Want to know more about my rights and how I can successfully refuse to take meds

[Jesus is Coming Soon!!!]

Hello, I have been diagnosed with a mental illness and hospitalized 6 times in the last few years. I would like to know more about my rights and what to do if I am hospitalized again and pressured into taking psychotropic medications. I have watched some videos from the Citizens Commission on Human Rights and I have also checked out a book from the library called “Anatomy of an Epidemic” by Robert Whitaker that gives scientific proof against psychiatry. The book cites studies that show that people with mental illnesses did better in the long run when they were not treated with any medication. The book also shared testimonies from people who were harmed by psychiatry and some of the stories showed that taking a lot of psychiatric drugs can actually lead to an early death. I have decided that the CCHR videos and the book I read are telling the truth and if I am hospitalized again I would like to know if it is a good idea to refuse to receive medication.
In 2009 I had a terrifying episode of mental illness where I was afraid that people from a past company/ town were planning on killing me. I was hospitalized for two weeks. Later I was diagnosed as having schizophrenia. The five other hospitalizations after this were less severe episodes. Last September without warning I was suddenly afraid I was going to die and begged my parents to take me to the hospital. I decided to take the medications when I was in the hospital because I was afraid that they would hold me against my will if I refused and it would be more difficult to be discharged from the hospital. In a past episode I refused to take the medication at first but the hospital threatened to take me to court so because I did not want that hassle I gave in and took the medication. Later after I got out of the hospital I found in the paperwork that the hospital was going to try to transfer me to an Institution if I had continued to refuse to take the medication.
I am not sure if it is better to refuse treatment or to go along with it if I ever am hospitalized again. One article I have read said that a popular method to get released from the hospital is to just play along and take the medication. However in my last hospitalization I gave in and took the medication and later I received a bill for hundreds of dollars for the medications that I received. I think it might be better to refuse to take the medication.
Also I think that being pressured to take medications in the hospital is an attack on my religious freedom. Because I am a Christian I believe that one of the factors contributing to mental illness is spiritual/ mental attack from the Devil and his demons. I believe that demons have the power to attack people by putting the wrong thoughts into their minds including thoughts that lead to mental illness. Psychiatrists and hospitals want me to believe that the only problem I have is within my brain, that it is just a biological disorder or chemical imbalance. This goes against what I believe about the Devil and demons because I believe they are supernatural beings and they cannot be controlled by medications really. In my first episode I actually heard voices saying terrible things and I believe those voices were demonic in nature.
So please let me know if it is a good idea to refuse to take the medications in the hospital and let me know what I can do to prevent forced treatment and what I can do to require my release from the hospital without receiving treatment.

 

[RuthD]

No matter what the reason for your illness, medication has proven to be effective for many people. If I don't take mine I become paranoid, extremely depressed and even suicidal. But with it I feel much better. Insurance usually covers the cost, mine does at least. I know you are very much against taking medicine so I may seem rude to you but I'm not trying to be. What is your answer for getting well?

 

[Josie Adams]

I have learnt a that if you think demons are talking to you if you tell them to go in Jesus name and you can still hear them then it is your brain, not spiritual. I hope that helps discern what is happening.

I agree that you need to take the medication.

 

[sojourner4Christ]

