Posted by Christ_empowered on July 28, 2010, at 6:10:01
In reply to Meds for Anger?, posted by BrainDamage on July 28, 2010, at 5:04:51
chlorpromazine is Thorazine, the first modern antipsychotic. All antipsychotics, Thorazine included, work in large part by blocking a subset of dopamine receptors in the brain, the D2 receptors. This blockade reduces hallucinations, agitation, aggression, and anger; it can also cause side effects. Thorazine blocks other receptors in the brain besides the D2 receptors.
Today, we have newer antipsychotics, the so-called "atypicals". They are called "atypical" because they don't cause as many obvious nervous system side effects (shaking, nervousness, twitches, tics, etc.) as the older meds. The "atypicals" include: Geodon, Abilify, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, Invega, and Clozaril. Most of these drugs are expensive in most countries b/c they are "on-patent"; unlike chlorpromazine, only the original drug develop+manufacturer is allowed to produce and sell the drug. This makes the prices quite high. Risperidone (Risperdal) is now available in generic in a lot of places.
If an antipsychotic helped your friend before, a newer one might help w/o the side effects of thorazine. Anti-convulsant medications, drugs used in the treatment of seizures, can also help with anger and mood. These include: depakote, lamictal, dilantin, and tegretol and trileptal. These drugs have a calming effect and can help anger management w/o the same side effects as the antipsychotics (all antipsychotics, old and new, have the potential for causing tardive dyskinesia and other side effects. Anticonvulsants rarely cause tardive dyskinesia, but they have their own side effects).
Good luck
poster:Christ_empowered
thread:956181
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100720/msgs/956182.html