No, it tastes sort of peppery. Some people call it hot basil. I have a ton of extra basil on hand too. If only pesto sauce cured stress.

No, I won't be on any other medications. I do not suffer from mood swings. I had the one episode of psychosis and mania and my doctor thinks maybe a perfect storm of hormonal shifts and ptsd caused it. She really doesn't know though.

Prior to any of this happening I was stable with no history of depression, mania, psychosis or anxiety. I've been back at that stable state for about 9 months now on a very low AP dose. My doctor is hoping (me too) that I don't need it and that I suffered brief reactive psychosis. Most people with that are usually fine off meds and have low instances of recurrence.

It is a slippery slope coming off the meds. They work by altering the brain's dopamine receptors and then the body compensates by making more. When you then remove the med your brain is ultra sensitive to dopamine which can cause mental issues to flare up. It then becomes difficult to know of you're struggling because you are in relapse or if you are experiencing a withdrawal symptom that will resolve when homeostasis returns.

I think for me the deciding factor for me will be the severity of any symptoms I may encounter. If I experience anything that even remotely impairs my ability to care for my children I will be working with my doctor immediately. I have asked all of my friends and family to keep an extra watchful eye on me in case I lack insight. I also plan to see my therapist more often during this trial period. It is a little scary, but I owe it to myself to see if I can thrive without meds. If I need them to live safely, I'm ok with that outcome. I'm trying to do all I can naturally to promote mental health and I'm staying positive that it will be enough. It is enough for my mother who also suffered a brief bout of psychosis just before menopause. Hopefully I take after her in this regard.