Posted by med_empowered on October 22, 2005, at 3:19:28
In reply to Re: CORLUX now being tested to prevent AP weight gain, posted by SLS on October 21, 2005, at 16:40:30
I dont usually get excited about new treatments for mental illness...in part because they seem to be more of the same (manipulate this chemical or that one; control "symptoms", blah blah blah), but I am excited about this. I mean, finally there's a way to treat some forms of psychosis without the damaging effects of neuroleptics! Finally, there seems to be an approach that is less about "controlling symptoms" (although it seems to do that quite effectively) and more about improving overall "quality of llife". I've had psychotic depression, and possibly the only thing worse than psychotic depression is the side-effects from neuroleptics..the feelings of being a zombie, of being "cut off" from my Self, and, of course, the akathisia that became my own personal Hell. I'm sure there are problems with this medication, but it seems that the emphasis is different than with antipsychotics...instead of manipulating chemicals that **might** be out-of-whack in psychosis (I think the dopamine theory of psychosis is oversimplified and fundamentally flawed) with an aim to reduce symtoms and restore "normal" thoughts and behaviors, the emphasis seems to be on working **with** the body to bring the whole system into a more healthful sort of equilibrium. I'm hoping that this line of research, along with some others--like using dopamine agonists and nootropics for some forms of psychosis--will lead to more humane, **effective**, patient-centered treatment. (BTW-isn't it odd to think that the idea of "patient-centered treatment" is relatively recent in psychiatry? I think that kind of reflects and reveals a long-standing, very damaging power imbalance that puts patients--already in extreme distress--well below doctors and other "experts" in terms of the decisions and treatment goals.)
poster:med_empowered
thread:569850
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051017/msgs/570313.html