Antipsychotics / Neuroleptics For Mental Disorders- Comments

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Once again, thanks for your feedbacks.



Well, in terms of Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), let's just consider its official medical definition as follows : -



Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorder is the experience of prolonged, excessive worry about circumstances in one's life. OCD is characterized by distressing repetitive thoughts, impulses or images that are intense, frightening, absurd, or unusual. These thoughts are followed by ritualized actions that are usually bizarre and irrational. These ritual actions, known as compulsions, help reduce anxiety caused by the individual's obsessive thoughts. Often described as the "disease of doubt, " the sufferer usually knows the obsessive thoughts and compulsions are irrational but, on another level, fears they may be true.


which is quoted from :

http://www.answers.com/topic/obsessive- ... e-disorder



'I'm a pure obsessional. I don't have overt, behavioral compulsions related to my obsessions.'



Well, given the medical definition and explanations above, so, as to your situation, which doesn't substantially involve any compulsive 'ritualized actions', then I really doubt that your medical conditions would really and fully fit into the exact category of Obsessive-compulsive-disorder (OCD) which definitely involves 'ritualized actions', or rather actual behavioural compulsions.



And again, please consider the another excerpts included below : -


Hallucinations are false or distorted sensory experiences that appear to be real perceptions. These sensory impressions are generated by the mind rather than by any external stimuli, and may be seen, heard, felt, and even smelled or tasted.


which is quoted from :


http://www.answers.com/topic/hallucination



Rather, I heard obsessional phrases/thoughts, songs/tunes, and random words in my head all day long, nonstop, before I started the Anafranil.



And in terms of all those false sensory perceptions of "obsessional phrases/thoughts, songs/tunes, and random words", which maybe generated by your subconscious mind, well, I believe that those may just be reasonably classified as the symptoms for hallucination.



Besides, I am actually interested to know whether you do actually manage to retain your full cognitive concentrations and attentions by the time you are making all those clever, well-articulated, highly informative and intellectual posts.



And if that's simply the case, then my opnion is that certain levels of patience meant to be exercised on your part in an effort to achieve ever-improving cognitive / mental conditions, maybe up to the point of full recovery in the end, would actually be conceivably and reasonably achievable for you.



By the way, I wish to say that I'm actually and genuinely impressed with your intellectuality and knowledgeability each time I go through your posts.



So, my personal opinion is that, for any mental disorders, well, they are simply not something that are really meant for you, at least not permanently or for your entire life.



In my case, I have always adhered to this particular motto ' If you think you can, you can' especially during the time when I come to deal practically and realistically with my own mental disorders until I have achieved my full recovery in the end.



Lastly, I hope that this will be finally achieved by the others too.

That sucks. Maybe something with a stronger effect on norepinephrine would be better. I don't really know squat about anafranil, except it's a tricyclic, no? I don't have much experience taking them, but aquaintances and research says they kinda suck.

There are some for-daily-use anticonvulsants that are doing more or less the same thing to your brain chemistry as benzos (about GABA, not norepinephrine) and are sometimes used for panic disorder, if you feel like investigating tiagabine or something.

ntuc,
When I said that I don't have compulsions, I meant that I don't have the classic, behavioral compulsions. I do have mental compulsions, such as mentally praying, mentally repeating phrases, and the "counterimage" (changing "bad" images to "good" ones), but these don't actually reduce my anxiety from the obsession. The only behavioral compulsion I have is confessing "sins." This does alleviate my anxiety, but I have to have an obsession that is extremely anxiety-provoking for me to need to confess. Rather, the obsessional phrases I get over and over are ones that I have heard literally thousands of times, and thus, they are just an irritant now, and they don't cause anxiety. However, there are cases of some OCD-ers who don't have any compulsions whatsoever. It's rare, but it happens.

Pure obsessional OCD is not very well known about, and that is why it often goes undiagnosed and untreated. If I were a compulsive handwasher, then I would have been figured out years ago. But I suffered silently for the first 16 years of my life, because I would see obsessional images and hear obsessional phrases in my head. The DSM-IV states that compulsions have to be an action or a mental act that is performed to alleviate anxiety. For a wonderful book that really focuses on pure obsessional OCD (the book that made me realize I had OCD, and made me seek a diagnosis/treatment), I strongly recommend Dr. Ian Osborn's Tormenting Thoughts and Secret Rituals: The Hidden Epidemic of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

The problem with me (and another reason CBT failed) is that, as I've stated before, only the confessing alleviates my anxiety. My theory is that, since I literally had OCD symptoms starting at age 3 and panic attacks that started between the ages of 3 and 5, I have never known any differently. I literally have lived a life filled with anxiety disorders, and personally, I don't think I'm treatable.

