My son is 29 years old and was diagnosed with paranoid Schizophrenia. He was on medication for 28 months. It has been 50 days since he stopped taking medication. He lives with us. All I can say is I am worried if he will get symptoms again. I am taking one day at a time. I am home 24/7 watching him. His Psychiatrist said that many patients can stay well without medication. He works part time and he is in college. If any of you have your loved one not on medication and are doing well I would like to know. Sending positive thoughts to everyone suffering and their family members.
I hope it will go well for your son. Some pol can stop medicating after a year or two. I tried to but I got worse.
Make a plan with him if he gets worse. What are the signs? Less sleep, anxiety, aggression, depression…etc. Everyone has their own symptoms. Try thinking about before he got ill the last time, what signs were there?
And what do you do if this happens?
Welcome @lenora11
Sending good thoughts to you and your son. 
It takes a while for some medications to leave your system. Keep watching your son for several months. If he can make it without meds, great. If not, try to get him in the hospital.
Thanks for the replies. Your replies are the things that I am doing as per Psychiatrist advice. He is willing to take medication if symptoms returned. Excellent advice and feed back. Thanks and Wishing you well to you all.
I have seen a few people who have made it without meds. They had a very good crisis team in place, access to therapy and most of all, weren’t using illegal drugs.
From what I gather it’s not easy. I heard and read here that is possible as long as the person is willing to keep a good eye on their stress triggers, their diet, sleep, and other things and they have a good support network. Of course it’s not like this for everyone.
My brother has come back to us so to speak. He’s doing so well. Yet for him, he does and most likely will always need his meds.
He’s been going to therapy and working harder at staying healthy. I’m sure that is why he can manage so well on lower doses. But he can’t be med free. (yet)
Thank you for letting me post
Unfortunately schizophrenia does not work this way. People take meds - like myself, to continue being symptom free or at least so their is a reduction in symptoms. The meds also help prevent a relapse. Taking meds only when symptoms arise or worsen, is not a typical way of handling schizophrenia - I do wish you well with your son, maybe he will be open to taking the meds on a regular basis - this is the best approach to handling the SZ symptoms
My brother is in this boat. He swears that keeping on his meds has given him the consistent stability that has helped him heal.
@lenora11, I’ve been told that every relapse hurts the brain a little more, makes the base line a little lower, takes a little more away each time.
A good long run of no relapse I feel, in my limited knowledge, helps the brain heal. I hope all goes well and your son continues to get better.
Thanks again for all your suggestions. I was in medical field and my husband is a physician. I gave up my job for my son so I can take care of him. Our son lives with us. He did take medication for 28 months and was not motivated to do anything besides just sleep and couldn’t even sit for a short time. I am not sure how this will work out now that he is not on medication. As I said We are watching him and he sees his Pdoc every month. We write down our observations and hand it to his office. The Doctor said many people can live good life without taking medication. No one can predict what can happen so all We can do is watch him . I don’t want the other shoe to drop but nothing is in our hands. We can hope for the best and take it one day at a time. Everyone is different . There is no way anyone can say what can happen for my son. Good luck to all. Thanks again for all your advice. I am always grateful.
Hi Everyone,
I believe I am in the same boat as you. I have a 29 yr. old brother who was diagnosed with schizophrenia 2 years ago. Until now the entire family is having a hard time coping with the “gift” that my brother was given. I am sad to inform you that here in the Philippines we have no “active” support groups that can help family members and friends of persons with SZ. 3 days ago we had to seek professional help and have him admitted to the Neuropsychiatric ward in one of the top hospitals here in our country because he stopped taking meds for almost 5 months. Being a brother, it was hard for me to see the side effects of the meds, BTW he is taking Risdin and Akidin. We saw progress in him until the time that he stopped taking it. I still don’t know a lot about the SZ, so any information that you can gie will be truly helpful. I am more concerned in knowing how to handle my brother once he gets out of the hospital.
Welcome to the forum @jumbo96a
I found these resources helpful:
http://www.leapinstitute.org/ - under resources are free videos on using LEAP
LEAP is a way of communicating to build trust. Listen-Empathize-Agree-Partner.
http://dramador.com/ - Dr. Xavier Amador is a clinical psychologist whose brother had schizophrenia. He is the founder of the LEAP Institute. Wrote the book: I’m Not Sick I Don’t Need Help! Can buy from his website.
Search Xavier Amador and LEAP on youtube.com and you should find some long videos
Treatment Advocacy Center - under problems you will see anosognosia
Anosognosia looks like denial but is different.
Bayes for Schizophrenics: Reasoning in Delusional Disorders - LessWrong - helped my understand delusions
http://www.nami.org/ - National Alliance on Mental Illness.
http://www.schizophrenia.ca/ - Schizophrenia Society of Canada
Can also find some very useful information here:
Thanks for the warm welcome @BarbieBF I already bookmarked your blog as well… I also saw this post you and the resources while researching… I’m really glad to have found this website… please do not stop writing and educating people. All the best!
Thanks for all the above information. I am familiar with everyone of them and I have all books and everything I need to know. It’s difficult to communicate with the person who is ill. My son has been ill for over 4 years. I am on many forums, I go to support group meetings, I have attended family to family classes twice. Also it is not necessary for everyone to be on medication. 40% of schizophrenics are not on medication and some are doing well. So We can’t predict about what can happen. I am home 24/7 and watching my son. Thanks again.
Thank you 
Sometimes I wonder if I’m the only person benefiting from my blogging/writing so it helps to know that it is also helping someone else.
I get surprised when people say my writing gave them an idea… sometimes for me… just getting it out of my head is why I type it out. Then I’m surprised people read it. 