“Why am I scared to ween off my bipolar medication?”
I am a 28 year old male. I have been on bipolar medication for four years and am scared to go off it.
6 Answers
Good! If you've been stable, episode free for four years, don't even think about it unless your doctor is onboard with weaning and manages it very carefully. The situation is analogous to recovery from serious alcohol dependence. Four years of sobriety is a real good start, but that doesn't mean resuming drinking would be a good idea. Some people can manage that, but they are few and far between. Most folks try it to see if they can, and with foreseeable disastrous consequences. Enough said. A word to the wise should be sufficient.
If you are doing well and would like to consider going off your medications, it should obviously be tapered under the supervision of a psychiatrist. Some medications need to be tapered more slowly than others. It may be that your symptoms will return when you go off the medication and you will need to go back on them or perhaps be put on another medication
You are afraid, for good reason, of relapse. To discontinue would be a mistake, but small decreases over time would be okay.
Jack L. Underwood, M.D.
Jack L. Underwood, M.D.
That is a proper perspective - YOU should NOT wean off any psychotropic medications by yourself.
You SHOULD be afraid to stop your bipolar medication. Bipolar illness (also called manic-depressive syndrome) is a PHYSICAL, INHERITED illness that severely affects your safety and function.
See this link:
https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/cme/discontinuing-medications-when-why-and-how
https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/cme/discontinuing-medications-when-why-and-how
