need some help plz x

I now understand more what a dificult situation you have. I was given antipsychotics because the dr did not believe that I was being bullied, and therefore assumed I was paranoid. They also said that I had no insight into my condition. These two oppinions really robbed me of the chance of being heard at all, and took away my confidence in my own view of what was going on. I also had anxiety problems. Aggression is a different issue, especially in a boy getting physically larger etc.

Maybe you need to try something to give you all some respite. You can always change your mind later. I do, however think that these drugs should not be for life. I found myself in the position where my dr would say "your condition will return, if you stop taking the drugs". I actually find now, that I am happier without. Any psychosis went when I escaped the bullying.

Psychosisis a difficult label to challenge, and medical notes travel with you for life. If a psychiatrist says that you have no insight into your condition, then nothing you say has any value, it is a product of your condition.

It is a difficult decission for you, and perhaps you need to ask what they hope to achieve using this drug, and what timescales they have in mind. 

hi there thanx for your reply, i need to find out all i can about these drugs this is honestly the hardest decision ive had to make yet!  my son has hemiplegic cerarble palsy plus asd  his behaviour is very very challenging, he is aggressive towards me my husband and his young brother n sister, hi not in mainstream school ,  he can be his normal self one minute then within a split second very abusive and aggressive, and reacts without thinking, of late it is getting worse the aggression towards us , and the bad language ect,we fully understand his age ect but aaron for approx 5yrs now will not sleep alone he has to have his dad with him are near him , dad sleeps in the living room so he is near him as the house is adapted for our son so his bedroom is downstairs, he doesnt like being alone in the day never mind the night as he has great fears, that become overwhelming for him to the point of him feeling sick ect , he thinks someone can get in the house,  and hurt us ,  aaron doesnt sleep a lot it can be early morning before he goes over and he walks around in his sleep, and hits out at us , in the morning he cant remember a thing and gets upsett as he isnt where he was ie his bed when he awakes, he has only just started playing out just on the front garden as he wouldnt go out we have alot of issues, he becomes aggitated and panicky and gets very nasty , dad and i and our other 2 younger siblings feel worn out at times , i have lost count how many times his sister has said now how she loves him but at times hates him!!! it upsetts me a great deal. i have had a lot to cope with over the last few yrs looking after my mother and father who have alzheimers , father just passed last oct,  aaron dealt with that ok he doesnt fully understand bless him,  and aarons dad has been v poorly so yes we have had a lot on .... now to the point of this i fully understand what you are saying and i fullly understand about the ssri  drugs  , i wasnt even given a option for these for aaron, dont get me wrong it is our decision at the end of the day and no doc is going to tell me otherwise , the consultant told us it is psychosis  ,  any advice is appreciated, i dont want my child to be a zomby!!  

Agree, antipsychotics are heavy duty, and really bad news when given to the wrong people. However, I do know a couple of schizophrenics who are on them permanently and able to be 'normal' with them. One of them was in hospital without them.

Again, it depends who they are given to.  And even experts can't always be sure how a particular patient will react.

Patrice, it might help if you gave a bit more information about your son: what is his diagnosis, how long has he been diagnosed, has he had any other treatments or support, what behaviors are a problem?

The change from primary to secondary school can also be a stressful time for many on the spectrum: besides the change of enviroment, the mental distance between neurotypical and autistic kids gets wider with age. It can get harder and harder to cope.

I am with Marjorie on this one. Antipsychotics have hideous side effects, and I think should be absolute last resort, even for adults. 

The heartbreaking story below (and comments) is an example of why I am so anti. 

davidhealy.org/doctor-munchausen-dear-luise

en.wikipedia.org/.../Aripiprazole

My first thought is if the consultant can't make this decision, then how the heck are you supposed to?  They should have given you a list of pros and cons for them.

Also, you might not realise, but there are several classes of 'happy pills' that work in different ways in the brain. The one's you list are antipsychotics, which are the type Marjorie has experience of, and which are often prescribed for schizophrenia.  On a quick look I found reference to risperidone being used for irritability in autism.  I didn't find reference to aripiprazole being used for autism, but then I only looked at one article each!  If you really want to follow it up, you'll need to do a search and look at several articles for each.

I did some basic behavioral pharmacology as part of a course I did.  One thing I learned is that really even the experts can't always predict how pills will work on an individual. So it may well come down to trying them in turn and seeing what works.

However I would ask your consultant why he thinks an antiphychotic is appropriate, and not one of the other classes (anti-anxiety, sedative, SRI, SSRI).  You don't say what problems your son has, so I couldn't comment on the appropriateness (not that I'm an expert anyway!). I'm currently on an SSRI (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor: I can explain what that means if you like!), which makes me feel generally a bit happier without feeling like I've been 'changed' or zombified! However I do feel it's reduced my motivation and may have worsened my already bad sleeping, so I'm probably going to come off it or try a different one. It helped me through a bad patch though, and some autistics do choose to be on medication permanently.  I'm currently on Sertraline.

So I agree with Marjorie: medications shouldn't be the first choice, or an excuse for not working out solutions to his problems.  But I do think they have a place.

Hi patrice. My first thought is, does he need drugs? I understand that life can be very stressful for both the asd child, and their family. You do not say if he has specific problems.

 I am very oversensitive to many substances, but I took risperidone briefly a couple of years ago, and it stopped me sleeping. The other, I havn't heard of. To me, now, drugs should be a last resort and temporary.

I was on drugs for 20 years, and they turned me into an overweight zombie. If I had emotional problems, I was unable to deal with them and they came back to haunt me, after I became drug free. Drugs took away the low moods, but also the highs, so I lost enjoyment of life too. I needed something when I was very depressed and anxious, but I don't think antipsychotics are the answer. 

Antipsychotics are also known as the chemical cosh in old peoples homes. They are used to control unwanted behaviour.

I am sorry if this sounds very negative, but please do question these things. Drugs are for sick people, autism is not an illness, just a different way of thinking, and perhaps he can learn to live with it, given time and a sympathetic school.