so I was dx’d with schizophrenia at 25 or26 years of age…thing is looking back I was completely stable. I just had anxiety some paranoia and was anti authoritarian…
at that age I didn’t smoke much cannabis, maybe once every 6 months or so. in fact the only time I smoked daily was when I was about 21 22 years of age. so 4 years before my diagnosis.
anyways I never heard voices until I was about 28, and once I started hearing them, they were non-stop…once again at that age I didn’t smoke much cannabis…but I did drink a lot of red wine. I’d go through 2or 3 bottles a week, still today I notice that red wine can make me go to places in my head where I could start to hear voices.
so I’ve been on ap’s for a year now and the voices are totally gone…my paranoid thoughts I’ve rationalized was just immaturity as I’m no longer paranoid and not that anxious…
there are other factors in the voices, as I was vegan for 4 years and that’s when my voices were at their peak…i’m thinking that since I’m getting more proteins now, not sure which ones, my psychosis is in remission. does anybody think that red wine is to blame? or was it a lack of proteins?
the only reason to stay on ap’s is to get through college as I’m scared ill lose my ■■■■ if I don’t have them…but once I’m done with my classes ill probably be done with ap’s
I’m not sure…I invoked my right to remain silent in jail,i was picked up hiking along the highway and wouldn’t cooperate with them…I sat in a jailhouse downtown Cincinnati for a month without trial before being transferred to a mental health behavioural hospital where I was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
I didn’t feel like a schizophrenic at the time…but once the voices started, I thought that the Dr. got it right
I started as drug induced psychosis as well (from marijuana) but never stuck with the antipsychotic meds. It eventually turned from drug induced to full Sz diagnosis. I think it is worthy to note that I have got rid of the voices before but my last relapse I was fully clean and taking my meds. It’s possible the drugs sped up the process and not matter what happened I would have heard voices. But I am pretty sure if I had stayed away from marijuana I would have been far more stable in mind then I am now.
So if I were you I would stay on the meds for life if they are working. Especially if you have no negative symptoms from them. Also if drinking to much could be a problem. I noticed when I’ve had to much to drink my sz becomes worse. So I try to only have 2-3 drinks when I go out (rarely at that. It also important to keep drinking low as it affects the medication your taking as well.
I experienced some side effects…weight gain, loss of libido, reduced ejaculatory effect, hand tremors, elevated cholestorel, emotional flatness but I can live with it until I get through classes
Maybe you were prodromal at the time and they were able to see it because of disorganized speech or something else.
Anyway I would be real careful about discontinuing meds. Try to do so under doctor’s supervision, or at least be ready to go back on if it doesn’t work out. Maybe have someone to, as they say “check yourself before you wreck yourself.”
Just looking in from the outside - but it seems like the meds work for you, and with the voices and disorganized thought and speech you mentioned, seems like the diagnosis is reasonable. Probably not a good idea to discontinue meds unless doc says OK. You could lose the stability you have and end up on a higher dose.
Just curious do you experience paranoia about hearing voices from people outside?
If so I went through the same thing even as diagnosed as drug induced psychosis. And if you still have paranoia about voices outside you probably have Sz as much as I hate to say it. The good news if this is true you can inform our pdoc as it’s still early and the earlier you can get on the right medication to prevent this the more likely you could never experience a relapse again and possibly be cured.
I didn’t have paranoia about the voices…it’s hard to explain, basically I thought I was beginning to become telepathic and enjoyed my priveledge, I did enjoy some of the voices at the time.
most of my paranoia involves police and the law out to get me…and it was reasonable, I got pulled over a lot when I drove and been booked for jail maybe 10 times…also I was suspicious of the courts as from my experience only once did a judge let me out without being identified…I was released as a jon doe because I hadn’t broken the law…once your in jail there are a lot of psychiatrists and people you have to see…
anyways now that I’m dx’d, the judge orders treatment, regardless of if I’ve broken the law or not…as happened in Virginia…he takes the psychiatrists opinions over mine…I still like to hike and get out and explore the cities, I don’t drive so I often just walk along the side of the highway…which is legal
This doesn’t sound like drug induced psychosis but if you remain with zero psychotic symptoms on meds for many months your doctor will help you try to taper off them.