I am sorry for you and wish you the very best.
I would not condemn anti-psychotic medication just because
1. we do not understand the brain and thus are not able to design more sophisticated methods to treat this terrible decease
2. many patients suffer from terrible side effects.
Thanks to some new generation anti-psychotic drugs (e.g. Risperidol, Abilify, etc) many a person who has the misfortune to suffer from psychosis can return to their daily live - and by this I mean that the person can do more then just 'function'. Of course, his ability to do so depends on the severity of psychosis and dosis of medication. I know a person who learned to live with his psychosis and has greatly improved his quality of life in the recent two years.. to such a degree that he may complete his (ambitious) studies and get a job. Medication was one of the key factors for his well being, other were a long series of psychologic treatments and support from his surrounding.
It also true that in societies where the access to anti-psychotic drugs is restricted (e.g. lack of a pharmaceutical industry) a completely different development of the person is observed, not necessarily in a negative way. However, the nature of psychosis is deeply connected with genetic (hard) and enviromental (soft) factors, such as family, society, experience as a child, etc - so no actual comparison can be made between those patient groups.
Right now, there is no solution to this phenomenon of brain disfunction, and research has a long way to go to understand the structural changes in the brain of psychotic persons during their beginning adolescence and possible treatment.
At the end, stigmatization of psychosis should be avoided, as should be any general magic recipe - every patient is a single case who deserves the best treatment and support from his family and friends.
I would not condemn anti-psychotic medication just because
1. we do not understand the brain and thus are not able to design more sophisticated methods to treat this terrible decease
2. many patients suffer from terrible side effects.
Thanks to some new generation anti-psychotic drugs (e.g. Risperidol, Abilify, etc) many a person who has the misfortune to suffer from psychosis can return to their daily live - and by this I mean that the person can do more then just 'function'. Of course, his ability to do so depends on the severity of psychosis and dosis of medication. I know a person who learned to live with his psychosis and has greatly improved his quality of life in the recent two years.. to such a degree that he may complete his (ambitious) studies and get a job. Medication was one of the key factors for his well being, other were a long series of psychologic treatments and support from his surrounding.
It also true that in societies where the access to anti-psychotic drugs is restricted (e.g. lack of a pharmaceutical industry) a completely different development of the person is observed, not necessarily in a negative way. However, the nature of psychosis is deeply connected with genetic (hard) and enviromental (soft) factors, such as family, society, experience as a child, etc - so no actual comparison can be made between those patient groups.
Right now, there is no solution to this phenomenon of brain disfunction, and research has a long way to go to understand the structural changes in the brain of psychotic persons during their beginning adolescence and possible treatment.
At the end, stigmatization of psychosis should be avoided, as should be any general magic recipe - every patient is a single case who deserves the best treatment and support from his family and friends.