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  #1  
Old Nov 06, 2008, 10:33 AM
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schitzo-girl626 schitzo-girl626 is offline
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hello to everyone,im new here and i am reading so much,im already questioning my diagnosis,and i am having a hard time with trying to talk to my doc about it.ive been in denial for most of my illness,dont want to take the serequel,im prescribed,and dont want to tell my doc about that either.ive questioned this diagnosis for many years now. i just go with what the doc says.its like i dont even talk to the doc,i just go in get my meds,say im good and go on.i know its not helping me to do this,but i dont want change,its a bad thing for me to disrupt my every day life now.the more information i read the more confused i am getting,and since hes the doc,i figure i should just accept the diagnosis.but i see where alot of people write their diagnosis changes w/time.i dont believe i have the illness im diagnosed with.it could be the illness itself,or my denial.well if anyone has any ideas on how to tell my doc hes wrong(which could be right?)or how i can explain to him without stirring up my whole life,i would appreciate it,i dont want to go to another doc either,i like my doc and it may be me,just doing too much researching on myself.its confusing,and the fact i have no life,ive totally isolated myself,so i self diagnos in my boredom.well.thankyou for even reading this.

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  #2  
Old Nov 06, 2008, 08:22 PM
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schitzo-girl626 schitzo-girl626 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by schitzo-girl626 View Post
hello to everyone,im new here and i am reading so much,im already questioning my diagnosis,and i am having a hard time with trying to talk to my doc about it.ive been in denial for most of my illness,dont want to take the serequel,im prescribed,and dont want to tell my doc about that either.ive questioned this diagnosis for many years now. i just go with what the doc says.its like i dont even talk to the doc,i just go in get my meds,say im good and go on.i know its not helping me to do this,but i dont want change,its a bad thing for me to disrupt my every day life now.the more information i read the more confused i am getting,and since hes the doc,i figure i should just accept the diagnosis.but i see where alot of people write their diagnosis changes w/time.i dont believe i have the illness im diagnosed with.it could be the illness itself,or my denial.well if anyone has any ideas on how to tell my doc hes wrong(which could be right?)or how i can explain to him without stirring up my whole life,i would appreciate it,i dont want to go to another doc either,i like my doc and it may be me,just doing too much researching on myself.its confusing,and the fact i have no life,ive totally isolated myself,so i self diagnos in my boredom.well.thankyou for even reading this.
sorry for this post,i dont know what i was thinking.i shouldnt have posted it.i tend to screw up everything i do.
  #3  
Old Nov 06, 2008, 08:48 PM
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What kind of symptoms do you have? Do you hallucinate (hear voices or see things that are not there) or have delusions (a false belief)? Do you get severely confused and you don't make sense in talking (disorganized speech), do you have catatonia (that is when you freeze in one position for a long time, not responding to anything), or negative symptoms (such as loss of interest, lack of emotions)? If you said yes for 2 or more of the symptoms then you probably have schizophrenia. Do you have mood symptoms? I have schizoaffective and autism. Schizoaffective is like having schizophrenia and bipolar or depression together.
Thanks for this!
schitzo-girl626
  #4  
Old Nov 06, 2008, 10:28 PM
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schitzo-girl626 schitzo-girl626 is offline
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yes i have more than two,im so in denial,i think i accept it and again i see i havent.thank you so much for responding.
  #5  
Old Nov 08, 2008, 01:13 PM
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spiritual_emergency spiritual_emergency is offline
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Hello schitzo-girl,
When it comes to labels I prefer to start with this one: human being. That label doesn't change even when the overlay of other labels do.

im already questioning my diagnosis, and i am having a hard time with trying to talk to my doc about it. ive been in denial for most of my illness. ive questioned this diagnosis for many years now. since hes the doc, i figure i should just accept the diagnosis but i see where alot of people write their diagnosis changes w/time. i dont believe i have the illness im diagnosed with. it could be the illness itself,or my denial.

