| Psychologist R.D. Laing once said, | | | | The danger, of course, is dizziness, |
| "Schizophrenia cannot be understood | | | | high blood pressure, drowsiness and even |
| without understanding despair." The most | | | | seizures, although these side effects |
| debilitating facet of this mental | | | | are extremely rare. Careful monitoring |
| illness is the negative emotion | | | | must be done with Clozapine to prevent a |
| generated, in addition to the disruptive | | | | fatal bone marrow toxicity that can |
| nature. | | | | develop. |
| Not only may a person have the typical | | | | Other treatment drugs include: |
| hallucinations, but chances are, he or | | | | Chloropromazine, Fluphenazine, Geodon, |
| she will also feel a high degree of | | | | Moban, Paliperidone, Sarcosine, |
| social anxiety, listlessness and | | | | Thioridazine, Ziprasidone and Zyprexa |
| suicidal tendencies. Schizophrenia | | | | (which is also used to treat bipolar |
| treatment almost always involves | | | | disorder). This year the FDA is meeting |
| life-long drugs, but should be | | | | to discuss making a longer lasting, |
| accompanied by clinical psychiatry and | | | | injectable form of Zyprexa available, |
| schizophrenia support, most importantly. | | | | although they fear severe drowsiness may |
| Within the United States, there are | | | | ensue. |
| fourteen clinics that specialize in | | | | However, it's honestly tough to tell |
| schizophrenia treatment. For example, | | | | which schizophrenia drug works best |
| the Center Of Prevention & Evaluation | | | | because of industry bias. Dr. John Davis |
| (COPE) is a popular treatment program | | | | reported in the American Journal of |
| that can be found in New York, or | | | | Psychiatry: "On the basis of these |
| there's the Early Assessment and Support | | | | contrasting findings in head-to-head |
| Team (EAST). | | | | trials, it appears that whichever |
| There are generally five phases for | | | | company sponsors the trial produces the |
| these programs, with each phase lasting | | | | better anti-psychotic drug." |
| up to six months. Counselors help | | | | As of 2008, Merck Corporation made a |
| schizophrenics meet goals, adapt to | | | | $700 million deal with Addex |
| group situations, develop a long term | | | | Pharmaceuticals of Switzerland to |
| plan and even find work. | | | | develop a new schizophrenia drug. Uwe |
| For a treatment of schizophrenia that | | | | Reinhardt, a political economist at |
| doubles as a mood enhancer, used | | | | Princeton, feels that the reason |
| especially in cases where patients are | | | | patients are dissatisfied with many |
| suicidal, Clozapine may be administered. | | | | schizophrenia treatment drugs is related |
| This anti-psychotic drug restores the | | | | to efforts by Congress to keep drug |
| body's neurotransmitter functions, | | | | companies happy. "I have come to believe |
| decreases nervousness, increases | | | | a lot of inefficiency is quite |
| positive feelings and combats | | | | deliberate," he commented. "One person's |
| hallucinations or other disturbances. | | | | inefficiency is another person's income. |