Spiritual Forums

Home


Donate!


Articles


CHAT!


Shop


 
Welcome to Spiritual Forums!.

We created this community for people from all backgrounds to discuss Spiritual, Paranormal, Metaphysical, Philosophical, Supernatural, and Esoteric subjects. From Astral Projection to Zen, all topics are welcome. We hope you enjoy your visits.

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest, which gives you limited access to most discussions and articles. By joining our free community you will be able to post messages, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload your own photos, and gain access to our Chat Rooms, Registration is fast, simple, and free, so please, join our community today! !

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, check our FAQs before contacting support. Please read our forum rules, since they are enforced by our volunteer staff. This will help you avoid any infractions and issues.

Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Spirituality & Beliefs > Healing

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #21  
Old 29-11-2011, 11:16 PM
spiritualized
Posts: n/a
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by vulkus
After reading your initial post I am inclined to think that your medication is your problem.

Thank you Vulkus - Yes, I agree. There are far far better ways that I could have been treated. I've researched all this subject in great depth.

I take a relatively low dose of one drug - a neuroleptic - & I hate taking it. The problem is how to withdraw successfully; given my circumstances?

I've been on this drug 13 years - & stopped it 3 times. The first time I stopped taking it I was sectioned under the mental health act & put back on it (forced to take it). The second & third time I stopped; I tried a 3 month tapered reduction; then the last time a 2 year tapered reduction - it is some of the worst psychosis I've ever experienced. No sleep at all for well over 2 weeks; severe black outs (without alcohol or street drug use) - very severe delusions.

How do you suggest that I stop taking it & still function? I live alone; have done for over 10 years; I've been single over 13 years. I have some friends, & am close with family - But my mother is elderly, & my brother isn't supportive of another withdrawal. Largely I spend most of my time alone.

What do you suggest? I live in the UK - there is no help from psychiatric services/the mental health system - they would also be in very strong disagreement to a withdrawal - Just what am I meant to do? I've tried every approach available that is within my means & resources to do so.

I think that I have to accept medication for life - sad as that is.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 30-11-2011, 07:02 AM
arive nan
Posts: n/a
 
Any changes in taking these kinds of medications should always be done under close supervision by a well trained doctor. I understand that your situation is difficult, but for the sake of your health and your life the only safe medical advice you can get from here is to consult a real doctor in your area who can closely supervise any changes to your medication, because it is potentially very dangerous as you know from experience.
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 30-11-2011, 02:38 PM
vulkus
Posts: n/a
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by spiritualized
Thank you Vulkus - Yes, I agree. There are far far better ways that I could have been treated. I've researched all this subject in great depth.

I take a relatively low dose of one drug - a neuroleptic - & I hate taking it. The problem is how to withdraw successfully; given my circumstances?

I've been on this drug 13 years - & stopped it 3 times. The first time I stopped taking it I was sectioned under the mental health act & put back on it (forced to take it). The second & third time I stopped; I tried a 3 month tapered reduction; then the last time a 2 year tapered reduction - it is some of the worst psychosis I've ever experienced. No sleep at all for well over 2 weeks; severe black outs (without alcohol or street drug use) - very severe delusions.

How do you suggest that I stop taking it & still function? I live alone; have done for over 10 years; I've been single over 13 years. I have some friends, & am close with family - But my mother is elderly, & my brother isn't supportive of another withdrawal. Largely I spend most of my time alone.

What do you suggest? I live in the UK - there is no help from psychiatric services/the mental health system - they would also be in very strong disagreement to a withdrawal - Just what am I meant to do? I've tried every approach available that is within my means & resources to do so.

I think that I have to accept medication for life - sad as that is.
I do understand what you are going through, as many here do. I was during my time medicated with Zyprexa which is Olanzapine. It did not matter what dosage I took it either did nothing or exaserbated the hallucinations.
Thankfully I had a good Dr, who was more interested in my health and well being than in my hip pocket. Under his suggestion I stopped my meds and began to self manage.
Like yourself I have a whole host of issues, however mine are all classafiable and manageable.
When I was first diagnosed I wasn't satisfied with the answer I was given.
The consulting psych told me at the time, that I had only come there to gain access to drugs, because mine was a text book case. Considering I had told him I had no interest in medication. There are bad psych's out there, but also a lot of good ones.
I was given tools to find out what my triggers were. For me I function normally just like everyone else, however I have certain triggers that set me off. I know what they are and most of them are induced by stress.

