Re: Anti-psychotic medication compliance.

In article<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, John H. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
writes:
>I've heard about this before and am puzzled by it; particularly after 
>hearing Fred Freze speak here in Aus at the National Press Club Speech 
>recently Diagnosed with schizophrenia while in the US army, he was 
>hospitalised many times before newer antipsychotics sufficiently 
>stabilised him but leave him with slight tardive dyskinesia (Lip 
>movement). Now  a doctor of Clinical Psychology he still can shift 
>towards psychosis but wife and colleagues advise him when this 
>happening, whereas prior to diagnosis he absolutely believed in his 
>delusions he can now, with the help of trusted others, see these for 
>what they are. Excellent example of a good mind saved from psychosis. 
>Point is: he is the exception, why do so many patients stop taking 
>medication? Is it because the delusions are more real than the drug 
>induced experience? Is it because of side effects? 

 I think you have answered your own question.  In various anecdotal
 accounts patients have described anti-psychotic drugs as having
 very distressing side effects which make the cure almost worse
 than the disease.

 Likewise you described someone requiring extreme self-discipline 
 and the support (not always available) of several trusted others
 to not do the "obvious" thing and believe his delusions are real
 as he begins to lose judgement.  This should tell you how hard
 it is NOT to fall into that trap.

>If so, why do so many 
>other patients taking drugs with the same continue to take the drugs 
>when psychotics seem particularly adverse? 

 Individual variation.

 The level of distress, or loss of judgement, may vary between
 individuals -- as may the degree of wilfullness rather than conformity.

 I'm sorry to give a really dull disappointing answer, but I can't see
 there is anything much here to see beyond the obvious.  You might 
 of course explore the three parameters above, but I don't think
 you will find anything else there.


In article<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Emma Chase VanCott
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>: Point is: he is the exception, why do so many patients stop
>: taking medication? 
>
>Would you take them? I wouldn't. (And that's as an informed person -- 
>Nurse and Psych grad.)

 Well, I take wellbutrin (for depression) because I would be 
 absolutely wrecked without it.  Makes sense for me!


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