Schizophrenia, a potent mental health disorder, disrupts an individual’s ability to think, process, and behave coherently, often manifesting in delusions, hallucinations, and a noticeable lack of organization in their thought process. It’s a relentless disease that necessitates lifelong treatment, which frequently entails medication and possible psychotherapy sessions. Antipsychotic medications play a significant role in managing the prominent signs and symptoms but are not free from severe side effects, one of which is a condition known as tardive dyskinesia.
The administration of antipsychotic medication by psychiatrists to schizophrenic patients ideally aims to mitigate their symptoms and enable them to maintain a semblance of normality in their daily lives. Schizophrenia results predominantly from an imbalance of dopamine—a neurotransmitter—in the brain. This imbalance forms the primary target of the treatments, hence the other name for antipsychotic medication—neuroleptic drugs.
Historically, psychiatrists often preferred first-generation antipsychotics due to their availability. While these drugs somewhat alleviated symptoms of schizophrenia, they were notorious for their serious side effects, including the random, uncontrollable movements synonymous with tardive dyskinesia.
In contemporary times, newer or second-generation antipsychotics, which include aripiprazole (Abilify), quetiapine (Seroquel), and risperidone (Risperdal), have become the preferred choice. Even though they are less likely to induce neurological side effects as compared to their predecessors, their usage is not entirely without risk.
Individual reactions to antipsychotic medication vary, with tardive dyskinesia proving a frequent side effect of long-term neuroleptic medication use. The condition, characterized by uncontrollable, repeated movements, can, unfortunately, become irreversible in some instances once manifested. Symptoms range from grimacing, protruding the tongue, lip smacking, and rapid eye blinking to moving fingers, arms, legs, torsos in random, pointless ways. Swift notification of your medic on onset or development of these symptoms is essential as early intervention can be invaluable.
Several treatments may aid your symptoms—your doctor can guide on either cessation of your current medication, a dosage adjustment, or a switch to a new one. Similarly, novel medications like valbenazine (Ingrezza) and deutetrabenazine (Austedo) can successfully manage the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia. If warranted, supplements such as ginkgo biloba extract can also be useful after thoroughly consulting with your healthcare provider.
In conclusion, while schizophrenia treatment via antipsychotic medication poses certain risks, the implications of non-treatment are far greater. The balance between managing schizophrenia and dealing with medication side effects is a delicate one that doctors strive to achieve but needs patient cooperation too. Complying with medication plans is often challenging for individuals battling psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, but abstaining from medication without consulting with a doctor may prove detrimental rather than beneficial.
