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Akathisia. This is another word for restlessness, and it can be caused by some antipsychotics. Someone may hop from foot to foot when trying to stand still, constantly adjust their position when seated, or just not be able to relax at all. This side effect is most commonly caused by older, first generation antipsychotics, but it can also occur with the newer ones.
Agranolocytosis. This mouthful of a word is a potential side effect of Clozaril/Clozapine. It results in a lowering of the number of white cells in the blood. Since these cells fight off infections, a reduced number of them can leave someone open to all manner of infections. As anyone taking Clozaril/Clozapine will know, regular blood tests are required to ensure that this is not taking place.
Alogia. Usually refers to the lack of speech or conversation that can be a negative symptom.
Anhedonia. Someone affected by this will no longer enjoy things that they used to find interesting. This could apply to work, hobbies, sports or even relationships.
Antipsychotics. These are the medications used primarily to treat the symptoms of psychosis. These may also be referred to as "neuroleptics" or "major tranquillizers". They are generally divided into two basic groups, typical and atypical, and are available as pills, liquids, fast acting injections and long lasting (depot) injections. Not every medicine is available in all of these forms, however.
Apathy. A lack of interest or concern for something. This could be a negative symptom.
Auditory hallucination. This is a positive symptom. It basically means hearing something that isn't there. Often voices are heard, but it could also be other sounds or even music.
Atypical Antipsychotics. These are the newer class of antipsychotics. Examples include Risperdal/Risperidone, Zyprexa/Olanzapine and Abilify/Aripiprazole. In most cases these are preferred to the older drugs. Generally speaking, they cause fewer extra pyramidal side effects (see EPS) than the older drugs, but they do cause different side effects of their own, such as weight gain. They are also believed to combat negative and cognitive symptoms, unlike the older drugs.
Avolition. This can be another negative symptom. Someone may want to do something, but lacks the drive or motivation to do it.
Blunted Affect. A noticeable decrease in outward expression of emotions. The person would be described as 'flat'.
Cognitive Symptoms. One of the three broad categories of symptoms. Things like difficulty concentrating, poor memory and disorganised thoughts are cognitive symptoms. Atypical meds can help with this.
Comorbidity. This just refers to times when two illnesses are present in the same person at the same time.
Delusions. A positive symptom, delusions are fixed, firmly held false beliefs that are even held onto depsite concrete evidence to the contrary or the fact that no one else shares those beliefs. There are many different kinds of delusions, but all of them can be distressing and put the person at risk.
Depot Injection. Depots are a long lasting injections of antipsychotic medication that are slowly released into the body over a number of weeks or a month. An oily liquid is injected into the buttock muscle. This has several advantages over taking your medicine in pill form, but not every antipsychotic is available as a depot. A lot of the older ones are, but not many of the newer ones.
Dystonia. This is one of the potential side effects (EPS) of antipsychotics. Muscles become tight and rigid, tensing up without loosening. This can be quite uncomfortable and painful (trust me on this one!), and can last for quite a while if not treated. It can affect many muscles of the body. Luckily this can be counteracted with other medications, such as Procyclidine.
Extrapyramidal Side Effects (EPS). EPS is doctor-speak for a group of side effects caused by antipsychotics. These include restlessness, uncontrollable shaking (Parkinsonism) and dystonia, among other things. The older drugs are most guilty of causing these, but newer drugs can cause them too. A more worrying member of this group of side effects is Tardive Dyskinesia (see glossary entry for details).
Flat Affect. A negative symptom characterised by a lack of visible expressions of emotions. The person will remain stoic.
Hallucination. When someone perceives something that isn't really there, they are hallucinating. Whilst auditory hallucinations are the most common kind in psychosis, hallucinations can affect any and all of the senses.
Hypnogogic Hallucination. These are hallucinations experienced just before falling asleep. This is actually quite a 'normal' experience, and is not indicative of psychosis.
Ideas of Reference. An idea of reference is defined as an everyday or even random event that takes on a special significance or meaning unique to the person experiencing it. Ever thought the newsreader on the television was describing part of your life, or that a song on the radio was written about you? Then chances are, you have had ideas of reference.
