What Is Psychopharmacology?

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Long-term antipsychotic use may lead to metabolic, hormonal, and movement disorders.

Tardive dyskinesia and other movement disorders can be difficult to treat and, in some cases, irreversible.

Despite these risks, antipsychotic treatment is linked to lower overall mortality.

When people talk about side effects, they usually mean the ones that show up shortly after starting a medication, such as dizziness, drowsiness, or tremors. The long-term effects, which may emerge only after years of treatment, are often overlooked or not discussed.

When it comes to antipsychotics, these effects are well documented in the literature and include dyslipidemia, movement disorders, hormonal imbalances, and neurological changes.

These are important issues that, over the course of treatment, often go undiscussed, either because they take so long to develop or out of concern about frightening the patient and reducing treatment adherence. But they shouldn't just be discussed. They should also be monitored during follow-up visits, whether through laboratory tests (in the case of dyslipidemia and hormonal dysfunction) or clinical assessments.

This conversation matters both for supporting patient autonomy whenever possible and for helping families understand potential risks and prevent future complications.

Types of Antipsychotics

Not all antipsychotics are alike. Older, first-generation or "typical" antipsychotics tend to cause........

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