It’s a matter of sooner or later bro, our condition is known to worsen if left untreated
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I’m not currently on an AP but I am on Lithium and Lamictal. I think it’s going okay but really it’s just harder to operate and function. It’s just a matter of time before I have to go back on.
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Its hardest when u get to a low dose. The meds have the greatest change to brain chemicals at the lower end. Its like a curve. Saw a post here about it once. So as u get lower, reduce slower. Hey that rhymes haha. I wean real slow or else i panic and my heart starts skipping beats thousands of times a day. Its too much stress. I probably took about a month to come off the last 2 mg of haldol.
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I’ve tried tapering before and ended up needing a higher dose after a while.
It can take months to feel the full effect so go slowly.
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I will probably stick to 250mg until my next appointment, which was not expressly said but I reckon was implied. I don’t mind reducing my dose really slowly, I actually prefer that way so I can be sure that any symptoms I get will not occur due to the med change itself.
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I love these threads from new members looking for support here…
NM: I think I’m misdiagnosed.
Community:
NM: Well even if I am diagnosed correctly, my case is special.
Community:
NM: I’m confident that in my case tapering off meds will end well.
Community:
NM: Thanks for your feedback guys, I’m going to ask my pdoc to taper me off my APs based on your feedback.
Community:
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Rofl its true. And to be honest this applies to delusional threads too. 90% of the time no matter what you say to someone posting in unusual beliefs about delusions, they go away following the exact same beliefs regardless of others opinions that they asked for.
And people wonder why some people get frustrated and have to take breaks now and then so they dont blow up 
.
Oh well, we try. And sometimes people with some insight listen.
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The funniest thing? People who switched between believing and not believing in a few hours
Yeah, you dont really see that often. If you make progress, thats all you can ask for. No one expects delusions to disappear overnight. But the vast majority of the time arguing with solidly held delusions doesn’t even make a dent and they are back the next week posting the same thing.
It’s a big part of why this forum can be so frustrating. Sometimes maybe it’s just better to try to support I guess instead of argue when it never gets through in some cases. IDK.
I don’t want to be a dick but do you see a common theme here? Those statements are kind of excuses or rationalizations, if you will. Just be careful.
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I think that this is why they are called delusions though – our ideas are resistant to change. I think the advice (general mental health first aid advice) is actually to not argue logically with these, but it’s often done here on this site.
(I know people are almost always trying to help with others’ best interests at heart, but it turns out that it actually might not be that helpful if it makes people more defensive about their unusual beliefs)
What not to do when responding to hallucinations or delusions:
- Do not try to reason with the person about their hallucinations or delusions
- Do not dismiss, minimise or argue with the person about their hallucinations or delusions
https://mhfa.com.au/sites/default/files/MHFA_psychosis_guidelines_A4_2012.pdf
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Yes, I have read similar before and brought it up when I was moderating. But there are 2 issues with this.
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Some people have insight and at a certain point can be swayed by logic. They are in the minority. These are those that are not deep in psychosis but have conflict with their beliefs. Those with some insight. It’s sometimes difficult to know who can or cannot be swayed.
-
People who are deep in psychosis here usually have the non recovery oriented threads closed so as not to have those ideas spread to those who are vulnerable to such. Those trying to promote delusions as fact do not do well here.
I do think if these types of threads were allowed to continue long term the approach would be best. I think the nature of this site is a support forum for recovery from schizophrenia and not so much for those mired deep in delusions. No one here is qualified to address those deep in psychosis other than to tell them to to seek out professional help.
Also, the guidelines you are showing are outlining how to talk to someone in a one on one manner. A public forum has other members to consider. It is certainly is not wise to confirm delusions…but as I said in my follow up post… those with unmovable beliefs are propably best handled with support and not arguing, once it becomes clear that you are not going to be able to sway them. But as said above, these threads are usually closed.
IDK. Thats how I see it.
So basically what I’m saying I think , is that this site is not geared to address actively psychotic individuals. But to address those that that are either recovered or have some insight into their illness. This is who we may have some impact on. It’s a support forum and not a replacement for professional help.
The alternative is becoming like one of the other wild west sz sites out there where people feed on others delusions.
I actually went to one of those anything goes type sites before I went psychotic in February. It did nothing but feed my delusions.
Its certainly not perfect here. We arent professionals. But its safer than some others out there like reddit and the site I visited before my break.
Edit: But don’t get me wrong. I believe you are correct. Some changes might help here. We could do better.
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I guess is one of those things you have to see for yourself.
I’ve never tapered off meds before, always quit cold turkey so it’s no wonder it never worked out really well. Even the doctors who did think I had sz agree I was an odd case, with no voices and all that, so I feel like I should at least give it a go.
Most of what seems to be dumb courage or stubbornness in my decision stems from the fact I never had a full break, when I had my mild symptoms people didn’t even notice I had stuff going on, always kept insight. But at the slightest hint of trouble I will let my doctor know and go from there regardless, so I think I’m relatively safe.
I found that people trying to tiptoe around my feelings invariably made me worse. It was people who were blunt with me that helped snap me back to reality.
I have your symptoms, no voice at all, I tried tapering slowly over a year but relapsed
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