coming off antipsychotics?

Hi my name is Michael and I'm 22 years old. I was first diagnosed with schizophrneia 2 years ago. The first year I wasn't taking meds and I was doing fine. I was high functioning playing tennis tournaments and going to college. Mind you I was hearing voices constantly and all they'd tell me was that i'm "gay" or #######1, homo, and etc. I mostly just laughed at them for being so ridiculous. I felt great for the most part. Then in the middle of my school year I started to stress out. My roommates had heard a phone message from a doctor and they found out i was schizo. They started to conspire behind my back and this made me stress out and feel uncomfortable. It was clear to me that they didn't want me to live with them any more. Plus school became more difficult and stressful. One day I had enough, and i checked myself into a psych ward. Ever since then I've been on meds. I think once your on meds its hard to get off them. I have tryed a few times but i felt so sketchy and ill. and yet i'm depressed as f&(* for being on them. I'm fat and ugly and i used to be real handsome. I can't play tennis any more because i'm to sedated and knocked out. plus i think my functioning is worse on meds.

whats a safe way to come off meds or should i just f&*$ it and quit them totally or decrease slowly? I'm on 500mg of seroqual. also are their any good articles online about coming off meds?

definatly tapper off slowly.Very slowly.My husband was on seroquel (600mgs) ,risperidone (9mgs),clonanzepam(4 plus a day) and citalopram.He stopped cold turkey and believe me he had muscle jerks so bad it was like he was trying to dance.He became angry,fearfull, and if it wasnt for his strength and determination he pulled through ok but I wouldnt ever recommend it to anyone. it is dangerous to stop cold turkey.It can cause permanant damage and it can give them all the more reason to put you on higher doses and you may never come off them.So take it slowly.Good things come with time.Dont forget to replace it with something too.Vitamin bs and c are usefull,read up on them.(google schizophrenia niacin for example.I admire your courage.

SLOWLYSLOWLYSLOWLY
if you don't your brain will get a horrific rushing feeling from withdrawls and you'll feel even crazier, it's enough to deal with one kind of crazy, so come off slowly and make it easier:P

goomba wrote:I went cold turkey off anti-depressants and experienced symptoms such as confusion, nightmares, insomnia, dizziness, and head "zaps" (that is, feeling a jolt of uncomfortable feeling in the head.

I'm also on anti-depressents and experience the same thing whenever I miss a dose. The "head zaps" would be particularly awful.

I agree with the others. The best way is to slowly tapper of the pills.