I know you want to get off your meds, but for you at this time it may not be possible and when it is done it needs to be under supervision. Like others have said, do not beat yourself up over the fact that you are addicted to smoking. You yourself know you will give it up when you no longer require it for coping.
I am not saying that you should just give up, for me I wasn't satisfied with my diagnosis. So I set about discovering why I was this way, what causes it and were my hallucinations really hallucinations.

In another time I may have been considered a shaman, or someone in contact with the spirits. This thought spurred my research in to myself even further. I read many books spoke with many people, and came to the final conclusion that Schizophrenia, depression, bi polar are all just labels. They are just ways of explaining something that isn't fully understood.
This then drove me towards the occult, I have studied both on my own and under tutelage of a few very talented and knowledgable people. In that vein I have studied many areas of the occult and esoterica.
These studies have helped me deal with things. As well as opening me up to a world of self discovery.

The biggesst suggestion I could make for you in your situation at this time, would be to try and change your social situation. I understand that it is hard, I know from personal experience. My family is either in total disbelief or they believe their situation must some how be far more dire than my own.
There is research to suggest that by 40 most sufferers of schiz have recovered, it isn't known why though. I am one such person, I am currently studying a diploma in Mental Health in order to help others.
I would suggest you seek out other people in your own situation, self help groups and the like. If you have not already. You have come along way in your own recovery and you have a lot of information and lived experience that could help others in your situation. This is why I have engaged in various forms of study. By helping others I help and heal myself.

One of the ways for help available in Australia is based on Lived Experience. That is where the person who identifies as having mental health issues, is the one who decides what will be the best way to help them.

Are there any schiz or mental health organisations in the UK that offer support?
This one is from NSW in Australia. http://www.sfnsw.org.au/ Schiz fellowship

http://www.schizophreniaresearch.org.au/

Interesting fact sheet. http://tinyurl.com/bq8psnn
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 30-11-2011, 04:58 PM
spiritualized
Posts: n/a
 
Thanks for the reply Vulkus.

Quote:
Originally Posted by vulkus
I wasn't satisfied with my diagnosis. So I set about discovering why I was this way, what causes it and were my hallucinations really hallucinations.

I've never been satisfied with my diagnosis or the biomedical models either.

Quote:
In another time I may have been considered a shaman, or someone in contact with the spirits. This thought spurred my research in to myself even further. I read many books spoke with many people, and came to the final conclusion that Schizophrenia, depression, bi polar are all just labels. They are just ways of explaining something that isn't fully understood.
This then drove me towards the occult, I have studied both on my own and under tutelage of a few very talented and knowledgable people. In that vein I have studied many areas of the occult and esoterica.
These studies have helped me deal with things. As well as opening me up to a world of self discovery.

Largely the same for me as well.

Quote:
The biggesst suggestion I could make for you in your situation at this time, would be to try and change your social situation.

I have done & continue to do everything that I can to improve things. What realistically can I do? Beyond what I already do?

Quote:
There is research to suggest that by 40 most sufferers of schiz have recovered, it isn't known why though. I am one such person, I am currently studying a diploma in Mental Health in order to help others.
I would suggest you seek out other people in your own situation, self help groups and the like. If you have not already. You have come along way in your own recovery and you have a lot of information and lived experience that could help others in your situation. This is why I have engaged in various forms of study. By helping others I help and heal myself.

I do what I can.

UK NHS statistics class there as being 3 types of psychosis prognosis - A third have one major episode & then largely recover - a third have multiple episodes & periods of recovery - & a third become unwell & never really recover. I seem to fit the middle group.

Quote:
Are there any schiz or mental health organisations in the UK that offer support?

I've tried everything that I'm aware of & that is out there to reasonably access, & that is local - The UK is very backward & largely useless in these areas. The biomedical model/label & drug paradigm is dominant.

