Hi,
Thank you for sharing your experiences! Yes, it is wonderful we have a place where we can share our hard earned wisdom! Interesting to hear that your ”psychotic” experiences were also of a spiritual nature. And how wonderful, that you are psych drug free since 2009! I used a tapering strip in december 2021, but nevertheless, I had another psychotic experience unfortunately, for which I needed to be hospitalized again. But now, I am fine again. Thank you for sharing your experiene that you were weaned of the psych drugs over a period of about three years. That is longer, than I took. This was more a period of 1.5 year.
Hi dear Joshua,
Thank you for your comment!
I saw the title of the book. I definitely agree with the need for empathy and love in the field of psychiatry. Also peer experts can help a lot.
Peace and all the best,
May-May
Dear Gina,
It is always better to talk face to face. And I am sorry if you feel hurt by my words. I explain what happened to me, in the hope it helps others.
Wish you all the best,
May-May
Hi Gina,
Thank you for your loving words. I have taken a look at what you posted. A lot of what I read sounds familiar to what happened to me. Yes, we were both college teachers. I wish that I could help you, but I am based in the Netherlands. All I can say, is that psychiatrists and nurses try to help you….It took a long time before I found that out. And for me, it was and still is, extremely difficult to take antipsychotics. Not only because I thought that I would be poisoned then (which was not the case), but also because of the side effects. In my case, they made me feel sleepy, I gained weight etc. But in my case they do help. Wish you all the best!
Thank you for your openess Julie. I hope that you are feeling better and that other docters treat you well. And you say that beautifully, a universal struggle. I hope, that with sharing all our experiences we will feel better.
Yes, we all want to be understood, loved and included. I wish you all the best!
Dear Sam,
What beautiful to read how you and your wife formed a close bond during her mental storms! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. When I say “they couldn’t reach me anymore”, I mean that I hardly wasn’t able to talk with anyone. Not even with my sister. I could talk about superficial things like the weather, but there was another world of the secret service which attracted my attention. When my psychosis was severe, I acted as my voices told me to do. My mission was to pursue world peace, and I literally pushed away anyone who was in my way. I have tried to describe this gradual process in my book ‘Inner Voices’. I wish you and your wife all the best! Wonderful that the ‘overlapping realities’ are mostly a distant memory.
That is interesting indeed. In my answer above to Ekaterina, I just wrote that ‘psychosis’ doesn’t necessarily mean that you are in one state or in the other. In my book “Inner Voices” I try to give insight in how my thoughts switch between the ‘normal world’ and my ‘psychotic thoughts’. Gradually the ‘psychotic thoughts’ take over. I must admit that I stayed away from Internal Family Systems, but yes, maybe it is helpful indeed. Although I already tried a lot and I am also happy with the way I am feeling now. Anyway, thank you for your suggestion!
Thank you for sharing your experience. Wonderful that you had a very similar experience. I know that there are more people like us. I hope that together (and also with other people longing for peace) that we can change the world and bring peace. Interesting what you tell about ‘the holy fool’ in Russian Christianity. I also had the idea that it is important to ”tell the truth”. But because I was scared of the secret service during my period that I was in my forced hospitalization, I hardly dared to speak. But I recognize it, that the truth is important. And yes, I notice here that talking about ‘psychosis’ is a sensitive term. In the Netherlands, where I am from, the term is widely used. But you can debate about what a ‘psychosis’ actually is. I also noticed that there were moments in my psychosis when I lost control completely. But when I am suffering from a psychosis now, I know that I have a psychosis and that we have to scale up the antipsychotics. So am I really psychotic then? Interesting topic for discussion as well!
Dear mental,
I share with you my journey. If someone can help me stop taking antipsychotics without getting a psychosis (or still being able to function well), I would be very grafeful and immediately stop taking antipsychotics. But I already suffered 8 times from a psychosis when I lowered the dose, and ended up 2 times in forced hospitalization. As side effects, I mentioned weight gain and waking up late, because these are the most important two side effects for me. I also suffer from other side effects as well, such as lack of energy. This is terrible as well indeed. In addition, side effects of medicines may differ per person. Wish you all the best.
Thank you very much Alex! I followed the advice which Christ gave me in 2013. Which was to be open about my psychological vulnerability and to come to his home. I am very glad if it helps other people. And looking for world peace.
Yes Salimur, it would be good if we could speak openly about psychosis. Thank you for sharing your picture and expressing what psychosis looks like for you.
Hi Sam,
That is wonderful to hear Sam, that you could really support your wife. Thank you also for explaining that you see it as ‘overlapping realities’. I use the word ‘psychoses’ to describe that I was living in two world. A world in which everyone lives and a world in which the secret service was talking to me. During my psychoses, I lost contact with even my closest family members. They couldn’t reach me anymore. What didn’t help was that they choose the side of the doctors (you are sick and need medicines). I couldn’t talk about what I was experiencing, as you and your wife could. That made me feel isolated. Later on, I explained to my family that they shouldn’t automatically choose the side of the doctors. The last psychoses I suffered from, we were more in contact.
Wonderful you are feeling better, and you have been off medications for many years now!! Woww! I am glad you appreciate my article
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Hi Fiachra,
I am very glad you appreciate this article! Sorry, to hear you had the same outcome….I hope you are feeling better now!
