[Sometimes psychotic]

So here is the deal, I have psychosis supposedly from bipolar----I'm fully recovered except for the fact that I have to take half a pill of abilify every night. I tried a med free trial after 2 years psychosis free but within 9 months I became symptomatic again. Meds are now part of my recovery instead of something I need to get off of. I have a PhD, I've been constantly working since the psychosis---I took a week in the hospital and then a weeks vacation to get my head straight. Even though my psychosis is intermittent it took a few years of therapy to feel comfortable again....to have friends and a boyfriend that I love. I had an experimental (in the US) program called CBT for psychosis. I take a very low dose of abilify 7.5 mg. It can happen just know that while it will not happen for everyone it does happen.

[OliverB]

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

So here is the deal, I have psychosis supposedly from bipolar----I'm fully recovered except for the fact that I have to take half a pill of abilify every night. I tried a med free trial after 2 years psychosis free but within 9 months I became symptomatic again. Meds are now part of my recovery instead of something I need to get off of. I have a PhD, I've been constantly working since the psychosis---I took a week in the hospital and then a weeks vacation to get my head straight. Even though my psychosis is intermittent it took a few years of therapy to feel comfortable again....to have friends and a boyfriend that I love. I had an experimental (in the US) program called CBT for psychosis. I take a very low dose of abilify 7.5 mg. It can happen just know that while it will not happen for everyone it does happen.

I am glad you have achived to be functioning, without psychosis and without too much medication side effects, somtimes they can be as devasting as the own disorder (I don't know if you actually get any because it's a low dose). The ideal is to be on the lowest AP dose as possible, and yeah, 7.5mg is really low, It's a good new you have achieved so much and it gives hope to other people

Was the CBT program specially heplful or wasn't it? I still see as important (in my case) to be med free in the future, but I understand that from your experience being on a low dose it's perfect instead of trying again to go off of it. I see CBT, art therapy and similar as a way to reduce (or even completely quit) medication, but it depends on each case

One of my objetives is achive what you have! A PhD, social life and work! I am working hard to get it

[Sometimes psychotic]

Originally Posted by OliverB

I am glad you have achived to be functioning, without psychosis and without too much medication side effects, somtimes they can be as devasting as the own disorder (I don't know if you actually get any because it's a low dose). The ideal is to be on the lowest AP dose as possible, and yeah, 7.5mg is really low, It's a good new you have achieved so much and it gives hope to other people

Was the CBT program specially heplful or wasn't it? I still see as important (in my case) to be med free in the future, but I understand that from your experience being on a low dose it's perfect instead of trying again to go off of it. I see CBT, art therapy and similar as a way to reduce (or even completely quit) medication, but it depends on each case

One of my objetives is achive what you have! A PhD, social life and work! I am working hard to get it

For me I would say that meds took care of 90% of the psychosis and cbt the remaining 10%----I just don't think cbt on its on is good enough for me at least but it may be one of those things that's variable just like medication.....but cbt was super helpful in dealing with the way I was thinking about other people I owe the friends/boyfriend to that.... meds really wouldn't touch my social difficulties.

[OliverB]

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

For me I would say that meds took care of 90% of the psychosis and cbt the remaining 10%----I just don't think cbt on its on is good enough for me at least but it may be one of those things that's variable just like medication.....but cbt was super helpful in dealing with the way I was thinking about other people I owe the friends/boyfriend to that.... meds really wouldn't touch my social difficulties.

Probably CBT is not able to take psychosis away, but I wonder if it is able to teach how to live with it. I have notices psychosis goes worse with stress. First there is a voice, and if you get stressed about it you get two I don't know if it is like this for all people, but I have found it true for myself, if I calmer and don't get stressed about the psychosis it doesn't get worse, while if I focuse on it get much more worse. Of course, sometimes it can be severe even if I am not stressed by it only because of external stress. I guess stressors are a big trigger and people with psychosis are specially sensitive to them, like an hypereactive brain.

I guess it's also possible to get severly psychotic without any stressor, but I find it more difficult to happen, at least for me, if I stay calm I only get maximum moderately psychotic (some dairly life things are stresfull for me, even if they are not "normal" stressors like an over demanding boss at work). I guess I am going to make a thread about this.

When you say "the way I was thinking about other people" was it a psychotic/paranoid way?

[Sometimes psychotic]

Originally Posted by OliverB

Probably CBT is not able to take psychosis away, but I wonder if it is able to teach how to live with it. I have notices psychosis goes worse with stress. First there is a voice, and if you get stressed about it you get two I don't know if it is like this for all people, but I have found it true for myself, if I calmer and don't get stressed about the psychosis it doesn't get worse, while if I focuse on it get much more worse. Of course, sometimes it can be severe even if I am not stressed by it only because of external stress. I guess stressors are a big trigger and people with psychosis are specially sensitive to them, like an hypereactive brain.

I guess it's also possible to get severly psychotic without any stressor, but I find it more difficult to happen, at least for me, if I stay calm I only get maximum moderately psychotic (some dairly life things are stresfull for me, even if they are not "normal" stressors like an over demanding boss at work). I guess I am going to make a thread about this.

When you say "the way I was thinking about other people" was it a psychotic/paranoid way?

Probably a bit paranoid like I thought people didn't like me and we're talking about me and occasionally I would overhear but I think those were more thoughts than hearing if that makes sense.....

[can't wake up]

I'm so glad to see someone who was able to pursue academics with a bipolar-psychosis type illness because that's something that's really important to me but being sick makes that seem impossible some days.

also I admire that you've become okay with staying on medicine

[mermanleon411]

I have recovered from a Psychotic Disorder and am now in college pursuing a bachelors degree in Chemistry. I still have depression however and self harm and will probably be on antipsychotics for the rest of my life.

Originally Posted by mermanleon411

I have recovered from a Psychotic Disorder and am now in college pursuing a bachelors degree in Chemistry. I still have depression however and self harm and will probably be on antipsychotics for the rest of my life.

It's great that you are doing better and able to pursue a degree! All the best with it

*Willow*