I don't have any supportive medical practitioners that would support a medication withdrawal - there is nothing that would support me this way in the community. I've tried on-line MH forums (lots of them) - a local MH forum, MIND, Rethink, the Richmond Fellowship, NA, & other organisations.

What is available in the UK is either inadequate/&/or too far away &/or prohibitively expensive.

The fact remains - that with all my best efforts - I have little in the way of practical & close support. I am very grateful for family & certain friends; I'm finally getting some psychotherapeutic help. But I'm very damaged from everything that has gone on - I feel very f*cked up from life & the ways that I've been reacted to & treated. After all that I've gone through; at this stage - even if all the appropriate help was to magically appear - I doubt that I'd get off this neuroleptic drug - I think it's got too late in the day. But I'm not going to get the help that I need from the MH system or mainstream society - & it's incredibly difficult to find within my own resources.
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 30-11-2011, 05:48 PM
vulkus
Posts: n/a
 
Were you first diagnosed with Schiz or did that come after the substance use?
I see you were diagnosed at 25, research suggests that schiz manifests in the late teens. I know I had issues when I was 17. Yet no Dr would refer me, so I went largely unoticed until I was around 28 and I went for voluntary diagnosis. By 35 things had come to a head, and I required intervention. I'm 44 now and I have been self managing for about 7 years.

I am quite concerned though with this comment.
But I'm very damaged from everything that has gone on - I feel very f*cked up from life & the ways that I've been reacted to & treated.
I say this more from the POV that you say you are very damaged. I know this is going to sound like I am having a go at you but I am not.
The thing about being damaged and saying you are damaged creates further damage.
The chinese believed in the power of both written and spoken word, such that anything written had power.
By saying you are very damaged creates further damage in your mind. This thought model prevents you from healing correctly because your subconscious mind wants to bring to pass everything you 'want'.
Imagine there is a little pleb sitting at your feet and this pleb records everything you say and do, for the purpose of bringing these thoughts and feelings to life.
By thinking I am very damaged you are invoking the power of 'I am'. The power of 'I am' is a creative principle. It is akin to invoking your godhood.
Even the word 'I' this is representative of you and all that you are.
I am very conscious of everything I write and say. This is because I understand both the importance of written and spoken word but also by the power that they hold.

By saying 'I'm' which is just a contraction of 'I am', you are creating an energetic principle. That little pleb that is recording everything, replays all that it has recorded to the subconscious to release energetic resources to bring about the self prophesised event. aka the damage.

I know how the above sounds, but one such way I found that helped me was to realise how words work, both written and spoken. Each has a form of power. A good example of this is both a prayer and an incantation.
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 30-11-2011, 06:25 PM
spiritualized
Posts: n/a
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by vulkus
Were you first diagnosed with Schiz or did that come after the substance use?
I see you were diagnosed at 25, research suggests that schiz manifests in the late teens. I know I had issues when I was 17. Yet no Dr would refer me, so I went largely unoticed until I was around 28 and I went for voluntary diagnosis. By 35 things had come to a head, and I required intervention. I'm 44 now and I have been self managing for about 7 years.

There are scales/spectrum's & great ranges in these things.

I had some issues in childhood - I won't go into it all - But a lot I feel stemmed from in-utero & early brain development - Had a violent alcoholic father that beat my mum; during the pregnancy as well - my mum was very stressed & harnessed during pregnancy - had a traumatic birth; she went through a very stressful divorce shortly after me & my bro were born, & was stressed out & unwell a lot for the first 3 years of our life trying to cope & bring up 2 kids on her own with medical complications. She had numerous stays in hospital during that time as well. When me & my bro were around 3 years old she met a man who she went into a 34 year relationship with - I never got on with him - I thought he was an arshole. At the age of around 6 I had a very bad accident & almost broke my neck - that was one turning point - I also had some very powerful experiences of extreme anxiety & paranoia as a kid, sleep problems & nightmares almost from day one.

