What is Akathisa? An Uncomfortable Medication Side Effect 

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Thanks for addressing this. Akathisia is THE WORST feeling I’ve ever experienced in my lifetime. Should be taken seriously.

My doctor and family let me suffer from akathisia. I begged to taken to a hospital. I don’t think that I can forgive how my family didn’t seem to give a damn. I was told that it was bipolar. Then schizophrenia. But it was akathisia. I paced constantly in the hospital when I was twenty. People called me psycho. People are insensitive and have no empathy. Thank you for explaining accurately. People need to listen to you.

Akathisa is not just feeling restless. It’s a living nightmare. Hold your breath and wait for that sinking sensation of dread. This is how akathisa feels the entire time. Your skin and even your bones crawl. You feel the strong urge to move from the sheer discomfort. Even keeping your eyes closed is difficult no matter how sleepy you are. Your chest is tight and you can’t breathe properly as if there’s no oxygen in the air. Your whole being is in constant “flight” mode, yet there’s no real reason why. Your blood pumps inside you as if it wants to burst through your skin. Your stomach is tight with anxiety and your temples pulse from the tension and you want to tear your hair out. All you want is to escape your own body. You try everything. Eating, talking, running, showering even! Nothing works. You feel hopeless. Helpless. The desperation becomes so bad that you consider going to the hospital and begging them to put you under. If there’s no clear way to make it stop, you feel so vulnerable and frantic that you even think about suicide. Akathisa is serious. NEVER belittle or downplay the symptoms! Take it seriously when a loved one tells you what they’re experiencing.

Got this with an antidepressant and was so scary. I started walking in circles around the house, I literally panicked and cried calling my psychiatrist. It's not just the feeling of need to move your limbs, it's the huge discomfort if you don't. Difficult to describe but was like insects walking through my legs and arms skin. I started scratching myself too, that's why I understand why someone could have suicidal ideation because it's awful. When I told this to my dr she told me immediately what to do ( take other prescribed medication) and asked me to stay in touch and tell her constantly what I feel. Thanks dr, you're always so clear!

Akathisa is so unbearably uncomfortable. I've never been able to truly convey that to people who haven't had it. For those of you that had it for an extended period of time, I feel for you. You're stronger than me. After several hours (maybe a couple days?) of absolute misery I couldn't take any more and went to the ER 😬

I always called this 'restless body syndrome'; now I know the official term. None of my doctors so far have taken my complaints seriously, which feels even more hopeless, hopefully in time my body will get used to these nightmare meds.

I’m actually healing from akathisia right now - I was given Reglan through IV in the ER for nausea and it’s almost a year now and I would say I’m 80% better.. I didn’t even know this feeling existed but it’s the worst feeling in the world and there is nothing you can do to make it stop .. in my opinion, the pacing is more of like a coping mechanism because the agony you feel inside is unbearable so you move around to try and counteract the bad feeling. Feels like jet fuel running through your veins accompanied by so many other bad symptoms... body jerks, high adrenaline where you feel like you are going to explode, random panic for no reason.. like the body is malfunctioning. Thank you for bringing awareness! Even certain foods or eating too quickly would bring on the symptoms - truly unbearable nightmare.

Almost all SSRIs give me mild akathisia without the need to move. In the 90s doctors had no clue what I was talking about when I tried to explain that what i was experiencing wasn’t really anxiety but an unpleasant sensation in my bones / muscles. They treated me as if I was the only person in the world that had this impossible to describe side effect. I finally learned what akathesia was when I started having full blown attacks due to a combo of SSRI and benzo withdrawal. I paced for 24 hours straight and the only way do stop it was to go back on the Klonopin. I felt like the only other option was suicide. Never felt so trapped and horrified in my life. I was absolutely enraged that I was never warned of this torture. If I ever ran out of Klonopin I was thrown into hell. The total helplessness of that kind of chemical dependence really traumatized me. Thankfully I was able to get off that horror drug with the help of a compounding pharmacy that made very small dosed capsules so that I could decrease by tiny increments over several months. I now know the feeling that SSRIs and a lot of other drugs give me is a mild form of akathisia that psychiatrists never labeled as such.

