What does long term anti-psychotic medication use do to the body and/or mind? Some people think it poisons the body or causes brain damage or they’re chemical restraints or that they can kill you somehow. I’ve been on anti-psychotics since 1981; 45 years. Except for some typical illnesses that come with age like diabetes and high blood pressure I’m healthy. I haven’t noticed any decline or drastic side effects or degeneration from medication.
Matter of fact I function fine on them, I’m 64 and I just got my AA degree in 2023, I’m living independently, I work part time and drive my car and take care of my money and all my business. If your loved ones with schizophrenia are daunted by the prospect of taking medication for years then tell them about me and how after 45 years of taking medication I can still function well and don’t have any strange conditions or diseases because of the meds.
Thanks for this. It is a reminder that medication, despite often terrible side effects, can literally save lives and make it possible for people with schizophrenia spectrum disorder to participate in the world. Humans are social creatures, and a disorder/illness that robs us of meaningful interaction with each other is perhaps the worst malady imaginable.
I can tell you what NOT taking medication did to my friend, who is two years older than you: a lifetime of reclusiveness, no friends (other than me), a life of hell for their parents, complete estrangement from a sibling, horrific health issues (most teeth gone, severe spinal issues, obesity, metabolic problems, etc.) They took one course of medication for about a year and was convinced it caused all their problems, vowing never to go back. They have no contact with people other than paid caregivers. I make a point to regularly send a message, mail a birthday card, or send them an item of interest for them to read online. At this point, I am basically waiting to hear that they have died. It is so sad to see someone this intelligent, who once had everything going for them, basically exist in a severely delusional and probably frequently psychotic world of their own. It almost makes me wish treatment in such cases could be mandatory since I don’t believe such a person is able to make rational judgments.
I am wishing all the members of this forum the best, with hope that someday this terrible disorder will become curable, or at least more easily manageable, and our afflicted loved ones will be able to lead lives of happiness and fulfillment.