When mental illness is depicted on TV shows and movies, its not always kind.
WhileCrazy Ex-Girlfriendgot a lot right, for instance,13 Reasons Why,not so much.
And when it comes to medications, like antipsychotics or antidepressants, realistic depictions are often lacking.
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Large numbers of people were turned off or scared by those side effects, Dr. Brendel says.
So, today, psychiatrists rarely prescribe those older medications.
Instead, they tend to use a newer class of drugs called “atypical” antipsychotics.
Myth #1: Antipsychotic medications are addictive.
Myth #2: Everyone who takes antipsychotics has schizophrenia or psychosis.
But theyre now prescribed for many other reasons as well.
Myth #3: You’ll feel better immediately.
But some symptoms may take longer to fade than others.
Myth #4: The same prescriptions work for everyone.
Maybe your friend started taking an antipsychotic that changed their life.
Unfortunately, theres no guarantee the same medication will work for you, even if you have similar symptoms.
Researchers are trying to understand how genetics might contribute, but that research is still preliminary, he says.
In practice, that means asking about your family history of mental illnessandpsychiatric drug use.
Myth #5: You cant take antipsychotic meds when youre pregnant.
In fact, taking the medication is sometimes better thannottaking it.
In the most extreme cases, untreated mental illnesses can be life-threatening to both the parent and the baby.
That said, there isnt much research on how antipsychotic medications affect pregnancy, Dr. Brendel says.
Myth #6: Only “weak” people need antipsychotics.
But thats absolutely false.
Myth #7: The side effects are worse than the illness.
If that’s happening to you, it almost certainly means you gotta try a new medication.
Sometimes people will take a second medication to mitigate the side effects of their antipsychotic, Dr. Varma says.
But sometimes the side effects are too risky or too unbearable.
