Antipsychotics – a horrible replacement for even worse alternatives

A supposed relief from barbaric treatments

Before 1952 and the introduction of the first antipsychotic drug, chlorpromazine, psychiatry was relying on ‘treatments’ for psychosis or schizophrenia such as lobotomy, electroshock and chemical shock using insulin or drugs like cardiazol. ¹

These ‘therapies’ came with severe side effects which were often despised by the public and even some psychiatrists were repulsed by what they were doing. Antipsychotic drugs then were seen much as a ‘relief’ as an advancement. At least psychiatrists weren’t tearing through brain tissues as in lobotomy.

Psychiatry has no idea of the actual cause of the various things they label as psychosis or schizophrenia.

Unlike the fraud of the ‘chemical imbalance’ in depression, there isn’t even an attempt to pass off antipsychotics as a cure for anything. They merely suppress symptoms and indeed some of the uses these drugs are put to can only be described as keeping people tractable.

These drugs have long been known as the ‘chemical straightjacket’. ^{2 3}

These terms loosely describe first-generation antipsychotics: typical and second-generation antipsychotics: atypical.

Both generations of antipsychotics are based on limiting dopamine effectiveness in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical produced by the brain that assists in the communication between neurons. The difference is that second-generation antipsychotics also limit serotonin effectiveness – also a communication assistant, but affecting different bodily functions and responses than dopamine. ⁸

“Subjectively, akathisia may present with an inner restlessness that involves mainly the legs but can also involve the arms or trunk, a compulsion to move, dysphoria [feeling of discomfort or distress], anxiety, inner tension, and other less common symptoms such as rage, fear, nausea, or worsening of psychotic symptoms. Objectively, akathisia may present with fidgetiness of the hands, arms, and limbs, complex repetitive movements, persistent swinging and crossing and uncrossing of the legs, moving from foot to foot, walking, and pacing.”

Fernando Espi Forcen, Konstantina Matsoukas and Yesne Alici. Antipsychotic-induced akathisia in delirium: A systematic review.¹⁰

Tardive Dyskinesia is a result of psychotropic drug use, usually antipsychotics, and manifests as involuntary movements in the jaw, lips, and tongue but these involuntary movements can affect any part of the body. They can include facial grimacing, sticking out their tongue, making a sucking or fish-like movement with their mouth, rapid jerking movements in their arms and legs, and slow, twisting movements of any body part. ¹²

This condition is evident in 25% of persons who have taken antipsychotics in the long term and can take years to remedy and in some cases will be permanent. ^{13 14}

Drug-induced Parkinsonism has almost identical symptoms to Parkinson’s disease and patients can often be misdiagnosed as having the disease itself.

It is the most common movement type side effect of antipsychotics. The frequency of the condition among patients varies greatly depending on the drug taken but can range from 2.4% to 29%. In a population of long-stay persons in mental health facilities receiving antipsychotic treatment, Parkinsonism reached 20.8%. ^{15 16}

The symptoms include; tremors including resting tremors, muscle stiffness, slow gait and movements, problems with posture and balance and impaired speech.

Both typical and atypical antipsychotics can bring about drug-induced Parkinsonism. ^{17 18}

“Dystonias are involuntary contractions of antagonistic muscle groups [one relaxes, the other contracts], leading to twisting, sustained and repetitive motions or abnormal postures, most commonly in the head, face and neck. These can be painful and highly distressing…. Dystonias typically occur within hours to days of antipsychotic administration or dose increase, almost always within the first five days.”

T. Scott Stroup and Neil Gray. Management of common adverse effects of antipsychotic medications ¹⁹

A 2020 study found 6.8% of a group of adults and children treated with antipsychotics developed dystonias. ²⁰

Sudden cardiac death

Large studies of antipsychotic users have found a small risk of sudden cardiac death. There was no significant difference between typical or atypical antipsychotics and the risk was highest when persons were actually receiving the drugs, not after. A 2001 study of 481, 744 persons on antipsychotics found 1,487 confirmed resultant deaths. ^{21 22}

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome

This syndrome is rare but potentially life-threatening. It can occur when you take antipsychotics or months after. Symptoms are: High fever (102 to 104 F), muscle stiffness, sweating a lot, anxiety or other changes in mental state, fast or abnormal heartbeat, quick breathing and more saliva than usual. Among other things, it can cause heart, lung and kidney failure and pneumonia. ²³

Constipation

Antipsychotic drugs can often result in constipation, which if not treated can bring about further complications and even death. Persons on antipsychotics have been found to downplay this side effect and yet should be medically monitored to ensure complications do not occur. ²⁴

Weight Gain – Diabetes

Most antipsychotics produce weight gain which can result in factors that will produce Metabolic syndrome. This syndrome directly affects conditions in the body that result in diabetes and heart disease. This weight gain can increase the risk of diabetes by 5X and heart disease by 2x over a period of 5 years. A study of persons with schizophrenia found Metabolic syndrome present in 35%. ²⁵

Sexual dysfunction

This is a common side effect of antipsychotics and is reported as occurring in 45 to 80% of males and 30 to 80% of females. A 2012 study of women on antipsychotics found that 44% had experienced menstrual irregularities from irregular flows to none. ^{26 27}

Sedation and sleep

Depending on the drug used and doses, sedation can be a significant side effect resulting in lessened social activity and even inability to function at work. It has also been noted as a factor in blood clots in the veins found in persons on antipsychotics. Lessened sleep is also a known factor as a result of these drugs.²⁸

Orthostatic hypotension

This simply means a low blood pressure effect found when you stand up from sitting or laying down. Antipsychotics commonly produce this side effect. When severe it can produce heart attack or stroke. ²⁹

Behavioral addictions/impulse control disorders

Some antipsychotics can result in side effects of compulsive behaviours including hypersexuality, gambling, shopping, and eating all taken to potential damaging extremes. These are said to cease when the particular drug is no longer used.  ³⁰

Clozapine specific

In addition to the more general side effects, clozapine has some that are specific to it. These can include neutropenia ( low levels of certain white blood cells), agranulocytosis (severely low levels of white blood cells) and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart). ³⁴

Other side effects

There are other side effects that, by comparison, are relatively minor such as dry mouth, fast heart rate, blurry vision and increased breast milk.

Statements regarding relapse rates for antipsychotics are meaningless as these drugs do not even attempt a cure. They have no lasting effect except for dangerous side effects.

Despite statements of the dangers of the drugs, psychiatry simply has no technology to replace them that would actually cure what they call psychosis or schizophrenia.

“While the option of successfully discontinuing antipsychotics once a favourable response has been achieved would be highly desirable, the reality is that no current strategies can realistically be expected to achieve this goal.” 

Emsley R. Antipsychotic maintenance treatment in schizophrenia and the importance of preventing relapse. ³⁵.