At the age of 10 my mum went totally bankrupt - had to move to less than suitable accommodation - I first got drunk & smoked cannabis at the age of 11; & that is also when bad anxiety & depression started. By the age of 15 I was a habitual & heavy user of drugs & alcohol - speed, LSD, mushrooms, E's, poppers, heavy cannabis use, tamazepam - all sorts. I went into some very deep depressions. I was also getting very much into the teachings of Crowley & Robert Anton Wilson - as well as some other stuff.

At the age of 17 I experienced a massive psychotic break - beleived that I'd lost my soul to the Devil - & had a vision of the future & the 'end of the World'. Was arrested numerous times; & then violently sectioned under the MH act; for 4 months on a locked ward & given a lot of very heavy drugs. I also have very good reasons for thinking that I was severely sexually abused by the staff & raped by them during this time.

The next 20 years followed the same patterns - a serious suicide attempt at the age of 21 - another hospitalisation, then again at the ages of 25 & 26. At the age of 28 I got clean & sober - & over the next 3 years had 3 of the worst breakdowns/psychosis of my life. I was catatonic at certain stages.

For the the past 8 years I've had some stability - but not much of a life really.

There is a vast amount of stuff that I could go into about what has gone on.

I think I have ever right to say that I'm severely damaged & f*cked up from everything that has gone on.
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 01-12-2011, 11:10 AM
Sapphirez Sapphirez is offline
Master
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Us
Posts: 1,691
  Sapphirez's Avatar
some great posts in here! though I didn't have time to read them all right now

I just wanted to say a couple things because although our issues are not mirror-like, I am also on a self-healing path (and wish to heal others too) and mental health issues are my main concern. also I successfully quit smoking cigarettes.

I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and ocd at age 14 and that's the age I started smoking cigarettes too. I was on medication til I was about 23 and I quit smoking over 2 years ago. (I'm 27) I'd wean myself off of medications only to have to end up going back on them, over n over.. til finally one day I took my last pill and although it was very hard, I found what I needed a few months later. it was just anti-depressants though, not more serious medications such as you take, so just be careful.. But I can say I have been much better off of them than I ever was on.

I moved to Florida with a friend when I'd taken the final pill and it was a struggle, I ended up moving back home 3 months later cuz I couldn't hack it and my friend didn't want to live with me anymore.. but then after a month I got a job at a Vitamin Shoppe.

I learned a Lot while I was there but I won't exhaust you with all sorts of details right now, tho if you have any questions feel free to ask..
but, the most important supplements I started taking and still take today that have helped a great deal are
multivitamin obviously
B-complex!
protein shakes (I use powder, Syntha- is the brand and I think it's kinda tasty, I just don't use as much water as they recommend and I mix it in a cup with a straw these days, simple.. and all those amino acids first thing when you wake up are marvelous)
there are some other things, but the b-complex and protein I think are the most helpful to ease a troubled mind and also help your body of course
other things I took/take sporadically or less frequently than daily are
probiotics
fish oil
calcium/magnesium (well I take this daily but will have to do more research on it cuz I've been hearing less savory things about calcium supplements.. but it is important to make sure you have a balance of magnesium along with calcium in any event)

there's a homeopathic remedy called Calms Forte that helped me a Ton for a period of time, but I guess sometimes they run their course and no longer help you.. It's a sleep aid but I just used it for anxiety.
I also started and still take bach flower therapy. I don't have any concrete evidence that it's really worth taking, but I still do.. the first day I bought one of those and was taking the calms forte is a day that my life changed and I started becoming more social and crawled out of the shell I was in

Speaking of homeopathic remedies, I also used one for quitting smoking.
homeopathic remedies generally have no side effects or interactions with anything, but I'm not a doctor so I can't say for certain.. but anyways, the remedy for smoking was called Smoke Control, by a brand called King Bio and it was a spray. it's all I used.. I did have tea tree toothpicks to chew on though, those could've helped a lot, not sure.. I also really wanted to quit and had my reasons for doing so; mostly vanity tho more noble reasons as well.. I wrote a poem while I smoked my last cigarette.. and I planned on keeping a journal as I heard it was important, but it turned out I didn't really need to..