It seems that part of your current conflict is you're doubting whether or not it's acceptable for you to doubt. You also note that you have doubted your diagnosis for a long time. I think that's quite typical and is in fact, one of the means we use to explore the full spectrum of what is happening in our lives and how we can best address it.

dont want to take the serequel im prescribed, and dont want to tell my doc about that either. i just go with what the doc says. its like i dont even talk to the doc, i just go in get my meds, say im good and go on. i know its not helping me to do this...

To a certain extent, labels drive treatment so having a specific label can be helpful. However, just because a specific medication or therapy is said to be helpful doesn't mean it will help you. Understanding what works best for us as individuals is a key component of shifting into recovery. You say that you don't want to take the seroquel -- is that because you doubt that you have the diagnosis seroquel is typically prescribed for or is it because the seroquel itself is not helping you?

but i dont want change, its a bad thing for me to disrupt my every day life now.

If you feel that your diagnostic label is not correct and therefore you're not receiving the right kind of treatment, this is probably something you should talk to your doctor about. If the two of you decide that a change in label or treatment would be beneficial, it might be best to make those changes slowly so they're not as abrupt a disturbance to your life.

i have no life, ive totally isolated myself...

This addresses yet another aspect of recovery. I found it very beneficial to take long periods of time to myself in the aftermath of my own experience. There came a time when I began to naturally gravitate outward into the larger world, restoring social connections. It may be that you're simply not yet ready to do that or it may be that you don't know how or where to begin. What do you think?

.
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~ Kindness is cheap. It's unkindness that always demands the highest price.
Thanks for this!
MyHeadHurts, ScaredSad, schitzo-girl626
  #6  
Old Nov 08, 2008, 04:00 PM
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schitzo-girl626 schitzo-girl626 is offline
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wow,you said so much,that made sense to me.and i really appriciate you for that.i think i definately hate seaquol ,for how it makes me feel.never liked drugs especially to this magnitude.and the worst part is i know i have an illness.what illness is the thing.ive read and have diagnosed myself,which like you said is a possibility (to know what one needs)for themselves.the thing that gets my curiosity is the fact my symptoms are so many. which is in 4 illnesses.so is that sz affective/bipolar?and does the personality disorder lie in it?i know i will write these questions down and bring to my appt.im tired of the questions in my mind. i have isolated myself for 3 years once.21/2 to 3 years ago,and it did help at that time,this time im not wanting to completely isolate yet its all i can do.ive never had social contacts i could go back to either,i would have to start over and yes i dont know where to begin or how anymore.and the worst part is ive lied to my doc for a long time telling him im ok and the meds are helping,which is a bold face lie and hard to explain approprietly.and now i feel like a failure at my own mental health.like id rather be sick its easier.
  #7  
Old Nov 10, 2008, 01:11 PM
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spiritual_emergency spiritual_emergency is offline
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schitzo-girl: the worst part is ive lied to my doc for a long time telling him im ok and the meds are helping, which is a bold face lie and hard to explain approprietly. and now i feel like a failure at my own mental health. like id rather be sick its easier.

A model that works well for me in terms of understanding my own experience is that of ego collapse. Note that when I say ego, I'm referring to one's individual sense of self-identity. Part of the task in the recovery phase is to rebuild that sense of self-identity, self-esteem, self-confidence, self-autonomy, etc.

In your case it seems that early in your recovery you didn't have the confidence to tell your doctor what was happening with you, now you do. Rather than beat yourself up for not saying anything sooner perhaps it would be more helpful to recognize that progess has taken place. You probably have a little more self-confidence now than you did then.

i think i definately hate seaquol ,for how it makes me feel. never liked drugs especially to this magnitude.

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...

- Do you understand why you have been prescribed seroquel? (What is it supposed to do for you?)
- Does it have any positive effects for you? (Is it doing what it's supposed to do?)
- Does it have negative effects? (How is it not helping you?)
- What alternatives might be available?

Whenever people are investigating medications I like to encourage them to look at medically oriented sites and consumer based sites because this can provide a bigger and more complete picture than only one perspective. Here's two links to get you started:

- Medically Oriented Site: Seroquel
- Consumer Oriented Site: Seroquel

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.

and the worst part is i know i have an illness. what illness is the thing. ive read and have diagnosed myself, which like you said is a possibility (to know what one needs) for themselves. the thing that gets my curiosity is the fact my symptoms are so many. which is in 4 illnesses. so is that sz affective/bipolar? and does the personality disorder lie in it?

