A new transdermal patch used for the treatment of schizophrenia developed by Noven Pharmaceuticals Inc., has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to the Tullahoman Tennessee News.
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The once-daily transdermal patch provides 24 hours of sustained concentrations of an antipsychotic drug called asenapine, used for the treatment for schizophrenia.
It's estimated that 54 million Americans are affected with a mental illness in a given year, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression.
Schizophrenia is a disease that affects the way you perceive reality and can cause major behavioral changes, including cognitive problems, having hallucinations or hearing voices, reduced speech, lack of pleasure in daily activities, odd beliefs that others do not agree with, lack of emotional expression during speech and agitated body movements.
Mental disorders have gotten a bad rap in the past, resulting in negative stereotypes, but they are an illness and people who suffer from them need help and support.
Misconceptions about schizophrenia include:
- Schizophrenics have multiple personalities — Not true. People with multiple personalities are diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder.
- Schizophrenics have dangerous behaviors — This myth stems from the negative portrayal of schizophrenics in films, where they're often depicted as criminals. In truth, only a very small number of schizophrenics commit crimes.
- Schizophrenia can't be treated — While it's true that schizophrenia has no cure, that doesn't mean schizophrenics can't be helped. A combination of different treatment methods can work together to reduce your risk for a schizophrenia attack. Many schizophrenics go on to have a successful recovery and excel in their chosen careers.
- Schizophrenia is caused by bad parenting or a bad childhood — This is simply not the case.
Schizophrenia has a hereditary component — if you have a schizophrenic relative, you have an increased risk of getting it as well.
Treating schizophrenia relies on a combination of different methods, all working together to help manage the symptoms. A healthy diet, exercise and supportive therapy are generally recommended to help lower your risk for an attack. Medication may be prescribed as well; just beware of the side effects.
Vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements not only have a significant amount of evidence supporting their use for the prevention and treatment of mental health problems typically treated with drugs, but also have an admirable safety record.
The same cannot be said for antidepressants, the side effects of which run the gamut from sexual dysfunction to lack of emotions or "emotional flatness," sleep disturbances, brain damage and even suicide and homicide.
Drugs are commonly used to treat mental illness, but In terms of effectiveness, antidepressants are on par with placebo. Data provided by drug companies as part of the drug approval process showed 57% of all studies found no clinical benefit of the drug over a placebo.
Research suggests the effectiveness of antidepressants can be increased by adding fish oil, vitamin D, methylfolate or S-Adenosyl methionine (SAMe), but other studies suggest the supplements alone may do the trick.
Sunlight can also have a profound impact on your mental health — more so than any other weather phenomenon. Out of 19 environmental factors, the only one correlating to higher levels of distress was the amount of time between sunrise and sunset.
An estimated 20% of Americans are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) each winter. What differentiates SAD from regular depression is that it ebbs or disappears completely during the spring and summer months.