I've had panic and anxiety for years. I've also had akathisia from antipsychotics. I can say they are totally different feelings. Akathisia is more of a restlessness that is physical and less mental. Your body is telling you that you can't sit still. It is an inner turmoil of sorts. Almost like skin crawling (but not exactly). It's one of those feelings that can't really be described, you have to experience it. The last time I had it was when my pdoc put me on Lurasidone. She was so hopeful it would work for me, and I felt terrible telling her I just couldn't deal with the akathisia. So, yeah all psychiatrists should take the issue seriously. It is absolutely awful.

I experienced Akathisa in the 1990s when I was put on haloperidol. Your description of wanting to leave your own skin is exactly what I felt. I went for walks to try to vent the tension, but that didn't help. I also felt a compulsive need to focus my attention on tasks. I even went into my workplace on a day off to have some precise mental labor to do, and that did help. Yes, I actually called in sick, but to go _to_ work, rather than to stay home. That's how strange Akathisa can be! After about three months on haloperidol, my doctor switched me to fluvoxamine and shortly I was completely past the Akathisa, thank goodness. That was about 1998, and I've happily using fluvoxamine ever since. This video brought memories of a really difficult interlude and it is making me feel renewed appreciation for the fluvoxamine.

hi there Tracey, just want to let you know that you always brighten my day 🌸

Public service announcement: the very first medication I ever took was Seroquel. It was supposed to serve as a sleeping aid (which is honestly a ridiculous suggestion from many psychiatrists). THAT caused extreme uncontrollable akathesia. The apathetic psychiatrist at the time suggested increasing the dose from 25 to 50 mg. Hellllo akathesia!! It made me lose my job and I was suddenly regarded as an insane person. I stopped listening to the doctors and self-medicated with Xanax (dumb, but I was desperate to stop it) and developed an extreme dependency, had to go to rehab and basically wasted a year of my life due to doctor-negligence. I'm sharing my experience here to: 1. Urge you to trust your gut and choose the correct psychiatrist! 2. Check your diagnosis through a thorough clinical psychological evaluation 3. Really use meds if it's super necessary. And then get the f*** off them when you don't need them! Good luck to everyone and all the best. Things could get way better 😁

You are so informative. This has happened to me.

Oh. My. God. This week my psychologist noted that my movements were getting worse (I keep moving my arms and shoulders and get generally restless with stress). I have C-PTSD and we assumed that it was simply my anxiety getting a bit out of control. I take Ondansetron. This video is eye opening. Thank you.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for this video, Dr. Tracey Marks. Akathisia is torture. I've had it 3 times with it lasting 2 to 3 months each time. No one told me it was caused by the medication until my mother asked a doctor why I couldn't stop moving.

Akathisia from antipsychotic med I was on ruined my life. My legs were EXTREMELY restless for MONTHS and months. They are still restless now a year later after stopping my medicine but have gotten a lot better. During the first 6 months I was ready to end my life. I couldn’t sit still for even 5 seconds and the feeling in my legs was unexplainable and unbearable. It’s actual hell on earth.

Had this happen to me, i started a new medication. I first felt like my nerves were on fire. Then I couldn’t hold myself still, I HAD to move. I knew I couldn’t live like that and was taken off the medicine. Because of another medication, I thought I had restless leg syndrome, but akathisa makes much more sense. I still have this urge to move in my legs, it happens at night. Thank you for the info!!! Makes me feel a little less crazy!

speaking about dextromethorphan there is a psychaitrist said that at one time there was a women who just had severe treatment resistant depression and she tried everything out there all medications, tms, and ect along with psychotherepy and nothing worked then she tried cough medications (contains dextromethorphan) and that was the only thing helped her depression according to the doctor. thank you so much for talking about akathisia. love you

That was actually extremely accurate. I've never heard anyone who hasn't suffered from Akathisia themselves describe it so well. Well done

You make akathisia sound like a annoying side effect but it’s torment. It’s absolute misery and it could bring people to the brink of death. It almost took me.

it is astounding how so many doctors do not tell their patients about these potential disorders prior to them takin the drug. Anyone taking these drugs should already know about akathisia but instead they watch a youtube video...

