I am not sure why but one class of drugs I have become increasingly fascinated with are antipsychotics. I understand they are not talked about a lot since they have no recreational value but what is it like being on Haldol, Risperidone, Seroquel and the like?
I am curious to hear firsthand from people have been on them. From what I have seen most people report feeling very sedated and just an overall "Gray/dull/numb" feeling. Regardless, I would like to hear from the people here.
Meds gave me akathisia which is inability to sit still even for a couple minutes. I can't watch shows, read or focus on pretty much anything. Can't quit medication because my schizophrenia might get worse. I don't know what to do. I sleep 15 hours a day and have trouble filling the remaining 9 hours. I can't continue living like this.
While my personal experience doesnt account for much : I gave myself self-induced psychosis via cannabis abuse, amphetamine abuse, sleep deprivation, and DPH. I did this in order to experiment with alternative antipsychotic treatment options, to test out how well they work. Cannabis, amphetamine, DPH and sleep deprivation all induce psychotic symptoms. Paranoia, delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations, and more.
A Blue Lotus Alcohol Tincture completely annihilated all of my psychotic symptoms.
I was under the influence of that pro-psychotic drug stack long enough for psychotic symptoms to appear while sober, which is what I intended. And taking the blue lotus tincture before bed, diminished my positive symptoms throughout the following day, and got rid of them completely in less than a few weeks.
Drug induced psychosis is known to clear up quicker than regular psychosis. So, don’t expect to go into remission if you’ve had long-term symptoms. But that doesn’t mean it won’t help out in some way.
Nuciferine work’s similarly to many pharmaceutical antipsychotics. Blue Lotus seems to be a completely natural antipsychotic and I wish more people knew this fact.
EDIT:
I have calmed down now and know that I need to ignore my family.
Here are my black-and-white rules to stop me from further mental destabilization:
- No cringe subreddit content, especially TumblrInAction.
- No TERF content.
- No detrans content.
- No conservative content.
- No sleep deprivation.
This should stop me from further spiraling over being trans and non-transition treatment.
Sleep deprivation and TumblrInAction are the likely triggering factors for today.
It just surprises me cause so much horrific things go down in the mental hospitals especially with them forcing meds and unneeded sedatives.They strip people against their will,drag people across carpets,sexually abuse physically disables patients in wheel chairs,ETC. I have seen many people say the staff members are the scariest part about mental hospitals well other than the pills.
Hello, I wanted to ask about this to see if it had any merit; I was wondering if taking low doses of this stuff could help with apathy/anhedonia caused by antipsychotics or if it’s something that is dangerous/doesn’t work. Thank you for any answers.
I started taking anti-psychotics about 4 years ago. I am now around 50-60 pounds overweight. I hate the way I look and I feel pretty bad about myself due to it. My self-esteem is pretty bad. If it matters, the meds I took over those 4 years were Risperdal, Zyprexa, Abilify, Geodon, and now I'm on Latuda. I have never been on more than one anti-psychotic medication at a time. Latuda doesn't seem to have any negative side effects on me. Going off of anti-psychotics is not an option for me. In fact, I need to take them for the rest of my life. I am not sure what to do. My weight now hovers around 185 pounds and doesn't seem to change for the worst or the better.
I made another post on here and found out that some people have managed to lose weight while taking anti-psychotics. So now I want to know how those of you who lost weight on anti-psychotics succeeded. What on earth did you guys do?
Some more information about me. I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder 1 since 2010 and I’ve had a LOT more mania and hypomania than depression over the years. I was never consistently on an antipsychotic until Fall 2020 (Risperdal) and then switched to Latuda (on 60 mg) in November 2021 hoping that the Latuda would help depression but it didn’t unfortunately although I am still on it. I had a severe depression from November 2020 to February 2021 and then after the heaviness of the depression went away instead of going back into hypomania like I used to in the early spring I just had this consistent lack of motivation and lack of interest in things. Almost like a mild depression but I can still enjoy some things. I just have a much harder time starting things and I want to go back to bed after I drop my son off at daycare (I’m self employed). I had trouble doing school, I have trouble wanting to watch tv or read books or work on my small business. I have never had depression for THIS long - it’s been over a year now since I’ve felt this way and in the 12 years since having bipolar disorder this has NEVER happened. It’s almost like the antipsychotic is dampering my ability to have motivation. Obviously it’s a good thing I’m not manic but I want to be able to enjoy things and feel motivated. I consider trying a third antipsychotic but I don’t want to take an antipsychotic that causes weight gain and have already tried Abilify briefly years ago (gave me horrible akathisia) and Zyprexa and Seroquel made me zombie like. Also I should add that I already tried Lexapro and Zoloft while I was going through the severe depression and they did nothing. So my psychiatrist says that some people just deal with depression a lot longer but this is new. And I don’t want to accept this as my new normal. Does anyone have any insight? Thanks!
