My boyfriend went off antipsychotics a few weeks ago. He really just ran out and chose not to get a prescription again. Since he stopped, he has slept very little and now he is super spiritual. Writes about God and Jesus and writes poems that I am to him what Mary Magdalene was to Jesus and that I am his new religion and that he will breathe through me and absorb me. He also believes that we should take a mushroom trip to feel God’s presence and love. I’m not sure that’s a good idea at all.
Well but to my question, would you be worried and think psychosis or take it easy? It must be said that both my boyfriend and I are spiritually interested and don’t just want to make him sick for no reason.
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Has he been spiritual during his entire life or all of a sudden he is interested in it? Was he less spiritual while taking medications ? If so, I would be worried because these are delusions and then will start hallucinations.
He has been spiritual always, but it was less before he quitted the meds. I’m a little concerned
When someone with schizophrenia quits his meds, the symptoms appear gradually. At first you ask yourself wether it’s normal and you say he is doing well and there is nothing to be worried about. After 3 months he will be deep into his delusions and hallucinations and he will need to be hospitalized
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It’s the same for other psychotic disorders
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What was he taking? That might give a rough idea of the severity of his illness and how likely he would be to relapse if the meds are abruptly stopped.
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I would definitely be worried. I think increased spirituality often accompanies the onset of psychotic symptoms- presumably because the voices or other supernatural ideas are consistent with some spiritual believes. With my son the lack of sleep is the biggest indicator of trouble though.
I would urge him to see his doctor to discuss options. Even if he has decided his old med isn’t for him, he ought to be able to work with his doctor to find something that might help stave off a full blown episode. Once those take hold it can be extraordinarily difficult to get someone to initiate medication.
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TLDR: Yes, be concerned. Him choosing to go off his meds and start a new spiritual practice rather than engage with a treatment official is a difficult space to navigate.
If this spiritualism is based on something that you do not feel is normal, i.e that fact that many Christians pray but do not self flagellate OR go long places here there or other places or make variations to their own theological doctrine based on drug use, I would be very concerned.
This breathing in the spirit and laying of hands are usually hypnotic techniques used in Holy Roller churches and Apostolic congregations that also serve as strong indicators of either mental illness or hypnotic mental states. To cut some long summaries of some very wordy books short, hypnotic states and the “Ganzfeld Effect” are the direct effect of “stilling the mind” or feeling “Filled with the Spirit” via group or even partner rituals can also induce this effect. I.e using drugs to induce phases of exaggerated concentration or by fully cutting of any and all normal light and sound stimulus which can also be induced by drugs. Shrooms or LSD included. In individuals with SZ it is highly likely that these states feel even more euphoric than what a normal person feels and does not coincide with a person usually being able to take care of themselves. This is the most concerning aspect of your boyfriends current thoughts/feelings/ game plan.
Visions of God and hype spiritualism added to use of drugs and other “aides” especially if you have to question it and your involvement with it, does not sound like something you should continue with and you are right to be concerned. Why your boyfriend has ignored taking his meds is up to him but I would see if you can persuade him to see a doctor or intervention specialist. If you are in a congregation that encourages these types of spiritual techniques I would reach out first to a medical professional and then to a counselor (I assume you are Christian) who is well acquainted with some of Judeo-Christian theology outside your church. While there isn’t a dearth of super religious Christians who WILL ignore mental illness, your congregation being unhelpful and perhaps encouraging this type of belief will not help you if you already have a full on diagnosis of SZ.
The risk to you or to him decompensating to the point of needing a full hospitalization is enough that if you can, please try and get him to seek medical help. If not please seek out EMS. They can and will be able to detain him before he ignores personal hygiene and his own awareness long enough to risk significant personal harm.
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If it were me I would be upset, its so hard to get people on the meds they need and for him to just stop taking them. Is not good, certain meds could cause serious problems when just stopped like that. If you can, try to get him in to his doctor for an appointment. And yes I think he is having or starting to have a bad episode. If this is something new. Did he start taking meds all on his own or did you and he have to go through hell and back to get him on them. Did he recognize he had an issue before and easily went on them. Hope the best for the both of you.
Id say yes to this. I think the increased spirituality, including the correlations hes making to things around him regarding it. I agree with another post it can start like this not so obvious and end up more enveloped and obsessed with it if he’s experiencing symptoms increasing. My partner has gone through these extremely spiritual, whether God or devil, and is always somewhat interested in religions, but when he starts fixating and correlating myself and people into it thats when its becoming a prominent sz thing, in his case.
Also depending on how long hes been on APs and how high dosage it can be a bad idea to stop cold turkey. There is a dopamine super sensitivity reaction with withdrawl, its not to be taken lightly. My partner reduced meds in the beginning of our relationship and he got severely destabilized. It takes a while to come back each time that happens. Hes pretty med compliant, but theres been times when hes gotten paranoid and will just stop taking them (usually from trying to take adderall, he loves it but it increases psychosis and hes much more paranoid). Have you been with him through other periods where he was experiencing psychosis?