Want to know more about my rights and how I can successfully refuse to take meds

​

Hello, I have been diagnosed with a mental illness and hospitalized 6 times in the last few years. I would like to know more about my rights and what to do if I am hospitalized again and pressured into taking psychotropic medications. I have watched some videos from the Citizens Commission on Human Rights and I have also checked out a book from the library called “Anatomy of an Epidemic” by Robert Whitaker that gives scientific proof against psychiatry. The book cites studies that show that people with mental illnesses did better in the long run when they were not treated with any medication. The book also shared testimonies from people who were harmed by psychiatry and some of the stories showed that taking a lot of psychiatric drugs can actually lead to an early death. I have decided that the CCHR videos and the book I read are telling the truth and if I am hospitalized again I would like to know if it is a good idea to refuse to receive medication.
In 2009 I had a terrifying episode of mental illness where I was afraid that people from a past company/ town were planning on killing me. I was hospitalized for two weeks. Later I was diagnosed as having schizophrenia. The five other hospitalizations after this were less severe episodes. Last September without warning I was suddenly afraid I was going to die and begged my parents to take me to the hospital. I decided to take the medications when I was in the hospital because I was afraid that they would hold me against my will if I refused and it would be more difficult to be discharged from the hospital. In a past episode I refused to take the medication at first but the hospital threatened to take me to court so because I did not want that hassle I gave in and took the medication. Later after I got out of the hospital I found in the paperwork that the hospital was going to try to transfer me to an Institution if I had continued to refuse to take the medication.
I am not sure if it is better to refuse treatment or to go along with it if I ever am hospitalized again. One article I have read said that a popular method to get released from the hospital is to just play along and take the medication. However in my last hospitalization I gave in and took the medication and later I received a bill for hundreds of dollars for the medications that I received. I think it might be better to refuse to take the medication.
Also I think that being pressured to take medications in the hospital is an attack on my religious freedom. Because I am a Christian I believe that one of the factors contributing to mental illness is spiritual/ mental attack from the Devil and his demons. I believe that demons have the power to attack people by putting the wrong thoughts into their minds including thoughts that lead to mental illness. Psychiatrists and hospitals want me to believe that the only problem I have is within my brain, that it is just a biological disorder or chemical imbalance. This goes against what I believe about the Devil and demons because I believe they are supernatural beings and they cannot be controlled by medications really. In my first episode I actually heard voices saying terrible things and I believe those voices were demonic in nature.
So please let me know if it is a good idea to refuse to take the medications in the hospital and let me know what I can do to prevent forced treatment and what I can do to require my release from the hospital without receiving treatment.

First things first.

Are you a born again follower of Jesus Christ? (Notice I did not ask if you called yourself a "Christian." "Christian" is a label; born again is an action.) If so, when did you become born again?

Who is your head, your spiritual cover? Are you presently lodging under his authority? Is your cover born again?

 

[Star Adept]

How did you feel after the meds they forced you to take?

 

[detachment]

If they were demonic they would attack you all the time. I have schizophrenia bipolar depression and anxiety. I have been hospitalized 15 times cause I would always quit my medication severe psychosis. I told them I'm not taking meds they said I would have to wait three months to go to court. My first episode which I was hospitalized twice was when I was 22 quit taking meds and at 28 all hell broke loose completely psychotic the medication took it away but I always hoped I would get off medication time after time I failed and was hospitalized but that's me not you. Everybody different 33 percent have one episode and don't take medication 33 percent take medication then get off of it 33 percent have to take it the rest of there life that's were I fall into. I wish you the best and will say a prayer for you. Your not being attack by the devil or demons but when I'm in an episode demonic spirits attack me the devil will attack you when your most vunranble.

 

[Jesus is Coming Soon!!!]

I have placed my faith in Jesus, I am born again, and my Parents are saved to.
After my first episode I still was paranoid that someone had done something against me even after I was released and on the medication. I did not figure out until later that I had lost touch with reality.

 

[Star Adept]

What does your doctor say?

 

[sojourner4Christ]

Your overall diet could be a serious open door to the enemy. I’d have to know more details about what you’re ingesting.

Your cover could be allowing devils into the home, ignorantly or otherwise, thereby granting them legal access to you.

If you are under your father’s authority, then you need to express your concerns (your “fight for your rights&#8221 to him -- rather than solicit input from strangers in these forums apart from your cover’s permission.

Who is signing the admission forms to send you to hospital? BTW, when one signs, one becomes obligated to the terms of the contract; every contract involves a duty or duties.

Concerning the demonic events, yes, absolutely for real. And the meds can cause the very symptoms they would purport to prevent (read the Product Data Sheets to see for yourself).

 

[Jesus is Coming Soon!!!]

If they were demonic they would attack you all the time.

