Antipsychotics Associated with White-Matter Reduction

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Researchers in China find an acute reduction in white matter in the frontal lobe following six weeks of antipsychotic treatment for “first-episode schizophrenia”. Results appear in Psychological Medicine.

Abstract →

Wang, Q., Cheung, C., Deng, W., et al. White-matter microstructure in previously drug-naive patients with schizophrenia after 6 weeks of treatment. Psychological Medicine. Online March 5, 2013

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Kermit Cole
Kermit Cole, MFT, founding editor of Mad in America, works in Santa Fe, New Mexico as a couples and family therapist. Inspired by Open Dialogue, he works as part of a team and consults with couples and families that have members identified as patients. His work in residential treatment — largely with severely traumatized and/or "psychotic" clients — led to an appreciation of the power and beauty of systemic philosophy and practice, as the alternative to the prevailing focus on individual pathology. A former film-maker, he has undergraduate and master's degrees in psychology from Harvard University, as well as an MFT degree from the Council for Relationships in Philadelphia. He is a doctoral candidate with the Taos Institute and the Free University of Brussels. You can reach him at [email protected].

6 COMMENTS

  1. When I was 16 years old ,diagnoised with schizophrena , first time “antipsychotic treatment” first time forced into mental institution. the psychiatrist put me on Thorazine,Stelazine,and cogentin for the duration of a 2 month hospitalization. As I sat, my head twisted left,neck stiff and hurt, as I watched a flow from my front brain into outer space. What were they doing to me as I sat or schuffled across the floor for 2 months? There were more forced hospitalizations and more thorazine a new “diagnosis” Manic Depression and haldol added to the mix. By the time I was 18 years old a series of 15 electric shock treatments were added and eventually a new “diagnosis” I was now “Bipolar Depression”.By the time I was 21 years old in a foreign country forced into a mental hospital again ,they started to experiment on me in earnest. Imagine being held down forcibly on your stomach injected in the butt with a 3 inch needle attached to a 4 inch long 1 inch wide glass ,filled with yellow-orange shaded liquid ,then leaving the needle in your ass ,unscrewing the medicine part ,taking another loaded glass just like the first screwing it back into the needle and shooting it into the same hole.Than being tied down and getting more shots 4 times a day for 3 days. Once out of mercy they ,they let me drink the “medicine” out of the glass syringe part normally ,after a couple a days my lungs almost totally STOPPED working when an orderly placed 2 white small tablets into my mouth which immeadiately started my lungs working again.This was just as I thought I was going to die like this.There is more to tell but I am stopping soon.Been hospitalized at least a dozen times.Escaped from mental hospitals 5 times, which I’m most proud of .With help from 2 key members of the natural healing community ,my parents and sisters,and a few friends and an advanced dentist I became med free 6-7 years ago .I’ll be 66 years old march 10,2013.I have a beautiful daughter and she has 2 beautiful children.I’m about as happy to be alive as anyone you’ll ever meet.I’m a “Natural” at natural healing.I can help most anyone.I guess the brain and the human being is potentially more resiliant than the so called establishment experts think it is.We must fight peacefully for the freedom of all in an enviornment of mutually gauranteed survival. Fred

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    • Fred, I’ve heard some horror stories before, but this one really got to me in a new way. I hope you can continue to “go public” with what happened to you. I find it particularly painful to contrast the way you were treated and their expectations for you to what actually happened when you were able to escape their clutches. Thanks for having the courage to share this story with us and the world. It reminds me again that this isn’t just a matter of “philosophical differences” – lives are systematically destroyed in the name of “helping” every day and we need to stop it!

      —– Steve

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  2. In the above narration I accidently deleted part of a sentence which explained that first my muscles were affected and I couldn’t walk and my face would contort involuntarily into an exaggerated smile which after a couple of days evolved into a life threatening battle for air. Fred

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    • It saddens me deeply to read what was done to you as a young adult. Thank goodness that you survived it all and are now leading a happy and productive life. Thanks for sharing your story. How does one escape from a mental hospital? I can’t imagine anyone getting out of the one I work in. People have excaped while on trips to the medical hospital or the medical doctor but no one has gotten away from the actual building.

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      • Stephen,Once you get enough sleep ,and are bored with the routine,the rules, the forced meds, and hunger for freedom you keep your eyes open and when the opportunity presents itself you take it.When you have done no wrong and are oppressed you must take your freedom.Although I have been in 2 mental hospitals I could not escape from. In those cases to get out acting is required.Fred

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