[pigsCANfly]

Hi all! I'm new here so firstly, hi! and hope everyone is keeping well and happy.

Im being put forward for CBT soon, and just wanted to know if anyone has completed cognitive behavioural therapy and managed to stay off their meds after successfully?

Would be lovely to hear from you

[Tsunamisurfer]

Welcome, pigsCANfly.
Rather than saying nothing, I'll say I am not a success story for CBT.
Firstly, my therapy was quite unstructured, and not strongly driven. It may not have been purist CBT. It felt more like counselling to me.
When I began having psychotic symptoms, my therapist didn't know what to make of them, or what to do about them.
He recommended I go onto drug therapy, so I was put onto antidepressants by a psychiatrist.
I began ultradian cycling with suicidal depression and wildly manic highs, often mixed.
The therapist said he couldn't make any progress with me like that, and that we should discontinue therapy until I was more stable.
I haven't been back. Hopefully the reviews and comments of other people here will restore my confidence in psychotherapy.

[pigsCANfly]

Originally Posted by Tsunamisurfer

Welcome, pigsCANfly.
Rather than saying nothing, I'll say I am not a success story for CBT.
Firstly, my therapy was quite unstructured, and not strongly driven. It may not have been purist CBT. It felt more like counselling to me.
When I began having psychotic symptoms, my therapist didn't know what to make of them, or what to do about them.
He recommended I go onto drug therapy, so I was put onto antidepressants by a psychiatrist.
I began ultradian cycling with suicidal depression and wildly manic highs, often mixed.
The therapist said he couldn't make any progress with me like that, and that we should discontinue therapy until I was more stable.
I haven't been back. Hopefully the reviews and comments of other people here will restore my confidence in psychotherapy.

Why did they put you on antidepressants? Did you have a diagnosis at that point? Sorry not meaning to probe lol its just that if you put someone who gets manic on antidepressants that is usually the outcome! It must have been awful for you.

I hope it didn't put you off CBT, I'v known quite a few successes for depression, but hadn't really heard of it being used in schizoaffective, and also wasn't sure if it could help with the manics. Was just hoping someone could shed a bit more light for me.

Also really want to get off this medication soon, its driving me nuts!

[Tsunamisurfer]

Originally Posted by pigsCANfly

Why did they put you on antidepressants? Did you have a diagnosis at that point? Sorry not meaning to probe lol its just that if you put someone who gets manic on antidepressants that is usually the outcome! It must have been awful for you.

I hope it didn't put you off CBT, I'v known quite a few successes for depression, but hadn't really heard of it being used in schizoaffective, and also wasn't sure if it could help with the manics. Was just hoping someone could shed a bit more light for me.

Also really want to get off this medication soon, its driving me nuts!

LOL. Fair questions.
The pdoc thought he was playing it safe to treat for depression (what he saw in his consulting room) before using mood stabilisers and taking my self report of symptoms and history into account. He was away for 3 weeks, and I think Prozac had a lasting impact on me.
He diagnosed me Bipolar on return from leave.

I then saw my therapist for another 3 months before he threw in the towel. I couldn't sit still through the sessions, my concentration was nil, and I was startling at every tiny sound. He just couldn't take me anymore. LOL

What meds are you on? With Schizoaffective, presumably an antipsychotic and stabiliser of sorts?
I'm not saying this is the right course of action for everyone, but I got my pdoc to agree to wean me off my antipsychotic because I was feeling so sick on it. Ever had shellfish poisoning? I was feeling something like that.

I have a feeling I will be looking for an alternative soon.

[pigsCANfly]

Originally Posted by Tsunamisurfer

LOL. Fair questions.
The pdoc thought he was playing it safe to treat for depression (what he saw in his consulting room) before using mood stabilisers and taking my self report of symptoms and history into account. He was away for 3 weeks, and I think Prozac had a lasting impact on me.
He diagnosed me Bipolar on return from leave.

I then saw my therapist for another 3 months before he threw in the towel. I couldn't sit still through the sessions, my concentration was nil, and I was startling at every tiny sound. He just couldn't take me anymore. LOL

What meds are you on? With Schizoaffective, presumably an antipsychotic and stabiliser of sorts?
I'm not saying this is the right course of action for everyone, but I got my pdoc to agree to wean me off my antipsychotic because I was feeling so sick on it. Ever had shellfish poisoning? I was feeling something like that.

