Lived Experience Forum

[Nikolai]

Hi all,

I am not sure exactly, as I have never had a psychotic episode before, but I wanted to ask about everyone's experiences with them.
I have had a lot of stress building up over the past month and it reached tipping point over the weekend.
I was hysterical, could not calm down even with my anti-anxiety medication, was having paranoid delusions, felt like I was going to die, and ended up SH'ing (which I have not done in many years).

This only lasted for a few hours, and I was wondering if this sounds like anyone's experiences with psychotic breaks. I know that no-one is a medical professional, and couldn't offer a diagnosis here even if they were. I just want a bit of insight into other people's experiences so I can better understand what happened, as it was really distressing for me.

[Appleblossom]

Hi @Nikolai

Sorry you went through that. @Nikolai I have had many experiences like that.

It probably was something like that ... maybe you can call it something else .. a crisis of spirit or dark night of the soul .. if psychotic break is not a term you like.  I wish we did not have to medicalise and pathologise situations and mental states that may be responses to triggers in our environment, when pathologising leads to dismissing the persons ... instincts, hunches, view points etc ...

but thats just me .. I am a bit biased ..

[Nikolai]

Hi @Appleblossom
Thank you so much for your reply I really appreciate your point of view on the matter.

It's can be hard to differentiate the well founded hunches from irrationality and paranoia 😞

[Gezza]

Hi. I am pretty new to the forum. My experience with psychosis is too increase my anti-psychotic medication. Once I get better I reduce it again. This year has gone pretty smoothly and I haven't had to do the above often. I don't reduce my medication below an agreed level with my psychiatrist. Hope this helps. There is a thread Schizoaffective disorder on this forum. I mentioned that I have suffered psychosis in that thread. Increased my dose as I felt I was deteriorating this arvo/evening. Cheers. G.

[Nikolai]

Thanks @Gezza
I will go have a read through that thread 🙂

[ThatsNoMoon]

I would speak to a psychiatrist but to me it just sounds like paranoia. If it was psychosis you would of had delusions and hallucinations. For example when i had my psychotic break. I became convinced that people were angels or demons (A Delusion) and I saw lights around them. (A hallucination.)

[Former-Member]

Hi @Nikolai, what you described sounds really distressing, sorry you went through that. You are perceptive enough to see the link to the escalating stress in your life, stress affects us more than most acknowledge and needs to be managed, especially if we have been scared or traumatised by life. In my lay opinion, I think you had a severe panic attack. Are you on any antidepressants? I'm skeptical about what some label ad dlusions. I watch family members declare it simply when they don't like what another is saying. I think when were under a lot of stress our mind finds ways to escape. Fantacy, numbing emotions, dissociation... Clearly you need some help at the moment, professional counselling. Personally, I have found antianxiety medication unhelpful, especially long term, try get off them if you can, nutritional medicine is better, you might be low in minerals, especially magnesium. Are there any lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your stress levels? A break by the water somewhere perhaps. One things for certain, its time to be kind to yourself, in thoughts and practicalities. Big hugz xox

[Heart]

Good morning @Nikolai, Reading through the thread and I think @Former-Member has some great points, (and so does everyone else). 

You recognised that you have had alot of stresses which is a great thing to do. The body can play havic when everything pile up. I have had similar and it is the most unpleasant experience. 

Take care and take time out for you.

Hugs

[Magic68]

hi Tawny

I Noticed you mentioned nutritional supplements in response to psychotic episode, i was just wondering if you could give me some more information of what you know about this.  i have an appointment this week and am going to ask my Psychiatrist to start titrating my meds lower and I want to start introducing a healthier alternative to antidepressants mood stabilizer and anti psychotic medication.