Short end of the stick

There I was, just innocently reading along this article about mental health care, and getting a little angrier about the lack of coverage, and I came to this blanket statement:

"The life expectancy for someone with serious mental illness is 25 percent lower than that of the average person, according to Nordal, in part because of metabolic problems resulting from the long-term use of powerful psychotropic drugs."

Um, first I've heard of this. I'm sure it's got some basis of truth, but I've sure never heard it before, and you all know how much research I do on a daily basis. And, of course, you find what you're looking for.

"Patients with psychiatric disorders are not only at risk for psychiatric complications, but are also at greater risk for medical illness, and at an increased risk for more complicated medical disease and worse outcomes."

We lose about 4.5 years, apparently. Heart disease is still the number one killer (it's #1 in the US population, too), but of course they think people with bipolar have increased risked already, and a lot of meds mess with your heart.

You just can't win.