Posted by yxibow on May 5, 2008, at 1:57:48
In reply to Re: TRUTH ABOUT PSYCHOSIS AND SCHIZOPHRENIA » Jeroen, posted by Quintal on May 2, 2008, at 11:34:40
> Jeroen I know where you're coming from. It's not nice to have to take medication that makes you feel unwell, much less being forced to take it.
>
> I was given this book by my mental health team after I had my first (manic) psychotic episode "Madness Explained: Psychosis and Human Nature". I think you would find it helpful if you could get a copy. He explains in depth the process of how and why people go mad, and also what he considers the role of psychiatric treatment such as hospitalization and antipsychotic medication. I higly recommend it. Might give you some new ideas of where to go from here in terms of how you view your psychosis and how to manage it.
>
> Q
I don't know what the state of the health care system in Belgium is but in general in the 21st century we have migrated away from earlier 20th century scenarios of mental hospitals. Though while it seems psychiatry has advanced, certainly advanced a lot, it has a lot more to address.That being said, if someone is told to be compliant with medication, if they do take it willingly the situation becomes much easier. I know it is a horrible state to be in -- I feel some days that my medication regime and 7 years of psychiatry (not individuals specifically, just the concept) feels court ordered.
I could stop taking an AP and a whole bunch of other things but my "functionality" would drop so low that I would be suicidal, filled with anxiety, my disorder (non psychotic but with multiple somatiform complexes ) would increase and could change, and ultimately the situation I'm in where I can't change anything too fast and while I am able to choose so, I can't go off medications would cause my daily living to change radically to having others have to take care of me.
The same thing can be said about strong cases of schizophreniform disorders. On an antipsychotic, there are numerous examples of people who are very high functioning (I hate the word, but thats what it means -- they are more connected to the world and able to do much more on their own) and able to hold down jobs that you wouldn't know they were on medication.Which brings me to the point -- nobody knows you're on medication unless you tell them. Its hard not to live by defining oneself by ones illness instead of what one is able to do by functioning and accomplishment.
Anyhow, just my view.
poster:yxibow
thread:826646
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080430/msgs/827264.html