coming off antipsychotics for schizophrenia completely

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I have schizophrenia for which I started medication in 1991. I was on 6 mg risperidone some six years ago which even went to 7-8mg. Recently after discussing with my psychiatrist it was reduced to 2 mg. I still feel very good with this ultra low dose with no symptoms. My sleep continues to be very good and I work normally. I eat healthy and exercise 1.5-2 hours a day for 5-6 days a week. I like to experiment and am trying lot of things that I believe is helping my mental health

I am seeking opinion if it is actually possible to come off medication completely for schizophrenia. I have ideas that if a schizophrenic is able to have insights into his disease during an episode and struggles to come out of it, that actually helps him. Currently I am not in an episode even with this ultra low dose

When I go into an episode I meditate, exercise and try to control my thoughts. I continue to work, which is difficult but I make strong effort to do that. These things have helped me in the past and I believe that my ultra low dose is possible mainly because I do all this in episode. I have managed to retain job for 27 years without a break and I have always done these kind of things

The down side of going into an episode is that I talk rubbish and my relatives get disturbed, though I am harmless. I want to talk to my psychiatrist about my ideas and try them

Has anyone else got any ideas like this.

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  • Posted

    I stopped taking Modecate injections way back in 1987. I had suffered badly with schizophrenia for years, in my 20's and all advice was to keep taking the injections. I was amazed that I didn't relapse and went on to study at university and then a career in accountancy. I was feeling great and thought I had left the past behind.

    However, I did relapse, thirty years later and it was worse than before. I've been off work for five years and take Clozapine, which brings a whole lot of problems with it. It's a real nuisance but I have to live with it. I might not work again, which is unfortunate.

    It was years later that I discovered this phenomenon called Saturn Return. It's when the planet Saturn reaches the point it was at when you were born. I was in my late twenties/early thirties. I was amazed when I studied this and it gave many explanations. As it happens, I am reaching my second saturn return now, some thirty years after the first one. It will last a couple of years and I am hoping it will open doors as easily as the first one did. Google it and find out more.

    My advice is to tread carefully and to try and recognise if things are getting worse and take action. You might not get much support for coming off medication with everybody giving warnings and opinions of dreadful things to happen if you stop the meds. You won't know until you try but keep options open, just in case you do relapse and need medication again.

    Good luck, I hope it works out for you.

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