I would like to go off my medication

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Sarahsmith
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26 Sep 2018, 7:05 pm

My psychiatrist thinks I need my antipsychotics. I went psychotic once because I broke up with my boyfriend and was having trouble in the workplace. I was afraid of working. I didnt think I could get on disability. I was also being abused which made me worse. Thought I was going to end up homeless. It got bad when my mom was mad at me and was throwing things at me. I snapped and started hitting my mom. Which is a terrible thing to do I know. Thats why she thinks I need to be on medication. I dont think I need it. It just makes me fat. I still get depression and anxiety. I dont think Ill ever go crazy again like I did 2 years ago because I have my own place now and have grown up a lot. My mom said she would disown me if I stop taking it. She would only be okay with that if the psychiatrist said it was okay to stop taking it.

I just dont know how to confront my psychiatrist about it. Will he give me a hard time? Will I lose my disabilty?

I guess I will want to stay on it if it means keeping my disability. I sure do miss being skinny though.



BeaArthur
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26 Sep 2018, 11:23 pm

Hi, Sarah. I think you're in Canada, so I hesitate giving you advice as laws and such may differ from the US. You should tell your psychiatrist you want a trial off the anti-psychotic meds, and you'd like him to give you a schedule for tapering off. Don't just quit cold-turkey (all at once, without tapering off) or you could get a bad rebound syndrome. You should also have a plan for what to do if you do start having another psychosis.

There is such a thing as a brief psychotic episode, and you might never have another one. That happened to my brother around age 22. He got better and has had a productive life and successful career. For the most part I don't think he has stayed on meds during the past several decades.

When your mother says she will disown you, what does that mean? She would stop speaking to you - or she would remove you from her will? Since you were violent to her, I think she is trying to protect herself from having craziness in her life. This is yet another reason to go off meds under supervision of your doctor.

Finally, in the US your disability income is not contingent upon staying on meds. It's only contingent on being disabled. In other words, if the government found out you were gainfully employed while collecting disability, you would lose it. Your disability income system may be different there.


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hobojungle
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27 Sep 2018, 10:01 am

It sounds like your life is much less stressful now that you aren’t working & being in an abusive relationship. I think it’s reasonable to try & taper off the antipsychotic under doctor supervision. You can always go back on it if you have an adverse reaction.



nick007
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27 Sep 2018, 3:16 pm

If you snapped & hit your mom because she was throwing things at you, it seems like self defense & you shouldn't give a flying f#ck about your mom disowning you since you have your own place now. Your much better off without a violent person like that in your life.


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