Earlier we talked about diagnosis and treatment and the belief that by correctly identifying the diagnosis, we can also identify the correct treatment. When it comes to mental illness however, there isn't a straightforward test or procedure that can precisely pinpoint diagnosis and hence, the best treatment to follow. Rather, a diagnosis is made as based on clusters of symptoms. For example, if you are feeling terribly sad all the time with no apparent reason for why and you are also losing weight and unable to sleep, it might be said that you have depression. If you are feeling terribly sad and anxious and fearful of other people with no apparent reason as to why, it might be said that you have something else. As symptoms change, diagnosis can also change. [See also: Grand Rounds and Psychiatric Diagnosis]

Something that might be helpful for you is to put together a list of your symptoms and to also try and pair that symptom with a treatment or coping skill. For example, perhaps you've noticed you feel sad at times but you've also noticed that if take your dog for a walk, or dance to some energetic music, or go see a movie, or talk to someone, the sadness dissipates. The symptom is sadness but you've identified four different ways of coping with it.

Or maybe you've noticed that your thoughts race at times and whenever this happens, your heart starts to pound and your palms sweat. You start to feel confused and out of control. When you take an anti-anxiety drug however, your heart stops pounding, your palms stop sweating, your thoughts stop racing, and you feel more relaxed and in control. The symptom is anxiety but you've identified a treatment that helps you with it.

As yet another example, perhaps you've noticed that you are uncomfortable around other people but you also begin to notice that you're comfortable with some people. For example, you might notice that you're most uncomfortable in large crowds or in situations where the focus is on you, but you're most comfortable with specific family members, friends or peers. You might also notice that whenever you're with one specific family member or friend, you can handle being in large crowds. Of if you take deep breaths and choose your words carefully, you can handle situation where the focus is on you. Again, you are identifying symptoms and tools you can use for dealing with those symptoms.

Identifying your symptoms and effective coping skills or treatments for those symptoms can help you better understand the wide range of options that are available. In turn this can help you to place the use of any medications within the most appropriate department.

Anyway, try some of those self-exploration ideas and see what you discover. Best to you.

~ Namaste

.
__________________

~ Kindness is cheap. It's unkindness that always demands the highest price.
Thanks for this!
MyHeadHurts, schitzo-girl626
  #8  
Old Nov 11, 2008, 01:04 AM
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schitzo-girl626 schitzo-girl626 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spiritual_emergency View Post
schitzo-girl: the worst part is ive lied to my doc for a long time telling him im ok and the meds are helping, which is a bold face lie and hard to explain approprietly. and now i feel like a failure at my own mental health. like id rather be sick its easier.

A model that works well for me in terms of understanding my own experience is that of ego collapse. Note that when I say ego, I'm referring to one's individual sense of self-identity. Part of the task in the recovery phase is to rebuild that sense of self-identity, self-esteem, self-confidence, self-autonomy, etc.

In your case it seems that early in your recovery you didn't have the confidence to tell your doctor what was happening with you, now you do. Rather than beat yourself up for not saying anything sooner perhaps it would be more helpful to recognize that progess has taken place. You probably have a little more self-confidence now than you did then.

i think i definately hate seaquol ,for how it makes me feel. never liked drugs especially to this magnitude.

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...

- Do you understand why you have been prescribed seroquel? (What is it supposed to do for you?)
- Does it have any positive effects for you? (Is it doing what it's supposed to do?)
- Does it have negative effects? (How is it not helping you?)
- What alternatives might be available?

Whenever people are investigating medications I like to encourage them to look at medically oriented sites and consumer based sites because this can provide a bigger and more complete picture than only one perspective. Here's two links to get you started:

- Medically Oriented Site: Seroquel
- Consumer Oriented Site: Seroquel

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.

and the worst part is i know i have an illness. what illness is the thing. ive read and have diagnosed myself, which like you said is a possibility (to know what one needs) for themselves. the thing that gets my curiosity is the fact my symptoms are so many. which is in 4 illnesses. so is that sz affective/bipolar? and does the personality disorder lie in it?

