Seroquil given out like candy at mental hospital??

I was just reading about seroquil and several times in the article it said "SEROQUIL is not intended for people under the age of 18" which just reminded me... when I was 15 (I am now 18) I was put into a behavioral health facility for teens. I was given an array of drugs during my stay, which was only for like 3 weeks, one of them being seroquil. I noticed that almost every other patient there was also on seroquil. The nurse told me it is an antipsychotic. I am NOT psychotic and neither were about 1/2 the other patients there. I know it is also used to treat bipolar disorder, which I also am not. When I was checked out, I was not given a prescription for seroquil so I just stopped abruptly, which any doctor knows you're not supposed to do. I am just curious about 2 things. Were they just giving it to everyone to keep us drugged and under control? cause that stuff knocks you out for hours. And is this legal or is there some way I can inform someone about this and put a stop to it?

deepperppl, that is beside the point. sorry if i spelled it wrong, who cares. i feel like people are being abused by hospitals.

I doubt much will happen, but you can report the facility to JCAHO, google them for your local chapter.

You can contact the Department of Health in your state.

Well, perhaps this is a problem. Seroquel is intended for use in people with pyschotic behavior BUT it also has mood stabilizing properties.

It might have been given to alot of the young people because it calms them. Is that right? Probably not. But it is done.

I have been in several mental hospitals and everyone there is on some medication. Seroquel might have just been the drug of choice at your hospital. The last hospital I was at, alot of people were being given Abilify.

Personally, I don't think these medications should be given to people under the age of 18. They are not tested on young people and young people are still developing. But the truth is, we don't have medications specifically for young people, so we use the adult versions.

Sorry that this happened to you. Probably the only way you can bring attention to it is by addressing your governors.

Seroquel, spelled with e's not i's, is a mood stabilizer that works quickly and effectively. They have to have the disclaimer about under 18 b/c some kids have committed suicide while using other medications that work for adults who have depression, like Prozac. It's a disclaimer just in case the teen commits suicide and it's only there for legal reasons. Next time you need a mood stabilizer, you can request depakote or lithium, but they have MORE side effects and are not as good at stabilizing moods. Seroquel is classified as an "anti-psychotic" because it has to be classified by the pharmaceutical companies. It was originally tested as an anti-psychotic, but is now being used as a mood stabilizer, especially for people with insomnia, racing thoughts, or bi-polar disorder.

seroquel is also used for its sedative effects, they probably used it on you to try to keep you all calm. It is not right to do that, another medication should be used for that not an antipsychotic. you should notify your own doctor first off then I would personally go to one of the local tv news stations & talk to their investigative reporters. you might get further with them than on your own. also try to contact other patients who were there during your stay if possible. you need more than just your word unfortunately. I think it is appaling what mental health facilities do to the patients who are hospitalized. I was in one for a suicide attempt in may 06 & they tried to put me on that damned seroquel. I flat out refused, I had been on it for almost a year a few years before & I lost nearly all that time to 18+ hours of sleep a day. not to mention I only had bipolar disorder & there was no reason that I should have been prescribed seroquel. I was given it because I had trouble sleeping due to racing thoughts. Now however they often prescribe it as a mood stabilizer. which I totally disagree with.
I personally do not believe that seroquel should be given to anyone. it is also associated with increased weight gain & diabetes. It caused very severe depression for me. I am 100% against the use of seroquel.

Yes, in mental hospitals medications are given out to all patients to keep them under controll, its just how it works. There are many drugs that can only be administered when in hospital like milleral. I no its not right but its the way it works. if they cant keep the patients calm and under controll it can be very dangerouse for the staff and the other patients. Sarah