| The Psychiatric Drugs | | | | over the age of sixty-five regularly use |
| Desiring optimal health, people frequently turn to | | | | antipsychotics drugs. This figure is alarming considering |
| drugs to alter their physical and mental health. | | | | that approximately 92,000 people over the age of |
| Surveys show that many Americans regularly use | | | | sixty five have been clinically diagnosed with |
| some type of psychiatric medication such | | | | schizophrenia. Experts believe that many people |
| tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antipsychotic drugs and | | | | wrongly turn to antipsychotic drugs after |
| antidepressants. Easily obtained in today's market, | | | | experiencing symptoms similar to schizophrenia, such |
| these drugs are used to treat a wide variety of | | | | as hallucinations and confusion, when in many cases, |
| symptoms from anxiety and difficulty sleeping to | | | | these symptoms are side-effects induced by other |
| decreased energy levels, disorientation and | | | | drugs the consumers take regularly. |
| depression. | | | | Adverse effects of antipsychotic drugs include nerve |
| Although these are serious health issues, the | | | | damage, tartive dyskinesia (difficulty in chewing or |
| treatment of these disorders is often misunderstood | | | | swallowing), loss of balance, muscular fatigue, delirium |
| and abused. Not without consequence, the use of | | | | and Parkinson's disease. One study found that 36% |
| any mind-altering substance must be prepared by | | | | of patients with drug-induced Parkinson's had been |
| thorough research and careful evaluation. | | | | using antipsychotic drugs when diagnosed with the |
| Tranquilizers and Sleeping Pills | | | | disease. Assuming that the patients had classic |
| Today's hectic schedules and external pressures put | | | | Parkinson's, doctors tried to treat the illness with |
| great strain on the human body, often resulting in | | | | another drugs, rather than stopping the antipsychotic |
| stress and agitation. Surveys show that 15.6% of | | | | drugs causing the symptoms. |
| people use tranquilizers to relieve anxiety. Of this | | | | Antidepressants |
| percent, 39% use them daily, and 78% admitted to | | | | Although a very real illness, the cause and symptoms |
| taking tranquilizers for more than a year. Most | | | | of depression are also frequently misunderstood. As |
| tranquilizers belong to a chemical family called | | | | with other mental disorders, many cases of |
| benzodiazapines, although more common names | | | | depression are actually caused by drugs used to |
| include Valium, Librium, Xanax and Halcium. Sleeping | | | | treat other ailments. Depression is associated with a |
| pills, another common type of tranquilizers, include | | | | long list of medications, including, barbiturates, |
| sedatives known as barbiturates, buspirone, | | | | tranquilizers, corticosteroids, diet drugs and painkillers. |
| Diphenhydramine, Hydrozyzine and Meprobamate. | | | | Other types of depression may be triggered by |
| Although confirming their popularity, studies question | | | | thyroid disorders, cancer, hepatitis or other form of |
| the efficacy of tranquilizers and sleeping pills. Evidence | | | | illness. It is critical to define the underlying causes of |
| suggests that even the most potent tranquilizers are | | | | the depression before administering treatment. |
| ineffective after periods of four months and sleeping | | | | Adverse effects of antidepressants include low blood |
| pills have been shown to lose efficacy after only two | | | | pressure, irregular heart rate, enlarged prostate, |
| to four weeks. In addition to limited performance, | | | | nausea, blurred vision, worsening of glaucoma, dry |
| tranquilizers and sleeping pills can cause a multitude of | | | | mouth, disorientation, loss of memory and fatigue. |
| side effects, such as low blood pressure, hip fracture, | | | | The safety and efficacy of an antidepressant can |
| liver disease, allergies and breathing problems. | | | | only be determined after obtaining both a careful and |
| Mind-altering effects include decreased mental | | | | detailed history of the patient and a complete |
| functioning, forgetfulness, withdrawal syndrome and | | | | knowledge about the available medicines and their |
| lack of coordination. Alarmingly, approximately 16,000 | | | | indications. |
| auto accidents each year are attributed to the use | | | | In Conclusion |
| of psychoative drugs such as tranquilizers and | | | | The human mind is the body's powerhouse, the |
| sleeping pills. | | | | controller of both thought and action. For this reason, |
| Studies also shows that tranquilizers are unnecessary | | | | the brain must be carefully nurtured and protected |
| under most circumstances. In fact, in many studies, | | | | from harmful substances. The science of nutritional |
| patients responded to placebos as well as they did to | | | | immunology advocates a diet rich in phytochemicals, |
| actual tranquilizers, proof that the therapeutic effects | | | | which help strengthen the body's defenses and |
| of tranquilizers don't merit their harmful effects. | | | | prevent the need for serious medical treatment. |
| According to the World Health Organization (WHO), | | | | Whether used to relieve simple stress or to treat a |
| "anxiety is a normal response to stress, and only | | | | more serious mental disorder, psychiatric drugs can |
| when it is severe and disabling should it lead to drug | | | | have a detrimental effect on both the physical and |
| treatment." | | | | mental well-being of the body. Before consuming |
| Antipsychotic Drugs | | | | psychiatric drugs, it is imperative to consult a |
| Antipsychotics drugs are another example of | | | | physician and conduct personal research to determine |
| treatment clouded by misconception and misdiagnosis. | | | | the necessity and consequences of the drugs in |
| Although intended to treat only serious mental illness, | | | | question. A willingness to do so may prevent critical |
| such as schizophrenia, an estimated 750,000 people | | | | health blunders and change minds for the better. |