Antipsychotic medicines are used to treat certain conditions that affect the mind (psychosis). In most cases, these medicines are used to treat disorders that cause someone to have delusions, to sense things that seem real but are not (hallucinations), or to have a false sense of reality. Antipsychotic medicines cannot cure these disorders, but they can help manage symptoms.
Antipsychotic medicines are sometimes combined with other medicines to treat certain mental health disorders, such as:
Anxiety disorder.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
Severe depression.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Eating disorders.
Dementia.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
How do antipsychotic medicines work?
Antipsychotic …show more content…
They can also lead to more serious health conditions such as:
Heart disease.
Metabolic syndrome, which can lead to diabetes, stroke, or heart attack.
Muscle spasms, tremors, and rigidity.
Be sure to speak with your health care provider about the risks and benefits of any new medicine.
What are the benefits of antipsychotic medicines?
Antipsychotic medicines can help quickly reduce some symptoms of mental disorders. In some cases, these medicines can make symptoms go away within a few days or weeks. Every person responds differently to these medicines, so your health care provider may adjust your treatment based on your symptoms and how you react to the medicine.
People who have difficulty remembering to take daily pills or who have a history of stopping their medicine may have better results by receiving antipsychotic medicine as an injection at the health care provider’s office once or twice per month. This medicine has the same effects as medicine taken in pill form.
What are some side effects of antipsychotic medicines?
Side effects will depend on the type of antipsychotic medicine you take. Some side effects of these medicines can include:
Low blood pressure.
Dry