As per Newsbot

Found an article about AP's and brain shrinkage, thought it relevant as its something we've debated and rehashed over the years here. I only skimmed through it, but from what I can tell they directly address Brain Atrophy in SZ, although as I mentioned in the past, it happend to my mom's bff and she doesn't have SZ.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/09/12/loss-of-brain-tissue-in-schizophrenia-tied-to-antipsychotics/59443.html

I don't think I can afford brain shrinkage in the field I'm going into. I don't think I'm stable enough to go off meds again, but I really don't want that to happen!

I saw this on PC --horrifying.

I'm just glad someone is finally admitting that this happens. My mom's friend was accused of drug use a few years ago when a scan showed significant atrophy, and no matter how many times she said she only uses their drugs, they wouldn't believe her.

That is not good news. My AP is the glue that holds me together---I didn't do well at all until I started one, and now it doesn't look like I'll ever come off entirely even if I can wean down somewhat. Oh well....it is what it is, and I can't remember s*** half the time anyway.

There's a thread about this on the schizophrenic forum. I wonder how much 0.5 mg of risperdal affects the brain. I need a higher dose, but I want the smallest dose that I can function on as possible. I already have enough problems, last thing I need to worry about is physical issues.

One of the many reasons I will only take a PRN.

Why can't there be a med with no horrible side effects??? This is a deal breaker one for me, personally. You all know I don't LIKE taking mine, but I seriously CAN'T now. I'll just learn to deal with the swings as they come at this point. There's no way I'm allowing my brain to atrophy more than it may have already.

When I came to the world of psychforums online, I was shocked by how many people are on these things... aren't they pretty serious drugs for serious conditions? But it seems every bipolar took em and whined about how they make em feel crap, but doctors talked of compliance.... one of the reasons I strayed away from the system.

Seriously, I wish they stopped being around at insomniacs, people with depression, misbehaving kids and anxious people.

Of course it's about profit Mass psychosis in the US - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

Good to hear this is reported, although I bet soon we'll start hearing "would you rather be dumb and stable or smart and unhappy?" from doctors. But it's a start they admit it's the drugs and not your "illness" wrecking your brain.

Think about it. These drugs are ****ing around with your brain. Science doesn't know even close to half of how your brain works. Most antipsychotics are dopamine inhibitors. It is thought that psychosis might be caused by dopamine producing cells firing erratically. Parkinson's is caused by the death of dopamine producing cells. The effects would be the same. All of the literature tells us that we can expect tardive dyskenisia after being on long term antipsychotics. And all of that doesn't even begin to address what they are doing to your liver.

Do I think about that all of the time? Hell yes I do. Does it scare me enough to stop taking my meds? Sometimes. But then something happens like the other day when I woke up at 3 am because people were mumbling and moving around out in the hall. I was by myself in the house at the time. I don't want to end up in a psych ward one day with no idea of how I got there or how long I had been there. My life would essentially be over at that point.

If my brain shrinks enough my life will be essentially over too. Sure it's fine enough to come up with medication that seems to help some issues. They have known that ap's can cause brain damage of sorts for a long time now. The problem is relaying that information to the patients so they make informed choices about their health. Not peddle it as safe or safe enough and not offer other options. That should be a crime, and infact it is sometimes a crime. If it was not there would never be class action lawsuits against big pharma corps.

Nothing to see here... untill enough people see it and will not brush it under the rug.

When we are told to outweigh the risks we are often weighing them on a faulty scale without much truth. We are often only presented few choices, not all the choices. How can we weigh the risks objectively with that ?

And imagine these are peddled as "neuroprotective". And how your bipolar destroys your brain...

............... .........

They would NEVER do that.... ugh I know, and imagine they pretend it's not criminal by influencing research results, at least the ones they present. Sad thing is is that is doesnt stop at psych meds. Not even close.

I just made an appointment with the student counseling services to try to get my coping skills where they need to be so I can get off my meds for good. Well, I already just stopped taking them but I want it to be official that I'm not going to take them anymore.

I just thought of something...

What if the reason people seem to think bipolar is progressive is because the "Treatment" caused a gradual brain deterioration that actually worsens symptoms?

Now THAT's a study I want to see.

That has been my theory since the beginning CG. Damn straight I'd like to see the research on that!

I don't think we will see too many studies in that.. nor will we see too many studies on bipolar progression in people who manage it, or people who are no longer suffering with the symptoms. The last group would not likely meet requirements to be included in these studies. And that is a shame .

Sadly, some will still push APs for everything, such as low self esteem (cause hatin' yourself is psychosis, ya'll) Delusional Bipolar Depression More Common Than We Think? | Breaking Bipolar

... and proclaim poor APs are being stigmatized and people are needlessly scared of them cause of stigmatizing name Taking “Antipsychotics� Makes You Sound Particularly Crazy | Breaking Bipolar

(I wonder how much one gets paid to spew such nonsense...).

well this is all a bit much maybe,

at the beginning here I was not fussed about brain shrinkage because in lunatic fashion I consider mine needs it anyway!

but moving on through and reading I realise that somehow indeterminate, the more medication sent my way... the more I find myself trapped in the psychotic cycle.

...it just seems to become much more defined for me.

it's curious that pills designed to harmonise an unbalanced brain do in fact amplify dis-harmony but with greater distinction between up and down.
(for me)

I experience 1 to 7 days manic ....8 to 12 depressed...and 13 to 14 are remarkably fine!

it's a two week medically induced psychosis and YET?... I'm tricked into believing that those 2 very good days at the end of the cycle are because the 'medication' is working...
who knows?... maybe my brain has gone peanut and hell it's been a while now, just yesterday I thought quite vividly to myself .. "hell I'm a drug addict STILL!...even though I'm not using...but all my life I have been fed or feeding on chemicals"

my psychiatrist is my new dealer ...

the only difference is ?...I don't hang out for my medication...it's actually annoying to remember it.