The obsessions I have are obsessions, not hallucinations. However, many pure obsessionals, myself included, do think that they are having hallucinations and are becoming schizophrenic when the "bad thoughts" first start. It is a very scary thing. You lose control of your thoughts and don't know why you are thinking the disgusting things that you are. The difference, though, is that OCD-ers KNOW that their thoughts are coming from their own brain; schizophrenics think that their thoughts are coming from outside, such as by being put into their head from an outside source.

I am honored that you find my posts articulate and well-informed. Neuropsych disorders are one of my biggest special interests, so I, naturally, am an expert on them, especially the ones that I actually do have (AS and OCD). As for whether I can keep attention and regular cognitive focus despite the obsessions, I must mention two things: One, since starting the Anafranil last July, the obsessional thoughts, phrases, and songs that used to relentlessly go through my head are almost non-existent. It has really been a miracle medication for me, and it has provided me with the relief that I searched two decades for. Secondly, before the Anafranil, when I was having obsessions all of the time, it was like my mind worked on two different levels, a phenomenon that many pure obsessionals describe. It's a very difficult thing to explain, but, if I were reading a book, I'd hear both the words that I was reading and the words of the obsessions. I've managed to do very well in school all these years, but it was quite the struggle...
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Electric_Kite,
Yes, Anafranil is a tricyclic. It was the first medication approved by the FDA for the treatment of OCD. It is thought that it works so well for OCD because it's the strongest serotonin reuptake inhibitor of all of the tricyclics. This is why the serotonin hypothesis of OCD began, and why the SSRIs were then started to be used for OCD. Still, Anafranil (and all tricyclics) does not work solely on serotonin. It also works on norepinephrine, acetylcholine, dopamine, histamine, and Na+ channels. Personally, I feel that my OCD was too severe to only be addressed by fixing serotonin. Also, Anafranil tends to only be used for severe cases nowadays, due to the fact that it has more side effects. I only get dry mouth from the Anafranil; I am not one who has suffered from the side effects. I'd take dry mouth over crippling OCD anyday!

As for the anticonvulsants, I actually already take an anti-epileptic, Lamictal. I use Lamictal for my mood swings that are related to my AS. (Before my AS diagnosis, my doctors seriously were thinking I had cyclothymia.) Even with the Lamictal, I am moody, but without it, my moods go up and down all day long, and my anger is extreme. But the Lamictal doesn't help with my panic attacks, either. Nor do atypical anti-psychotics or omega-3 fatty acids. I tried both the former for my OCD and the latter for anxiety this past summer. I couldn't use CBT for panic attacks, because the therapists want you to monitor your thought patterns during panic attacks. Half the time I have a panic attack (like right now, for instance), there is no reason for it. I'm not thinking anything or worried about anything in particular. I literally just wake up with panic attacks each day. There are no thoughts behind it. I wake up and it's already started.
-OddDuckNash99-

"It's a very difficult thing to explain, but, if I were reading a book, I'd hear both the words that I was reading and the words of the obsessions. I've managed to do very well in school all these years, but it was quite the struggle... "



Well, to be 100 % truthful to you, I have actually experienced such a scenario before for a certain period of time in the past.



And the difference is that I didn't actually get such like-obsessions finally resolved through medications like you.



So, how I resolved it ? Well, first of all, I would just try to trace where did all those obsessional thoughts and words of the obsessions come from in the first place.



Well, in my case, they were all from the certain books of 'extraordinary contents' that I had come closely and deeply into contact with by chances.



Then, with the helps of medications and all other non-medicational efforts of interpersonal, moral and other emotional supports from my kin and other loved ones, as well as some self-controls on my part, I just managed to let go of all those obsessional thoughts and words of the obsessions which had greatly troubled my daily life gradually and slowly little by little in the end.



Lastly, I would like to wish all the best for you in dealing with your problems.

And I would like to add that in terms of all those brutalities, cruelties, maltreatments, phsycial abuses, deliberate humiliations, derisions, ridicules, disparagings and other purposeful malicious acts administered, or rather inflicted deliberately upon the mentally-illed ones especially at the hands of all those ill-trained and yet official paramedics, those are exactly the main obstacles and communication barriers that we as social workers often encounter when we try to reach out to and win the trusts and confidences, especially from the institutionalized mentally-illed people. This is due to the very fact that these mentally-illed people would often tend to 'liken' us to all those persons who always do hurtful things to them and as a result, they simply would choose not to co-operate with us in the very first place.



Whilst the key difference is that, when all those 'official medical personnel' who do hurtful things to these mentally-illed in-patients are actually get paid by the hospital administrations, we as social workers providing only unpaid voluntary counselling services to these mentally-illed people, actually need to 'take care of the mess' as well that are left over by all those inconsiderate, or rather inhumane, if not, barbaric 'uniformed medical personnel' working in such medical institutions. And as a matter of fact, sometimes these 'uniformed medical personnel' would simply 'display' their dirty looks and intense urges of 'bashing us up' too especially when we come to advise these people not to use especially unnecessary physical violences and abuses against the old senile demented mentally-illed in-patients who are simply unable to 'obey their orders'.