I believe that angels can protect me a lot so that would make it not possible for the demons to attack all the time. Or I could make them go away by commanding them to leave in the name of Jesus and not return. Usually I only come under demonic attack occasionally and it usually happens after I have some wonderful or miraculous experience with God.

 

[Messy]

I don't dare to say you shouldn't take the antipsychotics, but in my case and I wasn't psychotic I did a suicide attack when they gave me prozac and later I got remeron, an antidepressant and 8 oxazepam a day, then I saw a youtube movie from Hall Lindsay who talked about it was scorceries and my ex who was on pot said that oxazepam was made from opium, so I threw it away and had no problems (I had taken it for a year and normally if I tried to take some less it would get awful, but I believe God did a miracle now, they say you can't stop with that at once). You can watch T.B. Joshua or Derek Prince on youtube, praying for viewers. It set me free from demons, I also got deliverance prayer in church. I went to christian counselling and they kinda forced me to go to a psychiater, wish I'd never done that. It was just demonic in my case. When they forced me to take antipsychotics in a mental institution which made me really weird I just took them in the back of my mouth, pretended I swallowed them and later spit them out in the toilet.

 

[Jesus is Coming Soon!!!]

What is your answer for getting well?

Right now I am taking the cross centered mind online course by Setting Captives Free. I think the advice in this course about taking your thoughts captive to Christ is the answer for getting well although sometimes I still struggle with keeping all my thoughts in line with God's word and His desires. Here is a testimony from the course that shows that you can find healing for your mind through the power of God and His word:
Amanda's Testimony - Resources - Setting Captives Free

 

[Jesus is Coming Soon!!!]

then I saw a youtube movie from Hall Lindsay who talked about it was scorceries and my ex who was on pot said that oxazepam was made from opium

Here is an enlightening discussion I participated in on the Setting Captives Free forum where I also was told that psychotropic drugs are more like sorcery than medical practice:
Diagnosed as Schizoaffective -- should I trust psychiatry?

 

[Jesus is Coming Soon!!!]

What does your doctor say?

My doctor believes in psychiatry but I am taking a course by Setting Captives Free that gives information where you can find doctors that are opposed to psychiatry.

Here is a thought someone shared with me from the Setting Captives Free discussion forum: "I find our willingness as a society, and especially, our willingness within the Christian church, to trust the so-called "experts," simply because these people have letters after their names that make them sound more important, and therefore, more intelligent than us, to be very frightening."

Because of this I do not really trust what most doctors say about psychotropic drugs.

 

[Jesus is Coming Soon!!!]

Your overall diet could be a serious open door to the enemy. I’d have to know more details about what you’re ingesting.

Your cover could be allowing devils into the home, ignorantly or otherwise, thereby granting them legal access to you.

If you are under your father’s authority, then you need to express your concerns (your “fight for your rights”) to him -- rather than solicit input from strangers in these forums apart from your cover’s permission.

Who is signing the admission forms to send you to hospital? BTW, when one signs, one becomes obligated to the terms of the contract; every contract involves a duty or duties.

My mom makes me nutritious meals. As for my father's authority I don't think I have to follow if it is against God or dangerous and the book I am reading by Robert Whitaker shows that these drugs can be harmful.

The last time I was in the hospital I was not in my right mind laying down and overcome with a feeling that I was going to die. One of the workers put a form in front of me for me to sign and I just gave in and signed it. Other times I was in the hospital I never signed.

 

[yesyoushould]

Im so sorry your experiencing such torment.

It's sad to hear that people who have jobs for helping people are only interested in money.

You, as a patient, afflicted, are of a better mind to help those in need.

Experienced. They have stolen your job, aware or unaware.

 

[Star Adept]

My doctor believes in psychiatry but I am taking a course by Setting Captives Free that gives information where you can find doctors that are opposed to psychiatry.

Here is a thought someone shared with me from the Setting Captives Free discussion forum: "I find our willingness as a society, and especially, our willingness within the Christian church, to trust the so-called "experts," simply because these people have letters after their names that make them sound more important, and therefore, more intelligent than us, to be very frightening."

