The treatment of mental illness has come a long way in the past century. Those suffering from schizophrenia were once locked away in asylums and “treated” with electro-shock therapy, lobotomies, or locked away in padded rooms wearing strait jackets; they are now able to find help with medication that actually controls the chemical imbalance in the brain. This has allows them to return to society and nobody is the wiser. Antipsychotic Medication There are two distinct forms of anti-psychotic medications. There are the first generation meds, often call typical antipsychotics, and there are the second generation meds, often called atypical antipsychotics. They function in nearly the same way. The body produces two hormones. These hormones help to control the thought processes. The typical antipsychotic drugs would balance out the dopamine levels, but the serotonin levels may still be out-of-whack. In the 1970’s a drug was developed that balanced out both; it was called an atypical antipsychotic. The problem was that it severely reduced the white blood cell count, and was only used in extreme cases. Modern Antipsychotic Medication In 1993 a drug called Risperdal hit the market. This new atypical antipsychotic worked wonders for the patient, and didn’t have the severe side effects its predecessor had. The problem, however, is that it has some other severe side effects. Males taking Risperdal (or its newer counterpart Invega) run the risk of suffering from gynecomastia. This condition causes men to grow breasts. Because these drugs cause some weight gain, the breast growth is often masked as though it is just gaining weight. However, if the weight comes off, the breasts do not go away. In fact, the only way to remove them is through surgical methods. This problem was never addressed by the company that manufactures the drug, and has caused severe emotional trauma to many young men that are already suffering from mental illness. If you have used this drug, you do have some recourse. Contact a dangerous drug attorney to learn more about how you can be compensated.
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