antipsychotics

When I worked on an elderly care ward for patients with organic mental illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease it was customary to use anti psychotic medication to “manage” the symptoms of confusion that often accompany these conditions.

The drug of choice in those days was Meleril (Thioridazine) now taken off the market and replaced with newer atypical antipsychotic drugs. The practice was the same in the community as I noticed when visiting care homes as a student. Patient is confused wandering, at risk of falling and or aggressive to others? Answer: Prescribe Meleril 10mg daily. Patient still confused and wandering? Up the Meleril. Still confused? Increase Meleril until patient is comatose, job done.
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Following the reports that antidepressants aren’t helpful, comes an article on the Guardian’s Comment is Free website by Adam James entitled ‘Myth of the Antipsychotic’.

Antipsychotic drugs don’t work, are causing a brain damage epidemic and almost triple the risk of dying early, a new book claims. Yet the mental health establishment, as it did with Prozac, is failing to take the evidence seriously.

The book James is referring to is Joanna Moncrief’s The Myth of The Chemical Cure. I haven’t read Moncrief’s book, so this post isn’t a critique of her arguments. However, I do have a criticism to make in response to Adam James’ article.
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