Because of this I do not really trust what most doctors say about psychotropic drugs.

I think it's very important to realize that doctors are just people behind a degree and a license. No different than a police officer -- and the news is abound with those who do not uphold the image of good-intending law enforcers. In fact, I am a veterinary technician. I work with doctors. I will attest to this personally.

That being said, I have had my bad dealings with doctors and my schizophrenia as well. But, our beliefs are different. I could not turn to God then, because I did not believe then.

My mother caught wind of my last suicide attempt. I slipped with my words. I would have just ended it with nobody knowing until it happened. She begged me to see her doctor. I love my mother, she is probably the embodiment of a Christian that I hold all others to -- and why I am so frustrated at the lack of people falling short of that. So, for her, I went. My doctor is amazing. He, like many others, is a firm believer in the medications. I wasn't all too happy with that either. He tried me on antidepressants. It doesn't make the schizophrenia go away, and, I was more just intolerant of it than depressed about it -- so they didn't work. I was really torn about going to see him again, but he asks check in once a week whether we have an appointment or not. I was honest with him that the meds were not working and for the first time ever in my dealings with a psychiatrist, he told me to wean down my antidepressants and come in so we can discuss other meds.

He has always been understanding. He has always been of the opinion of "I am only the person who prescribes these to you, only you can tell me how they are working for you. If they are not, it is my ethical code, imperative duty, and soulful responsibility to make you well."

He explained that he is not binded by the official Hippocratic Oath. He said that when his class graduated from med school, the entire graduating class of all disciplines were given a choice of three oaths. Majority vote determined what the entire class had to swear by. In his class, there were three to choose from. He, and the majority, voted on the one that included a portion that, by oath, demanded that they continually evolve their understanding of their profession by each patient that they see and by all modern sciences.

I do work in the medical field, so pharmacology is not all that hard for me. He explains how the medicine affects the biology, what that might mean to me, what the pitfalls are. One time I came in looking for adderall because a friend had left half a bottle before he went off to college and I took a few since I was still struggling. He would not give me any. And he explained why. He said that the adderall "always "works" for people. That's what it does. It forces euphoria and attention." They give it to non-symptomatic plane pilots who fly long routes and he very seriously disagreed with that. He explained that, even though science doesn't know why yet, children can take it with no problem. In adults, it not only loses efficacy over time, but your brain gets essentially lazy in the production of some of the chemicals that the medication is providing for them and if you take them long enough and go off of them, it's even worse for you. Given that you become tolerant, this is an inevitability in adults.

In our discussion that day, because he saw that I was still trying and frustrated with the "typical course" of meds for schizophrenia, he had a novel idea. Based on what parts of my life, and why, the schizophrenia was affecting, he tried something off-label. I'm currently on Nuvigil (armodafinil). It is an anti-narcoleptic medication. He went through the pharmacology as he always does. Essentially the narcoleptic doesn't ever get level-5 sleep, the medication does not cure this, but allows the patient to sleep more when he wants, to get more rest in general. By the pharmacology, it gives more reward to your brain when you task it to do something. Most of us who have been through the system with schizophrenia are taught reality checks. He explained that because of the method by which the medication works, I would likely be better rewarded for my task of staying grounded.

It is a safe medication, as far as any of these medications go, and has no known long-term side effects.

I have only ever in my entire life been able to turn the schizo down. Be it pharma drugs, illegal drugs, drowning out my brain with music, therapy. This medication turned it off. I feel like I'm walking in a world I have not set foot in for 28 years, and there isn't a smidgen of doubt in my mind that this is the real world.

In fact, the only inconsistency in reality was this odd aura sensation. I had always had it, but passed it off as just one of those unrealistic things. Since the medication, it's the only thing that feels unrealistic. But, it's consistent in its methods. Sherlock Holmes would tell me that, however improbable it is, it must be real. This sensation I feel is what I have come to understand as God working through me. I have come to faith because of my medication. I am making strides in my faith and closeness to God every day of my life now.

