side effects of antipsychotic driving me to drink

just recieved an injectiion of invega sustenna today. It is a once monthly injection and causes numerous side effects.
the side effects of this **** are driving me to drink.
i have no history of alchohol abuse in my family and even no history of schizophrenia. yet, the bastards say there is a genetic "predisposition"
this is all crap! my body tremors and i can no longer relax in my own skin !
i have been strong for quite some time in not taking to beer, and becoming a dual diagnosis, but i just don't seem to care anymore.
These people are criminals in my mind's eye and remain quite aware of the extrapyrimidial side effects. i do not have the courage to tell these people to leave me alone ! i fear the police will intervene if i tell them i no longer want the meds or thier treatment. i do not know what to do.
i am drinking again today. (i feel against my will) substituting one drug for another thus becoming an addict against my will. i do not have the money to hire a lawyer to represent me. currently, they tell me there is no court order, but they have lied blatantly on almost every occasion and say that if i disconinue treatment, there will be consequences. also, my own family has issued an ultimatum to me. Either stay on the drugs or risk going to jail. Question) Is it not my body, do i not have any rights to decide what is best for my own health and wellbeing. ??? i believe it to be highly unethical what they are doing to my nervous system with those antipsycotics. I want to sue them, but have nobody on my side.
please offer your suggestions. anything will help.

Guru2013,

My daughter who is now going on 27 years old was diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder when she was 16 years old. She says she remembers symptoms as far back as when she was 11 years old. She had basically all the same symptoms as so many people have written about on this site. Paranoia, thinking people were talking about her, not seeing things in a realistic way, feeling like she should just end it all, staying in her room for 3 1/2 years holed up away from everyone and the whole world. She felt like she could fly at times, had an overinflated sense of self at times and yet at other times felt like she was nothing, she stopped talking to any friends she had, she was basically tormented, not having the ability to work, drive, go to school, socialize, or even bathe daily. Everyday tasks such as brushing her teeth were difficult and would take much longer than need be. She felt like helicopters flying by were coming to get her or ambulances or fire engines were warning her of impending danger in her future. When she would read of others experiences with this illness, she could relate to what they were going through.

In January 2011, my husband and I watched a documentary on the negative effects of taking meds. This motivated me to research and see if there was a natural alternative. After reading the testimony of a woman who claimed to be cured of schizophrenia by following a specific vitamin regimen, I was very, very intrigued! She said she went to see an Orthomolecular Psychiatrist. I thought "what in the world is Orthomolecular?" I started to google this term and came up with a man named Abram Hoffer. He is now deceased (2009) but during his lifetime as a doctor, he worked with over 5000 patients with schizophrenia and saw a HUGE rate of recovery by orthomolecular means and a healthy and strict diet. Orthomolecular means "Mega Vitamin". I ordered a few of his books on Amazon. One of the books is a small paperback pamphlet that cost me about $6.00 It is called Orthomolecular Treatment for Schizophrenia (Mega Vitamin Supplementation and Nutritional Strategies for Healing and Recovery). We decided to give it a go. We started my daughter off slowly on "everyday" vitamins (the two main ones being vitamin B3 (niacin-the no flush kind), and vitamin C) and added others (a total of seven) over about two months time. We just went along with what the book stated. At first her psychiatrist was not too keen on the idea that we wanted to lower the dosages of her meds and see if she could eventually get off of them. She agreed that we could try. She worked with us to lower the dosage of meds. As my daughter was consistent with taking the seven vitamins each day, getting proper amount of sleep (she has needed nine or ten hours per night for years), as well as following a strict diet of no dairy products, no meat, little sugar, brown rice, beans, and mainly fruits and vegetables (we would make homemade fruit and vegetable juice every day), her Psychiatrist noticed the incredible change in my daughter (AND I MEAN INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!) It has been a little over a year since she started taking the vitamins and she is doing FANTASTIC!!!!!! She is off 2 out of 3 meds and is taking only 1/2 mg. of the last med (down from 4 mg) The psychiatrist is soooo impressed that she wanted to know exactly what it is that we have been doing with my daughter that she is coming along soooo very well. I gave her the book we used because she said she wants to share it with some of her other patients!!!!!!

