Schizophrenia
These symptoms include hallucinations and delusions.
What are positive symptoms?
This disorder involves depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 2 weeks.
What is major depressive disorder?
This disorder features sudden episodes of intense fear with physical symptoms like chest pain and dizziness.
What is panic disorder?
These medications treat hallucinations and delusions.
What are antipsychotics?
Antipsychotics are medications used to treat psychotic symptoms, such as:
Hallucinations (seeing/hearing things not there)
Delusions (false fixed beliefs)
Disorganized thinking
Severe agitation
They are most commonly prescribed for:
Schizophrenia
Schizoaffective disorder
Bipolar disorder with mania
Psychosis related to depression or medical conditions
Haloperidol, Chlorpromazine, Risperidone, Olanzapine, Quetiapine, Clozapine
Seeing or hearing something that is not actually there.
What is a hallucination?
This phase precedes the acute psychotic episode and includes social withdrawal and decline in functioning.
What is the prodromal phase?
This type of bipolar episode includes elevated mood, decreased sleep, and impulsive behavior.
What is mania?
Persistent, excessive worry about many topics for at least 6 months.
What is generalized anxiety disorder?
This atypical antipsychotic can cause extreme weight gain and metabolic syndrome.
What is olanzapine?
A false, fixed belief that is not based in reality.
What is a delusion?
Too much of this neurotransmitter is associated with hallucinations and delusions.
What is dopamine?
This mood disorder includes symptoms of schizophrenia and a major mood episode.
What is schizoaffective disorder?
Re-experiencing, avoidance, negative mood changes, and hyperarousal after trauma describe this disorder.
What is PTSD?
This movement disorder causes restlessness and inability to sit still.
What is akathisia?
Reduced emotional expression is known as this.
What is flat affect?
This disorder has symptoms similar to schizophrenia but lasts 1–6 months.
What is schizophreniform disorder?
DAILY DOUBLE: Name a benefit of having coping skills.
Ability to decrease symptoms of depression or cravings, better management of emotions, better mood, improve self-esteem, etc.
Repetitive behaviors such as checking or handwashing used to reduce anxiety.
What are compulsions?
This drug is used to treat EPS, such as dystonia or pseudoparkinsonism.
What is benztropine?
Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) are drug-induced movement disorders that occur when medications block dopamine in the brain’s motor pathways.
They affect muscle movement, posture, and coordination.
Severe muscle rigidity and fever in response to antipsychotics—medical emergency.
What is Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome?
NMS = High fever + severe rigidity + confusion → STOP antipsychotic and notify provider immediately.
This feature involves holding the body in a rigid or fixed posture without movement.
What is catatonia (or catalepsy)?
This life-threatening complication of antidepressants includes agitation, tremor, sweating, fever, and confusion.
What is serotonin syndrome?
Serotonin Syndrome is a life-threatening reaction caused by too much serotonin in the brain. It most often happens when someone takes multiple serotonin-increasing medications (such as SSRIs + MAOIs, SSRIs + St. John’s Wort, or dose increases).
Key Signs & Symptoms (Think: “Everything is Overstimulated”)
Neuromuscular
Tremors
Muscle rigidity
Clonus (jerking movements)
Hyperreflexia
Autonomic Instability
Fever
Sweating
High blood pressure
Increased heart rate
Mental Status Changes
Agitation
Anxiety
Confusion
When a person is unable to move or speak after trauma, this may be happening.
What is dissociation?
This dangerous long-term side effect involves involuntary facial and tongue movements.
What is tardive dyskinesia?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw74dizv53o
Stop or reduce the offending medication if possible
Switch to Clozapine or another lower-risk agent
Use VMAT2 inhibitors to treat TD:
Valbenazine (Ingrezza)
Deutetrabenazine (Austedo)
A person copies someone else’s speech or movements involuntarily.
What is echolalia or echopraxia?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BYnxADJDGnU