[at-l] Fwd: [pct-l] Quitting Psychiatric Drugs
Jim Bullard
jim.bullard at gmail.com
Mon May 21 07:24:27 CDT 2007
And the relevance to AT-L is...?
On 5/21/07, Point North <pointnorther_light at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Quitting Psychiatric Drugs
>
> Date Published: 1998-07-12 00:00
>
> Source: Lunatics' Liberation Front
>
>
> Introduction
>
> A person may have a variety of reasons for wanting to stop taking
> psychiatric medication. He or she may want to be free of the dulling
> effect
> that most psychiatric drugs cause or of more serious side effects that
> he
> or she may be suffering. The person may be worried about the long-term
> effects of the drugs, including tardive dyskinesia (involuntary muscle
> movements). Or he may be wanting to make a major change in his life by
> freeing himself from a dependence on powerful medication.
>
> Whatever the motivation, the person has a right to free himself from
> using
> medication. There may well be situations in which others don't agree
> with a
> person who wants to stop taking psychiatric medication. They may be
> scared
> that doing so will do the person serious harm. But it is the
> individual's
> right, and he probably has sound reasons for wanting to stop using the
> drugs. After all, he is the one who has to live with the consequences
> of
> the medication, and he is the only one who knows how the medication
> really
> affects him.
>
> You can support him by helping him make informed choices about his
> options.
> You can give him information about his medication and its effects. You
> can
> also give him information about getting off the drugs, and you can
> support
> him in carrying out his choice in a safe way.
>
> That safety may be the most important support that you can provide.
> Remember, you have little influence over what he does after he leaves
> the
> transition house. He may stop his medication cold, without information
> or
> support, and put himself in serious danger.
>
> The symptoms of too-rapid withdrawal from psychiatric drugs include
> extreme
> nausea, anxiety, insomnia, restlessness, muscular reactions, and
> strange
> behaviour. In the case of minor tranquilizers and sedatives, the
> reactions
> to sudden withdrawal can be life-threatening. You can support him in
> struggling with these issues and making an informed choice. But
> remember
> that you are dealing with something that is his right. If you pass
> judgment
> on his wishes, you won't be helping him find out what is really best
> for
> him. And he may simply stop his medication anyway, without the
> information
> and support he needs.
>
> Finally, a person who wants to stop taking psychiatric medication
> should
> have the support of a sympathetic doctor. By sympathetic we mean a
> doctor
> who is willing to accept a person's right to choose his own path and
> work
> with him on getting off the medication. This is the best way, to have
> the
> active involvement of a doctor who can help plan and monitor a person's
> withdrawal from psychiatric medication.
>
> Note that many detox centers and drug abuse programs help people to
> stop
> taking minor tranquilizers and sedatives, but not neuroleptics and
> antidepressants.
>
> What follows is an overview of the basics. It will help you or people
> you
> work with understand what's involved in the process and how one goes
> about
> it.
>
> The Basic Principles
>
> There are some basic principles that a person has to follow to stop
> taking
> psychiatric drugs safely. Familiarize yourself with them, and make sure
> that any person you work with who wants to stop her medication is
> familiar
> with them, too.
>
> Don't try to stop taking psychiatric drugs without support.
> If at all possible, find a supportive doctor to supervise the process.
> Never stop taking psychiatric drugs abruptly -- going "cold turkey" can
> lead to serious withdrawal symptoms and can be life-threatening.
> The best way to stop is to reduce the dosage gradually; by withdrawing
> gradually and carefully it may be possible to minimize withdrawal
> symptoms.
> Withdrawal from sedatives and minor tranquilizers can be extremely
> dangerous.
> Withdrawal symptoms don't necessarily start immediately; they may begin
> anywhere from 8 hours to several days after quitting.
> The time it takes for withdrawal symptoms to set in and their severity
> varies from person to person, and depends on how long you have been
> taking
> the drugs, your dosage, your overall health, your body weight, and so
> on.
>
> Steps to Follow
>
> 1. Find a supportive doctor who will work out a withdrawal schedule
> with
> you and monitor your progress. You may be able to find one in the
> AlternativeMentalHealth.com directory. Or other psychiatric survivors
> or a
> survivors' group might be able to suggest a doctor.
