Newbie from the UK

[icedreamer]

I've joined the forum because i'm interested in psychology and hearing about other people's situations. I've also had mental illness (bouts of psychosis - mainly voices) for about 17 years and am currently trying to wean myself off an antipsychotic. I've had lots of glitches with recurrence of symptoms but I'm convinced that this is mainly due to withdrawal symptoms from reducing the dose too quickly, so I keep persevering. I hate taking this type of drug because its given me diabetes type II and has made me morbidly obese as well as giving me problems with concentration. Currently I am taking multivitamins, and omega oils and looking to take other supplements too - all to aid recovery. However, I think I need to address psychological issues through therapy too and in the past found cbt helpful with panic attacks. My personal belief is that the mental illness stemmed from my upbringing.

 

[Andy]

Re: newbie from the UK

Welcome to Psychlinks icedreamer!:2thumbs:

 

[forgetmenot]

Re: newbie from the UK

Hi icedreamer good to see you reaching out here. I hope you have talked to your pdoc about going off your medication hun don't do that on your own okay can be very dangerous really. Welcome to PL

 

[Cat Dancer]

Re: newbie from the UK

Welcome!

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Welcome to Psychlinks, icedreamer.

 

[icedreamer]

Re: newbie from the UK

Hi icedreamer good to see you reaching out here. I hope you have talked to your pdoc about going off your medication hun don't do that on your own okay can be very dangerous really. Welcome to PL

Yes I have talked with him - and yes they are very powerful drugs and can have very problematic withdrawal effects and of course there's the concern about the original symptoms. On top of that people seem to know lots about putting you on them, but very little information is available about successfully weaning you off (there seems to be very few written testimonies) and my pdoc has had no experience at all of doing that. The most helpful advice I've had so far has been from The Harm Reduction Guide to Coming off Psychiatric Drugs which advocates a very gradual tapering and a realisation that you might not manage it, and the website called theroadback.org plus there's a holistic psychiatrist in Maryland called Alice Lee-Bloem who also helps people come off antipsychotics naturally and publishes a website.

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Thanks for your replies and for welcoming me