Hi all. People thst have ysken invega have noticed there getting the same negative symptoms and cognitive decline that comes with schizophrenia. Im wondering if ppl are on antipsychotics and are not experiencing any negative symptoms like lack of motivation anhedonia apathy and cognitive decline. Are any of you ppl here or do antipsychotics just make you feel like shit?
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Mental Health Negative symptoms from antipsychotics
- Thread starter Gdvffh
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Atomic_Decay
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My main complaint from AP’s was cognitive decline - mainly in terms of what I would call ‘raw processing power’. I just no longer instantly saw connections between things or drew instantly on data that I thought I had on my long term memory. I also could not retain data in my working memory very well (that that was possibly reelated to MDMA abuse and ECT).
However, I believe they were important for me but that I shpuld only havr stayed on them for a year or so until I stabilised and learned to manage myself - not over 5 years of essentialy treading water in life.
However, I believe they were important for me but that I shpuld only havr stayed on them for a year or so until I stabilised and learned to manage myself - not over 5 years of essentialy treading water in life.
Atomic_Decay
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I certainly became much less energetic on APs and had to really struggle to do proper exercise (which was important because some of the ones I took added a lot of weight and I became pre-diabetic for a while). But once i got going I was usually alright by about lunchtime - so I just organised life so I never had anything important early in the day.
The first period when I was on either Seoquel or Zyprexa was the worst both for cognitive issues and for weight/energy. But when I got a dual diagnoais for bi-polar + ADHD I changed to Abilify + Dexamfetamine and didn’t have any more problems with energy levels or getting going in the morning.
I don’t drink alcohol or smoke weed as I don’t enjoy them at all so I can’t answer that part of your queation, sorry.
So your find cognitively and your energy levels are fine. So do you feel completely normal on antipsychotics? Do you feel your self? Do you work? Im asking cause im thinking i need a med change. I notice now that there are ppl who feel completely fine on antipsychotics so im thinking i can be this way too if i get a med change and get on the right medication.
Atomic_Decay
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It’s very normal for psychiatrists to cycle new patients through several different anti-psychotics/anti-depressants/mood regulators and different combinations of them until they find the ideal solution. The one that minimises the psychiatric symptoms balanced against the most tolerable plaide effects.
In a way your question “do you feel yourself” does not make sense. Myself is pretty batshit crazy with regular bouts of mania. During the mania I feel fucking fantastic and have energy to burn - but there is usually pretty serious job/family/relationship damage from these episodes.
I’m not normal - by a long shot - and I took these meds to dial my outrageous self to something close ‘on average socially acceptable’ so I could hold down a good job and have a good relationship.
It took probably 2 years in total (with an unmedicated break of a few years in ths middle) for me to trial half a dozen or more psych drug combinations before I found the ideal one: Abilify + Dex (with access to low-dose seroquel and valium a few times a month if I felt I was getting overwhelmed or hyper and couldn’t sleep).
This combination let me work in a mentally demanding job and I also had the best and most loving relationship of my life,
What I learned though, is that because of the neuroplastic changes these kind of drugs make in your brain, they can potentially put your mental illness into remission after you’ve taken them for at least a year. It depends on the individual, but I believe that I could possibly have stopped the Abilify after a year when it had probably had a permanent effect.
In a way your question “do you feel yourself” does not make sense. Myself is pretty batshit crazy with regular bouts of mania. During the mania I feel fucking fantastic and have energy to burn - but there is usually pretty serious job/family/relationship damage from these episodes.
I’m not normal - by a long shot - and I took these meds to dial my outrageous self to something close ‘on average socially acceptable’ so I could hold down a good job and have a good relationship.
It took probably 2 years in total (with an unmedicated break of a few years in ths middle) for me to trial half a dozen or more psych drug combinations before I found the ideal one: Abilify + Dex (with access to low-dose seroquel and valium a few times a month if I felt I was getting overwhelmed or hyper and couldn’t sleep).
This combination let me work in a mentally demanding job and I also had the best and most loving relationship of my life,
What I learned though, is that because of the neuroplastic changes these kind of drugs make in your brain, they can potentially put your mental illness into remission after you’ve taken them for at least a year. It depends on the individual, but I believe that I could possibly have stopped the Abilify after a year when it had probably had a permanent effect.
Yeah i cant get drunk. I just drank on the weekend. The beer made me sick but not drunk. I feel like i dont have dopamine. I cant feel happy and i cant feel sad. I just feel numb all the time. I fucking hate it. Im glad to hear your able to get drunk on haldol. Im not asking cause i wanna get drunk. But if i cant that suggest that something is wrong.
Conky
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Beer doesn't contain much alcohol though, whisky on the other hand...
Sounds like invega isn't for you or maybe dose is too high
It's an injection right? I would speak with the prescribing doctor and tell him or her the sides are overwhelming, and request a new medication. You want a pill or capsule you take every day, that way if the side effects are too much, you can try something else easily.
Sounds like invega isn't for you or maybe dose is too high
It's an injection right? I would speak with the prescribing doctor and tell him or her the sides are overwhelming, and request a new medication. You want a pill or capsule you take every day, that way if the side effects are too much, you can try something else easily.
Jerry Atrick
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Looks like @nomorebenzos beat me to the punch. I haven't drank any alcohol since I started the mood stabilizer Lamictal a few months ago but I can testify that I drank quite a bit during grad school 2010-2012 on Abilify and Celexa. Starting then I was also a daily weed smoker until 2021 when my living situation changed.
The important thing @Gdvffh is what you found out over the weekend, which is learning your limitations. If you learned you can't drink, then don't. Or don't drink as much. Or drink something different. I used to drink IPAs, which are at a higher alcohol content than the typical bud light, coors light, etc. And also, for God's sake, don't drink then drive.
As for the weed, I found I could smoke small amounts frequently throughout the day. I preferred keeping a light buzz for a longer time than getting blitzed all at once, which for me is recipe for a panic attack. Like I said, if you do try weed again, I recommend starting out small and take things in moderation. Maybe stick with indicas at first because they seem to be more calming and give less anxiety than sativa strains.
Since I quit smoking daily last year, my tolerance for weed is way down. I can take one little hit and be good.