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Antipsychotics

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

What dosage of antipsychotics should I be on? 

Your dosage means how much of your antipsychotic medication you should take, and how often you  should take it. Finding the best dosage for you will depend on a lot of factors. These include: 

  • The specific drug you’ve been prescribed. Safe dosages for different antipsychotics can vary  widely. 
  • Whether you’re taking other medication. Some drugs can interact with antipsychotics  if you take them around the same time. 
  • What you find works for you. Drugs work differently for everyone. Their effects may depend  on factors like your age, weight, genes, general health, liver and kidney function, and  whether you’re able to take the drug as recommended. 

You and your doctor or psychiatrist can work together to see whether your antipsychotic helps you  and how well it suits you. They should be able to tell you how the drug may help you, and when you  are likely to feel the drug’s effects. The aim should be to find a dosage where the benefits outweigh  any side effects. 

Remember: you have a right to know what dosage you have been prescribed, and why.

How can I work out my best dosage? 

  • You should always start at a low dose. For many people, low maintenance doses are as  effective as higher doses. The dose should still be enough for the medication to have an  effect. 
  • You should try taking the dose you’ve been prescribed for four to six weeks to see how it’s  working. 
  • Your doctor or psychiatrist may then adjust your dose gradually. But they should only do  this if you both agree it is necessary. 
  • You may find that your medication isn’t working, even if your dose is increased to the  recommended limit. Or you may find that your medication is causing unpleasant side effects  that are difficult to live with. In this case, your doctor or psychiatrist should consider offering  you a different antipsychotic drug. 
  • Your doctor or psychiatrist should clearly record any decisions about your medication in  your medical notes. This includes whether to start, continue, stop or change to another  drug. It is especially important if your doctor or psychiatrist prescribes a dose that’s outside  the usual recommended range for that drug. 

What are the effects of taking a higher dosage? 

The higher your dose, the more likely you are to experience problems with side effects. For example,  certain antipsychotics may cause side effects which affect your ability to: 

  • get up in the morning 
  • move your muscles naturally 
  • take part in everyday activities. 

Moderate to high doses of antipsychotics may also increase the risk of tardive dyskinesia. This is a  serious side effect which causes movements in your face or body that you can’t control. 

PRN prescribing 

PRN prescribing means giving you extra doses of your medication, in addition to your regular daily dose. ‘PRN’ stands for ‘pro re nata’, which means ‘as the circumstances require’ in Latin. So it only  happens in certain circumstances. 

You are most likely to be given a PRN dose if you are staying in hospital, either because:

  • the medical staff think you need a bit more medication in some situations, or
  • you’ve asked for a bit more medication in some situations. 

Any PRN doses should be carefully recorded in your medical notes. Your doctor or psychiatrist  should also monitor you to make sure that you don’t receive a daily dose that’s too high.

Is my daily dose too high? 

In most cases, antipsychotics aren’t licensed for use above the maximum recommended dosage  published by the Hospital Authority. But there are some situations where you may end up with a total daily dose  above the recommended maximum. These include: 

  • If your doctor or psychiatrist prescribes you a higher than recommended daily dose.
  • If you are taking more than one antipsychotic at the same time. 
  • If you are in hospital receiving a PRN prescription. This is the most likely situation in which  your daily dose may end up higher than the recommended limit. 

You have a right to know how much medication you’re taking in total, including PRN doses. If you  aren’t confident about working this out, your doctor, psychiatrist or pharmacist should be able to  explain it to you. 

If you are prescribed more than the recommended daily limit, your doctor or psychiatrist has a duty  to review this every day. But you can always speak to your doctor or psychiatrist if you feel your  daily dose is too high. You can ask them to review your dosage at any time, even if it is within the  recommended range. 

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

What dosage of antipsychotics should I be on? 

What dosage of antipsychotics should I be on? 

Your dosage means how much of your antipsychotic medication you should take, and how often you  should take it. Finding the best dosage for you will depend on a lot of factors. These include: 

  • The specific drug you've been prescribed. Safe dosages for different antipsychotics can vary  widely. 
  • Whether you're taking other medication. Some drugs can interact with antipsychotics  if you take them around the same time. 
  • What you find works for you. Drugs work differently for everyone. Their effects may depend  on factors like your age, weight, genes, general health, liver and kidney function, and  whether you're able to take the drug as recommended. 

You and your doctor or psychiatrist can work together to see whether your antipsychotic helps you  and how well it suits you. They should be able to tell you how the drug may help you, and when you  are likely to feel the drug’s effects. The aim should be to find a dosage where the benefits outweigh  any side effects. 

Remember: you have a right to know what dosage you have been prescribed, and why.

How can I work out my best dosage? 

  • You should always start at a low dose. For many people, low maintenance doses are as  effective as higher doses. The dose should still be enough for the medication to have an  effect. 
  • You should try taking the dose you've been prescribed for four to six weeks to see how it's  working. 
  • Your doctor or psychiatrist may then adjust your dose gradually. But they should only do  this if you both agree it is necessary. 
  • You may find that your medication isn't working, even if your dose is increased to the  recommended limit. Or you may find that your medication is causing unpleasant side effects  that are difficult to live with. In this case, your doctor or psychiatrist should consider offering  you a different antipsychotic drug. 
  • Your doctor or psychiatrist should clearly record any decisions about your medication in  your medical notes. This includes whether to start, continue, stop or change to another  drug. It is especially important if your doctor or psychiatrist prescribes a dose that's outside  the usual recommended range for that drug. 

What are the effects of taking a higher dosage? 

The higher your dose, the more likely you are to experience problems with side effects. For example,  certain antipsychotics may cause side effects which affect your ability to: 

  • get up in the morning 
  • move your muscles naturally 
  • take part in everyday activities. 

Moderate to high doses of antipsychotics may also increase the risk of tardive dyskinesia. This is a  serious side effect which causes movements in your face or body that you can’t control. 

PRN prescribing 

PRN prescribing means giving you extra doses of your medication, in addition to your regular daily dose. 'PRN' stands for 'pro re nata', which means ‘as the circumstances require’ in Latin. So it only  happens in certain circumstances. 

You are most likely to be given a PRN dose if you are staying in hospital, either because:

  • the medical staff think you need a bit more medication in some situations, or
  • you've asked for a bit more medication in some situations. 

Any PRN doses should be carefully recorded in your medical notes. Your doctor or psychiatrist  should also monitor you to make sure that you don’t receive a daily dose that's too high.

Is my daily dose too high? 

In most cases, antipsychotics aren’t licensed for use above the maximum recommended dosage  published by the Hospital Authority. But there are some situations where you may end up with a total daily dose  above the recommended maximum. These include: 

  • If your doctor or psychiatrist prescribes you a higher than recommended daily dose.
  • If you are taking more than one antipsychotic at the same time. 
  • If you are in hospital receiving a PRN prescription. This is the most likely situation in which  your daily dose may end up higher than the recommended limit. 

You have a right to know how much medication you’re taking in total, including PRN doses. If you  aren’t confident about working this out, your doctor, psychiatrist or pharmacist should be able to  explain it to you. 

If you are prescribed more than the recommended daily limit, your doctor or psychiatrist has a duty  to review this every day. But you can always speak to your doctor or psychiatrist if you feel your  daily dose is too high. You can ask them to review your dosage at any time, even if it is within the  recommended range.