Is there anybody who successfully discontinued their medication or reduced it significantly? For me it only lasts 1-2 days and the group home where I live immediately sends me to the hospital.
And once in the psychiatric system you don’t get the benefit of the doubt any longer. They just process you even when you are sane and just a bit startled.
I’ve tried to reduce and quit. But the only thing that helps me is to take more meds.
I think some ppl are able to yes.
Think the major thing to work on is to be able to manage your stress somewhat
I agree with @Zoe stress is a big thing to watch out for
When I drop meds, the very fact of doing it stresses me…
Vicious cycle 
Im off everything atm. I feel well enough to get things done. My speech is coherent. I dont reccomend discontinuing meds for everyone. If in fact you choose to discontinue do it at your own risk. But i do love my new freedom.
If you get sent to the hospital that’s a sign that you are not ready to go off medications.
I would rather try reducing than quitting. Or if you are uncomfortable with what you take maybe try a different drug, but all psych meds have side-effects. So if you have no serious side effects it might be best to just settle since you don’t know what you get if you switch.
I used to be on 10mg zyprexa, but I got down to about 5mg, so it is doable for some.
I don’t want to forgo some of the med free life experiences. But after all this time with my diagnosis I also am sort of resigned to it being possible.
I guess coherent speech is a big problem for me, so are Staring and movement. Excited states like delusions, voices, hallucinations and odd thinking not so much anymore… It rarely comes to this.
When the med was leaving my body i was actually going outside to take a breath and taking in my surroundings something I don’t do on meds… That’s a good thing. But no can’t have that :@
Absolutely it’s a good thing. I would try lowering your dose with consent and then see how it goes. There can be a big difference getting to a lower dose.
I was hospilized and they started with medication. It is not very friendly. Everything goes good before. However, I must ask for a sleeping place. Now it’s about 1 year later. And have a home now. Further it’s better without med. I didn’t go for antipsychotics anymore around 2 weeks ago. I cook and eat today for the first time a full meal in the evening after I was in hospital.
Are you new to schizophrenia? I have this for 4 years or so and the time has passed by very fast and I have not acomplished a thing. I have been dragged to the hospital over and over and I really have problems without medication now. Its not like I want to try it out without medication anymore and am optimistic about it. The hospital stays I was heavily drugged mostly. They really like to give Lorazepam there.
I said that I was hearing voices. This was the first time in a psychiatric hospital. That was a time I remember not very bad. They give me a high dosage medication. And the diagnosis, but they thought hearing voices is like a psychosis. But this is not a psychotic disease. I was hoping they hold me out of hospital after it. But I was mostly to hopeful.
I can’t reduce or quit meds. I already have breakthrough symptoms while on meds, and without, they just get way worse.
I tried to stop my Perphenazine med and was fine for a few days, then wham! The withdrawals started it was a terrible experience.
I am off meds and have been for around 10 days now. Not super long to know if I’ll be ok, but this is the longest I’ve been alr to go without meds. I just felt ready and I feel completely different. I feel much better off the meds so far, physically and mentally. I think I have good coping skills but I have them on hand in case I need them again, and will be seeing my pdoc in a month or so ad updating her so she can monitor me. I will probably be seeing her every month for awhile but I have a 30 days supply of meds with 3 refills good for a year.
What type of withdrawals were you getting?
Good luck. When you take the meds for as long as I did now, its hard to know what you are missing being off them.
I like my meds, they work perfectly and no side effects.
Thanks. Yeah I was on them for 5 years so I feel you there.
Some people will maybe do better without meds but I know for sure that I’ll do much worse.