Besides, I also wish to say that,



as a matter of fact, the information that I have included in my prior posts are actually the naked truths, or rather the harsh facts of reality which are ubiquitously pervasive, and such malpractices exist as well in the developed nations, and there's simply no way for these realities to be obliterated.



In such a connection, I have learnt about the similar, almost totally-concealed malpractices from my counterparts serving in the other European, African and U.S and other nations worldwide too.



Next, all these atrocities are actually hardly deniable by any truly conscionable persons, and I strongly believe that you will echo our sentiments.



Lastly, what I wish to say is that the mentally-illed people aren't sub-humans / playthings / livestocks / garbages / craps etc, and as such, they would, at least on humanitarian grounds, rightfully deserve the due respects of human rights and other human-related freedoms and privileges and compassions from the others too, rather than being treated with cruelties, brutalities, physical abuses, sarcasms, callouness and other deliberate, and maybe amusement-inducing harsh treatments especially at the hands of the ones who are officially paid to take good care of their welfares and personal well-beings.



And again, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to you all for supporting such a humanitarian cause.

Mental Disorders / Cognitive Behavioural Process - Perceptions => Feelings => Thoughts => Behavioural / Personality Changes / Reactions / Actions / Responses



Actually, given the underlying fact that mental disorders are actually something that arise from such psychological and cognitive factors of how one perceives one's surroundings etc, the feelings they have in response to those perceptions, then the various thoughts they form in their minds based on such perceptions and feelings for anything they perceive, and finally, how they choose to react to such perceptions, feelings and thoughts, they are thus very much different from the other physiological / bodily / metabolism-related somatic diseases like diabetes, heart attacks, kidney failures etc.


In short, mental illnesses which are defined by one's behavioural / personality changes, appropriateness of their behaviours, personalities, actions, reactions, responses as perceived and judged by the others, who in turn would label them as a variety of related mental disorder symptoms, they are actually caused by the various negative, abnormal, preposterous thoughts and various urges which are formed in one's mind in response to what they see, sense and feel about their surroundings etc.


As such, in addition to the medicational efforts put in to bring the hardly controllable symptoms of mental disorders such as deep feelings of depressions, nervous breakdown, violent emotional outbursts etc effectively under control temporarily throughout the effective period of each dosage of the medications, such non-medicational efforts of psychotherapy, seeking emotional and psychological comforts as well as interactive, interpersonal, communication supports from the ones close to such people would also be quite indispensable in dealing with various mental disorders.


Apart from that, given that negative behavioural changes caused by mental disorders are actually caused by such negative feelings and negative thoughts formed by negative sensory perceptions of anything around one's surroundings, one should thus try to control oneself when coming across and dealing with all those scenarios so as to try one's best not to have too strong emotional attachment / feelings for all those negative surroundings etc as well as try not to over-react to them. In short, one should apply one's reasonable senses and judgements and rationalities when dealing with anything unpleasant to them.


Theorectically, since one's reactions / responses / behaviourial changes actually arise from one's thoughts, such negative / socially undesirable and unacceptable reactions / responses / behavioural changes would thus not occur at all if one could choose to ignore all those unpleasant phenomena totally so as not to form any negative thoughts in their minds at all, and then, one's mind would stay completely calm, placid, totally undisturbed and not influenced at all by anything distasteful and unpleasant happening to / around them. In short, when no negative thoughts are formed, then no negative actions / reactions / responses would be initiated at all. However, that would sound to be easier said than done and a great deal of patience and perseverance would surely be necessary to achieve that.


As a summary,


I'm suggesting the following as a solution to mental disorders :


1/3 of medicational helps + 1/3 of psychotherapies, interactive, interpersonal, emotional, communication, conselling supports from the others + 1/3 of self-determinations, self-initiatives, self-controls, self-wills and self-disciplines to think positively, rationally, realistically and practically as well as to lead a normal and healthy life


These are actually the advices I have obtained from many neurologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists and psychologists as well as the very conclusions I have experienced myself.


Next, I must admit that it's quite arbitrary for me to do so in the first place. However, given the fact that there are more and more people nowadays, especially the ones having the mental disorders who would tend to rely heavlily, and if not completely, but at the same time, rather ignorantly upon medications as their sole and only means of dealing with their mental disorders, hence, by assigning the numerical proportion of '1/3' to each of those 3 variables for that 'equation' I'm just trying to convey a message to the intended readers that such factors as external psychotherapies, interactive / interpersonal, emotional / moral supports from the others as well as self-controls / self-efforts to think positively, they are just fairly as important as the medications when it comes to dealing with mental disorders.

