After suffering a psychotic episode in the spring of 2003, I was immediately started on a new atypical medication upon my submission to the hospital. Resperadol was the first antipsychotic that I was prescribed. I was also given medication to help me sleep, but nothing would allow me to let my guard down.
Most of the first week in the hospital is a blur, but I’ll never forget how it feels to be as scared as one can possibly be. To help me sleep, my doctor prescribed yet a second antipsychotic called Seroquel. After three hellish weeks, I was finally able to catch a few hours of sleep.
Before the 1940’s the outlook for those suffering from mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and psychosis was bleak. Institutionalization was the norm and the best that was hoped for was a comfortable existence. A better understanding of how the brain worked led to the development of the first generation of antipsychotic medication.
The fifties and sixties were a time of great hope for those suffering from hallucinations and delusions. But these miracle drugs came with strings attached. Crippling apathy and monstrous weight gain made daily living a test of will, but to be free of torturous voices and invasive hallucinations was a trade off most were willing to make.
During the nineties, new viewing technology has allowed us to study the brain at great length. Although it still remains largely a mystery, we know that psychosis is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Why this happens is still unknown but vast strides have been made in developing a new generation of antipsychotics often experience a rebirth when they switch to the new atypical medication.
One of the things that can be frustrating for a patient is finding out which medication is going to work. It’s a fine line between medicating and sedating. It took about three months before I was taking the right dose at the right time of day. That has made all the difference. Thanks to the PEPP program and modern medicine, I returned to my studies at the University of Western Ontario four short months after hospitalization. This would have been unheard of fifty years ago.
Medication is just something I have to deal with.
Take my word for it… it’s better than the alternative.
by Matt D., 25, Canada
by Matt, 25, ntario, Canada
by Matt, Ontario, Canada
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