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So I went to a substance abuse treatment program about a month ago and it pissed me off how the doctor prescribed over the top medications for seemingly dumb reasons. Twice they tried to prescribe me different antipsychotics and pretty much everyone else was prescribed an antipsychotic for sleep or racing thoughts. Did the psychiatrist just not know the long term health complications of these things? It’s been shown that quetiapine for sleep does more harm than good time and time again, tardive dyskinesia, Parkinson’s, and increased risk of dementia among others. What is going on here?
Hello wonderful community,
I was diagnosed 10 years ago, have tried over 12 meds during that span. Two months ago, my doc switched me off abilify and onto seroquel. It was a terrible experience being on both meds but especially seroquel. I told my doc and he wanted to switch me to lithium. I got all the blood work done and have the pills. However, still haven’t taken them after 2 months off meds.
I noticed that off meds I am not emotionally numb anymore—I finally have a range of emotions instead of just “manic” and “depressed” and “numb.” I am able to connect better with people because I experience happiness now around people I love—who would have thought?! I haven’t felt stable and happy for at least 10 years since I was diagnosed.
Here are some examples of how I perceive myself to be stable and happy:
- I am holding a job for longer than 1.5 months for the first time ever in my 30 years on this planet.
- I feel LOVE and HAPPINESS for the first time in a long time.
- I quit smoking cigarettes a month ago after having smoked for 11 years.
- yesterday was my first day not smoking weed in 5 years.
- I am genuinely connecting with my partner and supporting from my heart.
I am not doubting my diagnosis. I am not saying that I am not going deny the benefits of meds for people and am going to take my first dose of lithium tonight. But wtf? Every doctor I’ve had has told me that my life will immediately go to shit off meds. And mine seems to be the most stable it’s ever been rn.
Anyone else have this experience?
Tdlr: Off all meds for 2 months. Not emotionally numb and feel “stable”for the first time in 10 years. Going to start my first dose of lithium tonight.
If it helps I 1mg of respridone twice a day and I’m gaining weight fast.
I transitioned from one antipsychotic to another.
My doctor gave me 30 pills. She said take 1 a day for 5 days, and go up to 2 a day after that.
Standard stuff.
When it came time for a refill, my insurance wouldn't refill it because it hadn't been 30 days.
So I was completely out at this point, and I'm quitting it cold turkey.
It had been keeping me up at night and causing me to clench my jaw, so I wasn't very happy on it in general. I figured if I was going to go completely off of it, fuck it, I'll just stay off of it.
Going back on, I'm just going to have this same problem whenever I have a dose increase. Etc.
I have been on some kind of antipsychotic for years.
I emailed my doctor and told her all of this, fully expecting her to fire me. (I've been her patient for 4 years now)
She just emailed me back, "I understand and completely agree."
She said as long as I have a plan in place and reach out to her if I'm in distress, that she trusts me and trusts my body.
Today has been a weird day. I don't know how I feel about this.
I'm relieved on one hand, but also scared.
Thanks for reading. I just needed to get that out.
I used to be an intelligent guy. I never thought so, yet people always complimented my intellect and maturity for my age. Now I often get told I'm mentally disabled and talked to as such. I can't communicate with people reasonably well; I forget how a person is supposed to act in society, i.e., formality etc. When I talk and write, I have little comprehension of what I say or other people say unless they use an elementary-level vocabulary. I have forgotten who I am as a person, what I like, and my beliefs, and I've become such a naive person—easily manipulated, bullied and often taken advantage of. I feel like all the antipsychotics I've been given over 5 years have ruined me as a person and ultimately reverted me to a child-like intellect with very little understanding of the world around me and people. Before I had a good grasp on life. Now I feel overwhelmed, hopeless and depressed because my future looks so bleak. I see myself as homeless or living off social assistance for the rest of my life. Why? Because I cannot even learn I forget so easily. My memory is like the woman in the movie 21 first dates with Adam Sandler. The woman starts every day over and over again because she only has the memory of what happened to her 5years ago and after that her memory fails her. That is my life, except even my past is hard to remember. I'm really struggling and hope I'm able to recover from all the antipsychotics I've been given. If I can't, I fear for my future as I'm unemployable with all my cognitive problems and lack of knowledge. I guess what I'm asking is, is there hope for me? Can my brain recover, and if so, how long will it take? Because I don't know how much longer I can handle not learning or improving myself. Improve, being the best me I could be was my life before I got traumatized beyond a level I could cope with. My whole life was trauma, and when I finally sought help, I was reduced to this. I don't want to be so down on life, but damn, if I can't learn because my memory is so poor, what the hell can I do. People won't employ me because I have no experience in labourer-type jobs, and what I do have experience in I can no longer do because I can't function like I used to.
