[Ripose]

I hope that everyone taking prescription drugs knows how dangerous they really are especially Benzodiazapines and Anti-Psychotics.

The longer you take them the more likely it is you will suffer addiction and health problems such as brain atrophy.

Trying to stop these drugs is difficult at best and in some cases impossible as your brain has been permanently altered by these toxic substances.

If you don't believe me than find a doctor who will tell you the truth!

Also Mad In America is good website to start reading about psychoactive drugs and psychiatry in general.

Psychiatrists, well knowing the adverse effects of these meds still dole them out like candy, and it's getting worse.

Don't believe the hype, search the Internet and find out the truth for yourself.

[Altered Moment]

I would suggest you get your information from the actual studies and in peer reviewed well respected journals (nature.com) for example. Personally I do not consider madinamerica a reliable source for a number of reasons. Hype and misrepresentation being two.

Adverse effects of atypical antipsychotics : differential risk and ... - PubMed - NCBI

The below study shows neuroprotective effects and neurogenesis from AAP's

Neuroprotective effect of atypical antipsychotics in cognitive and non-cognitive behavioral impairment in animal models

This study in the British Journal of Psychiatry Contradicts the above study

http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/198/2/85.long

Conclusions

Antipsychotics are undoubtedly useful in suppressing the symptoms of psychotic conditions, but the evidence presented here suggests there is little basis to the belief that they reverse an underlying neurodegenerative process in people with schizophrenia or psychosis. Neuropathological studies do not support the idea that antipsychotic drugs, including the new or atypical antipsychotics, have neuroprotective effects. Some research suggests they may even contribute to the decline in brain volume seen in people with these diagnoses, and they are known to induce neurological damage in the form of tardive dyskinesia in some long-term users. The idea that antipsychotic drugs are neuroprotective should not therefore be used as a justification for prescribing or continuing to prescribe them, if other considerations do not also support their use. Psychiatrists should be particularly cautious about the use of antipsychotics in the early or prodromal stages of psychosis, where, as others have pointed out, there is the potential to do much harm.15

A good article summarizing AAP's and volume loss in areas of the brain.

Antipsychotics and the Shrinking Brain | Psychiatric Times

Taken together, these studies suggest that antipsychotics may contribute to early gray matter loss and, later in the course of treatment, to white matter loss. These effects may be dose-related and probably are not prevented by the use of second-generation agents. This argues for minimizing antipsychotic exposure both acutely and long-term. However, we are left with the additional dilemma that a longer duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) may also be neurotoxic. Longer DUP has been associated with poorer symptomatic and functional outcomes7 as well as brain volume loss.8 Studies of DUP have their own methodological limitations and controversies, but they should serve to warn us that the rapid control of psychosis may also be important.

Psychosis at any phase of the illness can be extremely distressing, disruptive, and potentially dangerous for patient and family. New approaches for early intervention are needed and, with existing drugs, the potential for neurotoxicity must be weighed against short-term and long-term clinical gains. In the meantime, clinicians should avoid using antipsychotics unnecessarily and, when needed, use the lowest effective dose.

Antipsychotics for schizophrenia associated with subtle loss in brain volume -- ScienceDaily

"Although proof that antipsychotic medications cause reductions in brain volume in individuals with schizophrenia remains elusive, the findings of Ho and colleagues, in concert with those of the aforementioned animal studies and prior reports in humans, raise the important question of the clinical significance of the observed brain volume changes," writes David A. Lewis, M.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, in an accompanying editorial.
"A classic maxim in clinical medicine is to treat the patient, not the laboratory test -- or in this case, the MRI," Dr. Lewis writes. "Thus, the findings of Ho and colleagues should not be construed as an indication for discontinuing the use of antipsychotic medications as a treatment for schizophrenia. But they do highlight the need to closely monitor the benefits and adverse effects of these medications in individual patients, to prescribe the minimal amount needed to achieve the therapeutic goal, to consider the addition of non-pharmacological approaches that may improve outcomes and to continue the pursuit of new antipsychotic medications with different mechanisms of action and more favorable benefit to harm ratios."

Here is a good article talking about the effects on the brain of the psychiatric disorders themselves, neurogenesis (increase in volume) and cell death (decrease in volume) in different parts of the brain with AAP use. Depends on which one exactly and may cause new growth in one part and cell death in another part. Notice it lists 72 references at the end. Articles in madinamerica often refer to there own books or their own articles as references.

http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/569521

All the media attention on AAP's and brain damage came from one study. Do a google search on "Atypical Antipsychotics and Brain Damage" and look for very reputable sources. You won't find much except for Breggin, madinamerica, and toxicpsychiatry.com.

You have to parse out what all the studies in total tell us. It is always a risk vs benefit analysis but when making that assessment you want the best available information (peer reviewed, established, respected journals).

The adverse metabolic effects of AAP's are pretty well known so I won't cite those.

I am not at all arguing that AAP's don't have adverse effects. Personally I don't think they should be prescribed for insomnia, anxiety, depression, and so on. I think they should be used only for serious psychosis. But they are finding they are effective for anxiety and depression and many people here who don't have psychosis would not give up there AAP's even knowing the dangers. I don't want to take one but I might if it had enough benefit. If you told me my depression would be gone for life but I would die ten years earlier because of an AAP I would probably take it anyway.

My whole point is to get your information from the most reliable sources possible when making a decision on an AAP or any drug and not just "the internet" in whole.

[Altered Moment]

Peter Breggin, owner or toxicpsychiatry.com and breggin.com, and writes for madinamerica a lot for example believes=
that we should get rid of all psyche meds, that each and everyone disables the functioning of the brain similar to a lobotomy.

He believes that if a psyche med is working that in reality it is us deluding ourselves into believing it is working when it really isn't. "Spellbinding". Apparently we are not smart enough or aware enough to tell if a psyche med is helping us or not??? Really???

He believes there is not basis for genetics and biology in psychiatric disorders. Its all made up. Really??? Can I post at least two hundred studies that show otherwise? Yes.

He believes that all the diagnosis in the DSM are concocted. Not real. So my depression is not a real disorder??? Just a spiritual malady that I have not been able to fix with a life time of spiritual practice???

Quote from Peter Breggin

Dr. Peter Breggin argued that people with schizophrenia bring the symptoms on themselves because of “cowardice” or “failure of nerve.”

Breggin PR, The Psychology of Freedom (Buffalo: Prometheus Books, 1980).

I find that Peter Breggin, Robert Whitaker, and madinamerica use hype, misrepresentation of studies and the total body of knowledge, and political tactics to further their agenda. I have seen enough of it to not rely on them as a source. This does not mean I disagree with everything they say or that they don't make good points. But for me personally if I find a doctor totally misrepresents a study in one video or article their credibility is gone in my eyes.

[Ripose]

No matter how many links, studies and quotes you post the fact still remains that toxic drugs should be the LAST avenue of approach in treating MI. Doctors are far too quick when prescribing drugs.

Thanks for your input Zinco.

[sabby]

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