Whether your goal is to reduce your medication or come off it completely, it's best to do your homework first so you know what to expect. Other general rules of thumb that are practical to follow include...

• Reduce your medications gradually: The standard rule of thumb seems to be to reduce by 10% and then allow a period of time so you can make an accurate assessment in regard to function and symptoms.
  

• Find a supportive medical caregiver: Reducing or withdrawing medications also come with risks and it's probably best if you're working with a medical caregiver who can help supervise that process. Sometimes, it's also helpful to change the type of medication you take and you will need a professional to do so. For example, it may be easier to make small reductions if you are taking a liquid form of medication as opposed to a tablet form. It might also be helpful to temporarily supplement with medication from a different class of drugs for a short period of time, i.e., anti-anxiety medications or anti-depressants. If your current doctor is not supportive you would be better advised to find a new doctor to work with as opposed to trying to go it alone.

• Thoroughly research your medication including any known side effects of reduction or withdrawal: This way you'll know what sort of responses to expect and when you should alert your doctor to symptoms you are experiencing.
  

• Expect some discomfort: You're changing something, whether it's the reduction of a medication, the absence of a medication, or the introduction of a new medication. Your body will have to adjust to these changes. It can also be helpful to investigate alternative coping mechanisms. For example, if your most troubling symptom is anxiety, there are probably non-medicinal approaches you can learn that will help you deal with that as opposed to feeling you have no other option but to return to an earlier, higher dose of medication.

• Alert others in your immediate environment to your intentions: This includes spouses, family members, roommates, etc. Ideally, you'll have done your homework first so you can also let them know what they should be watching for and address any of their concerns. In turn, they can also work with you to help you assess your overall function and symptom management.
  

• Take it slow: Allow a period of stability in between each reduction so you can accurately assess function and symptoms. If you find you are not functioning well on a daily basis or your symptoms are becoming problematic, you can try holding steady for a period at that dose to see if you can adjust or you can return to whatever previous dosage you were at that did allow good functioning and symptom control.
  

• Respect what is happening in your daily life: Times of high stress are not the times to try and reduce or withdraw from medications. Likewise, if you have managed to reduce or withdraw you may find it necessary to temporarily increase your dose during times of high stress.

Most people are perfectly within their rights to reduce or withdraw from medications but there are smart ways to go about doing so and not-so-smart ways. As always, the critical issue is your personal safety and comfort -- if you don't feel right, if those around you can identify that you're not functioning well -- that's the time to get back in touch with your doctor for some follow-up consultation. Remember that psychiatric medications should never be stopped abruptly except in life-threatening situations such as neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Especially if this is the case, you will want to be under professional care.

The following links also contain information related to reducing or coming off medication. If you find them useful I suggest you share them with your support team.

• Ten Practical Considerations for Coming Off Medications
• The Icarus Project
• Rufus Mays' Website
• Beyond Meds