Antipsychotic medications (original) (raw)

Doctors prescribe antipsychotic medications to treat psychosis. Mental health conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can include psychosis.

Psychosis occurs when a person’s mental health condition causes them to lose touch with reality. Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health suggest that 3 in every 100 people in the United States experience psychosis at some point. Psychosis can cause hallucinations, delusions, inappropriate behavior, and more.

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are two of the mental health conditions that can cause psychosis.

Read on to learn about the best medication for psychosis, as well as short- versus long-term treatments, risks, and side effects.

People experiencing psychosis perceive or experience situations differently than others around them.

This can cause:

When a person experiences these hallucinations and delusions, it’s called a psychotic episode. It can be very distressing for the person and lead to a change in their behavior.

It is important to note that psychosis is a symptom rather than a condition itself. In some people, a mental health condition such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder can cause psychosis.

In others, psychosis can be a result of:

People with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder may benefit from taking antipsychotics. These medications may also help people with depression or anxiety that is difficult to treat.

Antipsychotics can help reduce:

Antipsychotic drugs come in two main subclasses: first-generation (older types) and second-generation (newer types).

The type a doctor prescribes will depend on a person’s individual biological makeup and mental health condition.

First-generation — also known as “typical” or “conventional” — antipsychotics include:

Second-generation, or “atypical,” antipsychotics include:

Antipsychotics help people manage the symptoms of mental health conditions that can often be serious.

However, these drugs come with side effects, so it is important for doctors to work out the risk-versus-benefit ratio of prescribing antipsychotics for each individual. This assessment must also take into account how long the person should take the medication.

A 2018 review published in World Psychiatry concluded that the available scientific evidence supports the long-term use of antipsychotics. The authors considered the long-term effects of the medications, including their impacts on the brain, metabolic health, and life expectancy.

However, the authors acknowledged that a minority of people with schizophrenia do not seem to relapse even though they do not take antipsychotics long-term. They said more research was needed to explore this phenomenon.

Since the publication of that review, a clinical trial has begun.

It will assess the effects of continuing antipsychotic medication compared with reducing or discontinuing the medication once the first episode of psychosis has stopped affecting:

The exact list of possible side effects of antipsychotics varies from medication to medication. Some people do not experience side effects, while others experience them to varying degrees.

Another 2018 review published in World Psychiatry provides a list of the most common side effects of antipsychotic medicines. They include:

The authors report that groups of side effects do not neatly apply to first-generation and second-generation antipsychotics. Rather, each individual medication has its own list of potential side effects.

Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers older adults with dementia to be at a higher risk of negative effects from antipsychotics. The FDA requires that all antipsychotic medication labels warn people about the increased risk of stroke and death among this population group.

Doctors also do not typically prescribe risperidone or paliperidone as a first-line treatment during pregnancy, as these medications may present a slightly increased risk of fetal development abnormalities.

It is important for anyone who is considering taking antipsychotic medication to discuss their individual risks and benefits with their doctor.

Psychosis is a symptom rather than a condition. People with psychosis experience hallucinations and delusions and essentially lose touch with reality.

Each individual antipsychotic medication comes with its own list of benefits and side effects. The best medication for psychosis always depends on the individual and their unique condition.