> 2. Have a living situation that is as stable as possible.
> 3. Organize support from friends, family, survivor groups, local
> organizations and/or any other source of help.
> 4. Withdraw from the drugs as gradually as you can. A common method is
> 10%
> per week.
> 5. Find out as much as you can about the process so that you will be
> prepared for the withdrawal symptoms.
> 6. Don't expect to feel much difference in the first few days.
> 7. Realize that your body and mind are going through a difficult
> experience.
> 8. Make sure you get enough sleep. Difficulty in sleeping is a common
> problem; it's important that you get at least 6 hours of sleep a night.
> Use
> herbal remedies for sleep, and try massage, etc. But if nothing else
> helps,
> it's worth taking sleeping pills just for this short period.
> 9. Stop using stimulants like coffee, sugar, chocolate, alcohol, or
> street
> drugs.
> 10. Eat the healthiest diet you can to help your body purify itself.
> Vegetables, fruit, nuts, and grains are important; eat as little red
> meat
> as you can, and avoid junk food.
> 11. You will have more physical energy as your body gets away from the
> drugs. Exercise will help you stay calm, and will be very helpful if
> your
> energy seems to be getting out of control. Try to start exercising,
> swimming, hiking, or bicycling. But start gradually.
>
> Setting a Schedule
>
> Remember, psychiatric drugs should never be stopped abruptly! The more
> slowly you can withdraw, the less bad effects you will suffer. The best
> plan is to work out a schedule with your doctor that best suits your
> situation.
>
> Standard practice is to reduce your dosage by 10 percent per week,
> monitoring your progress at every step. The first week, you would
> reduce
> your dosage by ten percent. Try that for the first week, and then see
> how
> you are doing. If you feel OK, reduce the dosage by another 10 percent.
> Try
> that for a week, and see if you feel OK.
>
> If you reach a point where you don't feel OK, don't reduce your dosage
> by
> another 10 percent. Stay at the same reduced level for another week or
> until you do feel fine. Then reduce by another 10 percent and continue
> with
> the process. Some steps might be more difficult than others; take your
> time. For example, if you are taking 200mg of Chlorpromazine a day,
> reduce
> by 10 percent -- 20mg -- to 180mg per day. Try that level for a week.
> The
> next reduction would be to 160mg a day for a week (or longer), then
> 140mg a
> day, and so on.
>
> If you are taking more than one medication at a time, it's best to stop
> them one by one. If you are taking a neuroleptic (major tranquilizer)
> and
> an anticonvulsive drug (anti-Parkinsonian) at the same time, which is
> common, withdraw from the neuroleptic first. However, if you are taking
> more than one medication, this is a situation where it is definitely
> best
> to have a doctor working with you.
>
> Withdrawal Effects by Drug Class
>
> If you are working with a person who wants to stop taking psychiatric
> drugs, it's important to be familiar with the typical reactions or
> symptoms
> of withdrawal. These vary, depending on the person, how long he's been
> taking the drug, his dosage, and the type of drug.
>
> Different classes of drugs bring on different withdrawal reactions.
> Some of
> these reactions may be disturbing and hard to witness but not really
> dangerous. Others may be life-threatening.
>
> A familiarity with drug withdrawal reactions will help you in working
> with
> anyone who is taking psychiatric medication. Many patients don't take
> their
> medications as prescribed; they will alter their dosage, increasing or
> decreasing the amount they take. Or they will miss a day's medication,
> and
> then catch up by taking twice as much the next day. By mistakenly
> taking
> too little medication, they may bring on the early stages of
> withdrawal.
> Mysterious physical and emotional complaints may actually be signs that
> they are not taking their medication as prescribed.
>
> Even when a person is taking his medication as prescribed, he may
> experience the beginnings of a withdrawal reaction as a dose begins to
> wear
> off. For example, a person who is taking a minor tranquilizer may find
> himself feeling agitated and restless before he is to take him next
> prescribed dose.
>
> In both cases, these signs are the results of the early stages of
> withdrawal. It may seem like the agitation, anxiety, or physical
> discomfort
> are signs of a person's "mental illness" or a sign that he really does
> need
> the medication he's taking. However, his complaints may actually be due
> to
> the physical effects of the beginning stages of drug withdrawal.
