Adverse Effects

by Branden Bass
May cause drowsiness. Alcohol may intensify this effect. Use care when operating a car or dangerous machinery. Do not drink alcoholic beverages while taking

little bit more attention to the label on the side. Most people will end up getting prescribed some sort of medication at some point throughout their lives regardless of our actions. It may be heart or cholesterol medication, others pain medication, or sometimes medication for mental illnesses or diseases. I fall, more or less, into the last category. Between the depression, anxiety, paranoia, mood swings, and delusions I have undoubtedly been prescribed a numerous

Now most of us have read this at some point in our lives. Sometimes from prescription medicine but more often than not from an over the counter medication. Like most people I did not think much of this while looking over the bottle of medication I had just been prescribed. Little did I know I should have paid just a
this medicine.

amount of medications. Having a history of mental illnesses that have plagued the more recent years of my life, I have grown accustomed to taking these various medications. The general side effects were always there, you know the ones you see across every bottle of medication, prescription and over the counter. Those side effects that read,
Warning: May cause nausea or upset stomach, drowsiness, dry mouth, itching,

We never seem to pay much attention to

dizziness, etc.

them, and more often than not they pose no serious threat to us, however there seem to be an astonishing amount of adverse side effects for medication that isnt listed directly on the bottle, such as the ones I came across when prescribed a new anti-psychotic medication. Last April after a rather serious break from reality my psychiatrist decided it best to start me on the second generation antipsychotic medication known as Risperidone, or more commonly Risperdal. I have had breaks from reality in the past but never any as life threatening as

this one in particular. See what you have to understand is that after a delusional episode is over it doesnt just dissipate into nothingness. The memories stay and linger, torturing my mind with questions of what truly happened. It only serves to add to the already existing paranoia and the fallacies that cloud my mind, reinforcing the grandiose and persecutory delusions further. Its best to think of it like a house of cards tumbling down the more cards there are, the harder it falls. Last April after a long night of details

that I have worked to slate from my memory I had found myself no longer able to function in day to day life. It was a Sunday night, dark and dreary, there was a commotion outside of my house so being any curious person I had opened up my ears to the noises beyond my walls. The sounds that came to follow had split my mind in two. They proceeded to tear my reality down one wall at a time. Flooded with emotion and disbelief I listened to the voices that would change the rest of my life, voices I knew well and those I would soon grow accustomed to hearing. While it may be

possible that one day a cure to various mental illnesses will be produced, the memories never fade. The voices nearly led me to suicide that night, and very well may have if it werent for one of the most compassionate human beings I have met. Staying up with my dearest friend until I was able to coax myself to sleep proved to be a most valuable tool. The next morning I sought out professional aid from Linden Oaks, a place I had grown accustomed to seeing as well. I was pulled from school for a little over a month and received ongoing and daily therapy.

Some point throughout my treatment I had received Risperdal. I was advised of the general side effects and was told to inform them immediately if I had noticed anything strange. By then I had heard that whole lecture about a dozen times and so casually nodded and thought nothing of it. Not only until I had decided to research this new medication due to boredom had I discovered adverse and potentially fatal side effects. Reading though various different sources on the internet I had compiled an ominous list of side effects. Effects that made me question

whether this medication would good than possible harm. These side effects had ranged themselves from drowsiness and discomfort all the way to possible delirium and coma brought on by neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Other serious side effects included autonomic instability, pancreatitis, diabetes, fatal diabetic ketoacidosis, lowered seizure threshold, and dyskinesia. The extensive list doesnt end quite there, however it is easy to see why someone may not want to take this medication, and to be perfectly

honest neither did I. Things such as drowsiness, grogginess, upset stomach, and nausea I can deal with, however the words delirium and coma stuck in my brain like that of a precious ore in the hands of a geologist. I had soon found myself in a rather precarious predicament: I could continue taking the medication given to me and hope for no adverse effects to present themselves, or I could discontinue my medication and try my best control my delusions and fallacies. Knowing how agonizing life would be with, but especially without this medication

nearly paralyzed me with fear. After long nights of swayed debate in my head I had ultimately decided to go without the medication. The articles I had read presented to much factual information to deny the dangers of an anti-psychotic medication. I rationalized that I cant always depend on some outside force to bring me happiness or joy or peace of mind. I knew that at some point or another Id have to learn to draw those things out from within myself. Its been roughly two months since Ive taken any medication and while its is far

from easy I have managed to push myself through the first week of my senior year. The peak of the mountain seems far off but never out of sight and with that in mind I will walk my path until my story comes an end, only this time it will be an ending that I decide on.