Dear Dr. Marks, thank you for explaining this medical term so thoroughly. I really appreciate your time and effort. Blessings to you!

I had this when I was on Lurasidone and it was maybe the worst side effect I've experienced. The medicine made me exhausted, but I felt like I couldn't sit still. It was terrible, but luckily my psych helped me wean myself off and I've been much better since then.

So many of the videos have been 'AHA' moments. Even if it's just virtually, it would be amazing to have Dr. Marks as a Therapist!

I had this when I took Abilify for a few weeks. I couldn't stop pacing through the house for no reason and I felt extremely anxious and agitated. I also became suicidal and had to go to the hospital because it pretty much caused a nervous breakdown. The took me off Abilify, put me on Zyprexa and calmed me down with Ativan for a few days and I was totally fine 3 days later

I am closer to home now and need to set up my daughter with you. You are extremely skilled and severely intelligent. Without you, I might have gone for years before I learned my value. 💜💜💜

This woman is so smart. I wish I could know that much.

Thank u I experienced this after being hospitalized for nausea it’s absolutely horrific these drugs should absolutely be taken off the shelf…after getting it out of my system I was normal again…Thank God

I experienced this for a month in a psych hospital from Abilify and Zyprexa. I had no idea what was wrong with me until I got out and googled my symptoms. I'm like why the heck did the doctors keep me on that stuff. It's not like it's a rare side effect. They kept telling me it was extreme anxiety and the nurses were making fun of me and gossiping about me like omg she always gets up... so unprofessional.

Here I thought I was crazy, I received Reglan in the ER and wanted to rip the IVs out and jump out of a window.. Wow, my mind is blown that this has a name. I appreciate the enlightening SO MUCH

Thank you for posting this video. I have Bipolar 2 and WAS taking Vraylar and then Abilify. Both meds, especially Vraylar, gave me moderate to severe Akathisia -- especially in the morning time. I would pace all over my house, I'd even pace around the shower while in there. It drove me crazy which is too bad because I wanted to stay on the Vraylar. Now I'm on Risperdal (an anti-psychotic), Lamictal, and Propranolol which helps me to calm down. I feel a lot better now but I still pace for a while in the mornings.

You should change the headline. It´s not uncomfortable, it´s hellish suffering. It´s by far the worst feeling i have had. You´re being tortured but you can´t do anything because it´s inside your body. It´s all day, every day. Evening, nights pacing in agony barely able to walk because your feet ache from pacing all day, every day. As soon as you wake up, you feel it erupting inside turing your body into a torture chamber. So no, it´s not discomfort.

I’m so shocked right now. So I’m just laying in bed binge watching Dr. Marks videos and come across this one and read the thumbnail “I can’t stop moving” and I thought about how that sometimes happens to me and I started watching it… thinking she was gonna be talking about something else. But like 1 minute into the video she mentions my prescription Phenergan and I realize that this is exactly what has been happening to me! When she mentioned the “trunk” movements my mouth dropped because that’s exactly my issue. I never thought this would be a symptom of that medication and I’ve actually been abstaining from using sativa strain marijuana because I thought that’s what was causing it. She really just fixed this problem in my life from making this video. I’m gonna find a different nausea med. Thank you so much!!!

Wow, this is how a lot of people used to act in mental hospitals, you would see them constantly walking and rocking from side to side. And to think it was because of the meds they was on.

Just got on benztropine for this exact side effect! It's helped me so much, the restlessness I was feeling was starting to get to me emotionally.

thank you Dr. Tracey Marks for all the work you do on this channel.

