dementia they unnecessarily killed 1,800 people every year. The purpose
of the medication was to sedate people without putting them to sleep.
The purpose is to do the same role as a straitjacket but using a toxic
neurochemical. A straitjacket would be safer but there would be public
outcry. The public have been fooled into thinking that behaviour is an
illness and the drugs are used to treat illness.
Twenty or thirty years ago no one would have thought to use the chemical
cosh on very old people. The drugs were designed to sedate only those
with psychotic disorders. People accepted the symptoms.
Modern 'medicine' gave the option of using the chemical cosh on old
people and killed many. The dementia strategy has been revised
thankfully and now GPs are measured on how few antipsychotics they
prescribe however they haven't been banned. The straitjacket is safer
however I have no intention of getting that approved as a 'treatment'
for dementia.
There's an option. It's the option that psychiatrists don't consider.
It's about changing society. It's about understanding that it's carers
and care home staff who desire the medicalisation of behaviour.
People could be given training and support to handle people with
dementia symptoms rather than let old people be murdered using
antipsychotics. An ex-colleauge of mine told me of a friend of hers
who'd been somewhat terrorised by her partner who was going through
dementia. His delusion was World War Two was still happening. He thought
the Germans were outside the window. He'd make her crawl around on all
fours to avoid the imaginary enemy soldiers.
This must have been a terrible experience for her. I'm sure many people
could understand that. I'm not sure she'd want to kill her partner using
antipsychotics nor would she want to see him in a straitjacket. I'm sure
she wouldn't want to be forced to crawl along on all fours nor for her
husband to be in a state where he wasn't in touch with reality.
She could be trained to handle him better though and perhaps, if
possible, he may be able to be trained or given therapy to help him
recognise it was a delusion. I know it's much cheaper to give a person a
pill but it's inhumane and it kills them quicker.
Other interventions may be crisis dementia teams to help with difficult
situations in the community. Again, this is more expensive than using a
pill that reduces life expectancy and serves the same purpose as a
straitjacket.
I don't know if it would be effect or not but it would be better to look
for these sort of solutions It's somewhat alien thinking for psychiatry
though. They, like teenage ravers, love drugs.
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