Your logic is flawed. You can live a perfectly normal life with schizophrenia. You just have to take your meds. You seem to manage your illness relatively well. Being diagnosed is not a life sentence, it is up to you what to do with your illness. If you go off medication and relapse again, you might really ruin your life forever. But then I don’t even know why I am still commenting on this forum, seems like no one actually listen to good advice.
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I won’t say it’s impossible, but for most people who have (actual, not mis-diagnosed) schizophrenia life is not the same (ie. normal) any more as it was before the illness, and many of them never fully recover, even temporarily. The main problem tends to be the negative symptoms, which respond poorly to antipsychotic medication.
@Luke83 is fortunate not to have the negative symptoms, and as of yet, I don’t think there is reason to assume he has schizophrenia. That said, I think medication may be useful, especially under times of stress.
-A.
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I have wished that stress caused my illness, but sometimes its easier to accept the truth than to wishfully dwell on situations beyond our control.
Good luck! It’s not a death sentence, someone else said. My life is less chaotic as long as I keep things in order and don’t deviate from the medications etc. its good to build responsible health habits. Also spending time in nature is healing, and being around people.
I think your advice is very sound and completely logical. Definitely some wishful thinking on my part.
Will just have to follow the doctors advice, and see how it goes.
Will still go with a reduction and another attempt at stopping if I get the chance though, which I know goes against everything I just said.
Definitely feel like I’m healing now which I know is thanks to the medication.
Been advised by me mental health nurse that I should be stable Olanzapine for six months before considering a reduction.
If all goes well I will hopefully try to finish antipsychotics one final time.
I definitely believe the second relapse was triggered by stress as I had been free of antipsychotics for five months.
Yes. If you went 5 months normal without ap’s that proves you were functioning without them.
People here say don’t quit, but people do get misdiagnosed, put on the wrong drugs, and even 5% of people who actually have sz are able to quit meds at some point.
The main safety net when going off meds is to be able to identify if and when you relapse so you can get back on meds before things get out of hand.
You should write a list of things that happened during your recent psychosis like for example what kind of thoughts you had. Did you think about crazy things? Or Things that made no sense? Were you thinking incoherent? About specific delusions? Were you paranoid? It can be a good tool to have.
If you can’t shake it off within a few days you are probably relapsing. You just need to be honest with yourself, and think that the worst case scenario is to go back on meds and that isn’t the end of the world. And you can always try to go off meds again in the future if you feel really stable and your intuition says you should try.
If you think of this as your last chance to go off meds you might stress yourself and be reluctant to take meds if you relapse. Just keep the process relaxed and calm and you will be alright.
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Thank you very much for the advice, I’ve found it really helpful.
I definitely did start thinking on specific things, becoming paranoid, and reading to much into coincidences.
The signs in my thought processes and feelings were definitely there.
I am due to go back to work, which is a concern but I have bills to pay. I don’t believe there’s any chance of a relapse whilst on medication. But if my Dad who I work with feels slighted whilst I’m not on medication he will start his trouble without any concern for the consequences.
I’ve also felt the same kind of break, or feeling in my mind from being around and disagreeing with both my father and nephew who I also work with. So I think going forward I have to very careful around them and reduce interaction with them.
Both times this break happened at work after being shouted at by my dad, who becomes very difficult if he’s egos threatened. Unless you do exactly what he says and acknowledge he knows best in everything he gets very angry. He’s behaviours are very narcissistic and he will never acknowledge any fault.
With this second relapse all of the exact same triggers were in place in both of my work and personal life.
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Yes you are schizo and need medication for life
How can you say that? Is a second episode of psychosis under extreme stress enough for that diagnosis even with 5 months off of medication?
Any other opinions please
Just look at the DSM when in doubt. There needs to be symptoms of sz for 6 months. This doesnt have to be frank psychotic symptoms. Then frank psychotic symptoms for a month. Only one episode of psychosis is needed for a diagnosis. Some people only get one episode in their life.
Also reading these comments i want to remind everyone that no ones sz is the same. Some people are absolutely disabled severely by it while others can take medicine and live a relatively normal life. I absolutely try my best to stay on meds because im going to school for my dream career and working while not in school. But recently my meds stopped working as well and i went off my meds for a few days thinking it was poisoned. I was completely disabled for a week but forced myself to take the meds and regained functioning. I recognized how fragile my mental health is and how incredibly lucky i am to have my insight because not everyone has this. No need to judge one another.
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I was delusional for six weeks whilst on antipsychotics for six weeks. So that would fit the criteria then.
It was following extreme stress though, so I’m hoping it’s stress related?
And if I can reduce stress I can go back to a normal life without antipsychotics
Extreme stress is often a trigger for sz unfortunately. Thats how mine developed too.
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Once it’s triggered is that it? I’m hoping I can come off of antipsychotics again and avoid stress and not relapse.
I could be wrong but i think so. I understand wanting to try not relying on meds but you very well could get psychosis without much stress at all and you cant always control stress.
Yeah you’re right. I’ll just have to wait and see what the doctor says. If I’m given the chance I’ll try another reduction
But it’s clearly very likely I have a long term issue
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I had my second episode of psychosis last October and was worried that It could be schizophrenia also. My delusions were very similar to yours I lasted 6 months off abilify and relapsed when it was becoming winter. I suffer with seasonal effective disorder and I feel it coming on every winter. And I get more depressed when winter comes along. I have been on 300ml of abilify the last 1 point 5 years and havent had an episode since. Like you I want to live a normal life but am worried that I wont be able to. You arent alone.
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It might not be a easy thing to do, but if you feel having too much interaction with your family impacts your life negatively, maybe you would be better off finding a job where you are independent from them.
Family can be a good support throughout life, but it can become too much if you are forced into settings where you have to interact with them on a daily basis. Especially if you don’t have chemistry.
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Realising that you’re not alone is where this forum helps, thank you.
Do you have any negative symptoms?
I don’t which I hope is a good sign. I was also very active and taking care of myself during the delusions. Although self care was part of the delusions.
My opinion on this is that you should work very closely with your pdoc and also a therapist. They are the only ones who can diagnose and treat your symptoms.
Other than that, Yes we are here to support you while you work through this and after. I’m still figuring out what’s going on with me and fighting symptoms but I am here and willing to help you and others in any way I can.
Let me know if I can do anything to help!
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