Hi Dr. Marks. I’ve been watching your videos for over a year now and I have what may be an odd question. How does someone without mental illness, or a personality problem function? What does their life look like? How do they act? How do they behave? I know this probably seems really strange, but I often try to compare myself to “normal people” but I’m not sure how a “normal person” even functions in their day to day life. Thank you and best wishes!

Started taking Latuda and couldn't keep it down for about three days, nausea got so bad. Well on the fourth try, I could finally take it without throwing up, but lo-and-behold came the side effects. I couldn't get myself comfortable enough to sleep, had to pace, run circles in my yard, and up and down the stairs. All at about 1 a.m. Got so bad that I started hyperventilating and thought about jumping out the window just to end the agony, or calling 911 and getting sedated. Then I learned it has a term - akathisia. Seriously one of the most terrifying and gut-wrenching feelings I've ever had, wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

I didn't realize I had AKATHISIA, six months ago I would get up and walk around the block in the middle of the nigh to relieve my intercession. My Doctor put me on Sertraline and I was cured except for the side effects of diarrheic mostly, rash, tiredness and foggy brain syndrome, I would like to know if there is a specific drug for akathisia. Love your presentation... .

I thought I had this side effect after starting Abilify - my psychiatrist had mentioned, “oh, this might happen when you start taking this medication”. I felt a bit restless and energized, but it was almost a positive experience. I was so depressed and exhausted that I was taking 2 naps a day, and I didn’t have the energy to do anything. Having read the experiences of others and listened to your description, I think it was just my depression finally being treated the right way. I was just so far in the other direction that having energy felt completely foreign to me. Now I’m aware of what language to use when I describe any past side effects to my current psychiatrist. Thank you for the information!

I have these restless problems every day & it has become so bad that I feel like I am going crazy. I have a lot of anxiety for a few big reasons right now so I'm already a mess but this in particular is the icing on the cake and I just happen to be allergic to cake! (Metaphorically) only problem is im not taking any medication... what does that mean?!?! Dr. Tracey, I have been watching your videos for a few months now and I absolutely love how well you explain things to allow me to understand things I never have before. You have helped me so much and I am grateful. I have been wanting to email you with a few questions like others do but I dont know where to begin honestly. Ever since my ex left me 3 yrs ago I have been plummeting downhill and I'm scared I have lost all control... my life has been full of trauma and pain but I've also been growing immensely in other ways. It's like a tug o war that never ends. I have so many problems now that each one alone causes me anxiety that is too much to bare so I literally feel like I'm losing it... I dont know what to do because I dont believe it's a chemical imbalance or something like that. My problems have all been a product of circumstances and so because of that I continue to have this dull dread in my stomach (just like the sick knots you get when you feel your partner might be cheating on you) it constantly keeps me on edge, very moody and just all over the place. Not to mention the other issues like: fear, anxiety, abandonment issues, depression, restlessness & restless leg (which never really goes away anymore) intrusive thoughts, IED. Crying fits, PTSD, no friends, I'm alone all the time now and get very lonely. And there's a few others that make me feel like I'm alone in the universe... I know I'm no one special and am just a stranger but I want to find peace and answers. As much as my mind wants me to stay negative I refuse. I know life is a blessing and it is beautifully flawed. There's so much I want to experience and do still. I also want to eventually help others because my life has been filled with so much intensity that I know I could. But unfortunately I feel I am nowhere close to being able to help anyone when I clearly am losing all control of every bit of my life, my mind and my body feels so out of whack because of everything I'm pretty unhealthy right now also. That's another problem, for awhile now I've had a hard time eating and just recently finally found out that I have an eating disorder ARFID I think its called... which was a relief to finally be able to make sense of it but it's also just another major problem that I don't know how I'm going to be able to fix with everything happening all at once. I'm sure I might sound like a hypochondriac but I promise I am not. I know its a lot. And that's the main issue... I dont expect you to take me on as a client or anything like that (although that would be cool 😏) if there's any way you could give me some advice it would mean more than the world to me and I would be so grateful. I already feel like I'm a burden to the world, I feel cursed. And I used to think that I was God's 1 mistake... I felt like his punching bag but now I know that's not true and I'm getting closer to Him than ever before but I still feel like I need help physically also and not just spiritually. I live with my mom who is getting older and i love her so much but because of all my problems i also feel like I'm killing her and that because of me her life is nowhere near to what it should be.. the guilt is something that i can barely handle. I honestly dont know how i make it thru each day... i know i am strong in a sense but I'm buckling and i can only take so much... my mom too. I'm so overwhelmed with the amount of problems that i deal with every day that i am truly just scared... All. The. Time. I hate this. This is not anything I would ever wish anyone to have to go through and I hope there's a purpose for it all and for me that I'll find someday. I think that's what keeps me sane, I want to beat this and I dont want to give up. I know how precious this life is and I just want a chance to live it someday without the constant nagging of fear and anxiety that has me on my knees each day clawing for every inch I take. I dont want to loose this fight but I dont know how I'm going to ever win right now. I take each day as it comes and hope and pray the next is better and shows some mercy...I am sorry this is as long as a novel and for anyone else who may read this, thank you. Just getting this all out helps and I appreciate anyone that is willing to listen. If you could help in any way, again, I would be forever grateful. Thank you so much. I hope you all are well and that you are finding your answers as well. I know there is beauty in tragedy, I see it every day. I refuse to let anything take the color out of my world 😊 God bless. Jake Jenson

