Author:
Louise Ward
Date Of Creation:
12 February 2021
Update Date:
3 July 2024
Content
The use of any psychiatric drug is never a permanent solution, such as antidepressants, hypnotics, antipsychotics, attention deficit hyperactivity medications. Doctors often prescribe these medications during a person's lifetime when they are effective in treating some problems with concentration, anxiety, sleep disturbances or other aspects of life. In some cases, the psychiatric drug itself causes side effects, which are more problematic than the benefits of treatment. These drugs often cause "withdrawal symptoms" that can be avoided or limited by a gradual process of quitting rather than a "sudden" stop. The following article will guide you on how to safely give up mental medications. It is important to remember that you should never stop taking psychiatric medications without first consulting your doctor.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Consult the doctor who prescribes the medicine
Find out what medications you are taking. Ask your doctor exactly what psychiatric drug you are taking and how long it will take to get its partial absorption before you start to stop taking it.- The partial absorption time is the time it takes the body to metabolize the drug, the shorter the time it takes, the slower the process to give up. The transition between high dose to low dose is much more difficult with drugs with a short partial absorption time. Ask your doctor about a comparable drug that has a half-life, as this will make it easier to cut.
- For example, if you are taking Klonopin, ask your doctor to switch to Valium and explain the reasons to him. In the end, however, the doctor is still the one who knows which option is best, so listen to them if they disagree with you.
- Some commonly prescribed antidepressants are Cymbalta, Effexor, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, Wellbutrin and Zoloft.
- Ambien is perhaps the most famous of all the sleeping pills.
- Some well-known antipsychotics are Abilify, Haldol, Olanzapine and Risperdal.
- Sedatives commonly used to treat anxiety include Ativan, Valium, and Xanax.
- The most common drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin, and Strattera.
Determine if your medication needs are being met. If you have enough, ask them if it is more beneficial to stop the medication than to continue taking it. If stopping the medication is beneficial to you, your doctor can instruct you on how to safely stop it.
Ask if the pill can be cut in half. Know if you drink can be cut in half without affecting the effects of the medication.- Some types work over time while others do not. Capsules and time-release pills should not be divided, but other medications should be easily divided. You can then use these halves to "lower" the dose, then continue to cut in quarters when you've taken the half-pills for the time prescribed by your doctor.
Using dosage 'cut'. Ask your doctor if the manufacturer offers a dosage level specifically designed for the reduction process.
- Some high-dose capsules and pills can be reduced by prescribing new in smaller amounts.
Method 2 of 4: Protect yourself
Follow your doctor's instructions. You must strictly adhere to your doctor's medication withdrawal plan correctly. Just going a little wrong can have negative effects on your general health and affect your mental medication withdrawal schedule.
- To follow your plan, you should write clearly on your calendar what to do and when to do it. Ask a family member or close friend to remind you to check your schedule and stick to your discontinuation plan.
- Ask your doctor what to do if you accidentally deviate from your plan.
Understand the withdrawal symptoms. Be prepared for some of the symptoms or side effects caused by quitting, including flu-like symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, headache, vomiting, fatigue, and chills.
- Side effects that affect sleep and emotions can make you tired for 1-7 weeks, including insomnia, waking up, decreased concentration, irritability, and sometimes suicidal thoughts.
- Other physical symptoms or side effects include muscle aches, dizziness, sweating, blurred vision, tingling or feeling like an electric shock.
- Be sure to check with your doctor which withdrawal symptoms are most common, based on their diagnosis and on the psychiatric medications you are quitting.
Make a question. It should not be assumed that the prescribing doctor is an expert on the medication as well as the quitting process. Certainly general practitioners are qualified to prescribe medications, but they are not experts with an understanding of the complexity of psychiatric drugs and the cessation process, in this regard they are not as proficient as specialists psychiatric department.
- There are many questions you should ask your doctor. For example, ask them if they know other treatment options to help you quit smoking.
- Ask them how much experience you have in treating the illness, and their experience with quitting the drug you are taking.
Don't be shy. Your mental and physical health is at stake right now, so don't be afraid to ask questions. If it's a good doctor they will understand your situation and respect and sympathize with those questions. This is actually part of their job to reassure patients that the disease will be cured.
Consider looking for a second opinion. If your doctor ignores the question or immediately agrees to stop you, consider seeking a second opinion from another psychiatrist.
- The cost of getting an opinion is probably less than the cost of having to pay for bad advice about quitting smoking, so if you are concerned about your doctor's advice then seek a second opinion.
Monitor health status closely. Sometimes withdrawal symptoms can take weeks or months to appear, so ask your doctor who is helping you to quit smoking to monitor your condition periodically.
- Let them know you are concerned about your withdrawal symptoms and follow their instructions for the follow-up visit. Your doctor may tell you what specific symptoms to look for based on their diagnosis and on the medications you're taking.
