Zolpidem Increases Risk of Falls, Cognitive Impairment

In the department of “Oh duh!” inducing news, research from the University of Colorado-Boulder found that zolpidem increases the risk of falls and grogginess-induced cognitive impairment. Zolpidem is the most commonly used sleep medication in the U.S. It is not a benzodiazepine, but a similar drug. The study had 25 healthy adults, both older and [...]

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Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

Ativan withdrawal sucks, especially if you’ve tapered way too quickly. I was on Ativan 3mg daily for nearly three months before I decided I wanted to quit. My psychiatrist advised me to take the drug “as needed”, probably assuming I’d still need one or two tablets everyday for a while to curb my anxiety. But [...]

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Mental Illness, Medication, and Fatigue

I have not had the energy to write much lately. The reason is not, as one might think, my mental illness. Yes, I am stressed, but I have been for months. Now, the reason that I have lower energy levels is, in fact, the medication I take for my mental health condition. A combination of [...]

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Comments on Young Children and Antipsychotics

John M. Grohol of World of Psychology has a very interesting article about prescribing atypical antipsychotics to children under age six. The take-home message from the article is: After carefully reviewing the limited amount of research in this area, Psych Central recommends that parents should never accept an atypical antipsychotic medication prescription for a child [...]

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Increasing Numbers of Children Take Antipsychotics

In the Netherlands, between 2008 and 2009, the number of children taking antipsychotics increased by 14%, according to a Dutch news report. The main reason children take antipsychotics, particularly Risperdal, is autistic irritability. The problem, according to a child psychiatrist cited in the article, is not that these children are put on these drugs in [...]

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Lupron Used as Autism Treatment

I’ve known this forever, but it is still shocking to read about it: Lupron is speculated as treatment for autism. Lupron is a drug that causes the body to quit making testosterone. It is indicated for precocious puberty, but it has very serious side effects. The logic seems to go like this: autism is, of [...]

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Jasmine the New Valium? I Don’t Think So

I just counted the psychiatric medications I’ve been on or am currently on. Five out of the ten psych drugs I’ve ever used, fall into the class of benzodiazepines. These are thought to be useful against anxiety and for sedation, although I’ve not had good experiences with the former purpose. The downside of these drugs [...]

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This Is News?: Antipsychotics Cause Weight Gain In Children

For the sake of eliciting an “Oh, duh!” with most of my readers, research just found that antipsychotics cause weight gain in children. In fact, all four drugs tested – Risperdal, Seroquel, Zyprexa and Abilify – cause significant weight gain within the first three months of use, sometimes up to 15% of the child’s former [...]

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Not a Substitute for Proper Care?

In their book chapter on psychopharmacology in a Dutch book on care for people with intellectual disabilities, Scheers and Minderaa (1997), write the following about medication for use on people with pervasive developmental disorders: It also seems to make little sense to to provide medication when a few basic provisions of shelter and support have [...]

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State Sued for Chemically Restraining Autistic Student

In Australia, Ellen Modra, the mother of an autistic person, is suing the state of Victoria for chemically restraining him with a far too high dose of risperidone (Risperdal). This took place at a state school, so that’s why Ms. Modra is suing the state. She is also suing over other, unspecified abuses. Firstly, medication [...]

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