I HAD THIS! I was on antidepressants at the time and my appendix was inflamed so the Dr prescribed me something (don't remember what) to help me with the nausea while we waited for the exam to see if surgery was needed. WORST MINUTES OF MY LIFE it's horrible it's like something is messing with your brain and to top that the emergency room didn't have a single window so I felt trapped, thank god the security guy was new and didn't knew patients couldn't go outside so I went outside and felt a little tiny better with the fresh air and being able to see the sky. I couldn't handle myself, it's the craziest thing, nothing is good you wanna move but that also sucks so you seat down and it sucks you scream and it sucks you shut up it sucks. I can barely describe how it feels, weirdest thing ever. Maybe I could describe it as the devil itself putting his hands directly on my brain and just getting his fingers in there to see me agonizing

I had a PA (btw, who was bipolar) tell me my need to move was mania. Really, no one should prescribe these types of meds if they can't recognize Akathisia. Also, I even had psychiatrists who didn't recognize or help me with it. The psychiatrists who, I guess, recognized it never told me what was happening to me and why. I went through unbelievable torture and hell bc of rotten healthcare professionals.

Akathisia isn't about just uncontrolled movements, its about an internal hurricane of horror and terror that is unrelenting and never stops 24/7. Its funny how we have all these doctors, therapists, and youtube creators who think that because they had an education in psychology and psychiatry think they understand it, but they don't have a clue. Don't lecture others about this hell unless you have tasted it yourself!

Thanks for really describing this symptom. Now i have a better understanding of this annoying and life altering situation.

I got chronic akathisia from the discontinuation of a benzodiazepine (Klonopin). Many of my friends have as well. Benzodiazepines inhibit a dopamine inhibitor. When you rip a benzo away too quickly, it can destabilize the entire VTA. If you have benzo induced akathisia, there is literally little you can do. Anything that might make it feel better will make you one notch worse. Reinstating a benzo sometimes helps, but it goes wrong 90% of the time and those people die for their attempt at relief. The “solution” is to not prescribe these neurotoxins until they can develop screening. One of me is too many.

This is one of the conditions Jordan Peterson is suffering from. Great video straightforward and informative. 👍

We need so much understanding in South America about Akahell . Thanks so much for responding. It is induced torture. I got it in Usa after Reglan inyeccion. By instict I travel to my country to get treatment. " Natural alternatives " it helps none med. Cero. Akahell still with me. Never ever was thinking to " end my life" but I do frecuently now. Thanks for explaining very well about Akahell. I am surviving every day.