Earlier we talked about diagnosis and treatment and the belief that by correctly identifying the diagnosis, we can also identify the correct treatment. When it comes to mental illness however, there isn't a straightforward test or procedure that can precisely pinpoint diagnosis and hence, the best treatment to follow. Rather, a diagnosis is made as based on clusters of symptoms. For example, if you are feeling terribly sad all the time with no apparent reason for why and you are also losing weight and unable to sleep, it might be said that you have depression. If you are feeling terribly sad and anxious and fearful of other people with no apparent reason as to why, it might be said that you have something else. As symptoms change, diagnosis can also change. [See also: Grand Rounds and Psychiatric Diagnosis]

Something that might be helpful for you is to put together a list of your symptoms and to also try and pair that symptom with a treatment or coping skill. For example, perhaps you've noticed you feel sad at times but you've also noticed that if take your dog for a walk, or dance to some energetic music, or go see a movie, or talk to someone, the sadness dissipates. The symptom is sadness but you've identified four different ways of coping with it.

Or maybe you've noticed that your thoughts race at times and whenever this happens, your heart starts to pound and your palms sweat. You start to feel confused and out of control. When you take an anti-anxiety drug however, your heart stops pounding, your palms stop sweating, your thoughts stop racing, and you feel more relaxed and in control. The symptom is anxiety but you've identified a treatment that helps you with it.

As yet another example, perhaps you've noticed that you are uncomfortable around other people but you also begin to notice that you're comfortable with some people. For example, you might notice that you're most uncomfortable in large crowds or in situations where the focus is on you, but you're most comfortable with specific family members, friends or peers. You might also notice that whenever you're with one specific family member or friend, you can handle being in large crowds. Of if you take deep breaths and choose your words carefully, you can handle situation where the focus is on you. Again, you are identifying symptoms and tools you can use for dealing with those symptoms.

Identifying your symptoms and effective coping skills or treatments for those symptoms can help you better understand the wide range of options that are available. In turn this can help you to place the use of any medications within the most appropriate department.

Anyway, try some of those self-exploration ideas and see what you discover. Best to you.

~ Namaste


.
i really want to thank you for your advice on this,your words r full of wisdom,and you are of great help to me.schitzo-girl
Thanks for this!
schitzo-girl626
  #9  
Old Nov 11, 2008, 01:13 AM
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schitzo-girl626 schitzo-girl626 is offline
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spiritual emergency,i hope you got my thankyou and appriciation,ive had an awful monday,my truck is broke down and my son broke his ankle in the same hour, its as if my strengh is always being tested and i am always having issues to hold me back,i keep fighting and wont quit,your words are like a blessing to me right now and i cant thank you enough.so thank you and GOD bless you.schitzo-girl
  #10  
Old Nov 21, 2008, 05:04 PM
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spiritual_emergency spiritual_emergency is offline
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Hello schitzo-girl,
My apologies for the delayed response. Sometimes I make a post and don't make it back for days. I'm pleased to know though that anything I might have said might be helpful to you and hope that the difficulties with your son and vehicle have since been resolved.

I've actually returned now because I became involved in some discussions regarding medication at another website and thought that information might be helpful to you (and possibly, others) as well. I'm going to repost them here in their entirety. The last post in particular might be especially relevant to your own situation.

============================================

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...

- Reduce your medications gradually: The standard rule of thumb seems to be to reduce by 10% and then allow a period of time so you can make an accurate assessment in regard to function and symptoms. In your case, you've gone for a 50% reduction right out of the gate. It might work better for you to step down slowly.

- Find a supportive medical caregiver: Reducing or withdrawing medications also come with risks and it's probably best if you're working with a medical caregiver who can help supervise that process. Sometimes, it's also helpful to change the type of medication you take and you will need a professional to do so. For example, it may be easier to make small reductions if you are taking a liquid form of medication as opposed to a tablet form. It might also be helpful to temporarily supplement with medication from a different class of drugs for a short period of time, i.e., anti-anxiety medications or anti-depressants. If your current doctor is not supportive you would be better advised to find a new doctor to work with as opposed to trying to go it alone.

