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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Feb 2007
Location: The place where X marks the spot.
Posts: 1,848
17 |
#1
A collection of cut and paste posts that have arisen out of various discussions, here, there and everywhere. ====================================================== To my mind, medication is a tool but it's not the only tool. The question we have to ask ourselves in regard to any form of treatment (medication or otherwise) is, "Is this helping me? Am I getting better?" Many people identify medication as something that helps them but even those who find it helpful don't like to take it. They only do so because it makes their life better, more tolerable, more managable. This is true in spite of whatever side effects may be present. Other people do not find medication to be helpful or the burden of the side-effects outweighs the benefits. These people may find it beneficial to consider taking a different medication or to try withdrawing from that class of drugs entirely. To help you determine which avenue might be best for you, you could try asking yourself these questions...
Exploring your answers to the questions above can help prepare you for meeting with your pdoc and discussing the issue with him/her. I suggest that for now, you continue with your medication as prescribed but start researching and exploring your alternatives. By the time you're finished doing that, you'll probably have a better idea of what treatment options might work best for you personally. __________________ ~ Kindness is cheap. It's unkindness that always demands the highest price. |
JaydedLayde, MovingOnUpAgain, spring2014
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anneo59, BrokenNinja, cptsdwhoa, JaydedLayde, jedilost1, Moogieotter, MovingOnUpAgain, Mrs. Mania, paracleet, spring2014, SybilMarie, Takeshi
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Feb 2007
Location: The place where X marks the spot.
Posts: 1,848
17 |
#2
Whether your goal is to reduce your medication or come off it completely, it's best to do your homework first so you know what to expect. Other general rules of thumb that are practical to follow include...
The following links also contain information related to reducing or coming off medication. If you find them useful I suggest you share them with your support team.
__________________ ~ Kindness is cheap. It's unkindness that always demands the highest price. |
cptsdwhoa, KelsMustardSeed, MovingOnUpAgain, swheaton
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Feb 2007
Location: The place where X marks the spot.
Posts: 1,848
17 |
#3
I came across the following at Rufus Mays' website and thought it was worthy of sharing.
Quote:
Quote:
By the way, if anyone finds this information to be alarming, do bear in mind that for those who are moving toward full recovery, withdrawing from medication will occur at some point. The old face of schizophrenia might have been a paradigm of chronicity and a life-time of maintenance medication; the new face of schizophrenia is recovery. For many people, their recovery will include coming off medication. There will be many others whose recovery includes medication but these individuals may find they're able to maintain daily function and control symptoms at a lower dose. It may be a taboo subject in some areas but usually, no laws are being broken when people attempt to find what works best for them. See also: The Dopamine Hypothesis __________________ ~ Kindness is cheap. It's unkindness that always demands the highest price. |
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cptsdwhoa, NOS-NOS
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Feb 2007
Location: The place where X marks the spot.
Posts: 1,848
17 |
#4
The following may be useful to those who are taking or reducing their medications. It's written by Patrician Deegan, a psychologist who carries a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Dr. Deegan's story presents a useful portrayal of how to successfully use medications in your own recovery, including how to negotiate with your psychiatrist for medication changes. I've included only the bulleted points from her article. For the complete transcipt, click on the source link at the bottom of the quote. There is also an information package that people can download and print to help guide them through the process of meeting with their psychiatrist or care team, and a chart to help organize medications and your personal response to same. Quote:
__________________ ~ Kindness is cheap. It's unkindness that always demands the highest price. |
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cptsdwhoa, KelsMustardSeed, scooterb
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Feb 2007
Location: The place where X marks the spot.
Posts: 1,848
17 |
#5
I've often shared the following with individuals who are in a recovery phase of their experience but it's worth emphasizing that caregivers often benefit from developing their own support teams and toolboxes. Forgive me if you've read it before -- it's a cut and paste. ================================================================== Support Teams are comprised of people you find helpful and should include: Professionals; Family and Friends; Peers, and; Mentors. Each member of your team can address unique needs.
Support Toolboxes are made up of things you (and members of your Support Team) recognize as beneficial and helpful. Support toolboxes can be quite unique because what we find helpful on an individual basis may vary considerably. They may include things such as education, exercise, medication, meditation, music, nutritional therapies, spiritual practices, personal journalling, etc. A strong Support Team and a well-equipped Support Toolbox greatly increases the odds that if you're floundering in any capacity, you'll be able to find the person or thing that is most going to help take you forward. So, choose your team wisely and outfit your toolbox with care. __________________ ~ Kindness is cheap. It's unkindness that always demands the highest price. |
cptsdwhoa
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Feb 2007
Location: The place where X marks the spot.
Posts: 1,848
17 |
#6
Another good article to add to the mix... Quote:
__________________ ~ Kindness is cheap. It's unkindness that always demands the highest price. |
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beautifultea, cptsdwhoa, healingme4me, NOS-NOS
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