I love your videos! Watching your videos has helped me become informed and I’m much more able to cope with my mental illness. I haven’t seen any videos on tardive dyskinesia. I was recently prescribed Abilify and I’m on the fence about it because of TD. I have a suspected bipolar diagnosis and I’m currently on lithium mono therapy which doesn’t feel like it’s doing anything. I hope you can address TD someday as your style of explanation is masterful.

Thank you Dr. Marks, always with the relevant info no one else is talking about. And your delivery is most excellent, so incredibly grateful for you and your channel!!! I was thinking this is similar to my ASD stimming & when I go into tactile sensory overload - insects crawling through my system and skin. At times having to sit still and my body will start moving (the trunk movement you did was exactly that!), people think you’re being disrespectful and it can be frustrating professionally.

I'd heard of people having involuntary movements, but didn't know the name for this category of them. It's kind of fun to pronounce, but I can imagine it's a very frustrating condition to have. Thank you for another informative video! By the way, that top is super cute!

Is this the same thing as the restlessness I get with ADHD. The symptoms sound basically identical though it's not quite that severe most likely. It literally feels like insects crawling through your nervous system and like you are being torture from the inside.

Antidepressants have turned my life into a living hell. The worst decision of my life was reaching out for ‘help’.

I got this TERRIBLE shit from Abilify and it ruined my summer. Absolutely rediculous. I had my first dose of Abilify and then I was completely done with it. It went away. I actually can’t even remember how bad it felt, because it was that agonizing. All I know is I was walking and pacing all of the time. I would go out for walks in the middle of the night, and I live in a VERY sketchy area. 😬

Thanks so much Dr. Tracey! I wish you were the treating doctor for my daughter!

Understand that when a doctor says 'uncomfortable" what they mean "you're going to experience so much pain that you want to end your life." Please don't ever say 'uncomfortable' to someone. Tell them the truth. Don't discount the amount of pain they are or will experience. It's degrading and they will hate you for not telling them the truth. And you may have patients who ARE just uncomfortable but that is not a reason to discount that the same thing can cause terrible pain in someone else. Stop saying uncomfortable. Just say you don't know. It's true and gives the person control on how they want to continue with treatment. I've never had this condition but can't imagine how this is just 'uncomfortable'.

Yes, thanks for the posting of this video. I have TD and Akathisa, I saw a nerologist who is good at movement disorders. She hit the medicine right on the head. Mine was from over 30 years of antipsychotic medicines. It was too late, the damage was done. Thanks again. there is not that much out there on this.

Not exaggerating, I got akathisia from Vraylar. It caused severe anxiety and almost ruined my life. Propranolol didn’t work either. I missed almost a whole month of work, and had to get a new psychiatrist because my old one didn’t want to take me off of it. I’m much better now, but akathisia is no joke.

Your videos are very informative. I'm sure they help people who suffer from these conditions feel like they're not alone, as well as give them the proper verbiage to speak to their own providers when faced with side effects. Thank you.

Saying that a symptom of akathisia is anxiety is not describing to fully, it is more like absolute terror that does not calm down.

Thank you for making this video. I was one of the people who asked about it. I hate akathisia

I am always moving my arms . Sometimes I feel such an uncomfortableness rhat I need to move! I am relieved to know that it might be my medication

Zoloft (sertraline) did this to me, along with a BP of 200/120 on the first (and last) dose. This was the most frightening drug experience ever.

I am suffering from this RIGHT NOW. This is hell

Oh wow, that's scary. Dr Marks, this has definitely given me some knowledge. I used to take promethazine with the pain meds I had to take. Now I understand why I was jumpy. Thanks again for your great and informative video.

Curious to know how this compares to mixed state bipolar brought on by meds such as SSRI. Symptom-wise it's as if mixed state comes with akathisia like symptoms. Thamks Dr Marks for your videos.