Sorry for the rant, and thank you to anyone who answers.
I’ve discontinued Risperidone around 3 weeks ago. I’m still emotionally numb and anhedonic but I’ve also noticed that my cognition is very poor. My head is empty and my imagination and creativity is gone. I am a mute and I can’t talk to anyone because I can’t think of anything to say. This is probably horrible grammar it feels like I’ve not only lost much of my soul but my intelligence as well. Will my cognition and emotions ever return? I just want to be a human again.
Currently on abilify 300mg and the cogntive impairment and emotional flattening is driving me nuts. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia but at times towards the end of my 400mg abilify it felt like my cognition and emotions came back with a vengeance. Shortly after maybe a week like this I got my next shot and havnt had my cognition come back since. This indicates to me that it's the meds that are impairing me however their still necessary to prevent psychosis. Thinking of trying a new med, anyone have any suggestions on what to try? I've heard vraylar/cariprazine is good?
I’m on abilify and prozac and wanted to try psilocybin. Will there be any bad interactions/should I avoid trying ? I just wanna live life to the fullest and try new things.
Hello all you wonderful people, before you ask no I'm not skipping them intentionally. It's just that I've ran out of them and my mom is waiting till monday to buy them because she doesn't grasp the harshness of the situation. What will happen to me? I can't buy them myself because on weekends only several pharmacies are open in the entire city. Thanks in advance ^^
Over the next few months I plan on tapering off olanzapine, I’ve been on it for about a year following a drug induced psychotic break. I’m hoping to find success stories of people that have gotten off their antipsychotic medication.
Did anyone experience severe lack of pleasure and flatness before they ever took antipsychotics? I’m starting to think Negative symptoms are caused by antipsychotics. It makes sense because they block the pleasure chemical, dopamine. I have taken antipsychotics since elementary school so I can’t really answer this question myself.
Hello. I believe I have bipolar since the first year of high school but they diagnosed me with major depression back then. At the first year of the university, they suspected that I might have bipolar disorder. I stopped taking my mood stabilizer and continued with Seroquel since I had terrible hallucinations back then. In the last year, they decided to add Lamictal to my treatment and I got much better. I graduated from university last year and in the December, I had a terrible psychotic breakdown to the point that I had to go to the ER. After that I quitted Seroquel on my own and I was so peaceful and I felt like a normal person again. After one month my mind started to get manic and my brain started to daydream constantly without my consent. Recently they started to treat me with Aripa. And I got worse in two days, just like when I used to take Seroquel. I stopped taking it and I was more peaceful but my mind was like its past state. I mean, even that was more peaceful than when I took Aripa. I don't know what to do and how to get out of this hell of a mind. I think I need better mood stabilizer because Lamictal really makes me feel normal but not enough to function. Do you have any advices related to this situation? Thanks.
Can someone inspire me here? I feel low
When I'm off my meds (abilify maintanea) I tumble into psychosis however I get my emotions and cognition back. Anyone have experiences with less sedating (less cognitive impairment and emotional flattening) antipsychotics and could you list them?
My parents are fed up with me not going to school and doing bad at life and think psychiatry is a solution. I tried explaining to them that antipsychotics cause brain damage and diabetes and myocarditis but they aren't having it. They point to those bullshit "groups" they have in psych wards as counselling sessions even though I've explained over and over that those groups are run by people who don't really care and it's just a front so outsiders looking in have something to point to. I really don't want to be on community treatment order but they're insistent about it.
I don't want Youtube videos or some random guy's website, I'd like news articles and scientific papers from reputable websites please.
It been suggested to me and sounds interesting.
What was your experience? My psychiatrist wants to see how I do without them. I had a psychotic break close to a year ago, and I'm nervous about relapsing.
I've always had this resting habit of rotating my feet, but this is something else entirely. I can't sleep on account of this incessant urge to "morning stretch" my legs. This didn't start until I was given vraylar to try out, which I promptly took myself off of because it gave me extreme insomnia, which I still seem to be shaking off, but the restless leg is increasing in severity.
Anyone else with a similar story or maybe it's just family history catching up with me?
