Messages, Insights and Wisdom: Reese Sanders

I'm Med-free, But Some People Don't Want to Be

by Reece Sanders

Having been diagnosed as schizophrenic some twelve years ago, and being medications free for over ten years now, I can testify that coping with schizophrenia without meds is possible.

I have no symptoms of schizophrenia except for hearing voices and that is no longer a problem. Even when I took the meds for a year, they never stopped the voices, but they did cause me much difficulty in concentrating or having a conversation with anyone. The meds also caused me to feel jittery all the time and caused me to have spasms on and off to where all I did was just sit and twitch.

I have communicated with many people over the years who take meds and would have these side effects and believe it was symptoms of schizophrenia. When I tried to explain the meds side-effects to them, many would become angry and confrontational. They would tell me how I needed to get back on meds in order to "get well". Thing is, they couldn't seem to understand that I was fine and was just trying to help them understand that they were suffering side-effects and not schizophrenia symptoms.

I have come to the conclusion that there are those who want to take meds and those such as myself are a threat to them and what they want to do.

So for those of you who have learned that meds are not necessary for you, congratulations, and don't get upset when you try to tell another schizophrenic about it and they get angry at you. Some people want to take the meds and you cannot show or tell them anything that will get them to believe they could do better without them.

For some the meds do seem to help, but they are no cure, but to many, the meds are a psychological addiction.

Reece Sanders

The story of the night I first heard the voices is on my page at: http://community.webtv.net/tchrreece/SchizophreniaAnew

(An excellent resource is the book Your Drug May Be Your Problem: How and Why to Stop Taking Psychiatric Medications. by Peter R. Breggin M.D. and David Cohen Ph.D. http://www.breggin.com/prbbooks.html )

top

Disclaimer: Material found on the Successful Schizophrenia website is for your information only. We are not able dispense specific advice for your situation. If you are under a doctor's care, you should talk with him or her about your mental health goals and if they are not on the same page as you, ask for a referral to a doctor or counselor who is. It may mean interviewing several. If you are on your own, you may wish to contact your local county mental health department to ask for local resources. Our site exists to show people that there are all varieties of mental states and assessments of those states; that sometimes 'mental health' is in the eye of the beholder; and that the mental health profession needs to continue to open itself up to the new paradigm ... progress is being made!