- Thoroughly research your medication including any known side effects of reduction or withdrawal: This way you'll know what sort of responses to expect and when you should alert your doctor to symptoms you are experiencing.

- Expect some discomfort: You're changing something, whether it's the reduction of a medication, the absence of a medication, or the introduction of a new medication. Your body will have to adjust to these changes. It can also be helpful to investigate alternative coping mechanisms. For example, if your most troubling symptom is anxiety, there are probably non-medicinal approaches you can learn that will help you deal with that as opposed to feeling you have no other option but to return to an earlier, higher dose of medication.

- Alert others in your immediate environment to your intentions: This includes spouses, family members, roommates, etc. Ideally, you'll have done your homework first so you can also let them know what they should be watching for and address any of their concerns. In turn, they can also work with you to help you assess your overall function and symptom management.

- Take it slow: Allow a period of stability in between each reduction so you can accurately assess function and symptoms. If you find you are not functioning well on a daily basis or your symptoms are becoming problematic, you can try holding steady for a period at that dose to see if you can adjust or you can return to whatever previous dosage you were at that did allow good functioning and symptom control.

- Respect what is happening in your daily life: Times of high stress are not the times to try and reduce or withdraw from medications. Likewise, if you have managed to reduce or withdraw you may find it necessary to temporarily increase your dose during times of high stress.

Most people are perfectly within their rights to reduce or withdraw from medications but there are smart ways to go about doing so and not-so-smart ways. As always, the critical issue is your personal safety and comfort -- if you don't feel right, if those around you can identify that you're not functioning well -- that's the time to get back in touch with your doctor for some follow-up consultation. Remember that psychiatric medications should never be stopped abruptly except in life-threatening situations such as neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Especially if this is the case, you will want to be under professional care.

The Icarus Project and Mind also have some guidebooks that might provide you, your doctor, and those around you (family and friends) with more information. Rufus May also has a website. Because he's also in the UK, you could try contacting him to see if he can recommend other specific resources for you.

- The Icarus Project
- Mind
- Rufus Mays' Website

.
__________________

~ Kindness is cheap. It's unkindness that always demands the highest price.
Thanks for this!
schitzo-girl626
  #11  
Old Nov 21, 2008, 05:05 PM
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spiritual_emergency spiritual_emergency is offline
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One of the criticisms I have of medication is that it seems to produce "magical thinking" -- not in the "identified patient" but rather, in those around them -- professionals, family members, etc. But it's apparent that medication doesn't work for everyone and that what works for one may not work for another. Sites like askapatient.com demonstrate that very well; one entry will be someone praising their medication to high heaven, the next will be someone cursing it to hell.

We really need to be listening to people who aren't happy with their medication and putting some options into their hands. That might include adjusting their dosage, switching out for a different med in that class or a different class of drugs, exploring medication-free approaches such as working with voices or CBT, and in some instances, possibly coming off medication entirely. There are options.

By the same token, we also need to reduce the stigma and myths associated with taking medication. Relying on medication doesn't mean a person is weak, or lacking in strength or character; it doesn't mean their experience is more difficult than that of others. It just means that they identify the medication as being helpful to them and they would know that better than anyone else. The point is, there is no "one-size-fits-all" when it comes to treatment. The most effective treatment is always going to be the one that works for that particular individual.

.
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  #12  
Old Nov 21, 2008, 05:06 PM
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spiritual_emergency spiritual_emergency is offline
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I came across the following at Rufus Mays' website and thought it was worthy of sharing.

Quote
Potential adverse effects upon withdrawal of atypical neuroleptic

The body will always try to maintain itself in a state of optimal conditions for cell functioning. Therefore if a drug is introduced that blocks a specific signal or function the body will try to compensate for this. So, if an atypical neuroleptic blocks dopamine receptors, the cell on which the receptors are located will sense that it is not receiving as many signals from the dopamine receptors as it used to. In the long term, the cell will respond by producing more receptors, in an attempt to get the level of dopamine receptor signalling it is used to.

