Neuroleptics are one of the most dangerous antipsychotic drugs that can be prescribed by any trained professional. Specifically speaking on behalf of those suffering from mild/chronic schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the ongoing controversy is that these psychiatric drugs may cause more harm than good. Studies suggest that these drugs only help if they are carefully used and steadily withdrawn as soon as possible. They can cause severe damage to parts of the brain that enables human personality. It only takes a short time before these drugs, that suppress the symptoms of schizophrenia and formulate better patients, cause severe long-term problems that can negatively modify anyone for the rest of their lives.
Neuroleptics are fast-acting and block certain dopamine neurotransmitters, making the dopamine have a lesser effect within the neutral pathways of the brain. These pathways are connected to the limbic system. These antipsychotic drugs are aimed to focus on specific neurotransmitters because an overload of dopamine in these pathways has been found to trigger psychotic occurrences.
Chlorpromazine, known as Thorazine, is an anxiolytic antipsychotic drug developed in 1950 and approved that same decade to treat schizophrenia. Critically ill patients would be given at most 100 mg every 6 hours orally to alleviate anxiety and schizophrenic signs. Other new aged neuroleptics, such as Stelazine and Vesprin, have taken the place of Thorazine. These drugs have the same effect on the neurotransmitters but with smaller doses. People have been given these drugs for over 50 years, since Thorazine was developed, and there have been great debates over how well these so-called “positive” antipsychotics work. Psychologists and some psychiatrists like Peter Breggin MD, argue that people suffering from schizophrenia should undergo supportive psychotherapy before turning to antipsychotic drugs. During supportive psychotherapy the therapist does most of the talking; focusing on behavior and teaching the client how to separate reality from fantasy. This is different from expressive psychotherapy, where the client does most of the talking and the main focus is to uncover the unconscious conflicts that affect behavior. Non-Schizophrenic clients undergo this “expressive” psychotherapy. Therapy is effective for many people and does not cause the physiological damage that neuroleptics do. The controversy now develops because the problem with therapy is that it does not work for some and it takes a very generous amount of time. Neuroleptics can have an effect on decreasing symptoms of a mental illness in a matter of weeks to a month.
After taking neuroleptics for a period of at least 6 months, an irreversible neurological disease can usually develop called TD, or Tardive Dyskinesia. Tardive Dyskinesia is a movement disorder typically caused by neuroleptics. It causes abnormal uncontrollable movements in the voluntary muscles from the eyelids all the way down to the torso. There is no known treatment for Tardive Dyskinesia. It is not proven that Schizophrenia is a brain disease, but even if it were, it would not make sense to add further brain damage and dysfunction by administering neuroleptics. Not being the most severe outcome, other side effects are losing the ability to have feelings of love and losing the personality that individual once had. It has been said that antipsychotics neurologically produce a lobotomy. It is said in Dr. Breggin’s “Toxic Psychiatry” book that the drugs work by suppressing the major nerve pathways into the frontal lobes and emotion-regulating limbic system. A certain neuroleptic called Chlozapine, causes a life-threatening blood disorder that decreases the amount of white blood cells within the body. People who are taking this drug need to undergo weekly blood tests. The total cost will be in the range of $9,000 or more a year per patient 86. The controversy of neuroleptics has developed also because psychiatrists want to maintain psychiatric power, prestige, and income. Psychiatry cannot compete with less expensive, more helpful non-medical therapists, and it is believed to have created myths that support the need for medically trained psychiatrists.
The debate still tumbles within the psychology/psychiatry profession. If you were a human suffering from schizophrenia, would you seek psychotherapeutic help, or neuroleptic help? As I said, people seem to think psychotherapy doesn’t help, but maybe it just doesn’t help “fast enough.” Effects of neuroleptics are quick and begin decreasing symptoms of these disorders immediately, but are the neurological and physiological threats worth it? These questions cannot be answered factually, yet. But the opinions fluctuate from therapy to drugs; back and forth. Psychologists focus on the empathy, love and therapeutic side of the profession when psychiatrists’ center of attention is on the diagnosis of mental illness and strictly treat them with psychiatric drugs. The real truth about neuroleptics is hard to pin point. But the evidence leading up to the dangers of neuroleptics are very clear. It’s up to you to decide what kind of help you want.
Bibliography:
1. Breggin, P. October 6, 2007. http://www.breggin.com/neuroleptics.html,
(Accessed December 9, 2007.)
2. Breggin, P. R. (1991) Toxic Psychiatry. New York: St Martin's Press
3. Bernheim, K.F., Lewine, R.R.J., Schizophrenia: Symptoms, causes, and Treatments. New York, 1979.
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