Antipsychotics / Neuroleptics For Mental Disorders - Comments, The Underlying Truth About Antipsychotics / Neuroleptics Options

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Antipsychotics / Neuroleptics For Mental Disorders - Comments



In terms of antipsychotics / neuroleptics meant for the treatments of mental disorders , clinical evidences actually 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.


To put it bluntly, such 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, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, Parkinsonism disorders etc from such medications in the end.


In such a connection, psychotherapy, counselling, emotional and other communication / interactive 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 / personality 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.


Lastly, I hope that the information given above will turn out to be useful to its intended readers. Thank you.



Related References :



Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) :


http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/extrapyram...l-symptoms.html


Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) :

http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/tardive-dy...dyskinesia.html


Antipsychotics :

http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/antipsycho...psychotics.html

[ntuc]

Dopamine & Mental Disorders



Dopamine is actually one of the main neurotransmitters chemicals secreted and released by the countless of neurons (nerve cells) and brain cells of our miscellaneous bodily nervous systems and brains. Whilst the other main neurotransmitters chemicals would be Serotonin which plays the important role in "determining" how we feel based on whatever we see / perceive.



And well, the main function of the fluidly neurotransmitters chemical dopamine, which exist everywhere and anywhere in our human bodies and within the miscellaneous nervous systems, and "work" closely, mechanically and spontaneously with one another, is actually to control and co-ordinate our human bodily movements through their synaptic activities.



Basically, the synaptic activities is all about sending and receiving the various nerve and sensory impulses (originating from our sensory perceptions, feelings and thoughts) to the brains along the miscellaneous bodily nervous systems so that all the human bodily movements can be conducted freely at will by any normal human beings.



Nevertheless, the synaptic activities of the neurotransmitters chemical dopamine, in certain cases, can be interrupted and disrupted by the artificial curative mechanisms of certain medications, especially the mind-altering drugs such as antipsychotics / neuroleptics that serve to numb the cognitive senses of the brains by preventing the "neuro-traffics" of such nerve and sensory impulses from getting sent to / from the brains, resulting thus in miscellaneous neurological and neuromuscular disorders which are caused by interruptions to the synaptic activities of the neurotransmitters chemical, dopamine.



As such, please consider the excerpts below :

"All antipsychotic drugs tend to block D2 receptors in the dopamine pathways of the brain. This means that dopamine released in these pathways has less effect. Excess release of dopamine in the mesolimbic pathway has been linked to psychotic experiences. It is the blockade of dopamine receptors in this pathway that is thought to control psychotic experiences"

which are quoted from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipsychotics



In such a connection, the neurological and neuromuscular disorders caused by interruptions to the neurotransmitters chemical dopamine would be especially the movement disorders of Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) , Tardive Dyskinesia, Dystonia, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS), Parkinsonism etc.


Hence, please consider the excerpts below :

"Dyskinesias are movement disorders and can include any of a number of repetitive, involuntary, and purposeless body or facial movements.
They can include:

Tongue movements, such as "tongue thrusts" or "fly-catching" movements
Lip smacking
Finger movements
Eye blinking
Movements of the arms or legs.

An individual may or may not be aware of these movements. These movements are usually quite recognizable, and many people fear that others will know they are taking an antipsychotic medication due to these unusual movements.

Tardive dyskinesia is a dyskinesia that occurs after long-term treatment with an antipsychotic medication. Sometimes, this condition may become permanent."

which are quoted from :

http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/extrapyram...l-symptoms.html



Other Related Information :


Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) :

http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/tardive-dy...dyskinesia.html



Antipsychotics :

http://schizophrenia.emedtv.com/antipsycho...psychotics.html


Related Information About Synaptic Activities Disorders of Neurotransmitters Dopamine & The Related Cures For Them :

http://www.curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1631689#i

http://www.curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1428915#i

http://www.curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1428920#i

http://www.curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1233341#i