My daughter is getting back to how she used to be before she displayed any of the symptoms of schizoaffective disorder. She is thinking more clearly, she actually leaves the house now and goes on walks with us, goes shopping, has friends again, feels more comfortable in social situations/conversing with others, wants to learn how to drive, she may even go visit a friend in another state soon!!! The way she is now is nothing short of a miracle!!!!!!!!! If this has spoken to you, I would encourage you to order the book from Amazon and read about it yourself. If you would like any more info, just message me and I would be happy to chat with you about my daughters progress!

You can choose to apply this, or stay in your current situation. It's all up to you to take your mental health in the direction you want it to go, not the way some psychiatrist would want it to go (which is usually by keeping you on meds to your dying day!)

My daughter is a whole new person now, and so incredibly grateful that we tried a natural alternative instead of just staying with the meds that didn't help her to overcome this illness. Medication masks certain symptoms, but is definitely not a cure!!!!


Hopefultohelp

- have you told the doctor who ordered your injection about the side effects?

- what exactly are your side effects? you mentioned tremors? anything else?

- there are medications you can take to counteract the side effects of antipsychotics.

- as far as forcing you to take the injection, I don't believe they can do that. The only thing they can do is commit you to the hospital against your will if you are a danger to yourself or others or if you are unable to care for yourself.

Guru, I'm not sure where you are, but in most jurisdictions people who are under compulsory psychiatric treatment are entitled to free legal advice from a duty solicitor or other legal professional. Perhaps ringing a mental health charity in your area, or looking on google, will help you find more information. Try to find a legal aid clinic in your area, perhaps.
Additionally, there is always a requirement to inform a person that they are subject to such an order. Your doctors should be able to produce some kind of paperwork to this effect.

If you're not on a compulsory treatment order of some variety, then it is illegal for a doctor to inject you with an anti-psychotic against your consent. Of course, that's not to say they won't try to bully or coerce you into taking it, but remember that you have the right to say "no" in this circumstance. Not much you can do about your family though eh? I still lie to mine and tell them I'm taking the antipsychotics.

If you are here in the states you can contact rights of the disabled in your state. They are very helpful and will advocate for you.

status update: i am told that currently i am not under a court order, HOWEVER, AND THIS IS A BIG HOWEVER, they have openly told me at the local CMH clinic, that "they" would seek out a court order if i discontinue treatment. they give me not choice. they have threatened me. there is a complex history with these people, and one would think that the best solution is to no longer push the treatment after 20 years of suffering. and the treatment never worked. I only grew more intolerant, moody, angry, and upset. i never responded to treatment and i never will. I tell family, it is an "act of violence, not an :act of mercy" we have NAMI in my state, but they as you probably know --in the United States-- are heavily bias in favor of the "medical model" and forced treatment. The cards are stacked against me with legal representation, and i cannot afford that. BTW- the local free legal aid in my area will NOT take CIVIL or CRIMINAL case law.
so, basically, i am screwed ! It would make my heart gracious again to actually have the god-given civil right to self-care. What they are putting (forcing) into my body is criminal. The side effects have caused such distress, that i no longer pursue my goals in life. I have given up. and ...
i am quite afraid of the authorities if i say no to treatment and meds, the cops will definietely show up at my apt. door, as they have in the past.
It borders closely on a "police state" i just wish it were over sometimes. the anguish of forced treatment is too much to take ! The other day, yet another story appeared in the news again. a father with a schizophrenic son, was murdered in his own community. the father lacked insight as to the real "causes" of his sons' duress. the father advocated on CNN NEWS to "take away all his rights immediately, and seek conservatorship, and forced medications. The stigma remains. and the courts have not changed.
the Protection and advocacy groups in my area are not able to assist. I have called. PS- on a positive self-talk note, i will not turn to alcohol to cope with my problems with the local CMH. that would mean they win. and a dual diagnosis is not an option for me. thanks for understanding.

