Yes, you said that that you suffer from psychosis and anxiety - psychiatrists prescribe medication to alleviate the symptoms. For someone who has psychosis it seems to me that you are placing a lot of importance on your therapist - I mean you cant talk the psychosis away - meds should be introduced. Abilify and Seroquel are not heavy hitters, you might find them acceptable. Psychiatrists deal with medication, they are usually MD’s - its kind of like walking into a butcher shop and asking for some broccoli? Expect to receive medication from a psychiatrist - they rarely deal with psychology as therapy
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In reality, I am in the same boat that you are. I constantly have psychosis, but, it’s not a big deal. My anxiety however, compounds everything. My psychosis is manageable so long as my anxiety stays in check.
That being said. Psychosis is dangerous. While it may be manageable for years, what happens when one day it just isn’t? Is it a decision to take lightly? Absolutely not! Medication has a major impact on the body, no doubt about that.
I personally decided that I would much rather stay on a super low dose of antipsychotic and not run the risk of suddenly having a bad episode and committing suicide or worse. I know that is an awful thing to think of, but, it happens.
It took three visits to REALLY emphasize to the pdoc that anxiety was a larger issue and then he placed me on the klonopin (antianxiety). I was okay with that because I know that the medicine is habit forming. Doctors need to be careful in prescribing it.
I can tell you that thus far, on latuda 20 mg, I have had no side effects. He started me on 10 mg for 10 days, then I went up. I do plan on going to 30 mg in 4 days (another 10 days) to see if I can knock out the voices. This, paired with .5 mg klonopin as needed for anxiety, and I am doing things better than normal people! I feel free. I feel great. I am no longer oppressed.
Understand, I am VERY anti-medication, but, I tried everything and nothing else helped. I won’t even take antibiotics when prescribed. I don’t allow the dentist to put flouride in my mouth!
Sometimes, you just have to do what you have to do.
If you don’t want antipsychotic drugs, don’t take them. Tell the pdoc that you won’t take them. Go get a second opinion. Go back to that pdoc and ask for a longer session and the plan of no medicine until she has seen you “x” amount of times, but, please weigh your options. From everything you have put on here, you seem miserable. It seems as though your psychosis does affect your life.
I know this isn’t what you want to hear. I pitched a hissy fit when a close friend told me the same.
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Hmmm, I must have had a really good psychiatrist last time. He had communicated with my counselor and read all the reports prior to meeting me. He even mentioned some things in a report from another clinic. He asked me some questions, and was mainly concerned about depression, which I did have in the past but haven’t had in several months.
And, he actually recommended I DO NOT take any medications at all!
Now, a bit of history here. I have had evaluations by others who did recommend meds, but they seemed to use textbook psychology/psychiatry to diagnose me, AND they were one time evaluations. Everyone in the field should know that to truly get to understand someone there has to be several sessions, not just a one time hour or two with a complete stranger.
So that is two psychiatrists and a counselor now who has recommended against meds.
Maybe you should shop around for a second opinion if you feel (and so it seems) you got shafted?
At the end of the day the patient should be given the option to not take meds if they want ,but be honest enough to change tack if such an approach is proving to be detrimental/not beneficial.
If the alternative thinking/psychosis is not causing distress or impaired functioning then, on the surface, not taking meds may be a viable option, but situations can and do change.
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