Antipsychotic drugs are prescribed in one of three visits make to psychiatrists in the US and it is on the rise. Ninety percent of all prescriptions are off label and are used for conditions such as ADHD for which they are not approved by the FDA. These drugs that include Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, Abilify, and Geodon are associated with weight gain and a four times higher incidence of type 2 diabetes.
Other serious side effects include tardive dyskinesia, high cholesterol and triglycerides, hyperprolactinemia, and the neuroleptic malignant syndrome. They often also are associated with headaches, tremors, dizziness, restlessness, constipation, and indigestion.
Psychotherapy is becoming a lost art in psychiatry as it is becoming more about psychopharmacology.