I’m an individual of special needs. I have a paralyzed left arm from a catastrophic car crash. I smoked weed for years to help with my pain with a lot of success. Until 4 months ago I was prescribed olanzapine for psychosis. Now I can’t seem to get high and my pain is through the roof.
I’m afraid olanzapine has done permanent damage and I can’t get high anymore. Does anyone have experience in recovering from this sort of thing? Weed is a miracle drug for me and I need relief please.
Has anyone recovered from not getting high from weed because of antipsychotics?
Please help
Edit: I just quit olanzapine cold turkey 3 days ago. PLEASE HELP ME.
Im taking Invega Trinza and Epival and i feel like the side effects are ruining my life. I gained 50 lbs, i am tired and lazy all day and can barely do anything for a long period of time, and i am having sexual problems and cannot stay hard for long and sometimes cannot get hard at all. I also sleep like 16 to 18 hours a day. I would like to get off this medications ASAP does anyone know how long you have to take antipsychotics after 2 psychosis episodes?? I heard its longer if you have psychosis for a second time.
I’m starting ketamine treatment this weekend potentially but nervous about the interactions between Risperidone and Ketamine. I’ve read of one study online saying it lessons the effect and messes with the glutamate response. I’m linking the article because I really don’t understand it so maybe someone can shed some light on this. Ketamine Interactions
Does anyone feel like antipsychotics made ketamine less effective?
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Even low doses of Abilify and Seroquel make me feel really dull and dissociated for most/all of the day. Has anyone found an AP that doesn’t do that? Do I just have to suck it up and deal with it?
Hey everyone! I was in this group seeking guidance and support a year ago trying to come off of Zyprexa, then Seroquel. While I still take a much more innocuous SSRI and am currently tapering, I have completely tapered off all antipsychotic medications and have no lingering effects or withdrawal. The internet is full of horror stories and I wanted to share a success story and give others encouragement and hope.
I took Zyprexa at 5 mg for 3-4 months for anxiety and felt severe brain fog which made my daily work and life difficult. I had a hard time following a news article, podcast, or TV show. I asked my doctor to take me off Zyprexa because of the concerns here and he switched me to Seroquel, soon after which I started experiencing extrapyramidal symptoms (small involuntary movements). Concerned I might be starting to develop tardive dyskinesia (TD), I asked to be taken off all antipsychotics, but needed something to help me sleep as the abrupt stop from Zyprexa gave me horrible insomnia. The doctor prescribed trazodone next.
While on trazodone I continued to experience brutal insomnia from the antipsychotic withdrawal, rarely sleeping more than 3-4 hours per night. I continued to barely be able to function at work and struggled to read a book or listen to a podcast. After ~4 months I was finally able to sleep through the night and regain my cognitive function, which is now back to normal. My dad recently told me my recovery has been “miraculous” and unlike anything else he has seen. I still take an SSRI but have minimal side effects, although I am currently (slowly) tapering it.
During this experience I experienced an inpatient hospitalization and partial hospital program, spent $15K on a condescending therapist who interpreted my concerns about permanent brain damage from antipsychotics as evidence of delusional disorder, and felt suicidal daily for months while asking family members to allow me to die.
To those struggling like I did, it is possible to recover from the damage caused by psych medication. Doctors recklessly took me off medications cold turkey. A slow, gradual taper is safer and healthier.
I scrolled pretty far but no title matched this in the last year.
For personal research purposes, I would like to ask, if by any chance someone else has got to a point (as to "why" is unimportant) when they've been forced or strongly advised to use antipsychotics?
If the answer is yes, how would you describe the... experience?
So I’ve been having pain in my breast for MONTHS. I’ve seen a doctor and she did a breast exam and said she didn’t feel any lumps and attributed the pain to me gaining weight (I’ve gained 30lbs since may after switching to a different anti psychotic)
But I recently woke up one morning with my shirt a little wet and realized a white liquid coming out of my nipples. I looked up lactation when not pregnant (I took a test it was negative and I’ve had regular menstruation) my online research said that breast pain and lactation can be a side effect of certain antipsychotics?! My doctor did not tell me this. I’ve been in a constant state of stress for months thinking I was developing a breast lump due to how uncomfortable and long lasting this has been and I’ve asked several times and no one told me it could be from my meds.
:(. What are my options. I’m super sensitive to medication. So far, I’ve tried:
Seroquel Abilify 5 mg Zyprexa/Olanzapine Risperidone 1 mg Haldol 1 mg Latuda (stopped working)
Antipsychotics I haven’t tried: Invega Rexulti Saphris Geodon Seroquel XR
