So I’ve had a trial of meds that was psychiatrist sanctioned….I was off nine months then my psychosis started reappearing. Check out the wunderink studies. They deal with psychosis and most people relapse in both treated and untreated groups but net outcomes are better for those taken off meds. Caveat is I’ve never seen anything similar for bipolar….once you’re diagnosed with a chronic condition the usual rule is that medication is helpful.

I know for me I can trace my condition to a faulty GRM3 gene which causes splicing of the cytoplasmic tail of the metabotropic glutamate receptor. Now that’s not something I have any control over, but the medicine can help with the bad signaling that happens because of that.

For me I stay on meds because I know my psychosis can be dangerous but given that the medications are not perfect I’m considering a reduction again. In my case I have developed metabolic syndrome including pre diabetes after ten years on the meds. Admittedly I gave up fighting the hunger every day and let myself get fat. I will be trying diet first prior to psych med reduction.

In the past in order to successfully get off meds I was told to wait for six months of stability and then taper off slowly. A quick withdrawal from APs can actually induce psychosis even in healthy individuals. So don’t quit cold turkey no matter what.

What is it that makes you feel not in control…is it taking any meds? Would you consider a low dose to take the edge off of symptoms.

Recovery in Remitted First-Episode Psychosis at 7 Years of Follow-up of an Early Dose Reduction/Discontinuation or Maintenance Treatment Strategy: Long-term Follow-up of a 2-Year Randomized Clinical Trial | Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology | JAMA Psychiatry | JAMA Network

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