Why Non-medicational Interpersonal Or (And) Impersonal Emotional Comforts, Reliefs, Supports etc Are So Essential As A Part of The Holistic Approach For Mental Disorders ?




Well, I have suggested in my previous posts about the following as the holistic approach for mental disorders :


1/3 of medicational helps + 1/3 of psychotherapies, interactive, interpersonal, emotional, communication, conselling supports from the others + 1/3 of self-determinations, self-initiatives, self-controls, self-wills and self-disciplines to think positively, rationally, realistically and practically as well as to lead a normal and healthy life ;


As such, I would like to emphasize once again that the non-medicational emotional comforts, reliefs, supports etc either in interpersonal or impersonal forms (and a combination of both depending on different mental conditions of different mentally-ill people), are in fact, very essential and indispensable in enabling the ones troubled with mental disorders to make real, genuine, long-lasting and sustainable improvements for their mental conditions towards the path of full recoveries in the end.


Well, based on what I have learnt so far from the psychologists is that, everyone of us naturally are born with the innate urges to get upset, angry and even mad especially when we face certain surroundings, incidences, people that are considered unpleasant to us.


Next, in terms of normal people who are not troubled by any mental illnesses, they normally have the mental abilities derived from their sensible minds and sanities to at least try to resist and overcome such urges to get upset, angry, mad etc whenever they feel like doing so by trying on their very own to calm themselves down.


Whilst in terms of the ones troubled with mental disorders, well, given that their mind powers are weaker, they thus have lesser abilities to do so, and hence would tend to more easily get upset, angry, mad etc at things that are considered to be unpleasant to them.


As a matter of fact, in terms of psychological reasoning, the mental abilities of the normal healthy mentally-sound people to at least try to resist such urges to get upset, angry, mad etc, such as what I have mentioned above, well, such mental abilities actually come from the "calming forces" nurtured, developed and accumulated into their respective minds on an ongoing way, normally and spontaneously without even them noticing it, through such events, incidences, activities, surroundings, people etc in their everyday life that would naturally make them feel happy, joyous, serene etc.


Whilst for the ones troubled with mental disorders, since they do not have enough / are very much lacking in such "calming forces" in their conscious / subconscious minds, they thus face certain difficulties in trying to control their moods and mental conditions in the effective ways like the normal healthy people who are mentally sound.


For example, given a distressing incidence, different people would tend to react differently to it. Whilst the persons who are mentally sound could just at least try their best not to get upset too easily by such an unpleasant incidence, the ones troubled with mental diorders such as depression etc, may just turn out to be emotionally weaker and could not resist the urges to get depressed etc. In short, there are just not enough "calming forces" in their own minds to enable them to resist such urges to do so.


As such, non-medicational emotional comforts and reliefs are thus very important and essential in nurturing, developing and accumulating such "calming forces" in the minds of the ones troubled with mental disorders in such a way that when they have gathered enough and sufficient "calming forces" in their own minds, they would then be able to consciously stabilize their mental conditions and exercise certain self-controls on their own so as to at least try to resist the urges and refrain themselves to get upset, angry, mad at others etc especially when facing certain unpleasant incidences.


Besides, in terms of general cognitive behavioural process of Perceptions (anything we see, we hear, we know, we taste, we touch etc from our surroundings / other people) => Feelings (the way we feel about our surroundings and other people based on anything we see, hear, know, taste, touch etc) => Thoughts (the types of views and opinions that we form in our minds based on the types of feelings we have for anything we perceive) => Actions (how we choose to react in response to those surroundings / other people based on the feelings and thoughts that arise in our minds),


psychologically, the entire process can actually be explained in such a way that when the particular surroundings, environments, people's behaviours / attitudes etc (Perceptions) just through some effectively positive means / efforts of non-medicational emotional comforts / reliefs etc, appear to be pleasant, peaceful and friendly to certain people troubled with mental disorders, they would thus get to become calmer and calmer in a natural way in the long-run especially when they are continually exposed to such pleasant surroundings, environments, people's friendly behaviours / attitudes etc on a permanently ongoing basis (Feelings), and when such "calming forces" are accumulated sufficiently in their very own minds, this would then enable them to at least try to resist any thoughts / urges to feel upset, angry, mad etc at certain incidences, especially the ones that they have never expected and that are considered unpleasant to them (Thoughts). Finally and ideally, such an ongoing scenario would thus result in gradually step by step improvements in their mental conditions especially in terms of positive behavioural changes for the better and better conditions (Actions).


Similarly, the same explanations would apply as well to other scenarios that anyone, including the ones who are mentally-sound, face in their everyday life.


