Re:Phony diagnoses hide high rates of drugging at nursing homes
by DylanDmitri on Saturday September 11, 2021 @07:54PM
(#28497238)
I'm on Abilify. It prevents the nasty mood swings that caused me to lose my first job.
Re:Phony diagnoses hide high rates of drugging at nursing homes
by justinko on Saturday September 11, 2021 @07:48PM
(#28497197)
I’m on Abilify and Vraylar. Makes me feel normal. Love it.
Re:Phony diagnoses hide high rates of drugging at nursing homes
by jac241 on Saturday September 11, 2021 @11:37PM
(#28498433)
I think the negative and totally inaccurate depiction of psychiatric care on TV and in movies is why people are surprised that antipsychotics actually really help most people who are prescribed them.
Re:Phony diagnoses hide high rates of drugging at nursing homes
by justinko on Monday September 13, 2021 @10:27AM
(#28511928)
Yes. Also, the name "antipsychotics" is of no help either.
The second generation "atypical antipsychotics" are really not much different from antidepressants. They just typically contain an additional dopaminergic effect (e.g. modulation). As someone else pointed out in this thread, Abilify is prescribed for depression and anxiety.
Modern antipsychotics are useful for conditions beyond schizophrenia. Seroquel is commonly prescribed for insomnia at doses lower than those used for Schizophrenia. Adding Abilify is a common second-line strategy when first-line antidepressants aren't giving proper results. Certain patients with bipolar disorder benefit from antipsychotic medications, particularly in the therapeutic delay before traditional mood stabilizers can kick in.
Like you said, the drugs themselves shouldn't be demonized. They're not perfect, but when used appropriately they're often far better than the underlying conditions being treated.
However, if doctors are simply making up diagnoses in order to prescribe the drugs, that's obviously not appropriate treatment.