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