Akathisia--seen from the patients' perspective.

Akathisia is a side-effect that continues to affect a large percentage of psychiatric patients though the focus over recent years has moved away from extrapyramidal side-effects to metabolic problems. As cognitive behavioural therapy has become an integrated part of the management plan for psychotic patients an increased understanding of patients' interpretation of their symptoms and side-effects are encouraged. This case series illustrates different views that patients take on medication induced side-effects.