Isn't it fair for some schizophrenics, early in their illness, to not take their meds?

if you have one psychotic episode, it could be not schizophrenia but just a brief psychotic episode, or schizophreniform, or maybe stress or something else. if you have two beyond a six months period, you are technically schizophrenic (or bipolar, and again unless there’s another medical issue) and probably needs meds for life. but even then, a large portion of schizophrenics dont even need meds, i’m thinking like maybe one in four ive heard. so any way you cut it, it seems like the only way you can know for sure, unless you are a really bad case or still have symptoms on meds, is to see how you do without meds.

1 Like

Or just follow your doctors advice and take meds where prescribed. Even after one bout of pyschosis it can take 2 years + of meds to prevent it from happening again.

1 Like

Where have you heard this?

I think most schizophrenics probably need to be medicated.

1 Like

i haven’t scrutinzied this very much…

" Some schizophrenia patients can cope without medication"

1 Like

If you don’t want to take meds, don’t.

But don’t come around here posting about how we should be off them.

1 Like

By some its 5-10% max I read on Wikipedia a while ago.

It’s not a matter of fair. It’s a matter of health. Sure we make mistakes along the road. We all do. We all ■■■■ up. Relapses and whatnot. I understand the sentiment but. Take your meds!!! They should be prioritized

“Approximately 75% of people with schizophrenia have ongoing disability with relapses. About 85% are unemployed. In people with a first episode of psychosis in scizophrenia a good long-term outcome occurs in 31%, an intermediate outcome in 42% and a poor outcome in 31%.”

Good outcome means they respond well to medication. Schizophrenia is more serious than what you think.

After my initial sza episodes I got better on my meds and came off meds successfully for five years but then I relapsed and needed them ever since. Been back on meds for the past eight years. I’m unable to come off meds now as I relapse every time within days or a week.

As I was a clasic sz they never left me without meds.never.

man, get out of here on not wanting to take your meds…this site is pro meds and that’s the only way it will ever be because schizophrenics need their antipsychotics meds…

Not sure either way. If I took risperdal early on I might have had a 100x better outcome for my prognosis. If I never tried meds to begin with I might have been better off. Now I’m dependent. It took about a 6months I think to be properly medicated and 5-10 years to find the perfect med combo.

On or off meds, I cannot work anyways or do much of anything. Off meds, I relapse a lot but I lose weight and have less ED and sleep all day. I still have treatment resistant delusions either way but I don’t go off the deep end per se.

I’m probably very low functioning with some minor potential or improvement. It took 5+ years for the meds to even work and enjoy taking them and feeling well and staying out of the hospital. Vraylar took care of my negs and mood swings. I was so sick I had food and plates on the floor and trash and I would crawl on the floor beggining my mom to help me.

So I have less brain damage per se on meds but I have a shorter life span due to poor diet on meds and ■■■■ like obesity.

I smoke regardless.

1 Like

I have to admit that when I finally survived the stress of college, I was able to go off meds for near nine years with a stress free job.
However the stress of having a child and a criminal husband was enough to have another relapse.
Since then I’ve never been able to wean off of them. Oh I’ve tried but it always goes badly.

3 Likes

I don’t even consulted a pdoc yet though i have negative and cognitive symptoms of schizo for over 16 years now. Luckily i don’t have any positive symptoms yet. Apart from these symptoms i have ocd, depression, anxiety etc not taking any medication for these too.

I can only speak for myself. I need medication.

Their can be some complication in how to use the new medication for some people or their can be an better way of dealing with these common issue and that is to just get to know your doctor.

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.