Lived Experience Forum

[Gilgamesh]

I made a post a few weeks ago detailing my experiences of psychosis. The post was taken down due to the fact that it might trigger someone. Yet we need to be triggered so we can learn to manage our various disorders. We are treated with overconcern and this leads to resentment in society.

Having experienced a psychotic disorder for most of my life and only diagnosed in recent years (having been placed on an anti-psychotic for anxiety - it allowed enough relief from paranioa that I was finally able to tell someone about what was going on) I've learnt to handle my episodes. As the fact remains that out of all the anti-psychotics that exist I haven't been on two. It has me worried that I'm medication resistant. And along with that comes a feeling of helplessness. Medication should only ever be part of the solution and therapy doesn't work on psychotic disorders. It has to come from within I think. 

How has others with psychotic disorders learned to cope? Is it purely medication?

[Former-Member]

Meds.... sorry.
Anxiety reduction techniques help a little, but they're not going to help much if I think every pedestrian on the street hates me and wants me dead. (as a personal example) Or if I think that my brain is rotting in my head because I'm evil and the devil will take control of my body when my brain finishes rotting away (another personal example).
Nope, anxiety reduction, talking to someone, distractions - nothing helped with that kinda stuff.

[CherryBomb]

Hi @Gilgamesh (really like your name and avatar pic),

Thanks for having another and posting again.

To answer your question, I think it's very individual. Some people can manage by living a health life with good rest, support and counseling, diet and exercise, other needs this as well as meds. I've know of a few people who worked with their psychiatrist to gradually take themselves of meds. But others find that they need meds to stay stable. 

I thought you might want to join in on this discussion started by @samt31. It's about meds, and voices. I'm not sure if hear voices, but I thought it might be a relevant discussion for you as it's about medication. 

[Queenie]

@Gilgamesh I manage my psychotic illness with a combination of strategies. Medication, therapy (I have a mixture of therapy like CBT and ACT), addressing the whole person and my unique situation (using the biopsychosocial model), regular respite options (for before a crisis develops), support from my partner and wonderful friends and regular contact with an integrated care team consisting of GP, psychiatrist, clinical psychologist and mental health nurse. 

I hope this helps.

[Gilgamesh]

Thank you.