I have been in this position before. You might need legal advice before you manoeuvre if you want to stay off drugs, because there might be an 'escape'. In England, for example, they can't make a compulsory treatment order just because you go off meds -- you have to be an active danger.

I managed to get out, but it took a lot of support from very sympathetic people. I don't know what your history is, but there is always the chance to just 'fade out' from psychiatric treatment. A lot of this depends on you taking care of yourself well enough that they stop being so worried about "caring" (and I use that word very losely) for you. It will also depend on not being reliant on them for very much - you can't alienate them if you need them to sign for disability allowance, say.

We're in complete agreement on that. The "treatment" I was put through meets the technical definition of torture.

There are only two kinds of law, civil and criminal. What the hell do they do, then?

I live in hope that one day, it will be criminal. It's a lot of the reason I became a lawyer.
In the mean time - what are your goals? Let's find you something positive to focus on.

Why have they done that?


Just remember, if you kill yourself, you let them win. The only time I ever felt suicidal with when the "doctors" were forcing electric shocks on me.

It does my nut in that the only time the average person hears about schizophrenia is in conjunction with a crime. After that Jared Lee Loughner fellow went on his rampage, quite a few people who know I had a diagnosis were asking how I avoid doing the same. There was a London taxi driver, too, who had schizophrenia and ended up committing a disgusting act of cannibalism. People were asking me how I avoid eating people (ironic, because I'm vegan). It's just a nightmare.

There's a group called Mind Freedom International that might support you. Also try to find something called "The Icarus Project" in your area.
http://www.mindfreedom.org/
http://theicarusproject.net/
Both might have resources, and especially the first might retain information about avoiding compulsory treatment in the US.

fish- would love to "fade out" from the system. i am familiar with mindfreedom. thanks for both links. i contacted David Oaks personally many years ago. he was not able to bring about legislative changes that would have permitted me to exit the system. So, here i am today.
BTW- your'e right on about me needing to re-channel my thoughts into a more healthy frame of reference. (something positive to focus on) Sometimes, i get caught up in the side effects of the drugs that anger takes over. Oh yea, i have wonderful neices and nephews all at various ages. they keep me going. Watching them grow is a true joy. The icarus project is in New York and we do not have a program locally. I am unable to just pick up and leave. I live independently in community right now, and that's the way it's going to stay. I also do not have the funding it would take to move. So, i stay put. This is where i was born and raised. It's home for me. I take good care of myself. Sorry about the confusion between civil and criminal law. I was under a lot of stress. What i meant to say was the local legal aid society does not have funding to take my case. They are so overloaded right now, they only take a small percentage of cases anyway. They deal mostly with illegal debt and landlord/tenant disputes for low-income people. My case is extremely complex as many incidents too numerous to sum up here have transpired.
when i stated that sometimes i feel like giving up, in no way did i infer self-harm. i believe Each new day is a gift no matter how difficult things become.
i have been directly affected by the "S" of others. it is something i do not fully comphrehend to this very day. thanks to you and Costello for understanding and sincere emapathic feelings in my case.

no more alcohol.... been substituting bottled Spring water... i think of an ever flowing present waterfall... i think of clearly canadian raspberry. it's so nice. also the calming effects of bigelow teas. they are caffeine free and have rich antioxidants.
Gatorade is great in small quantities for those who are feeling a little down. it replenishes the electrolytic imbalance so you can perk yourself up again.
anyway... they (the DR's also said.. drink at least 6 glasses of water a day for proper health. i still keep a spiral bound journal from time-to-time. they say that may help too. wishing you all the best of luck. i think by virtue of my age and in combination with "correct" conscious decision making... i will no longer be turning to alcohol to face my problems with what once was numbness. I am stronger now and have the willpower to face these problems based upon my own inner merits and personality strengthes. once again, to all who supported me in my recovery, thank you. do whatever works for you. BE STRONG

Congrats on not drinking alcohol! That deserves huge admiration.
I used to love that Clearly Canadian stuff, do they still make it?! I'm well impressed. Drink some for me, eh?

Best wishes! I'll cross all my crossables for you!