has anyone ever come off their medication against medical advice? If so, how?

[dangermouseisace]

I've recently been diagnosed with a personality disorder, one of the reasons was that I managed to get depressed whilst on a cocktail of anti depressants. My life has been quite shit though recently, so I was a bit and fully expect if I hadn't got depressed, I would have been classed as inappropriately happy.

Anyway, that led me to think why on earth am I taking these drugs then? I'm on 3 different medications, and if they are supposedly not doing anything except making it really easy for me to gain weight I'd rather not be on them. I brought this up with my psychiatrist who said that I would need to remain stable for a period of time before they suggest reducing. However, if I am 'unstable' due to my personality, surely this would be akin to waiting until hell freezes over. And then I got to thinking...maybe my medication makes me more likely to get unwell so I'm trapped in some psychopharmaceutical industrial complex thingy?

I don't go psychotic when unwell (I do get some odd thoughts/experiences but I know they aren't real). I'm wondering- do I have the right to request my medication is gradually reduced despite not fulfilling their stability criteria, or do I just have to go cold turkey, one medication at a time? Has anyone else been in this situation?

You're the one in control of what you take :) You can let your doctor/psychiatrist know you have decided you're not going to take them any more and ask what the best and safest way to do it is. They can advise against it but they have to give you the information so that when you stop taking them you do it as safely as possible.

Thanks jellylellyjenjenbean

Speak to your health care professionals before you do anything. Don't just stop taking your meds, it may be dangerous to your physical health to do that.

I will say though that this:

"maybe my medication makes me more likely to get unwell so I'm trapped in some psychopharmaceutical industrial complex thingy?"

Doesn't sound like you as well as you think you are.

Just make sure you liaise with the person advising you on how to taper down and come off them. It's better to review the action plan and do it a bit more slowly than you'd like than do it too quickly.

But I understand what you mean about medication making it more likely you'll get unwell and how the facts are hidden by the pharmaceutical industry. Scary when you research into it all isn't it!

MrsChollySawcutt, look at talks on youtube by Robert Whitaker regarding anti-psychotic and antidepressant medication as well as Dr. Joanna Moncrieff. The story that we're told about mental illness and medication is based on lies and omission of truth.