He had his first episode 9 years ago when he was 20. Since then he's had ... let's see .. wow! Isn't this sad? I'm having a hard time remembering. I would say three more? So, four total to the best of my memory.

The first resolved on its own after about two months. He refused medication or any other treatment at that time. Eventually his delusions disappeared. He's always been paranoid, so that probably remained. (He didn't have a good relationship at that time, so I don't know much about that period.) He found a job during the episode, had an apartment, bought a car, and seemed to be functioning well enough.

The second episode was about two and a half years later. I managed to get him into a hospital where he was put on an antipsychotic, and he was receiving housing and employment support through the mental health center.

The third episode was maybe a year and a half later. He received his disability money, moved out of the mental health center's housing, and immediately stopped his meds and started drinking heavily. That one ended when he was hospitalized 750 miles from home after a suicide attempt.

The fourth one was a year later, again after quitting his meds cold turkey.

How long has he been on meds? Let's see. I think it's been since February 2011. He came out of the hospital in March 2011 on a cripplingly high dose of olanzapine, 35 mg. His new pdoc began lowering that rapidly as soon as he was out. With a few bumps on the road, he ended at 2.5 mg. He stayed there for a while - a year, maybe?

I think less than a year ago, he decided he wanted to try going all the way off. His pdoc was willing to try, so he started slowly reducing the dose. Eventually he decided he wanted to stay with a tiny dose - a quarter of a 2.5 mg pill (.625 mg) - just to help him sleep.

Last month he decided he wanted to get rid of even that last bit. So his pdoc had him take his medication only on odd numbered days. Now he's not taking anything.

Knock wood and cross fingers he makes it.