Half a Century of Unprecedented Medication, Where Are We Now?

Half a Century of Unprecedented Medication, Where Are We Now?

Alternative Treatments to Schizophrenia

Worldwide, 1% of the population is diagnosed with schizophrenia, a psychosis disorder that affects a person’s ability to think, feel, and behave clearly, and approximately 3 million Ameircans are schizophrenic [1]. Although the first treatment of psychosis is over half a century old, proper medication for schizophrenic patients is rare. In a study done in the Netherlands, two-thirds of [schizophrenic] patients who stopped their psychosis medicine, reported significant improvement in symptoms at seven years [2]. Data on long-term outcomes of medicated schizophrenic individuals remind us that even after 100 years of initially defining schizophrenia, there must be alternatives to current psychosis treatment. “Antipsychotics are associated with a range of AEs, including nerve-centralized symptoms, sedation, weight gain, and cognitive impairment,” according to AJMC. 

Even after taking antipsychotics, one in three patients have reported still having symptoms of schizophrenia, according to WebMD [3]. Antipsychotic medicine may not be the only approach to aiding schizophrenic episodes, in fact, some remedies include talk therapy, DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation), ECT (Electroconvulsive therapy), and certain vitamins (vitamins c,e, and d) have helped schizophrenic individuals safely [4]. Small doses of amino acids, melatonin, antioxidants, and a healthy diet all have shown beneficial impacts on individuals with schizophrenia. Unhealthy eating in America is not uncommon, and although some of the results of weight gain increase the risk of physical disorders, schizophrenia is more likely to occur in individuals with unhealthy eating habits and genetic schizophrenic markers.  [5]. A ketogenic diet may improve clinical presentations (symptoms) of schizophrenia by simply reducing the metabolic symptoms. 

    Many approaches to reducing psychosis within schizophrenic individuals have shown to be unreliable, but still move forward in the consumer’s market [6]. For example, lithium improves mood and behavior in schizophrenic individuals, but doesn’t have a significant antipsychotic effect. The effects of lithium; kidney and thyroid problems [7]. Instead of using lithium for treatment of schizophrenia, anticonvulsants, such as carbamazepine and valproate are widely used as alternatives and/or adjuncts to lithium. Carbamazepine has been used as an antipsychotic agent and its steric structure is similar to that of chlorpromazine or imipramine [8]. 

    Additionally, a wide range of unmedicated methodologies to cure schizophrenia have been noted and, in some cases, have benefited schizophrenic individuals with long-term good health and did not fall back into psychosis [9-11]. Furthermore, researchers have found that among (some) young people with early stages of schizophrenia/psychosis can reduce symptoms and improve function without the use of over-the-counter anti-psychosis medication. In fact, 30% of patients with schizophrenia managed to withdraw from antipsychotic medicine after ten years of the disease, without falling back into a psychosis [12]. Schizophrenic individuals are sometimes pushed towards treating psychosis manually – through providers that use talk therapy, communication and skills training, family therapy, and career coaching. Exercises such as yoga, running, and overall physical movement have been shown to lessen the risks of psychosis [13]. Conclusively, a study from WebMD found that schizophrenia patients whose treatment required one-on-one talk therapy, family support, and smaller doses of antipsychotic drugs had greater recovery over their initial two years of treatment than those who received standard drug-induced care [14-15]. 

    Over the course of the time schizophrenia has been discovered, treated, and spoken about, cognitive behavior therapy has not been prioritized. Individuals struggling with schizophrenia deal heavily with abuse, obsession, and psychosis [16]. Current and past research suggests that CBT is effective in reducing symptoms of psychosis and can strengthen connections in certain brain regions of patients with psychosis. Brain connections have been found to directly lead to long-term recovery from psychosis without side effects in medicine-centered approaches. “Participants that received both medication and CBT showed stronger connections in numerous regions of the brain, including those related to emotion” [17]. 

    Although methods of treating schizophrenia include medicine-based approaches, research suggests that in order to optimize the lessening of psychosis in schizophrenic patients during the early stages of life, individuals should explore other options – including ingredients that aren’t as harmful to their health, well-being, and long-term battle with psychosis. 

This article is an accumulation of studies that support such a sentiment and none of the research was done without the references cited below.  

References

1. “Schizophrenia Symptoms, Patterns and Statistics and Patterns.” MentalHelp.net, https://www.mentalhelp.net/schizophrenia/statistics/. Accessed 1 March 2022.
2. Kensinger, Richard, and Shaheen Lakhan. “Schizophrenia Meds Make Many Clients Worse.” Brain Blogger, 17 October 2013, http://www.brainblogger.com/2013/10/17/schizophenia-meds-make-many-clients-worse/. Accessed 1 March 2022.
3. Svoboda, Elizabeth. “Complementary Treatments for Schizophrenia.” WebMD, 16 December 2021, https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-complementary-treatments. Accessed 1 March 2022.
4. “B vitamins reduce schizophrenia symptoms, study finds.” ScienceDaily, 16 February 2017, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170216103913.htm. Accessed 1 March 2022.
5. Benskin, Alice Elizabeth. “Schizophrenia.” Food for the Brain, https://foodforthebrain.org/condition/schizophrenia/. Accessed 1 March 2022.
6. “Schizophrenia: Overview and Treatment Options.” NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4159061/. Accessed 2 March 2022.
7. “Lithium for schizophrenia.” NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6984626/. Accessed 2 March 2022.
8. “Carbamazepine for schizophrenia.” NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7032545/. Accessed 2 March 2022.
9. Dose M, Hellweg R, Yassouridis A, et al. Combined treatment of schizophrenic psychoses with haloperidol and valproate. Pharmacopsychiatry 1998; 31:122–125.
10. Wassef AA, Dott SG, Harris A, et al. Randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study of divalproex sodium in the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic schizophrenia. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2000; 20:357–361.
11. “Some schizophrenia patients can cope without medication.” ScienceNordic, 23 July 2017, https://sciencenordic.com/denmark-psychology-videnskabdk/some-schizophrenia-patients-can-cope-without-medication/1447561. Accessed 2 March 2022.
12. Davalos, Deana, and Adonis Sfera. “Holistic Management of Schizophrenia Symptoms Using Pharmacological and Non-pharmacological Treatment.” NCBI, 7 June 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5999799/. Accessed 2 March 2022.
13. Brennan, Dan. “What Are the Best Treatments for Schizophrenia? Can It Be Treated Naturally?” MedicineNet, 2 February 2021, https://www.medicinenet.com/best_schizophrenia_treatments_natural_treatments/article.htm. Accessed 2 March 2022.
14. “Talk Therapy Effective to Treat Schizophrenia.” WebMD, 20 October 2015, https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/news/20151020/talk-therapy-schizophrenia. Accessed 2 March 2022.
15. Casarella, Jennifer. “Schizophrenia Treatment: Types of Therapy and Medications.” WebMD, 4 March 2021, https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-therapy. Accessed 2 March 2022.
16. Mason, Liam, and Karin Gepp. “Talk therapy strengthens brain connections to treat psychosis.” Medical News Today, 22 January 2017, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/315339#Cognitive-behavior-therapy-and-psychosis. Accessed 2 March 2022.
17. Furmark T,  Tillfors M,  Marteinsdottir I,  Fischer H,  Pissiota A,  Langstrom B, et al. Common changes in cerebral blood flow in patients with social phobia treated with citalopram or cognitive-behavioral therapy, Arch Gen Psychiatry, 2002, vol. 59 (pg. 425-33)