I get this Anytime I take pills like Trazodone, Seroquel or amitriptyline. When I went to rehab they didn't give me my 150 mg dose of amitriptyline for 3 days and when they finally got it approved and let me start taking it again it was too much for my body to handle and I went into akathisa fits. It's truly horrific honestly.

I’ve got Restless Leg Syndrome and certain medications cause the akathesia. Zofran is the only anti nausea medication I can take that doesn’t cause this. I just had carpal tunnel surgery and strongly stressed not to give me Regalan . They listened and my experience was much better than a previous surgery.

Just wanted to say thanks for this video. I've been working with my psych and the meds I'm on did trigger this. Just helps to understand what's going on!

Akathisia is without doubt the most terrifying feeling a person can experience. I wanted to die when I had it and couldn't wait to get relief. I found out the drug mirtazapine can relive the symptoms and boy I took some. 40 minutes of hell later I started to call down. Never want to experience that ever again.

I had this when a doctor tried to put me on Abilify. It wasn't that I was unable to control my movements, it was more like not being able to find a comfortable position. Every muscle in my body felt terrible when I stayed in the same position for more than a second, so I kept shifting around. Biperiden helped a lot while I was tapering off the Abilify. (I was then put on Quetiapine instead which doesn't cause these issues for me.)

It would be interesting to see a video on tardive dyskinesia. As someone who was on antipsychotic medicine I often worried about getting that side effect from longterm usage.

Withdrawal from long term Benzodiazepine use can cause akathisia as well. I’m 8 years off and still coping.

I get akathesia from the following meds. 1) Saphris (anti psychotic) When I start taking the med after a break or I increase the dosage. 2) Short acting Ritalin or Dexamphetamine if I only take 2 tablets. The only way to stop it is. For 1) Take a Concerta tablet or two For 2) Take a third Ritalin/Dexamphetamine tablet plus sometimes a Concerta tablet as well. It seems that stimulant medication is what stops it for me. I HATE the feeling of akathesia. Whenever I get it I literally watch the clock and count down every minute until I get 25min when I know the stimulant medication will start to kick in. Actually, I count the seconds! I can't sit, I can't lie down. I can only stand and pace back and forth waiting to reach those 25 minutes. Even standing is painful. I start sweating, I strip off clothes, I have a craving for sweet things, I grab my sons coke and drink a couple of cans and I never drink coke ordinarily!! When the meds kick in my whole body relaxes and I can sigh out and I stay lying down for about 30min just enjoying not having the sensation anymore. It's a sensation that literally torments my body and I never want anyone to see me when I have it or be around me. If anyone talks to me they get on my nerves and I shout at them, I'm in that much pain and discomfort. Whenever I feel it just "possibly" coming on I run for the stimulant med and take it just in case,even if I'm wrong and I don't have it. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. In the past what used to work was Xanax, but I don't use that med anymore.

I had this and serotonin syndrome after the last time I took MDMA (took it about 12 times). Be careful, folks! Do not take much, or never take it at all.

They said I had “rebound anxiety” for years. Sure wish mine had gone away in 6 months. There are people suffering for years. Some of us got it from being ripped off a Benzo and opioids after another cocktail switch. I didn’t get it from meds or so I thought. My doc took me off Latuda last November. It was a fast taper, too fast for someone who already has Akathisia. Not sure what he was thinking. I texted him during the taper because I was having Akathisia off the charts. He told me to CT the rest! It wasn’t Latuda to my knowledge that gave me Akathisia. I jumped at 20mg. I can’t even begin to explain how much WORSE I feel 7 months later.

It can cause extra energy in some people where if they are stuck indoors they are more likely to lash out or become aggressive can happen from antipsychotics like abilify and risperdal

I just found out this is what I've been dealing with for the past year, thanks to my gp. My psychiatrist originaly suggested I was having panic attacks so I tried to go through it with therapy, hypnose, medication (lorazepam, loxapine, olanzapine), weed... None of it worked. Worst year of my life. Everytime it happens, I feel like I'm losing control of my body while also losing my mind. Can't speak, can't focus because I'm too anxious, can't stop twisting and kicking, feeling like I'm in a nightmare. Happens at night and ends when I pass out from exhaustion. It is the worst thing that ever happened to me. Caused by luradisone.

