I can speak from experience. I was hospitalized 18 times and had 19 ECT treatments because I refused to take medication as prescribed for schizophrenia and accompanying depression. Was I a danger? Definitely. I not only tried to kill myself 3 times, but the devil was telling me to kill my then-husband; I seriously considered doing so.
And here's the tricky part: I was forcibly medicated a number of times and threatened with being taken to court if I did not comply while I was in the hospital. Once I got out, of course, taking the meds or not taking them was up to me again. At the time, I was incensed because I in all my psychotic glory thought the doctors were the ones who were nuts. Why take medication when I could see no use in it and when the side effects were almost intolerable?
It was not until 15 years later that I really started taking medication as prescribed by my psychiatrist. Now, I did regularly see my primary care and psychiatrist practitioners all during this 15 years. And I complied with everything they suggested...except for taking an antipsychotic. And I suffered because of it, and so did my loved ones who doubtless suffered with me every day. Fortunately, I guess I took the antipsychotics just often enough to keep me to keep me sane enough not to actually commit homicide or suicide.
If I had killed myself, I suppose that would have been up to me. That would have been a bad decision but was nevertheless my decision to throw away my life. If I had killed someone else...well, what a tragedy that would have been. And while yes, it would have been doubless preventable with medication, was it right to be forced to take medication? In the interest of protecting society at large? Even though at the time I thought it was a violation of my rights?
You see, I am afforded a different point of view now than from when I was non-compliant...becuase I am taking an antipsychotic now that really works. At least I was given the option of trying new antipsychotics when they came out on the market, to try to find one that did not cause bad side effects yet was effective. I am still open to trying anything that might be better than what I am taking right now. Because now, I wake up at 2 or 3am every morning. I also have a keen edge on my appetite that I have to keep under control. Not as bad as when on my previous antipsychotic, so I know there can be improvement in how they affect me.
Now, to get back to my question. Yes, it was right of the doctor who threatened legal action if I were to try to leave the hospital AMA (against medical advice.) Yes it was right to require me to take the medication while I was in the hospital. Yes it was right for my psychiatrist to intermitently contact my mother, with whom I am living, to tell her of my lack of progress and need for hospitalization. Here's the kicker: since I refused to take the medication I was not of sufficient mental capacity to make the decision of whether or not it was a good idea. Someone else had to make that decision for me. And I'm glad they did.
Slippery slope? Yes. Either way you look at it.
The flip side is when you're doing so well on the meds your psychiatrist thinks you were misdiagnosed and takes you off them.
I know a guy who was a stockbroker making tons of money and he trusted his doctor when the psychiatrist took him off his meds. He would've never done this if it weren't for the psychiatrist. Two years later he got much, much worse. Suffice it to say he's not a stockbroker now.
My experience has been that everyone who discontinues their SZ meds isn't successful. I'm willing to try to understand a different approach to taking meds if I could be convinced it really does work for the majority of people.
I would be open to another possibility if we could stem the tide of violence committed by people who are not in treatment and go without medication.
The real issue is the lack of treatment.
Christina
While some people will no doubt disagree with me I feel that because I have found the correct medication for me that it has allowed me to live a normal life. I still have good days and bad days but I firmly believe if I was not on medication I would not be as stable as I am today. The way I feel about taking medication is that many people in society take meds for a variety of problems and just because i take meds to control my mental health thn why would I try to fix something if it is not broken
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IMHO:
You don't want to play a deadly game of roulette with people's lives. Nor do you want to play roulette when it comes to someone's recovery. You do the right thing when there are warning signs and to just wait-and-see what happens is NOT a sane approach in my book. You don't wait to do something until the final bullet confirms your tactic is not working.
It's sad that criminals have the right to be given SZ meds yet ordinary citizens are routinely denied the drugs when they need them. Mind you: I'm not advocating you kill someone just so you'll be taken seriously enough to be granted treatment.
It kind of stinks doesn't it? This scenario stinks.
The alleged Soteria shooter had run-ins with his ex-landlord over his obsession with guns.
Obsession with guns?
What part of drug-free living does this scenario resemble?
Neighbors complained of blood-curdling screams coming from Soteria and had to call the police 12 times in six months.
Seriously.
I'm not making this stuff up. Ever.
Truth is stranger than fiction as the saying goes.
Drug-free living: you decide.
Forgot to place my name: Christina