Medication Trap

[Former-Member]

Hey folks,.

The medications I am on took couple of weeks to kick in. I start to feel little bit better. All of a sudden you feel like yourself again. You feel great cos the meds kicked in. Because you feel great you start to think you dont need medication anymore. I dont need to see that Psych or GP, I dont need these pills, I am not mentally ill. I am above that. 

I stopped taking meds before and I fell into deep depression, anxiety and psychosis. Whatever you take your medications for it comes back. Be aware of it, dont get stuck on it. Dont get trapped by it. 

Hardest thing for me is to keep taking medications on daily basis. How does anyone on these forums continue to take medications? How they take ownership of their illness and continue to take meds as they should? I would like some feedback. Thanks.

[utopia]

@Former-Member. If I didn't take my meds I would get sick and probably suicide. It's that straight forward. They keep me alive - as well as allowing me to live life.
I've always hated taking medication, even for a bad headache. But a bad headache will eventually go, hours or days later. My depression and suicidal thoughts won't stay away without the meds.
So I'm grateful there is medication around that works for me.
When I'm unwell - we up my meds. When I'm well - we lower the dose.

[utopia]

@Former-Member. The other part of your question. Accepting you have a MI.
The facts are there. If you broke your arm - you accept that the doctor has it right - that your arm is broken.
If you have Diabetes - you may need medication or insulin. You start feeling better because the meds are working. But you don't stop taking them. Because you are still Diabetic. Just as you still have a mental illness. It's just a different part of the body.

[Former-Member]

I agree 100%. I will have to stay vigilant in my recovery and not take meds for granted. My GP did say if I yo yo with the meds, they might stop working. Thanks for your message.  

[BambiFawn]

Hey dear @Former-Member, 

Ya It is best to stay on your medication for your own well-being.

After my sibling was sadly murdered about the time of the birth of my baby in the post partum period at 26, I started hearing my mother's voice and having auditory hallucinations.  I had the voice every second of the day and it must've been chronic and it was hell and purgatory. But as soon as I was given the anti psychotic it blocked the voice and I was back to normal again. And it was the best feeling in the world.  Then I was discharged from the Govt. psychiatrist and they wrote I was in remission of mental illness. I felt on top of the world.

Howevor when I was non compliant with medication the voices returned every second and the pain was intolerable, and I was put on an injection against my wishes and placed on an order.  So it is best to be compliant and take medication otherwise you may be regulated and put on an order.

Years later I came off the order and it was revoked and I chose my preferred anti pychotic drug which had fewer side effects.  I've stayed well on medication and because I've taken my medication religiously I've been well and in october this year, I've not been in hospital for 10 good years.  So this is an achievement and a personal milestone.  But it is the medication keeping me well, if I lower the dosage or stop meds I will naturally relapse. I just have to say the serenity prayer and accept i need to take my medication or i will become unwell.  And It's great being well anyway, so I've grown accostomed to the fat that the medicine is good for me and does me good and i need it for life.

There are triggers that can make me unwell such as recently with lack of sleep and abusive texts or calls from my mother, and then I just adjust my medication to a slightly higher dosage as by authority of my Doctor. 

So the best thing to do is take the medication and count your blessings.  My drug keeps me really relaxed and can help me sleep, apart from the diabetes, I am content and happier on the drug than hallucinating every second.  I have quality of life now. And the side effect of euphoria on my drug is great lol.  

[Former-Member]

I don't know.
I'm just commenting to follow this discussion.
I went off my meds a few weeks ago to gain some perspective. I don't know what to do. Taking my meds uses to be so easy. Now I don't think I'm worth it.

[BambiFawn]

You're worth it dear beautiful @Former-Member,
God loves you, remember this luv.
'You are precious in God's sight'.
You are His masterpiece. God loves you, you are His child and He loves you with an everlasting love. God's love is constant and never changes. Think on God's love for you. God thinks you are worth it. Take care

[Owlunar]

Hi @BambiFawn@Former-Member@Former-Member@utopia

Hi everyone - I don't like taking medication all the time either - I take it for chronic spinal pain and the damage is obvious on my MRI - which might make my scenario easier because my disorder is visible

But should I miss one of my slow-release tablets I am in agony - and it takes a whole day to get the pain under control

So yes - it's hard for me to imagine why people would want to stop their medication - but again - no one can see the root cause for MI - maybe that's why there is a problem with the medication

With pain it's obvious - the medication just hides the pain - it's there all the time - and that's how it is with MH medication - it's "hiding" the problem

Through the years of my life since I injured my spine I have read about people not liking their medication and I don't like mine either - but it's far better to take the medication and live a half-way decent life

I do wish all of you the best though - wonderful if we could stop rattling - I do understand that

Dec

[BambiFawn]

Hi dear lovely @Owlunar, you are such a sweetie and I really enjoy chatting with you.  

Sorry to hear you have spinal pain.

Auditory hallucinations are extremely painful for me anyway.  But my drug totally blocks them out and I get euphoria sometimes.

I'm happy that the anti psychotics work for me and I'm on 1/4 of theaverage dose, so I am quite blessed but my friend has chronic schizophrenia and is on a high dose and the anti psychotic doesn't block out the voices and sadly he has legions of voices.

Anyway let's have a virtual cup of coffee and a piece of cake dear lovely Dec.  A distraction and another topic would be lovely.  

[Owlunar]

Hi @BambiFawn

Yes - a cood idea - coffee and whatever I find here and a different topic - I can talk about my cat - Companion Cat

It has been a little warmer in Melbourne over the last couple of days and so I turned the heater in my bedroom off yesterday - too warm in there

I was out in the late afternoon walking around outside in a short sleeve shirt - when I got home my cat started to get needy - what's wrong? I had cleaned her litter tray, she had food and water and yet she walked around and around on my lap and meowed a lot - for her life was terrible

It wasn't until I went to bed that I realised the bedroom heater was turned off and Companion Cat likes to curl herself around it  - what terrible neglect but I refuse to feel guilty

Now what goodies can I find to have with the coffee?

Definitely white cookies with white chocolate chips I really need to make myself another batch of cookies - with white chocolate chips - they melt in the mouth -

Okay - these are virtual but imagine - imagine the real deal

Dec