Is the second episode of psychosis confirmation of schizophrenia?
Just had my second episode and hoping it’s stress related.
Really would like some help with this.
I did come of antipsychotics in September but relapse in February after some extreme stress and reduction in antidepressants.
Hoping I can work towards reduction again, but waiting to see my doctor next week and am back on Olanzapine
Can some people please help me with an opinion
Schizophrenia is a disorder of chronic and/or repeated psychosis. However, it is also possible to have several episodes of reactive psychoses (triggered by some external factor).
Do you also have the so-called negative symptoms?
-Albert.
No I haven’t had any negative symptoms at all and I haven’t heard any voices.
The second psychosis which I have just come out of lasted 6 weeks whilst on Olanzapine. Which consisted of delusions of me believing I was being monitored by cameras in my house and followed, and that other people were watching my actions.
These came after being off of antipsychotics for 6 months and only two weeks after a reduction in antidepressants.
During the time I was off of antipsychotics my mother nearly died. I was left in charge as a manager at work and had stress there. I had family problems and left my partner’s home to live on my own.
I’ve just come back to reality and am hoping it was triggered by these events and the reduction it antidepressants?
I was also very paranoid
Thank you for your help
Any other opinions please?
Hi yes I believe you have sZ. Iv only had one psychosis, well two. First one was a year long second three months
If you have schizophrenia its very likely you get psychotic symptoms after stopping medication thats what i have read on articles and on this forum i even tried to quit my meds once but realized it wasnt a good idea.
I’m going to still hope that I don’t have Sz. And that I can have a life with out antipsychotics.
I think it’s a good sign I haven’t had any negative symptoms or voices and just hoping it’s stress related.
Hope my doctor thinks the same. Seeing him next week
Yeah maybe because you didn’t have voices is a good sign. But I know several here who didn’t have voices but are sZ.
You sounded like you were in psychosis recently. You were hearing the IRA talk to you.
They weren’t talking to me. They are sending me messages through others posts like ideas of reference only real and I don’t think it’s the IRA
I would highly recommend you to stay on medication for the rest of your life. If you relapsed this quickly, you most likely have schizophrenia. There is nothing wrong with taking medication and a diagnosis. The more psychotic episodes that happen, the lower your intelligence becomes. You face a very high risk of relapse if you stop medication again.
Actually I think it is a very good sign that so much time passed before you relapsed. I think that suggests you might be able to get well at some point.
I mean you quit drugs in september and relapsed in february. All traces of the olanzapine must have left you body within a month I’d say is probable. So you were actually functioning a long while with no help from meds.
When I have quit olanzapine in the past I always relapsed within 1 1/2 month. You are way past that.
I think you could maybe make it without drugs, but you need to keep stress at a minimum since that triggers you. Maybe get a job with little responsibility where there always are people who can step in if you get sick or whatever and generally try to keep your life level and do stuff that makes you relax while avoiding stressors the best you can.
Get some valium or other sedative that you can use occassionally when stress peaks.
If I were in your shoes I’d try to get off the ap’s again when you are stable. If it took many months before you relapsed that proves you were functioning without ap’s.
You’re probably right. But still hoping there’s a chance I’ll be okay. Third time lucky, after that I wouldn’t risk it again
That’s definitely my plan, I’m hopeful it was the stress that shocked me after coming down on antidepressants.
Thank you for your opinion, I need some hope still!
Is six months off of antipsychotics a short time?
You already made up your mind. I will never take the risk because what if something goes wrong during another psychotic episode and I end up being arrested? If medications aren’t giving you much side effects, why bother going off of them?
You’re right in there’s a massive risk, anything could happen. I’m still trying to put my life and family back in order from the last psychosis that ended at the beginning of the week.
So I see your logic.
It’s just that I want the chance of a normal life and don’t want Sz
I have requiring episodes of psychosis but I do not have sz. I often have co-occuring depression with psychosis, and as a result I do not meet the criteria for sza.
That could be what it is with me hopefully, a reaction to extreme stress. Either way I’m thankful to be feeling a lot better and be getting another chance at life.
Just trying to rebuild on the damage to relationships I’ve caused during this psychosis.