Hi,
I’m wondering if anybody has any insight they could share with me about coming of anti-psychotics?
My partner of 2 1/2 years has been on a maintanence dose of Aripiprazole for nearly 2 years now and decided to stop taking them as he felt he no longer needed them. If he wants to do this I really want to support his choice and respect that he feels frustrated taking them. However, since he has stopped taking them he has been really grumpy and almost an inflated emotional reaction to things, I don’t want to invalidate his feelings at all but his reaction to stuff seems disporportionate at times.
I havent told his family or his nurse that he has come off them as they begin to scrutinise all of his behaviours which logically makes him start to feel paranoi and stressed and then triggers psychosis. I am really nervous about attributing behaviours to lack of meds as I dont want to be patronising or not take him seriously.
I am currently doing a nursing degree myself and am constantly exhausted after recovering from pneumonia and studying so much. My sex drive has decreased slightly though we still have sex almost daily. His sex drive seems to have increased and if I dont want to have sex, his reaction has been increasingly upset and he is obviously taking it very personally. For my own mental health and for his I’m trying to do whats best but now because I feel pressured its putting me off sex even more. I do all the cleaning and cooking etc, just so tired.
I don’t want to call time on this relationship but I don’t know whether this is usual when coming off meds and will it settle down or is this actually his personality?
Apologies if I am out of place, I realise this is not a forum for partners or relatives but Ii want to hear people with experiences perspective. My partner is quite defensive about discussing these things. I think because his family have been very overbearing and emotional when discussing his experiences. Referrring to Schizophrenia in general and not his experience of certain symptoms.
Thanks 