Don't know what to title this

In the back of my mind I keep coming up with rationalizations to quit taking meds. Heres what I'm telling myself

1. my symptoms were because of
PTSD...it under control now
Hormones...since menopause they are under control
age....i'm older and wiser now(OK how much wiser if I'm considering doing something that might affect my stability?)

2. Long term affects are not well understood

3. I like the idea I'll lose weight

4. Maybe I miss chaos?

I'm really trying to stay stable but the idea is there that I don't really need these meds, but truthfully I'm not doing anything other than taking meds. Oh I am much much better at sleep hygiene but nothing else. I'm not exercising, not eating right, have almost no support outside of PC. I keep thinking those things will magically happen if I quit the meds.

my logic and emotional reasoning is at odds, could I get feedback on these thoughts?

Please talk to your Dr. I too recently thought I should go off my meds, I didn't end up IP again but it was a very close call. Didn't work out so well for me. HUGS

Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk

Oh right the other thing that goes though my mind is that the meds they over medicated me with caused all my symptoms...

Well I just recently rapidly went off zyprexa bc I though, oh man I don't need an ap anymore. And I was sleeping like 17 hours a day. Well I have to tell you horrible, horrible decision. I ended up getting extremely paranoid and scared. It was awful. I can't even explain it. Missed a big family event and physical therapy. Was frozen felt suicidal. I wouldn't suggest it. I would talk to your pdoc. Now I'm slowly tapering down. But I'm staying on my other meds. I've just gained too much weight on Zyprexa...

I hope you the best.

I slipped my med (amounts) lower and lower ... till I thought I could go no lower ... quess what ... what I thought I could "control" I could not ... after scaring myself several times I gave up and upped the doses ... I'm thru playing ... just my experience take it for what it's worth ... good luck ...

I understand. Right now I'm having a similar situation where I'm okay and don't need meds. I've already stopped taking my AP because I don't think I need it and so far I'm doing alright. I also blame meds for causing all my problems. Good luck to both of us!

Many people's experiences going off sound fairly negative to me but there are those who benefit. I'm not feeling any worse for going off them. I have done it without my treating teams knowledge of doing. It could have gone really bad but I'm still in the process of finding meds that actually work for me & I'm still unsure of my dx's, I'm really not sure if I'm bipolar. So if you are stable & your meds helped to get you stable & your side effects arnt too worrisome I would probably stay on them if I were you. We're all different though. The conflict is horrible isn't it?

I second the above, don't do it without your psychiatrists knowledge!

That's a big part of why I stopped too! When I'm not dysphoric I'm convinced of my wellness & that I have over exaggerated how I felt & was never unwell. That I experimented with meds prematurely & had side effects that made me think I was ill. When I'm dysphoric I'm like "how could you possibly think your not mad?"

However all dr's & mental health professionals I've seen have all been fairly adamant that I need medication first then the psychotherapy will work. I'm still on the fence.

I once made the mistake of abruptly quitting all the meds (lamictal and abilify iirc) I was taking at once before starting a new job -- I didn't even know that you were supposed to be careful and taper (especially at the high doses I was on). Cue: The worst MANIC EPISODE I'VE EVER HAD!!! I lost that new job within 4 days of starting and within 10 days I was inpatient.

Talk to your doctor and see what they think.

I wouldn't go off anything until you have other coping skills established. And don't forget any medication that is stopped without tapering can cause life threatening issues physically and mentally. I know it's common to think we are all ok and don't need meds anymore but it's part of it. It's a symptom just like the mania and depressive states. Be careful and i hope you can at least set a long term goal with your doc and develop good coping skills. ♥️

No matter how small, a positive change deserves to be celebrated!

That's exactly it!

Thanks guys. I'm still struggling with the whole I need meds even after all these years and all of the forced hospitalizations...I keep thinking...it's not me, it was me...that feeling that if I'm bipolar I'm defective...if I need meds then I'm defective..if I don't take meds then I....round and round I go.

`We must remember the facts. These meds are keeping our illness at bay. If we stop them the gates are wide open for the illness to party.