As well as producing increased numbers of dopamine receptors, the sensitivity of the dopamine receptors is increased. If an individual then decided to abruptly discontinue taking the atypical neuroleptic, the dopamine receptors would no longer be blocked and fully exposed. So should anything potentially exciting or stimulating happen, dopamine would be released and bind to the increased numbers of extra sensitive receptors, leading to increased dopamine transmission, over and above what would have occured before the atypicals were introduced. In this scenario, some individuals develop 'psychotic' symptoms, due to over flooding of dopamine receptors, which may be interpreted as a 'relapse'.

The development of psychotic symptoms when there is excess dopamine transmission (as may occur in abrupt withdrawal) may lead some individuals to believe that increased dopamine signalling may have been responsible for the psychotic experiences an individual initially had when the drugs were first prescribed. However, individuals who had no psychiatric history have been given a course of neuroleptic treatment, and when the neuroleptics were abruptly withdrawn some of these individuals developed 'psychotic' symptoms.

Source: comingoff.com


I've come across that information before and feel that this fellow actually explained the process a little more clearly...

Quote
This biological mechanism is somewhat well understood now. The antipsychotics profoundly block dopamine receptors. They block 70-90 percent of the dopamine receptors in the brain. In return, the brain sprouts about 50 percent extra dopamine receptors. It tries to become extra sensitive.

So in essence you've created an imbalance in the dopamine system in the brain. It's almost like, on one hand, you've got the accelerator down -- that's the extra dopamine receptors. And the drug is the brake trying to block this. But if you release that brake, if you abruptly go off the drugs, you now do have a dopamine system that's overactive. You have too many dopamine receptors. And what happens? People that go abruptly off of the drug, do tend to have severe relapses.

Source: An Interview With Robert Whitaker


This is one of the reasons it can be so important to reduce slowly. Also, if you do have a worsening of symptoms it can be helpful to consider that it may be temporary. This is also why it's important to develop some non-medicinal approaches to coping with symptoms.

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

.
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  #13  
Old Nov 21, 2008, 05:07 PM
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spiritual_emergency spiritual_emergency is offline
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The following may also 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
Five Strategys for Reclaiming Your Power During Medication Visits

Meeting with a psychiatrist during "medication appointments" is usually a very disempowering experience. The meetings usually last for 15 or 20 minutes. During the meeting we are expected to answer a few perfunctory questions and to leave with prescriptions for powerful drugs that can dramatically alter the quality of our lives. In these meetings the psychiatrist assumes a position of power and we usually fulfill the expected role of being a quiet, unquestioning, passive patient. Subsequently we will be praised for merely being compliant or scolded/punished if we fail to comply with prescribed medications. Over the years I have developed a number of strategies for changing the power imbalance during medication meetings with psychiatrists. I would like to share some of these strategies with you.

Strategy #1: Learn to think differently about medication
- There are no magic bullets.
- Medications are only a tool.
- Using medications is not a moral issue.
- Learn to use medications.
- Always use medications and coping strategies.
- Learn about medications.

Strategy #2: Learn to think differently about yourself
- Trust yourself.
- It's your recovery.
- Your questions are important.

Strategy #3: Think differently about psychiatrists
- Most psychiatrists are too busy for our own good.
- Psychiatrists often have conflicting interests.
- Sometimes psychiatrists are wrong.
- Psychiatrists are not experts on everything.

Strategy #4: Prepare to meet with your psychiatrist
- Set your agenda for the meeting.
- Organize your thoughts and concerns.
- Be specific.
- Write your questions down.
- Role-Play.

Strategy #5: Take charge of the meeting
- Bring a note pad and pen to the meeting.
- Tape-record the meeting.
- Announce your agenda at the beginning of the meeting.
- Bring a friend or advocate.

These strategies have worked for me. Together these strategies have helped shift the balance of power between me and the psychiatrist I am working with. Perhaps some of these strategies will make sense to you. I am sure that you will come up with your own strategies as well. What is important is to realize that you can take your power back and become the director of your own recovery and healing.

Source: Reclaiming Your Power During Medication Appointments

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