Intramuscular. The way in which depot injections are administered.
Major Tranquillizers. Another name for antipsychotics. This name is somewhat outdated, but you will still hear doctors using it from time to time. If they do, be sure to correct them. No, don't do that.
Negative symptoms. One group of symptoms you might experience yourself, these are things that are missing or diminished from what you would normally experience. Examples include a lack of motivation, a lack of speech, social withdrawal, the inability to feel pleasure and a lack of expressions. The newer drugs are believed to target these symptoms, whereas the older ones do not.
Neuroleptics. Another name for antipsychotic medication.
Parkinsonism. A temporary uncontrollable shaking of the body, brought about by antipsychotics. This can be controlled with different medication (see EPS).
Paranoia. Paranoia is irrational fear, fear that has no grounding in fact. The person may be suspicious of others and their motives, and be convinced that they are being persecuted and harassed, when in fact nothing untoward is happening to them at all. Paranoia is a kind of positive symptom, one which can be distressing at times.
Poverty of Speech. When someone does not speak a great deal, answers questions with one word answers, and does not go into a lot of detail when describing something, they are said to have poverty of speech. This is quite different from someone simply being quiet or shy; it is a negative symptom.
Positive Symptoms. Positive symptoms are perhaps the most remarkable symptoms of Psychosis. They are things added to a person's normal experience. Hallucinations, paranoia, delusions and ideas of reference are all positive symptoms of psychosis. All of the antipsychotics are effective at controlling positive symptoms.
Prodrome. The word prodrome comes from the Greek, Prodromos, meaning a forerunner to an event. As such, the prodrome of psychosis is the part of the illness leading up to the development of psychotic symptoms. Early signs can be difficult to notice, but the sooner a person gets treatment, the better. The about the team page lists the early warning signs to look out for.
Psychosis. This can be rather difficult to define but it is often simply referred to as a "loss of contact with reality". It is an illness that involves positive, negative and cognitive symptoms, plus a host of other, 'knock on' effects. With improving approaches to treatment such as early intervention, many people with psychosis can achieve whatever they want to in life these days.
Social Withdrawal. The reason the webmaster sits in his bedroom updating this website every night instead of going out partying like a young person should. When somebody avoids social situations, they are said to be socially withdrawn. Not to be confused with 'normal' shyness or a rational desire not to go out.
Stress. Something that is an everyday part of life and that can cause difficulties for anyone, stress can be particularly problematic for us at times. It can exacerbate symptoms and even trigger them.
Stress Vulnerability Model. See here.
Tardive Dyskinesia. This is a worrying side effect caused by treatment with antipsychotics. It usually only occurs with long term treatment and when doses are high, which is a relief. It is most commonly caused by the older drugs, but not exclusively. Tardive Dyskinesia consists of repeated involuntary movements of the body. The face can be affected, with things like lip smacking, tongue rolling, cheek twitches and eye blinking being visible to an observer. It can also cause problems in the arms, legs and fingers. This side effect can be permanent, but it can often be stopped by changing medication once it appears.
Thought Broadcasting. The belief that your thoughts are being broadcast aloud for others to hear. This can be extremely distressing as it seems as though nothing is private, not even your thoughts. A positive symptom.
Thought Disorder. Disordered thoughts are impossible to see, but they are detected by disordered speech or writing, and what that tells us about the underlying thoughts.
Thought Insertion. The belief that thoughts are being inserted into one's mind by another person or some outside force or agency of some kind. Another positive symptom.
Typical Antipsychotics. Typical antipsychotics are the older class of drugs. They have been shown to cause more EPS than newer drugs, and don't really treat negative or cognitive symptoms either. Why then, are they still used? There are several pros to using typical antipsychotics. Look at the Medication page for more information about these.
Voices. Also known as auditory verbal hallucinations, voices are one of the positive symptoms of psychosis. The voices heard by a person may be those of someone they know, or unfamiliar to them, there can several voices, or just one. They can be present 100% of the time, or only for a small portion of the day. They may issue commands, ask questions, communicate with your thoughts or keep a running commentary on your actions. Everyone's experience of voices is unique. |
