Antipsychotics and 'dumbing down'
I've been on APs for 2 years. Prior to having them I was a constantly a high achiever with lots of motivation. In my first year of uni I was getting straight 1sts. But since being put on APs my grades have dropped, I have less motivation, I sleep far too much and feel like I brain fog and am just not as sharp as I used to.
Is this just life where you can't maintain perfection or has anyone else experienced this as a result of APs?
Is this just life where you can't maintain perfection or has anyone else experienced this as a result of APs?
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I have noticed the same thing. Yesterday it took me about twenty minutes to work out how many miles I could go in ten minutes at twenty miles an hour 
it's ridiculous how dumb I am. I was on antipsychotics at uni and my work definitely suffered and things are no better now. I don't really have any advice for making things any easier but you're definitely not alone.
When I have told my psychiatrist in the past she's told me it's part of my "illness" but this excuse isn't good enough for me. I plan on bringing it up again next time I see her because I feel so frustrated at how slow I am.
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it's ridiculous how dumb I am. I was on antipsychotics at uni and my work definitely suffered and things are no better now. I don't really have any advice for making things any easier but you're definitely not alone. When I have told my psychiatrist in the past she's told me it's part of my "illness" but this excuse isn't good enough for me. I plan on bringing it up again next time I see her because I feel so frustrated at how slow I am.
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I've experienced the same thing - though my psych (like Sabertooth) said it's a part of my illness not the APs 
Yep same thing here. My sleeping is awful. I seem to need 12 hours sleep a night when I used to be able to have 7 hours of sleep a night and feel fine.
Frankly it was the "dumbing down" sensation that made me stop taking my medication for a while. Of course this back fired and ended up with me in hospital but I still feel like the medication is causing me issues. It is a bit of a worry since I start my course in September. It is one I have wanted to do for years and years and I don't want to screw it up just because of the medication.
Frankly it was the "dumbing down" sensation that made me stop taking my medication for a while. Of course this back fired and ended up with me in hospital but I still feel like the medication is causing me issues. It is a bit of a worry since I start my course in September. It is one I have wanted to do for years and years and I don't want to screw it up just because of the medication.
My intellect and the pace at which I can work/understand things/write essays has definitely gone down the toilet, but I think that's just coz Oxford broke me 
I've experienced the same thing, I got all A*s at a levels but I've struggled since. But my doctors have said it's due to my illness. My current consultant though is pretty encouraging, he motivates me to want to go back to university and says I can get back to my previous intellect, hopefully he is correct.
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I have become stupid - but I think that's being ill not the anti-psychotics.
Original post by The_Lonely_Goatherd
My intellect and the pace at which I can work/understand things/write essays has definitely gone down the toilet, but I think that's just coz Oxford broke me
I've thought the same thing about myself tbh
Hi everyone, I have to say I feel the same as you after taking antipsychotics for 5 years. I feel really stupid, but I can tell you I have a degree now but it cost me a lot of effort. I wonder if any of you were released from the medication and if any of you successfully recovered and if you are leading normal lives now. I feel my life changed a lot since I became ill. I've had good and bad moments. Hope you all are fine and enjoying life.
Original post by ArthurPendragon
Hi everyone, I have to say I feel the same as you after taking antipsychotics for 5 years. I feel really stupid, but I can tell you I have a degree now but it cost me a lot of effort. I wonder if any of you were released from the medication and if any of you successfully recovered and if you are leading normal lives now. I feel my life changed a lot since I became ill. I've had good and bad moments. Hope you all are fine and enjoying life.
Yo buddy!
I graduated and got a masters but still on the antipsychotics. Still find it very difficult to think. I have a test coming up and can't make heads or tails of the math sections. It just doesn't go into my head. So I'll probably do badly on that test.
Still not living a "normal life", still struggling and taking the medication as well as several hospital visits. My life is still a mess. 
Original post by ArthurPendragon
Hi everyone, I have to say I feel the same as you after taking antipsychotics for 5 years. I feel really stupid, but I can tell you I have a degree now but it cost me a lot of effort. I wonder if any of you were released from the medication and if any of you successfully recovered and if you are leading normal lives now. I feel my life changed a lot since I became ill. I've had good and bad moments. Hope you all are fine and enjoying life.
I probs have to be on medication for life tbh
I wouldn't say I'm living a normal life - far from it - but a few months after I posted in this thread seven years ago, I started a PhD part-time (which I'm finishing up soon!), still have a lot of friends despite having my 'moments', and am starting to look forward to the future 
(edited 2 years ago)
Yeah, I experienced that too.
I wasn't taking them for a psychotic illness, rather BPD + anxiety, so I was lucky enough to be able to stop taking them.
The dumbing down feeling lasted for 8 months or so after I stoped taking them. I remember cooking myself a pizza, only to find I had left all of the packaging on. Another time I burnt my hands taking something out of the oven sans oven gloves.
I have been repeatedly been told that APs don't have this effect and it must just be the anxiety. I don't believe them.
I wasn't taking them for a psychotic illness, rather BPD + anxiety, so I was lucky enough to be able to stop taking them.
The dumbing down feeling lasted for 8 months or so after I stoped taking them. I remember cooking myself a pizza, only to find I had left all of the packaging on. Another time I burnt my hands taking something out of the oven sans oven gloves.
I have been repeatedly been told that APs don't have this effect and it must just be the anxiety. I don't believe them.
Hi everyone thanks for your replies, I really wish we were back to normal again, I hope we can take control of our lives again one day, hopefully soon. I'm glad all of you have been doing Masters and PhDs I think it shows how intelligent and capable you are regardless of adversities. I had been studying a lot too but I finished my courses and I feel I've done a lot of improvement since I finished university/college. Sports help me a lot and making new friends too.
Original post by Noodlzzz
So this thread is 7 years old!
I still really struggle with motivation, brain fog and sleeping too much. But I persevered and despite APs and mental illness I am half way through a PhD
I still really struggle with motivation, brain fog and sleeping too much. But I persevered and despite APs and mental illness I am half way through a PhD
I'm just impressed the op of one of these zombie threads is still a user, this is the first time ive seen them actually respond to one of these bumps
Congrats on the PhD though, whats it in?
Original post by Anonymous
Yeah, I experienced that too.
I wasn't taking them for a psychotic illness, rather BPD + anxiety, so I was lucky enough to be able to stop taking them.
The dumbing down feeling lasted for 8 months or so after I stoped taking them. I remember cooking myself a pizza, only to find I had left all of the packaging on. Another time I burnt my hands taking something out of the oven sans oven gloves.
I have been repeatedly been told that APs don't have this effect and it must just be the anxiety. I don't believe them.
I wasn't taking them for a psychotic illness, rather BPD + anxiety, so I was lucky enough to be able to stop taking them.
The dumbing down feeling lasted for 8 months or so after I stoped taking them. I remember cooking myself a pizza, only to find I had left all of the packaging on. Another time I burnt my hands taking something out of the oven sans oven gloves.
I have been repeatedly been told that APs don't have this effect and it must just be the anxiety. I don't believe them.
how the **** would they know?
they always lie about side effects
Original post by Noodlzzz
So this thread is 7 years old!
I still really struggle with motivation, brain fog and sleeping too much. But I persevered and despite APs and mental illness I am half way through a PhD
I still really struggle with motivation, brain fog and sleeping too much. But I persevered and despite APs and mental illness I am half way through a PhD
Congratulations noodly noodz
