a question about drugs for mental illness?

Question

Somebody told me that you can tell whether it's the right drug for you within a week of taking it because you would feel better almost immediately if it is. It has something to do with adjusting the level of chemicals in the brain etc...

If you don't feel much better shortly afterwards, that means it's not the right one for you.

anyone with similar experience? any views?

the drug my friend takes is Risperdal. She has been taking it for about 10 days and is feeling slightly better. I am concerned because some told me it should work within a week and all symptoms like hullicination will be gone.

Answer 1

All drugs are people. And all people are different. The way that different people react to different drugs is extremely different.

In general, it takes a while for psychiatric medications to build up in one's system such that the person will experience benefits from the meds. There are some medications that can be used on an as-needed basis and there are those the effects of which do set in fairly quickly, but many take much longer.

One thing that's very important to mention is that if you are taking meds and don't feel they're helping, it's imperative that you not stop taking them immediately unless your doctor specifically advises you do to so. Stopping medications suddenly can really mess things up, even if the meds don't really seem to be helping

Answer 2

It depends on the problem and the drug but if it is anti-depressants it takes about 4 to 6 weeks to really take effect in most cases although there are improvements in that time. There are of number of drugs and where one type may not work another may so you may have to try different drugs. Everyone has a different reaction so just because one person got immediate benefit does not mean someone else will get the same reaction. Most drugs have web sites that go with them so put the drug name in Google and you get a number of hits both from sites giving the uses and effects and some that give the experiences when using the drugs

Answer 3

mental health drugs are not instant cures for mental illnesses.
they take a lot longer to affect a person than a week.
they are also hit and miss as too weather they are the correct drug for that individual person.
i was taken too a mental health ward 6 years ago.
put on a section 3 (6 months) of being kept in on high observation. the first drug i was given made me worse and i was taken off of that within one month the second drug had no affects and after another month i was taken off of that the third drug i was given started too take affect within about two too three weeks and had no side affects
within another month i was back home and finding life easier
i had to stay on meds for two years and visit my doctor every month.
i am now no longer on medication and don't need too see my doctor.
there are people in the same hospital i was in that were there when i was there and are still there now.
so I'm a lucky individual
just remember the word individual
because each case of mental illness is totally individual
i wish your Friend the best of luck
THAT WHICH DOES NOT DESTROY ME WILL ONLY MAKE ME STRONGER

Answer 4

The drugs take longer then a week. Some of these have to get fully into your system for the effects to be felt. Some of the effects are so minute that it takes a while for people to feel.
Anxiety, depression seam to be the illness's that are affecting many people. ADD/ADHD meds and some of these meds are being given to people who are trying to quit smoking.
If we new what drugs you were on and why maybe this would not be so veg of a question? Good luck and stay on your drugs if this is what the doctor says. Give your meds longer then a week.

Answer 5

the first time i took drugs or my depression, it took about 5 weeks for me to notice any difference.

then after a couple of years i thought i was ok and decided to stop taking them (with the help of my doctor).

it wasn't long, about 2 or 3 months i was right back where i started and had to take them again. this time it only took about a week for me to get the benefit from them because they were already in my system i suppose.

you are right about the chemical imbalance and no matter what anyone says to you there is no shame in antidepressants.
good luck, i hope you feel better soon.

Answer 6

Everyone will tell you that it takes 2-3 weeks for a drug to work (for mental illness). It's approximately true. I have suffered from mental illness for many years and have been in hospital etc but am now working as a carer for people with mental illness. I take 20mg of seroxat a day and that keeps me OK. I have endogenous depression, not reactive, so it is a curse I shall have all my life. But please hang on in there. I KNOW how bad it can be, but I hold on.

Answer 7

Probably depends on the drug concerned, i know i was told that Prozac would take a couple of weeks to make a noticable difference, and thats roughly what happened, as for anything else i really couldn't say.

Answer 8

Drugs for depression will always take about three weeks to start working - and you should give them about 6 weeks before you make a judgement call on them - it takes that long for the brain to create new cells in the area where the pills are working.

Drugs for Bi-polar can work within a few days.
For schitzophrenia....

See, its all differerent.

Answer 9

Some drugs aren't right for mental illness in certain people, there's about five different drugs out there for depression alone! and most don't work first time, in fact some can make it worse!
You're pretty vague about what type of illness you have, give some more info and these good people should be able to help you a bit more!

Answer 10

psychological ailments are authentic. There are categories, even inspite of the shown fact that. character themes, for examples, have not something to do with the biology of the recommendations. drugs for them are pointless. melancholy is a classic human emotion. each and every physique reviews it. It turns right into a concern while it sticks around too long. for my area, maximum situational melancholy may well be dealt with with self-help, buddies, and scientific care extremely of pills. it somewhat is a non everlasting concern that resolves ultimately. on the different hand, persistent melancholy is a actual situation linked with smaller hypocampal quantity and a few loss of gray rely. So, there's a actual try showing a concern, you basically would desire to be lifeless to have it. for this reason, antidepressants supply for familiar functioning. it somewhat is to not say exercising, sturdy nutritian, and so on are not substantial. they're. They on my own basically won't remedy the difficulty. I even have bipolar affliction, lived some years undiagnosed and unmedicated. I instinctively did each and all of the wholesome issues to stay useful. It caught as much as me besides. The ailment is now worse than it could have been if I had sought scientific care in the previous. for this reason, regrettably for me, bipolar is a innovative ailment while left untreated. the different drugs slows if not stops that progression. not one of the psychotropics scientific care the ailment and you will not locate one psychiatrist who says the meds will preclude temper swings interior the destiny. they gained't. they only with a bit of luck lead them to much less severe and much less well-known whilst increasing functioning in between. Oh, and the actual try... loss of gray and white recommendations rely, yet lower back, you may want to be lifeless in the previous you have the try that shows, sure, your recommendations is diseased. So.......... sure, psychological ailments are authentic. there is an in depth physique of examine showing impaired functioning and additionally recommendations deterioration. ("Imbalance" is a buzz be conscious which potential not something, IMO.) sure, a individual can receive lots of alleviation from many psychological stressors via non-drug potential, and might additionally improve efficacy of med scientific care while meds truthfully are mandatory.