My family has been plagued by mental illness over the years. If it wasn’t for medication , half of them would probably be dead. I have countless debates with people who do not truly understand the truly insidious nature of this illness and how devastating the effects are on the family and life threatening for those who suffer. Recent studies have shown that there is no direct link to serotonin ( neurochemical in the brain ) and depression . People have ascertained from this that is means there is is zero link. Psychiatric illness is complex and there are many mitigating factors that contribute to the expression of the disorder . Doctors overprescribe as they don’t really know how to treat or what to suggest as alternatives . Its the quick fix. Pills are not the ONLY solution . The expertise lies in being able to distinguish when someone needs medication to support their recovery and when they do not . Medication is not necessarily bad….
And here is why …..
There has been a lot of talk lately , particularly in the last few years with regard to the perils of psychiatric medication. We have heard of people with severe illness being on many anti-psychotic and anti-depressants that have all manner of side effects , the worse being the long-term usage of these medications . These include seizures, cognitive decline, sexual dysfunction and heart problems In my own family I have seen the ravages of long-term anti psychotics . Tardive dyskinesis for example , is a very common and overtly noticeable . It causes a repetitive-type movement, which can look like lip-smacking, facial grimacing, or tongue movements.
While particularly worrying , there was a time when we locked people up and gave them sedatives to control their anti-social , violent and bizarre behaviours . I have even read of people being given severe, distressing ECT and even lobotomies .We don’t want to go back to those days, medication is a much more humane approach and does produce stability of mind and functioning . However , we do need to address the elephant in the room . Our psychiatric medications are a blunt instrument to ease the burden of profound and very distressing symptoms .
We need to keep researching this going and we need to be mindful of how much medication we are taking and what is the best fit for our own brain chemistry
W e are as a more aware society developing new medications to reduce the types of side effects that are troubling and life changing . That is important and it needs to continue to get traction and solid research-based outcomes .
Alternative therapies have increasingly been seen to add to this plethora of knowledge as a way to ameliorate the distressing symptoms of psychiatric illness and its equally distressing long term side effects . But do they work on their own ? What about chronic sufferers ?
Can you recover or manage your symptoms without these powerful medications ? We are not really sure . However there have been recently some international studies that have looked into this very area and there have been some promising results .
There are several long-term studies and follow-ups that explore how people with psychiatric illnesses — including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression — recover or manage their symptoms without long-term use of medication. These studies are complex and sometimes controversial because they challenge traditional biomedical models of psychiatry. Here’s a synthesis of what the research shows:
📊 Long-Term Studies & Naturalistic Research
🔹 The WHO Studies (1970s–1990s)
- The World Health Organization (WHO) conducted large cross-national studies (e.g., IPSS and DOSMeD) comparing schizophrenia outcomes in developed vs. developing countries.
- Key finding: People in low-income countries (India, Nigeria, Colombia) had better long-term outcomes, including higher rates of full recovery, often with less consistent use of antipsychotic medication.
- Hypotheses included: stronger family/social support, less stigma, different cultural attitudes toward psychosis, and less reliance on chronic medication.
🔹 Martin Harrow’s Chicago Longitudinal Study
- Followed 200+ patients (schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and mood disorders) for over 20 years.
- Main finding: Among individuals with schizophrenia, those who stopped taking antipsychotic meds after 2 years were more likely to be in recovery at the 15- and 20-year follow-ups.
- Many who recovered had internal motivation, supportive relationships, and had developed adaptive coping strategies.
- Harrow cautioned that not everyone benefits from discontinuation, but some clearly do better off meds long-term.
🔹 Open Dialogue (Finland)
- A radical community-based model developed in Western Lapland for early psychosis.
- Focuses on dialogical therapy, family involvement, and minimal use of antipsychotics.
- Studies show that 70–80% of patients had no psychotic symptoms and were not on medication after 5 years.
- The approach emphasizes listening, shared meaning-making, and avoiding pathologizing crisis.
🔹 ISPS & Soteria Studies
- Soteria houses (originated by Loren Mosher) offered residential alternatives to hospitalization for people with schizophrenia, using minimal or no meds.
- Early studies showed outcomes equal to or better than standard hospital treatment, especially in social functioning.
- Soteria Bern (Switzerland) replicated similar results in the 2000s.
- A subset of people, particularly those with non-chronic, trauma-related, or first-episode psychosis, may recover or manage well without long-term meds.
- Key factors include:
- Strong social and emotional support
- A non-pathologizing environment
- Safe spaces for meaning-making and integration
- Access to psychotherapy or psychosocial supports
- Personal agency and choice
⚠️ But Not Always Advisable or Sustainable
- Many people do benefit from medication, especially during acute episodes or in chronic cases.
- Abrupt discontinuation, especially without support, can increase relapse risk.
- Recovery without meds is often best supported with alternative therapies, lifestyle changes, and social resources.
So I guess the takeaway here , is that in an ideal world , we would be able to cure or manage psychiatric illness , without medication that does long term harm and instead with love , and commitment. Wrapping around our afflicted loved ones with early intervention , strong emotional and physical support , safety and choice , psychotherapy , understanding , compassion and care . Lets hope we get there ….one day …