For instance, when the mentally-sound healthy persons are exposed, especially unwillingly to certain hostile, harsh and unfriendly surroundings / environments / people (Perceptions) for a certain long period of time, and no matter how tolerant they may initially get to be, they may just lose their patience at one particular point of time in that they might couldn't help themselves but to feel annoyed, angry, upset, mad etc in the end (Feelings). Next, the accumulated calming forces they possess would then start depleting gradually initially, and then substantially as times go by, in that they may just start forming negative thoughts about the hostile, harsh and unfriendly surroundings / environments / people they face in their everyday life, even without them noticing such a change in the negative ways they think (Thoughts). In the end, such thoughts may just give rise to certain negative behavioural changes in them by becoming enervative / dejected, acting angrily, furiously etc (Actions).


And, let me just give you all one example, and please bear in mind that it is just for references purpose only. Well, I have dealt with a patient having such a symptom that he couldn't help himself at all but simply has the irresistable urges to appear himself to be violently mad to others (without any intentions to harm anyone at all) whenever he talks to any other people. Whilst such urges in him to automatically get "mad" at others when talking to them, have just become so overwhelming and involuntarily uncontrollable that it has become habitual, even beyond his very own free wills, subconsciousness and consciousness in that, he simply could not realize what he is doing when he unintentionally get mad at the others. In short, his sensibilities, mind powers, self-wills and sanities largely could not overcome and resist such urges at such a stage.


And upon knowing that the particular patient likes to gaze at the sea during sunset and having observed that the patient's mood tends to get better whenever and after he does so, I would, without the patient knowing anything, make the arrangements accordingly for the particular patient to get to the seaside to gaze at the sea during sunset as frequently as possible so let he could get naturally calmer and calmer as time goes by.


Next, when the particular patient is confident and comfortable enough to relate to other people, and is able to summon enough courages to confide in me, I would then request that patient to take me along to his favourite seaside to admire both the beautiful surroundings of the seaside and the marvellous views of the sunset.


Subsequently, I will try my best to talk about anything in inductive, subtle, indirect, subliminal and friendly communicational manners that are acceptable to him and could make him feel happy, joyous, serene, confident and sensible just like his good friend (from his very own perspective), rather than as a social worker trying to improve his mental conditions or to cure him.


All in all, my very purpose of doing so is primarily, and indirectly without him knowing anything at all (so as to avoid any unnecessary stress that may potentially arise on his part), to cultivate and nurture bit by bit such "calming forces" into his mind in such a way that when such "calming forces" are accumulated sufficiently in him, that would give him the very ability to be conscious and mentally stronger enough to at least to try to resist such urges to get mad automatically at the others without him being totally unable to resist such urges at all.


In addition, such a way of indirect counselling would actually serve to indirectly induce, inspire and encourage the ones troubled with mental disorders to gradually step-by-step, think positively, sensibly and rationally on their very own in such a way that they could slowly and on an ongoing basis, regain their consciousness and sanities bit by bit from time to time.


Besides, in terms of the principles of general cognitive behavioral process of Perceptions => Feelings => Thoughts => Actions, this is also the very basic concept that we, as voluntary social workers, apply in figuring out various inductive, subtle, indirect, subliminal and friendly ways and means to effectively help the mentally-ill people troubled with different mental problems of different causes, symptoms and degrees of severities, so as to bring about positive personality changes in them gradually step-by-step.


Apart from that, essentially a great deal of patience, considerations and tolerances would be required especially from the ones who really care about and want to help the persons troubled with mental disorders so as to genuinely improve their mental conditions gradually and slowly step by step towards full recoveries.





Next, for the medications intended for and are particularly very effective in bringing down especially the uncontrollable symptoms of mental disorders, I would like to add that :


Whilst in terms of medications for mental disorders, especially the antipsychotics / neuroleptics for psychosis disorders, well, they invariably would work in such a way that they would artificially intercept with the synaptic activities of the neurotransmitters chemical serotonin, dopamine etc so as to artificially block any negative nerve impulses from getting sent to the brains, and in this way, the related patients would get to calm down and be pacified substantially throughout the effective period of each dosage of such medications. And that's particularly the reason why they are labelled as powerful tranquilizers and mind-altering drugs that work by changing the effects of chemicals in the brain.


Nevertheless, in terms of such drug treatments, since the whole mechanisms are totally artificial and given the fact that the interceptions of the neurotransmitters chemicals and the blockings of negative nerve impulses by the therapeutical / curative effects of such antipsychotics / neuroleptics are actually no different from false / artificially forced suppressions of those nerve impulses, rather than a natural process by themselves, various neurological disorders would thus arise when such powerful antipsychotics / neuroleptics are over-relied upon to the point of sheer abuse in the long-term especially when the normal functionings of neurotransmitters chemicals are disturbed and disrupted in the end. Next, given the fact that the various nervous systems work with our brains to maintain the normal functionings of the human bodies, the brains would then get affected too in the worst case scenario in the end, and that would include structural changes of the brains.