Method 3 of 4: Adjusting the quit smoking process
Do exercise. Stopping psychiatric drugs usually does not go well if you are stressed and in poor health. Regular exercise has even less anti-depressant benefits, it also relieves stress and makes the process of quitting psychoactive drugs easier.
- When you exercise, try listening to music to lift your spirits and help you follow the training process every time you want to give up. That said, you still have to listen to your body and don't push yourself too hard!
Be ready to change your mind. Keep in mind that the goal of quitting psychiatric drugs is to feel better, not necessarily to completely stop. During the process of quitting smoking in which you feel so miserable, remember that you can change your decision to continue taking your medication if your doctor thinks it should.
- Be sure to consult a doctor before changing their mind and following their advice.
Healthy eating. Unhealthy eating makes you feel bad, and in turn hinders your efforts to quit smoking. Therefore, it is important that you eat healthy.
- Some healthy foods include lean meats, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables.
- The main point to keep in mind in a healthy diet is a balanced diet that avoids eating too many foods.
Sleep a lot. Not getting enough sleep has a negative impact on your mental health because you feel tired, sad and restless all the time, all of which interfere with your safe efforts to quit smoking.
- If you have trouble sleeping, sleep in a completely dark room. Reduce the impact of ambient sounds by changing the environment and / or wearing earplugs. Try to create a habit of sleeping regularly, sleeping at the same time every night. Take note of the number of hours you need to sleep each night to feel refreshed, and try to get enough sleep each night.
- For example, if you tend to go to bed at 10:30 pm and read 30 minutes before falling asleep, try to stick to that schedule on a regular basis. This is how to train your body to sleep on time.
Don't consume too much caffeine. Caffeine restricts you and contributes to feelings of stress and anxiety, making it harder to quit smoking and reducing your chances of success.
Try psychotherapy. Psychotherapy or counseling has been found to be effective, whether administered alone or in combination with psychiatric drugs. So if you are quitting smoking but feel it is still beneficial for you, consider psychotherapy or counseling.
- To find a therapist or counselor, search the internet for "psychologist + your location", or "psychologist + your location + specific diagnosis". .
- Another way to find a psychologist is to visit: http://locator.apa.org/
Method 4 of 4: Stop abusing illegal prescription drugs
Talk to your doctor. Confessing that you are taking illegal prescription drugs is embarrassing, but you still have to talk to your doctor about the safest way to quit this medicine that was not prescribed for you. Remember that doctors hear all kinds of illnesses and complaints about health every day, that's part of their job, so don't be ashamed.
- If you are afraid to raise the issue because you are taking the drug illegally, make an assumption.
- For example, start a conversation by asking a question like, "If I'm taking an illegal prescription drug, can you help me quit it safely? Or can you suggest a direction for me get help? "
Learn about smoking cessation centers. Consider enrolling in a tobacco cessation facility to help quit smoking, but you may need to do some research to find one. Some drug cessation centers specialize in treating people with a certain drug addiction, so you should find one that fits your needs. In addition, people have two types of inpatient and outpatient smoking cessation. You should also talk to your doctor about which way to quit smoking is most beneficial.
- Inpatient treatment programs last for at least 28 days. It is a good option if you have tried to quit smoking before but failed, whether on your own or through outpatient care. It's also a good option if you need to quit using drugs (how to safely quit an illegal drug under surveillance).
- Outpatient treatment programs give the patient more freedom. This is a good choice if you cannot quit work or need to be present regularly to support your family. However, this option is not very good if you are struggling with yourself, because then you are free of all your belongings and can continue to fall away from taking medication.
- Both types of programs offer a number of treatment options, which may include group therapy, but the inpatient program is more tailored to the individual as they have to deliver. activities at the facility.
Be honest with yourself. Remember that when you are addicted to certain psychotropic drugs, you tend to be biased in assessing the benefits of outpatient and inpatient programs. Get advice from your doctor, relative, lover or friend to help you make the right decision, because they have a fairer view than you.
- To be more honest with yourself, ask yourself what kind of treatment you need when you are most mentally comfortable and comfortable, or when you are least affected by withdrawal symptoms.
Join a smoking cessation program. Remember, the decision to join a certain cessation program should be based on the recommendations of your doctor (most important) and your family's suggestions on what works best for you.
- Take this matter seriously and do your best when you decide to do so. If you feel that your resolve is wavering during treatment, remember that all difficulties will pass, and so are the negative symptoms that occur during the process of quitting.
Advice
- The removal and recovery process is completely different from person to person, so you should not expect it to work out in the way described in any documentation. Some patients need very little time and do not experience many symptoms, while others find it very difficult to give up.
Warning
- Always consult your doctor before deciding to quit a psychiatric drug!
