Why do people stop their medication cold turkey?

[EveHarrington]

People stop because they feel good and think they don’t need the meds.

People stop because they don’t like the way the meds make them feel.

 

[Justmehere]

I get overwhelmed and tell myself to “screw it” and quit

People quit other types of treatment for this reason too. There are so many ways people give up and self sabatoge.

What is the “benefit” by doing so? Is there another way to work for that benefit without quitting?

I quit things when I am scared, burned out, stressed out, etc. Sometimes finding other ways to address those issues can reduce the sudden quitting. Sometimes I need to quit other things or change other things. Those could be the real reasons I would stop a medication. It’s an “easy” change and I rather make change over than than the harder changes.

 

[Cactus Bloom]

I’ve done it several times for different reasons. I convinced myself I didn’t need them and it wasn’t because I was feeling better. Compulsiveness. Also, the fact that doctors who put me on the medications didn’t tell me about what withdrawals was or may be dangerous. Now I know better and I slowly taper off a medication because yes, the withdrawals and quitting cold turkey was hellish with some medications.

 

[LuckiLee]

My guy went cold turkey a few years back. The VA had him on all kinds of crap and he wanted off narcotics. It was hell for him for about 6-8 months. He did it though.

He's on an antipsychotic and prazosin (occasionally) now. Everyone says depression can get worse by stopping your medicine. I've witnessed it. Take care of yourself @Snowflakes. Call your pdoc.

Alot of bad sh*t can happen going cold turkey.
XO

 

[Neverthesame]

I've done it with three separate meds, a different reason for each.

1. Paxil (Paroxatine HCL. SSRI) Reason: Couldn't afford to keep taking it. That went poorly. I got damn near every symptom of the discontinuation syndrome in spades. Including random sudden suicidal urges. I believed I was past the worst of it when the last big urge caught me off guard, which I unfortunately acted on. That was scary.
2. Elavil (Amitriptyline. TCA) After being on this for a while with some success. I had made some progress in therapy, felt stable and somewhat better "behind" the medication. Meaning it wasn't just that illusion of better @EveHarrington referred to above. Which of course really does happen to many people. I had made progress and felt ready to come off. With this drug it was totally fine, other than rebound insomnia I have never had a problem. I have started and stopped this drug cold turkey several times over the years with no problem. This is just my reaction to this drug, not the status quo.
3. Effexor (Venlafaxine. SNRI) Tried this drug after discovering that Elavil was no longer effective for me. Over a several month period I began noticing a steady decrease in appetite, resulting in an eventual abstinence from food entirely. By this time (for separate reasons) lost most of my confidence in the health care system to do anything helpful in any way. Not wishing to starve to death, I prepared for the discontinuation syndrome as best I could and stopped the drug. Went quite a lot better than I thought it would. I wouldn't do it again, but it's done and I'm glad. Appetite returned to normal after a fortnight or so.

That's what I've cold turkey quit and why.

Terrible idea to do anytime with any drug. But you know the old adage.
"Do as I say, not as I do".

 

[Hopeforlife]

That’s a hard one. I have done this before and gradually my severe symptoms returned. I done it as a way of sabotaging myself and feeling not worthy of feeling better so why bother. I am also strongly against any drugs as I am afraid that I will end up like some of my family. It took a good 2 months for my psychiatrist and therapist to convince me that it was the way to go. A part of me was also convinced that I could be strong without the meds and I was strong enough to cope. NOT A GOOD IDEA :(

 

[FauxLiz]

I’ve done it because I get frustrated with the amount of different meds I am on. I’ve done it because I simply couldn’t afford them anymore. I’ve done it for what I thought was out of spite because I am made at the dr. None have been good reasons but I won’t say it will never happen again

 

[Esterio]

You are not alone Snowflake. I stopped my medications after being told that I should not do that by the P Doc. I stopped them after 1.5 years of nothing making a difference and many changes. I don't know if it was a good thing or bad thing but I am still here.

I agreed to go and see a Psychiatrist again after an 18 year absences and before that happened I agreed to an anxiety medication. I think it is helping me some. So maybe stopping the medications needed to happen. I was in a bad way at the time and I got out of that.

Now I won't ever let anyone get me on Medication like that again. I let them know that right up front, they are respecting my wishes so far. The Psychiatrist says she understands why I am not willing to go through trial and error with medications again.

I think there is a place for medication. I also think you need to know what is causing your symptoms before you treat them. If I were a danger to myself or others I think I would accept medications for the symptoms again. When I stopped them before I was a danger to myself.

 

[Snowflake]

People quit other types of treatment for this reason too. There are so many ways people give up and...

It’s almost like I punish myself. It’s the only thing I can control-in the form of punishment.

 

[gealach]

I don't like taking meds, but I'm not against them either. I've stopped taking a med that was all side effect and no benefit. And I had stopped taking a med that I couldn't afford, but went back on it. I've never stopped taking a med as a form of protest or self-harm.

 

[Snowflake]

My guy went cold turkey a few years back. The VA had him on all kinds of crap and he wanted off narcot...

Thank you-it’s been rough. I did call a few hours ago

 

[lostforgottensoul]

I stopped because the meds didn't work. Went around and around and around on the anti depressants merry-go- round that did zero for me so I flushed em. Granted, I did find out if there issues of going off cold turkey and there weren't. There were meds on I needed to be weaned off of. Those I didn't go off cold turkey. Might be a question to ask. But, I almost gave up too early on the godsend that is Seriquel XR today. So, if anything, I'd say give any meds you are on a chance. I know you say you were overwhelmed and quit but try to hang in there.

What made you overwhelmed? Sorry if you already answered. A mad headache is preventing me from reading all the replies. Once I find out why I'm overwhelmed, many times I can help to releive that by removing other things that are adding to that overwhelming-ness.