[costello]

A long-term study adds to evidence that recovery from psychosis is possible, and the key may lie in using less antipsychotic medication after a psychotic episode ends.

If remitted first-episode psychosis patients reduce their antipsychotic medication dosage or discontinue it, they will experience a higher relapse rate than remitted first-episode patients who continue on a maintenance antipsychotic medication dosage, studies have found. However, all of these studies were limited to two years or less.

Now a new study that lasted seven years has confirmed that result—a higher relapse rate during the first two years in the lower-dosage/discontinuation group than in the maintenance group. But this new study has also found something surprising: whereas the former group had the same rate of symptom remission at seven years as the latter group, it had significantly greater functional improvement and recovery at seven years.

Continued here...
PsychiatryOnline | Psychiatric News | News Article

[DePressMe]

costello, I can understand how less meds may force a person to deal with the cause of their psychosis and be able to better manage its symptoms. For me, my meds have always been necessary. But, everybody is different.......D.

[costello]

I hope that everyone can figure out what's right for them with support from their pdoc.

What's interesting about that study is that after the initial 2 year period, the participants were instructed to simply work with their clinician. I don't think it even says who was on or off meds or what doses by the end. It's hard to know why the group with lower or no meds did better. It's just interesting. I like it because it shows that the conventional wisdom isn't necessarily right for everyone.

[newtus]

thanks for this costello.

[Gr3tta]

This makes sense to me because meds may initially do a good job of stamping down on flagrant symptoms, and addressing things which have been previously swept under the rug gives initial relief. But then, over time, meds become less effective, and negative side effects become worse, further exacerbating symptoms, and having a negative effect on quality of life.