Does anyone here have substance abuse problems or self medicate. Just wonder if it had something to do with sz or if it’s just my behavior.
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I used alcohol as a form of self-medication for 20 years, I never had a psychotic break, so I have only been on antipsychotics for 12 years.
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I have 31 days sober today. I used to drink and do psychedelics from weed to ketamine to ecstasy to shrooms to acid to mescaline to dmt.
But that was all 
. Feel much much better sober but I was definitely self medicating stuff. I was always self medicating when I used drugs and alcohol.
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I used to smoke crack ecstasy mushrooms coke dexedrine oxycotton. Now I only struggle with weed
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I drink and don’t see it as any kind of problem at all…I don’t abuse it currently and it doesn’t set me back. I am recovered from drugs however which I had a problem with, haven’t done any since 2010.
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yeah. A little bit. But i only did hard stuff before ny diagnosis. I feel it pushed me over the edge and caused my sz.
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used to use intravenous heavy amphetamines.
now I’m on intramuscular medication.
I had a psychotic break on the heavy amphetamines.
I had a psychotic break being straight edge.
i can never have my way.
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I never thought of it as self medicating until lately, just thought i was a shitty person.
But yeah, i’ve always had problems with everything and anything
that changed my reality.
I read somewhere that a lot of people with sz do self medicate/ have substance abuse problems before they get diagnosed. don’t know if that’s a fact or not
but addiction and mental health often go hand in hand
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My dr keeps reassuring me my drug use didn’t cause it but only brought it on sooner. Idk.
I have to agree I read that to. I used to tend to overtake even when it came to tylenolol I just have an addictive personality. It’s terrible
Self-medicating mental illness with illicit drugs is certainly the expensive way to go – and not only in financial terms. I turned out to be an alcoholic, so it cost me my capacity to drive a car. It also cost me a lot of wasted time. “I’d turn back if I were you.”
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Most definatley the expensive way to go. Almost cost me my family. I understand the drinking it makes my voices worse when wearing off. Xanax was my choice of drug.
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I’m the same way there is no middle ground for me either
What I had to do was get sober and start all over again on a proper antipsychotic med called Vraylar. It has taken six whole months to kick in for me. But it’s up to every individual.
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I self-medicate with alcohol - its a crappy rut ive got myself into, but the substance misuse services are absolutely shite round here. Tried AA - but found it to be filled with boring has-beens that tells me to go medication free and “meditate to my higher power” - what a load of bollox.
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Yeah I have to agree that’s what everyone tells me to. Just breathe when they wouldn’t last ten minutes inside my head.
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Wow. 6 months. I’ve been delusional paranoid and hearing voices. Now I’m on invega just moved off risperdal. Been having bed wetting episodes experiencing voices still and some paranoia. Week 1 on invega.
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You never had a psychotic break but you take antipsychotic?
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Yes I had my break in 2015. I just quit taking haldol. I was off meds for a while handling things until about 3 months ago.
All I can say at this point, re: mixing Invega and alcohol, if that’s what you’re doing, is that the alcohol will interfere with the Invega.
If the dopamine hypothesis for the positive symptoms is correct, then the molecules from your med and those from the alcohol will be competing to bind to the same dopamine receptor sites in your brain. It creates quite a mess to do both substances. I only know that I wouldn’t dare to introduce alcohol into my brain chemistry at this point.
I wish you luck, whatever you try.
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