In reality, what would really happen is such that the artificial therapeutical mechanisms of "forced suppressions" of negative nerve impulses and artificial interferences with the synaptic activities of the neurotransmitters, neurons, nervous systems and brains through taking such related medications would actually numbed the cognitive senses of the ones taking them. And that's the main reason why certain people taking such medications, would just appear like a zombie to the others over the effective period of each dosage of the related medications.


And as a matter of fact, all the antipsychotics / neuroleptics and any medications for mental disorders, well, no matter how advanced they are, there is simply no way for such medications to deliver any of the actual healing effects that are equivalent to the interpersonal counselling therapies / emotional supports from the close ones etc, that the mentally-ill people need for further genuine improvements of their mental conditions and their final recoveries in the end.


Besides, given their subsequent potentially disastrous neurological / neuromuscular, and in the worst-case scenario, neuro-degenerative side effects such as Parkinsonism, Dementia, Alzheimers etc which involve damages and losses of brain cells, neurons etc, certain efforts and precautions thus would be necessary to avoid the manifestations of all these undesirable side effects of such medications.


All in all, I am not saying that antipsychotics / neuroleptics and other related medications meant for the treatments of various mental disorders are bad for the ones taking them. Well, such medications, in my opinion, actually work like double-edged swords whereby on one part, they are very effective in bringing the undesirable symptoms of mental disorders under control, whilst the downsides of them are such that their subsequent hazardous neurological / neuromuscular and neuro-degenerative side effects are definitely undesirable for anyone taking them. As such, careful precautions would need to be exercised closely to guard against the eventual manifestations of the hazardously undesirable side effects of such medications for mental disorders.


Besides, In terms of psychological mental disorders which are totally different from other physiological / bodily / somatic / disorders such as heart attacks, diabetes, kidney failures etc, taking such medications for mental disorders are in fact, not the conclusive cure / solution to such disorders.


Next, as a matter of fact, other non-medicational efforts such as what I have mentioned above, should also be put in and taken at the same time to complement all the inadequacies and shortcomings of such medications as well as to achieve a holistic approach for the treatments of various mental disorders.


In short, the non-medicational "calming forces" that could be cultivated, nurtured, developed and accumulated and instilled little by little indirectly into the minds of the ones troubled with mental disorders through such efforts of non-medicational emotional comforts and reliefs are thus essential and indispensable in enabling them to at least be able to try to control their own moods and emotions especially when facing anything unpleasant to them, as well as helping them to achieve genuine, long-lasting and sustainable improvements for their mental conditions towards the path of final recoveries.


In addition, generally and basically, all the non-medicational efforts of psychotherapies, interactive, interpersonal, emotional, communication, conselling supports etc from the others who really care about the ones troubled with mental illnesses, such as what I have mentioned above, are thus very important in building up such "calming forces" in them.


Next, in terms of all such non-medicational efforts to provide emotional comforts, reliefs, supports etc to the ones troubled with mental problems, there are simply no hard and fast / fixed rules / ways for them to be conducted in that such efforts to produce such "calming forces" in them can be flexibly anything positive that are emotionally comfortable and acceptable to the related persons troubled with mental disorders. In short, such non-medicational mental comforts, reliefs, supports etc can come in any forms (either interpersonally or impersonally and a combination of these two efforts depending on the different mental conditions of different people) that appeal / are naturally mentally-comforting to the ones troubled with mental disorders, such as the example mentioned above.


All in all, all these non-medicational efforts that could be interpersonal as well as impersonal or a combination of these two efforts depending on the different mental conditions of different people, they are all directed to the very purpose of giving ongoing emotional comforts, reliefs and supports to the ones troubled with mental disorders so that they could gather and accumulate enough as well as sufficient "calming forces" into their minds to straighten out their thoughts, to clear out the confusions and disturbances troubling their minds, to let they themselves become more and more emotionally stronger and mentally sounder, and most importantly, to enable them make genuine, sustainable, long-lasting improvements for their mental conditions as well as to help them slowly regain their sanities from time to time towards the very goal of their final recoveries from mental disorders.


In short, the entire psychological process can be summarized as follows :


Non-medicational interpersonal or (and) impersonal emotional comforts, reliefs, supports and "calming forces" cultivated, nurtured and accumulated gradually, continually and sufficiently into the minds of the of the ones troubled with mental problems


=> (will bring about)


More and more self-confidences, higher and higher levels of self-consciousnesses and greater and greater sanities that would enable these persons to at least try to calm themselves down, to stabilize their mental conditions on their own, to think lucidly and reasonably and to act / respond rationally to what they deal with in their everyday life.