What if you have had akathisia for 40 years because it was always misdiagnosed? I finally tapered off 8 months ago. Why do I still have all the akathisia symptoms?

A mild version of this might have happened to me when I forgot to take my meds (I take sertraline). I was trying to sleep, but I felt the restlessness sensation in my head/eyes/neck/ears. I thought I was just imagining things but I'm glad this sensation has a name.

Thanks for the videos, I have tardive dyskinesia from my antipsychotic. I take meds for it because the antipsychotic does so much good. It helped to have an explanation of why it happens though. Thanks again.

hi tracey greetings from norfolk england hope you good and thanks 4 your videos

Dear Dr. Marks, I have a question. How can a person with Avoidant and Dependent personality disorder learn to get independent without facing extreme and horrific situations that they deeply want to avoid?. Also, is there a way I can write to you the entire situation?

I had severe Akathisia when I was changed onto a new antipsychotic for schizoaffective disorder about 10 - 11 years back. It was HORRIFIC!!!

Uncomfortable is NOT the correct word. Anyone who has suffered from it will agree it is the ABSOLUTE WORST thing to be suffering from. I kept repeating that I wanted to tear my skin off and nobody could understand what I was talking about. I could not sit or stand still. It was like electricity and bugs under my skin. I had to move about constantly. I was always fighting the urge to run as fast as I could. Inside your head (thoughts) and body you just cannot get peace. You couldn't even think about sleeping or resting. It takes over every second you are suffering from it. It is the absolute WORST thing I have ever suffered. It almost caused me to take my own life. People need to know about this not only for their own peace of mind and education if they should start suffering from this due to medications but for understanding of what other people are going through.

I had an acute episode of akathisia with the moderna vaccine second dose. It felt like every single nerve in my body was on fire. I was writhing in discomfort and could not stop moving. Thought I was going crazy! The only thing that helped was smoking a little weed lol

When the side effect is actually WORSE then the condition it is treating.... Seriously I'd take my chances with whatever condition I have then deal with that. It sounds absolutely horrible

My normal anxiety is bad enough but having it happen because I can feel the akathesia coming on is a horrible feeling. Because of it, I am thinking of quitting my SSRI

It's like being in hell and demons are making you pace and move non stop. I walked 30 to 45 miles a day 15 to 18 hours a day

Does this mean people who have tics, Torettes or Restless Leg/Limb Syndrome should never take those types of medications?

Thank you for this video, this needs more awareness. Can Street drugs such as MDMA and cocaine cause akathisia as well?

Yeah I’ve had this. I felt so uncomfortable. I was so anxious. I wanted to escape.

How come venlafaxine and quietipine cause slight tremors in your hands as a side effect in some people? Is it due to the norepinephrine?

My son stopped clozapine abruptly and ended up having tardive dyskinesia and Akathisia that’s not going away It has been 6 months and still there He’s on zyprexa zydis big dose now😰 Could this go away or it became permanent? They’re also giving him a lot of Benadryl at the hospital not sure if this is ok!

my boyfriend can’t stand still because of antipsychotics. He paces a lot and can’t stop moving his feet. I had to get used to it, but I love him so I understand.

Can you do a video on anhedonia? Ive had it for the past year and i cant get rid of it. Is it treatable?

Have been having this happen once in a while with Latuda over the past few months. Luckily propranolol stops it mostly. Currently tapering off of the Latuda and really hoping the akathisia goes away. It’s so strange how some days I feel fine but 1-2 times a month I have akathisia.

Excellent video! I take a cocktail including Latuda, I'm staying at the low dose of 20mg. to avoid this problem.

Oh my goodness this explains so much about how abilify affected me but i couldn't explain it. So glad im off it