>
> Listed below are the main classes of psychiatric medication, along with
> the
> withdrawal reactions that are most common with each of them.
>
> Antidepressants and Neuroleptics
>
> · flu-like syndrome with headache, muscle aches, chills, nausea,
> vomiting,
> diarrhea, and loss of appetite
> · muscular reactions such as uncontrollable rhythmic movements and
> tremors
> (these are more severe with neuroleptics)
> · insomnia, emotional distress, feeling like one is "going crazy"
>
> Lithium
>
> · less side effects generally than other classes
> · insomnia, anxiety, irritability.
>
> Minor Tranquilizers, Sedatives
>
> · sudden withdrawal can result in life-threatening seizures; withdrawal
> must be very gradual
> · seizures common in early stages of withdrawal
> · other reactions can include flu-like syndrome (see above), muscle
> tics,
> restlessness, and anxiety
> · withdrawal symptoms usually take a few days to develop, but can occur
> immediately and get worse during the first week.
>
> What You Can Do to Support a Person Withdrawing from Medication
>
> 1. Respect the person's right to make his own choices.
> 2. Be informed about the process of withdrawing from psychiatric drugs.
> 3. Be familiar with the withdrawal symptoms so that you can stay
> clearheaded and not panic.
> 4. Realize that people who disapprove of what the person is doing may
> want
> to interfere with the process. Be prepared for that.
> 5. Remind the person to get enough sleep.
> 6. Make sure he gets enough to eat. Help him prepare food, as he may be
> too
> nervous to cook on his own.
> 7. Help him get in touch with other people who will support him.
> 8. Don't be misled by the withdrawal symptoms, thinking that they are
> signs
> of his "illness." Be patient; it takes time to withdraw from the drugs
> and
> adjust to life without them.
>
>
> The information of this Website is for educational purposes only and is
> not
> intended to replace the advice of physicians or health care
> practitioners.
> It is also not intended to diagnose or prescribe treatment for any
> illness
> or disorder. Anyone already undergoing physician-prescribed therapy
> should
> seek the advice of his or her doctor before reducing the dosage or
> stopping
> such treatment.
> _______________________________________________
> pct-l mailing list
> pct-l at backcountry.net
> unsubscribe or change options:
> http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
> var callCount = 0; function rmvScroll( msg ) { if ( ++callCount > 10 ) { msg.style.visibility = "visible"; } if ( callCount msg.clientHeight ) { newHeight = msg.scrollHeight + delta; } delta = msg.offsetWidth - msg.clientWidth; delta = ( isNaN( delta )? 1 : delta + 1 ); if ( msg.scrollWidth > msg.clientWidth ) { newWidth = msg.scrollWidth + delta; } msg.style.overflow = "visible"; msg.style.visibility = "visible"; if ( newWidth > 0 || newHeight > 0 ) { var ssxyzzy = document.getElementById( "ssxyzzy" ); var cssAttribs = ['#message {']; if ( newWidth > 0 ) cssAttribs.push( 'width:' + newWidth + 'px;' ); if ( newHeight > 0 ) cssAttribs.push( ' height:' + newHeight + 'px;' ); cssAttribs.push( '}' ); try { ssxyzzy.sheet.deleteRule( 0 ); ssxyzzy.sheet.insertRule( cssAttribs.join(""), 0 ); } catch( e ){} } } function imgsDone( msg ) // for Firefox, we need to scan for images that haven't set their width yet { var imgList =
> msg.getElementsByTagName( "IMG" ); var len = ((imgList == null)? 0 : imgList.length); for ( var i = 0; i [input] [input] [input] [input] [input] [input] [input] [input] Delete Reply Forward Spam Move...
> Previous | Next | Search Results
>
> ---------------------------------
> Ready for the edge of your seat? Check out tonight's top picks on Yahoo! TV.
> _______________________________________________
> AT-L Mailing List.
>
> Go here to unsubscribe or change your options:
>
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/at-l
>
--
Jim Bullard
http://jims-ramblings.blogspot.com/
More information about the at-l
mailing list