That all sounds very Scientology, or some other pseudo-religious moralizing. It is a pity to tarnish a moderate attitude to drug therapy with such views.

It is a pity to tarnish a moderate attitude to drug therapy with such views.



Well, I would like to emphasize that all the antipsychotics / neuroleptics and any medications for mental disorders as well as other drug therapies, well, no matter how advanced they are, there is simply no way for such medications and drug therapies to deliver any of the actual healing effects that are equivalent to the non-medicational impersonal emotional reliefs and comforts or (and) interpersonal counselling therapies / emotional supports from the close ones etc, that the mentally-ill people need for further genuine improvements of their mental conditions and their final recoveries in the end.


Furthermore, in terms of psychological mental disorders which are totally different from other physiological / bodily / somatic / disorders such as heart attacks, diabetes, kidney failures etc, it is simply undisputed that the scenarios of over-medications to the point of sheer abuses would surely and definitely be disastrously detrimental and harmful to the mentally-ill people over the long-run.


In short, in terms of drug and medication therapies, especially the ones meant and intended for mental disorders, it is of utmost importance for the users of such drugs and medications to recognize and realize the very fact that such drugs and medications would serve no other primary purposes than just to effectively, and yet in a 100 % artificial way through interferences with the synaptic activities of the neurons, neurotransmitters, nervous systems, brain chemicals etc, bring down all the involuntarily uncontrollable symptoms of mental disorders so as to effectively, and yet artificially enable the mentally-ill people to calm themselves down and be pacified throughout the effective period the dosage of each related medication.


In short, having realised and recognized the underlying truths of such drugs and medications, such drugs and medications hence simply shouldn't be over-relied upon to the point of sheer abuses whilst at the same time, certain precautionary measures would be necessary to be taken to guard oneself against any potentially eventual manifestations of the generally and irreversibly disastrous neurological, neuromuscular and in the worst case scenario, neuro-degenerative side effects of such drugs and medications meant for mental disorders as mentioned in my prior post above.





Next, by posting the prior article, which may appear to be long-winded to most people, well, my very purpose of doing so is mainly to try my best to give a clearer and obvious as well as unbiasedly objective overview about the psychological analysis of mental disorders, along with the explanations about the reality of the actual mechanisms of the medications meant for the treatments of mental disorders, in the hope that the information I have given may provide certain guidelines, hints, inspirations etc to the intended readers to deal about the mental disorders in the much more effective ways.


Besides, by quoting some of the excerpts from that long article of mine and then express your views in regard to those excerpts alone, well, my opinion is such that it would be very much inappropriate and misleading to do so. Hence, I would suggest the others to go through the whole article before expressing their opinions about its contents.

I recognize now that the impression of moderation in your many, long-winded, anti-psychiatric posts is mistaken.

Autism and Asperger's syndrome are neurodevelopmental disorders and are not psychiatric conditions or mental disorders, so your anti-psychiatric religiosity is not very relevant to this forum.

Perhaps you are right to a certain extent.


Nevertheless, can you actually guarantee that medications and drug therapies alone meant for the treatments of such neurodevelopmental disorders will deliver the actual and genuine healings for such disorders towards the paths of gradual and final full recoveries.


Whilst at the same time, can you or anyone absolutely and definitely 100 % deny and rule out the therapeutical and curative values of non-medicational impersonal and (or) interpersonal comforts, reliefs, supports etc in genuinely helping the ones suffering from such neurodevelopmental disorders to at least improve their mental and neuro-cognitive conditions ?


All in all, I just would like to say that medication and drug therapies alone are not sufficient and inadequate for the treatments of any neurodevelopmental, mental and any other cognitive disorders. And as such, other non-medicational efforts and supports would thus be needed to complement what the medication and drug therapies cannot do in improving the mental conditions of the ones suffering from such disorders. And I hope that this remark will be relevant to this forum.

I can absolutely, definitely and with 100% certainty state that medication and non-medication therapies can be beneficial for the symptomatic treatment of people with ASDs when used appropriately. And both can be harmful when used inappropriately.

More to the point of this thread, there is no either / or choice between medication and non-medication therapies and attempting to enforce such an artificial anti-drug choice is doing harm.



There is no cure and no recovery from ASDs, which are by definition lifelong. All therapies are symptomatic - mostly for the "suffering" incurred by trying to fit in with a world that does not understand autism.

"I can absolutely, definitely and with 100% certainty state that medication and non-medication therapies can be beneficial for the symptomatic treatment of people with ASDs when used appropriately. And both can be harmful when used inappropriately."


Well, that just sound to me as bluntly peremptory. Hence, my opinion is that it would be more appropriate to verify the personal claims above from the related medical specialists, especially the one about the therapeutical and curative values of non-medicational emotional comforts, reliefs, supports etc in the attempts to at least alleviate the pains of the ones suffering from ASDs.


