Showing posts with label Akithesia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Akithesia. Show all posts

4.19.2008

Akithesia and Anti-depressants

A side effect of certain SSRI's - Akithesia:

"...a syndrome characterized by unpleasant sensations of “inner” restlessness that manifests itself with an inability to sit still or remain motionless."

High-functioning patients have described the feeling as a sense of inner tension and torment or chemical torture.

Akathisia makes some patients act out in violent fits of rage throwing and breaking things or harming others. Ironically antipsychotic drugs are many times prescribed as “mood stabilizers” but then have the opposite intended effect, which often leads to increased doses further escalating the symptoms when the intent was to ameliorate the symptoms."

(antipsychotics are different than anti-depressants, but Akisthesia is a known side effect of anti-deps as well.)

It certainly gives the impression that anti-deps enhance "will." Neurologically, it's difficult to define will, but the idea of initiating physical movement seems a good start, which is also something many people diagnosed with clinical depression complain of - being paralayzed, stuck in bed, etc. Could this effect of anti-deps be responsible for these perceived positive and negative effects?