The reasons people choose not to take meds are many and varied. This thread is aimed at finding out why people here chose not to do so. It is not a thread aimed at chastising people but trying to understand and possible counter the motivations and reasons for doing so. The reason that comes to my mind straight away is an initial acceptance of APs only to be put off by the benefits being less than the degree of side effects. This is one area where better medications with a more positive side effect profile would help rates of compliance.
I’m not taking meds because I fear the side effects. I was taking invega sustenna. The side effects are horrible. I stopped taking the injection but have to wait for it to get out of my system. It takes between 150 to 300 days to get out of your system. Minutes seem like hours. I just sit and wait but that’s why I have a fear of taking meds now.
That is similar to what I call the ‘dandruff shampoo effect’ . Medication eases the symptoms then you start to forget how it was before, and think you’ve always been like that. Therefore you don’t need the meds.
I’m still taking my meds for the time being, but I’m going to talk to my doctor about going off them because of the side effects. In order to be on a high enough dose for the meds to be effective, the side effects are awful. I’m so dumb all the time I can barely function to take care of myself. It’s embarrassing.
It seems so far that side effects are a major barrier to compliance/staying on meds. If so it seems unreasonable to chastise many people for their decision. If pdocs want higher levels of compliance they are duty bound to work with the pharmaceutical companies to produce more service user friendly APs.
I just quit taking my meds because, at the time, I felt the hassle of going to all of the appointments to get them was too much. Now I’m back on them again and hoping I didn’t ■■■■ up my tolerance or something and have them be entirely ineffective this time.
When I was on meds, I was more manic than I ever was. I was OBSESSED with some girl from ■■■■■■■ years ago and the meds made it difficult, and damn near impossible to not think about her. Once I got off the meds my hormones returned to normal and now I’m ready for life.
Main reason I got off the meds was to induce another episode though because of that same feeling. So go figure that the irony of the situation.
I must have a severe case of SZA/ Manic Depression, because I cannot live without meds, not even for a week.
Without meds I become highly delusional to the point where I will lose all insight and I will become so paranoid that I become a danger to myself and others.
I still don’t know how those suffering with a psychotic disorder manage to function without meds.
I’m the same way. Even just slightly decreasing my dose makes me crazy, but at this point I’d rather be crazy than completely unable to function because the meds are making me so stupid.