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Hi,
Thank you for sharing your experiences! Yes, it is wonderful we have a place where we can share our hard earned wisdom! Interesting to hear that your ”psychotic” experiences were also of a spiritual nature. And how wonderful, that you are psych drug free since 2009! I used a tapering strip in december 2021, but nevertheless, I had another psychotic experience unfortunately, for which I needed to be hospitalized again. But now, I am fine again. Thank you for sharing your experiene that you were weaned of the psych drugs over a period of about three years. That is longer, than I took. This was more a period of 1.5 year.
Report comment
Hi dear Joshua,
Thank you for your comment!
I saw the title of the book. I definitely agree with the need for empathy and love in the field of psychiatry. Also peer experts can help a lot.
Peace and all the best,
May-May
Report comment
Dear Gina,
It is always better to talk face to face. And I am sorry if you feel hurt by my words. I explain what happened to me, in the hope it helps others.
Wish you all the best,
May-May
Report comment
Hi Gina,
Thank you for your loving words. I have taken a look at what you posted. A lot of what I read sounds familiar to what happened to me. Yes, we were both college teachers. I wish that I could help you, but I am based in the Netherlands. All I can say, is that psychiatrists and nurses try to help you….It took a long time before I found that out. And for me, it was and still is, extremely difficult to take antipsychotics. Not only because I thought that I would be poisoned then (which was not the case), but also because of the side effects. In my case, they made me feel sleepy, I gained weight etc. But in my case they do help. Wish you all the best!
Report comment
Thank you for your openess Julie. I hope that you are feeling better and that other docters treat you well. And you say that beautifully, a universal struggle. I hope, that with sharing all our experiences we will feel better.
Yes, we all want to be understood, loved and included. I wish you all the best!
Report comment
Dear Sam,
What beautiful to read how you and your wife formed a close bond during her mental storms! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. When I say “they couldn’t reach me anymore”, I mean that I hardly wasn’t able to talk with anyone. Not even with my sister. I could talk about superficial things like the weather, but there was another world of the secret service which attracted my attention. When my psychosis was severe, I acted as my voices told me to do. My mission was to pursue world peace, and I literally pushed away anyone who was in my way. I have tried to describe this gradual process in my book ‘Inner Voices’. I wish you and your wife all the best! Wonderful that the ‘overlapping realities’ are mostly a distant memory.
Report comment
That is interesting indeed. In my answer above to Ekaterina, I just wrote that ‘psychosis’ doesn’t necessarily mean that you are in one state or in the other. In my book “Inner Voices” I try to give insight in how my thoughts switch between the ‘normal world’ and my ‘psychotic thoughts’. Gradually the ‘psychotic thoughts’ take over. I must admit that I stayed away from Internal Family Systems, but yes, maybe it is helpful indeed. Although I already tried a lot and I am also happy with the way I am feeling now. Anyway, thank you for your suggestion!
Report comment
Hi Ekaterina,
Thank you for sharing your experience. Wonderful that you had a very similar experience. I know that there are more people like us. I hope that together (and also with other people longing for peace) that we can change the world and bring peace. Interesting what you tell about ‘the holy fool’ in Russian Christianity. I also had the idea that it is important to ”tell the truth”. But because I was scared of the secret service during my period that I was in my forced hospitalization, I hardly dared to speak. But I recognize it, that the truth is important. And yes, I notice here that talking about ‘psychosis’ is a sensitive term. In the Netherlands, where I am from, the term is widely used. But you can debate about what a ‘psychosis’ actually is. I also noticed that there were moments in my psychosis when I lost control completely. But when I am suffering from a psychosis now, I know that I have a psychosis and that we have to scale up the antipsychotics. So am I really psychotic then? Interesting topic for discussion as well!
Report comment
Hi Rachel,
Thank you very much for your good wishes. I hope that you are fine too!
Report comment
Dear mental,
I share with you my journey. If someone can help me stop taking antipsychotics without getting a psychosis (or still being able to function well), I would be very grafeful and immediately stop taking antipsychotics. But I already suffered 8 times from a psychosis when I lowered the dose, and ended up 2 times in forced hospitalization. As side effects, I mentioned weight gain and waking up late, because these are the most important two side effects for me. I also suffer from other side effects as well, such as lack of energy. This is terrible as well indeed. In addition, side effects of medicines may differ per person. Wish you all the best.
Report comment
Thank you very much Alex! I followed the advice which Christ gave me in 2013. Which was to be open about my psychological vulnerability and to come to his home. I am very glad if it helps other people. And looking for world peace.
Report comment
Yes Salimur, it would be good if we could speak openly about psychosis. Thank you for sharing your picture and expressing what psychosis looks like for you.
Report comment
Hi Sam,
That is wonderful to hear Sam, that you could really support your wife. Thank you also for explaining that you see it as ‘overlapping realities’. I use the word ‘psychoses’ to describe that I was living in two world. A world in which everyone lives and a world in which the secret service was talking to me. During my psychoses, I lost contact with even my closest family members. They couldn’t reach me anymore. What didn’t help was that they choose the side of the doctors (you are sick and need medicines). I couldn’t talk about what I was experiencing, as you and your wife could. That made me feel isolated. Later on, I explained to my family that they shouldn’t automatically choose the side of the doctors. The last psychoses I suffered from, we were more in contact.
Report comment