schizophrenia minus the meds

[Doodazzle]

Anti-Authoritarians and Schizophrenia: Do Rebels Who Defy Treatment Do Better?

Harrow’s study does not challenge the idea that for those in the acute phase of a psychotic reaction, the short-term use of some tranquilizing medication can be helpful. Harrow’s results do challenge the idea that all patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders need to remain on psychiatric medication throughout their lives.

“Recovery,” according to the study criteria, required no psychotic symptoms, no rehospitalizations during the follow-up year, and partially adequate (or better) work and social functioning. Among the schizophrenia patients who remained continuously on antipsychotics throughout the 20 years of the study, only 17% ever entered into any period of recovery during any of the six follow-ups. By contrast, among the schizophrenia patients who remained off antipsychotics after the two-year follow-up and for the remainder of the 20 years, 87% experienced two or more periods of recovery.

The psychiatric establishment would like the public to believe that diagnosed schizophrenics who stopped taking their medication and gained recovery must have either been misdiagnosed or were less severely psychotic. However, Harrow makes clear, “At the 2-year assessment there were no significant differences in severity of psychosis between SZ on antipsychotic medications and SZ not on any medications. However, starting at the 4.5-year follow-ups and continuing over the next 15 years, the SZ who were not on antipsychotic medications were significantly less psychotic than those on antipsychotics.”

A family member has schizophrenia and has been on anti psychotics for decades. I've watched him over the years seem to get progressively less intelligent, more anxious--but also, over the years, experience less and less extreme bouts of madness. Well, he is continuously delusional, but does not allow the wierd ideas to control his life too much, and does not bug out because of them. Anymore.

I've seen him at his worst and I am absolutely not arguing against medication entirely. I'm not arguing anything, in fact. I just look back and wonder--would a supportive environment and temprary meds have served him better?Better than life-long usage of anti-psychotics. BTW, I've tried anti-psyches--no fun. Once upon a time, he and I seemed of comparable intelligence--now, he seems a little slow, for example he now has trouble with math, which he once excelled at.

I've pondered over his situation and wondered how he would fair without the meds, but since he's stable now....and I wonder how would he be taken off the meds now, with his reduced cognitive capacity.

Anyway, I'm not asking for advice on his situation, not seeking nor offering medical advice of any kind here. Harrow's study is quite interesting to me.

 

[DreaMTripper]

A freind of a freind had a psycotic episode so they dosed him up continuously for 2 weeks on a particular anti-psycotic it left him with severe involuntarily jerking movements so he now has to take it all the time as the drug that controls it also causes it which is just so f**ked up.
The more anxious he gets about it the worse it gets meaning more anxiety so a viscious circle.

Psyciatrists are in the pockets of the pharmaceuticals, get
'gifts' and prescribe with no regards to the medications adverse long term effects. Its outrageous.

 

[corpus callosum]

Psyciatrists are in the pockets of the pharmaceuticals, get
'gifts' and prescribe with no regards to the medications adverse long term effects. Its outrageous.

^^This, IMO, is a gross generalization which lacks validity; the distasteful aspects of psychiatric pharmacology result from a number of factors including a less than adequate understanding of the underlying neurochemical/neurophysiological aberrations, the financial and legal imperatives which govern research and development, the price and time differentials which are apparent with other therapeutic modalities and, to some degree, the relegation of psychiatric/psychological ailments behind the more 'tangible' physical ailments.

 

[DreaMTripper]

Yes it was, apologies for the kneejerk statement, 'I have heard from a psychology student that some in Australia' I should have written, how much the system is played I dont know Im led to believe its widely spread..

 

[Nathanial.Dread]

Antipsychotics are probably the scariest class of drugs that I can think of. I'm less nervous about things like datura than I am around these drugs, and while I know that there are people out there who have been helped by them, I have yet to meet such a person in life.

Psychosis runs pretty deep in my family, and a lot of those who daily take antipsychotic drugs seem like they have just been lobotomized. The life, the spirit, the wonder, all of the things we use psychedelics to try and cultivate, have just been removed.

Blessings
~ND

 

[PowerfulMedicine]

Psyciatrists are in the pockets of the pharmaceuticals, get
'gifts' and prescribe with no regards to the medications adverse long term effects. Its outrageous.

^^This, IMO, is a gross generalization which lacks validity; the distasteful aspects of psychiatric pharmacology result from a number of factors including a less than adequate understanding of the underlying neurochemical/neurophysiological aberrations, the financial and legal imperatives which govern research and development, the price and time differentials which are apparent with other therapeutic modalities and, to some degree, the relegation of psychiatric/psychological ailments behind the more 'tangible' physical ailments.

This doesn't lack validity. It is totally valid in many cases. Not all cases, but many.

Many if not most psychiatrists become psychiatrists because they want to help people. But many people become psychiatrists just to gain the power, money, and prestige of being a doctor. Corruption will always result where there is a place for it. Even people who entered this field with altruistic intentions can become disillusioned and fall into apathy and corruption. Psychiatry is the medical field where it is easiest to sneak in useless and harmful medicine because lack of knowledge can always be blamed.

The modern medical system is a flawed system as a whole. It is run as a business and this necessitates some level of disregard for the well being of others. You can blame it on bureaucracy and lack of knowledge, but the reason these conditions exist is because of the lack of regard for the individual by those in power. And it is delusional to think that the people are in control of this worldwide oligarchy.

Money is power, so the bottom line is the only thing that is holy to those in power, even when lives are on the line. Our only consolation in this case is that treatment of psychiatric conditions is much better now than it used to be. At least you can live a free life with something like schizophrenia. You may essentially be lobotomized, but you don't necessarily have to be confined to a sanitarium.