Side Effects of Akathisia

Akathisia is an internal drive to move and be constantly involved in activities. People experiencing akathisia find it difficult to sit still and stop moving. Akathisia is sometimes accompanied by paranoia and anxiety. Akathisia affects patients primarily taking antipsychotics. There are cures that can help alleviate the problem of akathisia, but in some cases patients experience long-term akathisia. Their treatment would also be long-term and only partially cure the condition, but it cannot fully treat some cases.

Extreme Mobility

• Akathisia is the state of extreme movement. The movement is fueled by internal factors and, in most cases, is caused by antipsychotics. It may also be a side effect of morphine withdrawal. Symptoms of akathisia include shifting weight from one foot to another, walking in place, the shuffling of feet, and leg swinging of repeated crossing. In extreme cases, people will pace and remain in agitated states at all times. Persons with akathisia will have trouble sitting or standing still and remain so for any length of time.

Paranoia

• Akathisia may also be accompanied by intense paranoia. The sufferer may feel something catastrophic is going to happen, or that he is being watched or persecuted. This kind of paranoia creates anxiety. Paranoia is driven by delusions, or beliefs a person has that are contrary to the reality of his situation. A person affected may become suspicious, irritable, introverted, depressed, obstinate, jealous, selfish, unsocial and bitter for no reason other than delusion.

Anxiety

• Undefined anxiety may be at the center of akathisia. The effects of paranoia may fuel the anxiety, agitating the akathisia. The movements will become more extreme and a person can become totally restless, displaying rapid and continuous motion. Signs of anxiety are constant tension and worrying. Irrational fears that interfere with lifestyle and thinking patterns is also a complication of anxiety. The anxiety may range from a mild sense of disquiet to a total inability to stay still.

Other Effects

• Other complications seen with akathisia are abnormal behaviors, aggression, malaise, staring, gait disturbance, memory impairment, depressed mood, asthenia (physical weakness), weight increase, suicide attempts, sedation, insomnia, tremor, dyskinesia (involuntary movements) and memory impairment. Some of these side effects may be linked to akathisia and some are simply co-existing reactions to psychiatric drugs. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) also occurs in some cases as a reaction to an antipsychotic drug. NMS is a rare movement disorder that requires hospitalization.

Treatment

• Newer "atypical" neuroleptic medications are used to treat akathisia. The hormone melatonin and vitamin B6 may also be useful in treatment. The problem with akathisia treatment is that it may have a late onset--meaning that the patient can be taking psychiatric drugs for years without experiencing any symptoms at all. There are no early-detection tests or symptoms for akathisia, and in some cases the symptoms may be long-lasting and devastating.