I have a feeling I will be looking for an alternative soon.

Shellfish poisoning LOL cant say I have ever had food poisoning, but it sounds horrible, think I would refuse to take it too :P You just on mood stabilizers now then?

Actually surprisingly I am not on any mood stabilizer, however some of the newer atypical anti-psychotics are good for managing the manics too, and it seems to do the job. I emphasize seems to be.

However, every month or so I get it into my head that I made my illness up or that It was just the stress the other times I was ill, so I decide to come off my medication. Never good. I think its because I cant remember clearly how I was last time I was ill, especially if manic, that I just make out to myself I am fine.

Honestly, I seem to get really delusional about it, in a way. 'I was never ill, I made it up in my head'...... then I come off meds and get ill again.

Does anyone else do this? I know it sounds crazy but it really messes me up.

[grandma100]

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a very effective way to watch for symptom changes like disordered sleep or ANTS hallucinations. However, I have found that I need the medications to stabilize my moods and ward off severe psychotic breaks. Learn CBT and you won't be sorry. It puts you more in tune with your thought processes.

[Tsunamisurfer]

Originally Posted by pigsCANfly

1) You just on mood stabilizers now then? ...

2) ....some of the newer atypical anti-psychotics are good for managing the manics too, ...

3) ... However, every month or so I get it into my head that I made my illness up or that It was just the stress the other times I was ill, so I decide to come off my medication. ....

Honestly, I seem to get really delusional about it, in a way. 'I was never ill, I made it up in my head'...... then I come off meds and get ill again.

Does anyone else do this? I know it sounds crazy but it really messes me up.

1) Yup - just Epilim and Lithium. They are helping with the mood control, but they aren't helping me with confused thoughts, a sense of being watched, fear that something is influencing my ideas and visions, certain noises that are trying to break down my thought barrier like an acoustic wrecking ball so that others can listen in.

2) Yes, I was hospitalised and put on Invega (Paliperidone) to control both acute mania and psychosis. I quietened down the same day I got the pill. It took about 3 days for the delusions & hallucinations to show cracks and it never took away the derealisation - surreal colours, halos, echoing distorted sounds.

3) I think you feel well more often than I do. LOL. I seldom have a chance to think I'm free, but when I have had a day or so, I can feel the strong allure of the sirens, convincing me that it has all been a bad dream and that there is nothing wrong with me. My wife quickly pops that bubble and reminds me. I have read about it in the literature - how common it is for people to go off their meds and then find themselves in a nasty episode. Now I am seeing from the inside just how deceptive it is and how distorted our thoughts can become.

[grandma100]

Some of the newer antipsychotics have very unpleasant side effects like oversedation, no effect, or extreme agitation. They are pushed by the drug companies , but may not be the right fit for a particular person. Then they try different ones to see which one works. It doesn't make for a very good treatment plan. Perphenazine is an older antipsychotic which works well and doesn't cost alot. Perhaps the PDocs should reevaluate the older effective treatments too.

[pigsCANfly]

Originally Posted by grandma100

Some of the newer antipsychotics have very unpleasant side effects like oversedation, no effect, or extreme agitation. They are pushed by the drug companies , but may not be the right fit for a particular person. Then they try different ones to see which one works. It doesn't make for a very good treatment plan. Perphenazine is an older antipsychotic which works well and doesn't cost alot. Perhaps the PDocs should reevaluate the older effective treatments too.

I know that different people respond differently to different drugs, and I agree lol not the best treatment plan. I do not know much about perphenazine, however I do know that the newer atypical anti-psychotics are a lot safer when it comes to things such as tardive dyskinesia. That is one side effect I wouldn't like. You can often pick out the elderly patients who have been on the older anti-psychotics just by the involuntary facial movements.

I, personally, would not feel safe on the older medications. But as you said it depends on the person and what they do/don't respond too.

[WikidPissah]

I have a habit of thinking I am "all better" and going off my meds. Or if I want to loose weight.

Therapy has helped me a lot, but not enough to stop medication.