Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is characterized as a psychotic disorder. Psychotic disorders are those that deal with delusional thinking and or hallucinations as core symptoms. Some other psychotic disorders include schizoaffective disorder and psychotic depression.
Schizophrenia can be debilitating and is thought of as one of the most severe mental health conditions.
It is not the most common mental illness, which makes it extremely difficult for others to understand. Approximately 1% of the worldwide population suffers from schizophrenia. This equals about 20 million sufferers. Approximately 3.2 million are Americans.
If you or a loved go to visit a physician for your condition you are likely to be directed to a psychiatrist.
From there you are likely to be prescribed an anti-psychotic.
Let’s continue on to learn more about this type of medication.
Antipsychotics
Antipsychotic medications are prescribed for psychotic disorders including schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. They are also used for people with autism.
They work on chemicals in the brain that can affect psychosis, such as serotonin and dopamine.
These medications take approximately 4 to 6 weeks for symptoms like hallucinations and delusions to improve.
Typical or first-generation Antipsychotics include:
Chlorpromazine / Thorazine
Haloperidol / Haldol
Perphenazine / Trilafon
Fluphenazine / Prolixin
Atypical or second-generation antipsychotics are newer and thought to cause fewer side effects. These include:
Aripiprazole / Abilify
Risperidone / Risperdal
Clozapine / Clozaril
Olanzapine / Zyprexa
Paliperidone / Invega Sustenna
Quetiapine / Seroquel
Brexpiprazole / Rexulti
Cariprazine / Vyralar
CAUTION
May Come with Side Effects
Some Side effect profiles for antipsychotic medications are common. These can include:
Blurred Vision
Vomiting
Nausea
Dizziness
Dry Mouth
Akathisia/Restlessness
Seizures
Constipation
Weight Gain
Tardive Dyskinesia
Sexual Problems
Low Blood Pressure
Low White Blood Cell Count
Make sure to discuss any side effects with your physician and weigh the benefits vs. the side effects. You can ask a specialist today at mytelemedicine.
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