the day after I quit smoking cigarettes, I was elated.. it was kind of ridiculous.. a big portion of my depression and some of my anxiety was lifted.. I had No idea my mental health would be affected in such an enormous way, or maybe I would've quit long before! I know most other people don't have this experience when they quit lol so maybe that was because of the homeopathic remedy, not sure.. but it's been over two years.. maybe you have to realize why you smoke and really shed light on it.. I mean, the act of smoking itself is enticing lol.. but there are better things you can be doing with your hands or mouth.. or not doing anything with them at all and being more aware in other ways.. when I quit I knew I would try to tell myself eh it's okay if you just smoke.. but I was ready to remind myself that nicotine is a drug.. just like a crack or heroin addict is going to tell themselves to have more crack or heroin, a smoker will try to weasel themselves into getting more nicotine.. but it's a nasty one and cigarettes and the rat poison and whatever other thousands of chemicals they put in there for whatever reason (seriously, why do they put soo many different things in cigarettes if not to kill people?? You can smoke plain tobacco, or natural spirits cigarettes, which can still kill you yes but it just shows you that mainstream cigarettes are most definitely evil) well, you get the picture lol.. I just started using the spray shortly before I quit and then a couple weeks after I ended up losing it when the bottle was barely half empty.. and I never got more and it was ok. I haven't smoked a single cigarette. In general, when taking homeopathic remedies, if they're a spray or sublingual, you're supposed to have a "clean" mouth.. no eating, drinking, smoking or mint or anything in your mouth about 15 minutes before and after taking them. they can probably still work around that, but a homeopathic lady told me that.

I'm reading a lot of books and talking to a lot of people, to try healing myself further.. as was mentioned in this thread, EFT is one thing that I think has a wonderful amount of potential. I read a book on a variation called ESM, the book is called Instant Emotional Healing. I also did a lot of research about EFT online. I've done a lot more research than actual testing lol.. procrastination to the max..

I also think it's important to learn things like that in the Power of Now book (which I'm almost done reading) which mattie also recommended.. to let us know that we're okay!! and that we deserve to be happy and are pure beautiful beings..

it's amazing what stuff is out there, and the more you learn the more your eyes are open and you see things you never did before.. I know I have a rambly way lol but hopefully you gained at least a little bit of help from this post. God bless ♥

*edit* lol one more thing that might be helpful is Astrology, to get a better picture of yourself and see maybe why you are the way you are in certain ways.. I found out that Scorpio is very prominent in my chart (though my Sun is Libra) and that explains some stuff.. You can see what qualities there are, and more easily see how to turn the negative qualities into positive attributes
__________________
peachy
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 01-12-2011, 12:16 PM
spiritualized
Posts: n/a
 
Thank you Sapphirez

I've tried homoeopathy, & supplements - It's personally not made much difference to my own difficulties - But thanks anyway.
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 01-12-2011, 01:47 PM
Sapphirez Sapphirez is offline
Master
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Us
Posts: 1,691
  Sapphirez's Avatar
I took a lot of time typing that out and I'm sure you haven't tried exactly what I tried telling you about, maybe you shouldn't be so quick to dismiss and part of your problem is your tendency toward easy dismissal
__________________
peachy
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 01-12-2011, 03:52 PM
spiritualized
Posts: n/a
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sapphirez
I took a lot of time typing that out and I'm sure you haven't tried exactly what I tried telling you about, maybe you shouldn't be so quick to dismiss and part of your problem is your tendency toward easy dismissal


I wasn't going to initially reply - I knew this would be your reaction.

You don't know me - & it appears that you haven't read the thread or acknowledged what my difficulties are.

I spent many years in regular contact with a highly experienced homoeopathic Doctor. I have also worked with a highly trained nutritionist. I have tired diets, homoeopathic remedies & all kinds of supplements (including most of what you have mentioned). Largely they did not work.

As I've already talked about in the thread; I do not see such approaches as being a resolution to my difficulties; although I can see how they are of some benefit. The primary condition I see & understand as being psychological/spiritual.

Sorry I disagree with your opinion/prognosis on the matter - But I really have already explored all these avenues at depth. That these things have worked for you is great. We are all individual & unique - & for me personally I haven't found a solution in the things that you have - thanks. X
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 05:15 PM.


Powered by vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
(c) Spiritual Forums