MEDICAL ERRORS-ANTI-PSYCHOTIC DRUGS

 ANTIPSYCHOTICS OR NEUROLEPTICS

Dopamine Flow in the Brain

Medical errors are substantially increasing in society.

The Erratic Effects of Psychiatric Drugs:-

1.Sleeping Pills (Anxiolytics & Sedatives)↛ Insomnia, parasomnia, somnambulant, anxiety and sedation.

2.Antipsychotics        ↛ Depression, sedation, 

3.Antidepressants       ↛  Excitation, Agitation,&                                                                   Psychosis    All the above can precipitate anticholinergic and extrapyramidal side effect including Parkinson Disease (P.D), Alzheimer's Disease (A.D), panic and sleep disorders etc. etc. 

To have a clear look please click on the figure

Most of them are due to the unawareness of the patients and the non-descriptive drug information by the prescriber and the pharmacist. Antipsychotic drugs are nowadays very commonly taken by the public for years and years. They carry very old prescription to go to the pharmacy and buy the medicines directly from the counter without any restriction and care. They are not aware of the time limit set by their doctor to take the drug. They become an addict to that. They do not revisit the doctor for further opinion on whether to continue the medication or not. This is due to the addiction developed into them. The addictive mind masks the person from taking care of his own health.

All the psychiatric treatments are unrealistic and they do not bring the cure or solution to the problem rather they push the problem further into a deep crisis. (See Fig above).

For example, long use of sleeping medicines to treat insomnia leads to tolerance to produce again insomnia, agitation, and depression. 

Then a long time use of antidepressants leads to agitation and psychoses. 

Then to treat psychosis the patient is asked to take antipsychotics. Prolonged use of antipsychotics leads to again depression. 

The cycle is going without any end and then where is the real cure.

What is Psychosis:-

The Brain 
To see clear please click on the figure

In our Brain System, there are some hormones which are known as brain or central stimulating hormones. They are as follows:-

1.Norepinephrine or Noradrenaline

2.Dopamine

3.Acetylcholine

4.Aspartic acid

5.Glutamic Acid

Out of all the above five, dopamine takes the centre as it is concerned with our mental power of physical movements, memory, motivations and emotional response, reward-motivated behaviour and desire, addiction, hormonal regulations, maternal behaviour (nurturing), pregnancy and sensations.

The 4 Dopamine Pathways
To see still clear please click on the figure

Dopamine takes the central place of controlling motor functions, motivation, arousal, reinforcements, executive functions and rewards at a higher level. Also, it controls functions including breastfeeding, sexual gratification and nausea at a lower level. Due to some pathological condition if dopamine is overactive and all of its above functions exceed beyond the limit it leads to a mental overactivity known as psychosis. To read further 1.click (2.here).

The above picture shows the normal pathways of dopamine in our brain. But if when a person repeatedly subjected to continuous and severe pressing situations and trauma then that person become psychotic due to the exacerbated dopamine travel.

The person goes to a psychiatrist to solve this problem. The doctor prescribes antipsychotic drugs. It is totally absurd to take drugs to solve mental problems. Because all psych drugs are neurotoxic and produce serious side effects in later periods.

All antipsychotic drugs such as haloperidol, fluphenazine, chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, perphenazine, and thiothixene are blocking dopamine to reach its receptors and reduce its activities in the brain. Chronic use of these drugs produces serious side effects including Parkinson Disease (P.D), extrapyramidal effects like tardive dyskinesia, akathisia, bradykinesia and many other complications including anticholinergic and endocrine side effects.

Antipsychotics may not produce the required effects immediately but sedation and other side effects can occur rapidly.

Dopamine Blockade
To see clearly click on the figure

Parkinson Disease (P.D.):-

Parkinson's Disease

Continuos use of antipsychotics can cause a slow progression of P.D. due to the total loss of dopaminergic cells in the substantial nigra of the basal ganglia in the midbrain.

What are extrapyramidal side effects?

Akathesia-Motor restlessness

                                  Akathesia

Acute Dystonia-Slow and prolonged muscle spasm of tongue, neck and face.

Dystonia

Neuroleptic malignancy-Rigidity, altered mental status, cardiac arrhythmias, elevated B.P., and fatal hyperpyrexia.

                     Antidopamine Malignancy

Tardive dyskinesia-Rhythmical involuntary movements of tongue, lips or jaw. Chewing and puckering of the mouth.

                          Tardive Dyskinesia

All the above are a few of their side effects.

A recent study stated that prolonged use of antipsychotic drugs can precipitate metabolic disorders like diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disorders.

Morally psychosis does not need bodily medication but needs mental counselling by a psychologist at its very beginning. 

But once you start medication according to a psychiatrist, then you will become a drug addict that will result in many bodily complications.

Beware of psychiatry.