't even think it's possible that any one of them could help me. All I need is medication refill approval, but apparently they can't do that. It feels so defeating but I'm going to keep trying because I have to.

I am not an anomaly, I am one small part of a large group of people with my same diagnosis. And we all need care at the bare minimum, but we deserve care that has us in mind for once. One day, I'd like to think, that a profession centered around helping people with various mental illnesses and struggles, would add us to the list. Because we are here regardless.

[little-cirrus-fibratus]

My art pre and post antipsychotics

This is my art from before I was 14. My schizophrenia began early, back then I was diagnosed with schizotypal disorder, which was actually just the prodromal stage to my schizophrenia (in my case). Before I began antipsychotics I would say I had a very vivid imagination, I would create connections between things so quickly, and I had a whole lot of inspiration. I must say, my thinking was quite bizarre, but original and unique and often quite valuable artistically speaking.

This is my art now. Some might say there is not much of a difference, but to me it feels like there is. When I first started antipsychotics I must say a lost my inspiration, my creativity. Others said my art looked good, but it didn't quite have that "soul" or that "spark" I didn't feel connected to it and so my inspiration went away. There was a period of time where I didn't get any pleasure or enjoyment out of creating art at all. But, I must say that that doesn't last forever, my art just became different, I learned how to create with my newfound "non-psychotic-ness" and I found the enjoyment and pleasure in it again.

This is simply my experience, antipsychotics work differently for everyone, but if you experience a loss of inspiration or creativity from your antipsychotics, you will work around it, you will find it again, you might just need to get a little used to it and I would recommend trying different techniques and mediums. If you usually draw, try clay, or poetry or writing. Your art might change but it is not a bad thing, you will find your spark again, creativity doesn't just leave forever, it will be back.

[reesedragon]

Hey guys! I hear there's some wild heat in the pacific northwest!

Antipsychotics WILL make things worse for you. Here are tips from me, a person who moved to hot land and was not prepared.

Drink water before you are thirsty. Drink water knowing you will pee so much. Pee and keep drinking. Have water at all times. Short walk? Bring water. Can't drink water? Drink wet things. The important part is you are intaking H2O molecules, your body won't care if they're in coca cola. The takeaway is to just drink an amount of liquids that you consider absurd.

Take as many breaks as you can. Take breaks before you need them. If you work, tell your boss your psych meds make you unable to deal with heat well, and would like not to get heat stroke and have to sue them. Lawsuits are to bosses what crosses are to vampires.

Clothing: loose weaves, feels thin between the fingers, loose on the body, and if you're going in the sun, the lighter the color the better. Black absorbs sun. Lose your modesty. If you're fat, beware "chub rub" of the thighs, sweat makes it worse. Swim suit shorts are nice.

If you need modesty for religion, please wear loose flowy thin light colored fabrics. Also I am impressed by you.

Keep to the shade. Don't be afraid to sit on cool rocks, sidewalks even. Lizards are wise. Strangers are stupid.

Eat small frequent meals. A big meal will raise your stomachs temperature.

Cooling is a process your body does, but just like muscular movement, your cooling systems can't go at their full output forever, and they certainly can't do it on empty. Water is the fuel. External cooling and mitigation efforts are the rest.

If you've ever been through extreme cold, its the same concept; there is a way to tell if you are approaching your limit before you reach it, but it takes hitting that limit many times to learn your body's tells. Until you learn those tells, you act like you're close all the time just in case. Until you know your tells, you will only know you are in danger once you've hit the limit of your own endurance, and your homeostatic system is exhausted.

Moderate caffeine usage is ok, but tons of caffeine WILL raise your temperature. Energy drinks for work will make you just as tired but hot now.

Stay safe and be well!

[schizosupport]

Is it bad to only be taking zyprexa when other medications are safer? I’m thinking perhaps quetiapine is safer but do you know if it works for schizo spec folks? I’m afraid of heavy medication and I believe in the right to not be as medicated if you want to but I also want to be safe and get help

Hey there!

Zyprexa (olanzapine) isn't necessarily less safe than quetiapine, though most people I know who tried both find zyprexa to be "heavier". It's known to have a pretty profoundly sedating effect on most people. Quetiapine does cause a lot of sleepiness and some sedation too, though, in comparison with some other APs.

It cannot be said that this or that antipsychotic is always better for everyone, because everyone reacts very differently to the same med. All the antipsychotics can potentially work for schizo spec folks, and all of them can potentially have the worst side effect profile for you personally.

I would say that if zyprexa is the first and only one you've tried, and it's working for you but the side effects are fucking with you, it is worth it to try something else. Bc it is one of those that trends towards being heavy in side effects. Knowledge about which side effects bother you the most, can help guide which med to try next. For example, if it's the sedation, I wouldn't suggest quetiapine as a replacement as it's also fairly sedating.

But to answer your question, there's nothing bad about taking a medication if it works for you and you have chosen to take it. Yes, it's important to be aware of your options, but if zyprexa is helping you and you aren't having a ton of side effects, there's nothing inherently wrong with taking that med.

Hope that helped!

[whereserpentswalk]

People will really be out here like "this new medication is great and helpful it just has a few side effects that are totally normal and shouldn't mean I should stop taking them..." and then describe side effects that would get you involuntarily hospitalized if they came from a mental illness instead of medication.

[gifdog]

i <3 my meds

[borderlinereminders]

Have you ever been on antipsychotics and how do you feel about them in general? I saw this being discussed on my dash and it made me wonder

I was put on one at one point. I stopped taking them because of the side effects. I was met with a lot of push backs because “it helps your moods and emotions!” Like yes? By making me numb to everything. I’d rather feel pain than feel numb. Not to say it makes everyone feel numb but this leads into my answer for the second part…

I think they should be a personal decision. And I think people should be told honestly what all the potential symptoms are of taking the meds and long term consequences. So often people are just prescribed stuff and told it will help without being given the proper information to make an informed choice.

I think you’re valid if you take them and they help but I also think you’re valid if you decided they aren’t for you.