"More to the point of this thread, there is no either / or choice between medication and non-medication therapies and attempting to enforce such an artificial anti-drug choice is doing harm."


I wish to remind you that in contrast to the non-medication therapies, medication and drug cures surely are more potentially detrimental and harmful to the related users due to the inherent neurological side effects of such drugs and medications, especially upon the manifestations of such side effects.


"There is no cure and no recovery from ASDs, which are by definition lifelong. All therapies are symptomatic - mostly for the "suffering" incurred by trying to fit in with a world that does not understand autism."


I agree with that. The causes of ASDs are mainly and largely genetical and there are hardly any cures for that so far. Nevertheless, I am pretty sure that the lives of the ones suffering from ASDs will be very much happier, when through certain efforts of others that their surroundings and environments just turn out to be delightfully pleasant to them.


Besides, regardless of how serious the symptoms of ASDS, the ones suffering from ASDs would still to the very least extent, have the very basic cognitive abilities so as to be able to feel, realize and recognize anything that turns out to be pleasant and unpleasant to them. And hence, the efforts to make them feel happier as mentioned above would certainly improve their quality of lives and make them suffer much lesser from their illnesses.


Lastly, even if my posts couldn't do much to help the ones suffering from ASDs, I, however hope that the articles I have posted will be useful to the ones suffering from other mental disorders of neurosis and psychosis.


http://www.curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1384974#i (Neurosis Vs Psychosis)

The diagnoses of Neurosis and psychosis were phased out 80 years ago. Psychosis is now only used to describe a set of symptoms rather than being a diagnosis. Why are you spamming us with information that is so old and outdated that it wold qualify for an AARP card if were a living person? What's next? Are you going to suggest leeches, bloodletting, and purgatives?

The diagnoses of Neurosis and psychosis were phased out 80 years ago. Psychosis is now only used to describe a set of symptoms rather than being a diagnosis. Why are you spamming us with information that is so old and outdated that it wold qualify for an AARP card if were a living person? What's next? Are you going to suggest leeches, bloodletting, and purgatives?


Maybe you are right.


However, the very actual realities of mental conditions and effective treatments for the ones suffering from such mental illnesses would still remain unchanged regardless of how the conceptual and terminological descriptions for such illnesses are described and defined by the third-party medical professions.



Why are you spamming us with information that is so old and outdated that it wold qualify for an AARP card if were a living person?


Well, since you have said that, why not we just consider the excerpts as follows :


Typical antipsychotics (sometimes referred to as first generation antipsychotics, conventional antipsychotics, classical neuroleptics, or major tranquilizers) are a class of antipsychotic drugs first developed in the 1950s and used to treat psychosis (in particular, schizophrenia).

which are quoted from :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typical_antipsychotics


As such, my information may be old and outdated, but the very much more important issue is that such longly outdated first-generation antipsychotics / neuroleptics such as Butyrophenones, Haloperidol (Haldol, Serenace), Droperidol (Droleptan), Phenothiazines, Chlorpromazine (Thorazine, Largactil), Fluphenazine (Prolixin), Perphenazine (Trilafon), Prochlorperazine (Compazine), Thioridazine (Mellaril, Melleril), Trifluoperazine (Stelazine), Mesoridazine, Periciazine, Promazine, Triflupromazine (Vesprin), Levomepromazine (Nozinan), Promethazine (Phenergan), Pimozide (Orap), Chlorprothixene (Cloxan, Taractan, Truxal), Clopenthixol (Sordinol), Flupenthixol (Depixol, Fluanxol), Thiothixene (Navane), Zuclopenthixol (Cisordinol, Clopixol, Acuphase) etc are still being widely and pervasively used for the treatments of certain serious mental illnesses and disorders irrespective of their very undisputedly much more harmful and largely irreversible neurological, neuromuscular and neuro-generative side effects.


So, I believe that the very much more important issue and question here is that, why such much more harmful and outdated medications such as the ones mentioned above which are developed in the 1950s are still being used for several decades until now and shouldn't these medications be phased out for the very sake of better health cares of the related users ?

These articles sound like Scientology or some other pseudo-religious anti-psychiatry and anti-drug claptrap (e.g. "Nevertheless, I am pretty sure that the lives of the ones suffering from ASDs will be very much happier, when through certain efforts of others that their surroundings and environments just turn out to be delightfully pleasant to them" - who are these delightfully mystical "others"? Not CBT counsellors, I assume).

My reading of this forum is that most members are very moderate in their balance of medication and non-medication therapies, and have a healthy scepticism of the benefits of drugs (and therapy in general, as opposed to lifestyle solutions to the problems associated with ASDs). Drugs have a small, but valuable, role in living with ASD.