The other day, anti-psychotic drugs were in the news. The stories were about how bad the drugs are, and how they make people worse, especially the elderly. A few months ago, antidepressants were getting a right old slapping, 'the drugs don't work' et cetara. If this trend keeps going, the drugs trolley will be redundant... or will it?
The BBC News site said the drugs were given "...to control behaviour such as aggression." The Mirror reported the pills 'can do harm.' The Guardian reported how the drugs "...do more harm than good..." And the Telegraph reported how the drugs can "...increase the risk of strokes and have other harmful side effects."
Whichever way you look at it, it's pretty bad. Elderly people sitting around in care homes or other mental health places, being given these drugs, sitting in chairs, looking at each other with their tongues hanging out. Yes, it's pretty bad. But is anyone going to take any notice? Will the numbers of anti-psychotic drug prescriptions go down? Will granny get a new lease of life or will she just get another pill to shut her up?
I guess it comes down to the options the experts have to silence the 'cuckoos in the nest.'
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