alexandra k: hey. i'm glad you are here too. i'd imagine that one thing that it might pay to be careful about would be making sweeping claims about how medication doesn't help (for the reason that it might well help some individuals).

I don't believe I have made any such claims although feel free to point it out if I do. I have however noted that I didn't have any form of medication and like you, I agree that it's important that others know that can happen.

I have spoken with many others who identify medication as being personally helpful, but I've spoken with others who have not. Because my own experience didn't include medication, and because I researched according to my personal experience, I'm not likely to quote any clinicians who might say, "In the event of psychosis, the very first thing you should do is get yourself a physician who can prescribe you some neuroleptic medication."

Quite honestly, I think it's a shame the way the medication issue divides those who are coping with this experience.

I consider medication to be one of many tools. It's possible, that had I known that what I was experiencing was considered to be an acute schizophrenic break in this culture and had actually gone to the hospital, I might be one of those who had taken or currently take medication too. As it was, I didn't have that name for that experience until a full year later. As I've noted elsewhere, no one takes an aspirin for a headache they had a year ago and I couldn't see the purpose in taking anti-psychotic medication for a state of psychosis that had long since come to its natural conclusion.

The bottom line is, some people identify medication as being extraordinarily helpful to them. I can't see any reason why they should stop taking medication simply because someone else didn't find it helpful. Likewise, some people do not find medication to be helpful -- I see no reason why they should have to take it simply because someone else finds it to be helpful. The most effective treatment is the one that works for that specific individual. If they feel they're making progress with medication... what's to change? If they feel they're not... then some changes may be in order.

That said, these two different paths to recovery require slightly different approaches. Someone who is taking medication should inform themselves fully as to the benefits and risks of that medication. If an individual has not done so, they cannot possibly make an informed consent.

As I understand it, psychiatric drugs should never be stopped abruptly. If you want to wean yourself off them, find someone who can support you through that process. If the doctor you currently have doesn't want to be that person and you're still committed to weaning yourself from medication, find another doctor -- there are plenty of them out there with differing viewpoints.

Meanwhile, an individual who is not taking medication will likely find it to their benefit to explore alternatives to medication. This could include spiritual practices such as meditation or contemplation, nutritional therapies (bodies have to heal too), exploring the meaning behind their experience and educating themselves on altered states of consciousness (so they're less likely to respond from a position of fear should it occur again), researching cultures and settings in which medication is not used, entering into a therapeutic relationship (i.e., "talk therapy") with a therapist, physical exercise (to boost natural endorphins), etc. Naturally, any individual who is taking medication might also benefit from all of the above.

Bear in mind, there are many ways to define recovery but the best definition is probably the one that individual comes up with for themselves. The goal, after all, is not to live your life on someone else's terms -- it's to live your life according to yours. If you can do that without medication, good for you. If you can do that with medication, good for you.