By Brook Sabin
3 News can reveal what some experts say is an alarming increase in the number of people using antipsychotics.
The drugs are commonly used for severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia, and now 80, 000 New Zealanders are using them.
The youngest is two, the oldest over 100.
Adrienne has been using antipsychotics for more than 15 years, and says she suffered terrible side-effects as doctors trialled different types.
“Depressed, suffered tremors and at times my brain felt completely numb, and at times I just thought I couldn't make my brain work,” she says.
She's now on a very small dose and says good nutrition has been the key to her recovery.
But she's concerned about more people using the powerful drugs, which chemically alter the brain.
“The increase in the number of people on it really horrifies me,” she says.
Figures released to 3 News by Pharmac show that in 2007, there were 64, 500 people using antipsychotics.
But by last year the total number of users had climbed to more than 80, 000.
That level of use concerns mental health advocate Clive Plucknett, who heads the Challenge Trust.
They provide holistic mental health care to more than 2, 000 patients.
“I think it's frightening, used for a short period it's fine but when people start to use them, they tend to be on them for the rest of their lives,” Mr Plucknett says.
Of particular concern is that children are part of the statistics.
Last year more than 700 10 to 14 year olds were prescribed antipsychotics, nearly 300, between the age of five and nine and 22 under the age of four.
“That would have to be very much a last resort, age is highly relevant because what you're dealing with is a developing brain and the long term effects of giving these drugs to younger and younger children really isn't understood,” says child and adolescent psychologist Dr Hugh Clarkson.
While experts say there is a role for antipsychotics, many 3 News spoke to say the rates are simply too high.
It's now projected 10 percent of the population - will at some stage in their lives - use the drugs.
3 News