It is why I came to the christian forums. Here, sifting through all the crappy people that don't seem to understand the stuff they're preaching to others, I have found people who are enlightened. Community with them teaches me more about the spirit that I take back to every person I come across in my life as best as possible.

Do not give up on medication. I was never the paranoid subtype, but I understand we all struggle with reality. You said that your symptoms seem to flare up. Go to a doctor when they are not. If you do not agree with how the meds are working, talk to him about trying something new. If he doesn't want to take you off of them, find another doctor.

I do not believe that demons are attacking you, but I found faith through the life I have been given with these meds. I am a converted atheist and a completely recovered schizophrenic. I am only one testimony, I may not be enough, but I offer it to you in faith. I pray you do not listen to those who agree with your fears because they believe in your fears but have no POSSIBLE idea what our condition is like.

God bless your health man.

Edit: Btw, Nuvigil is not FDA approved for Schizophrenia, because it fell short of it's trials, but patients after the trials showed improvement. I'm sourcing this from wiki but my doc told me the same thing

In June, 2010, it was revealed that a phase II study of armodafinil as an adjunctive therapy in adults with schizophrenia had failed to meet the primary endpoints, and the clinical program was subsequently terminated.[8] However, a study published later that year showed that schizophrenic patients treated with armodafinil showed fewer of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia

 

[Gottservant]

You have a right to "chemical cohesion".

Psychiatrists are not more accountable than your next sane expectation.

 

[blackribbon]

If you are hospitalized, you have the right of refusal unless you are court ordered to take the medications. While under the court order (which has a limited life but can be renewed), you can not refuse...there will always be a injection form of every psychiatric medication prescribed and the nurses are required by law to give every medication ordered by the doctor.

The way to avoid having a court order is to manage your illness the best you can before it gets to the point where you are put in the hospital involuntarily. And once in the hospital, show that you are capable of taking care of yourself (daily hygiene) and can manage self-control when interacting with the other patients and staff....even when they are being unreasonable. You are showing that you will be able to handle yourself outside the hospital when people aren't reasonable. Discharge or change to a voluntary status does not mean that you don't have symptoms but rather that your symptoms are under control and you are capable of safely making your own decisions. Cooperate with the staff. The majority of people that are working there do so because they really do care about people with mental health issues, and the bad attitudes they get are related to bad experiences where patients have harmed them either physically or taken advantage of their trust. They are human too.

If you feel that you being treated without respect, your hospital is required by law to have a way for you to file a complaint without it going through the mental health staff's fingers...a complaint box on the wall is an example (and no, the floor staff can't open it) and the hospital's recipent's rights officer is required to investigate every complaint and are audited by hospital inspections on a regular basis with this being a very important licensing point. However, if your complaints include accusing the psychiatrist of "being a Nazi" or that "he only wants to talk to me when I don't want to talk" aren't going to be considered abuse. When you are admitted you should receive a copy of your rights as a mental health recipient. Take the time to actually read it and keep it.

As for medications, the best way to not get something forced on you is to work with your doctors to find a good balance before you get bad enough to be placed in the hospital as an involuntary admit. Voluntary admits can refuse so do not be afraid to seek help early when you begin to see the early evidence of your symptoms beginning to appear. However, if you don't take any medications, you may be discharged because you aren't allowing the hospital to help you. (Involuntary admits have the right of refusal too until the court reviews your case and orders treatment.) Seek help when you first hear "wind" sounds and don't wait for them to grow to full voices. Also, don't go off your medications because you think you are "better" and don't need them. Feeling better is really just evidence that the medication is working. Work with your doctor. Like a diabetic, some people will need medications for the rest of their lives to stay healthy. The up and down of going on and off your medications without medical oversight is often much harder on the body than the side effects of the medications. Find a health professional that you work well with and work as a team so that you aren't assigned one in crisis that isn't a good match.

Remember...this is a medical condition that needs treatment like diabetes or many other chronic conditions. The brain is an organ in your body like your heart and when the body's chemical balance is off, it affects the way the brain processes information and it can send false signals to be processed which means that it hears or sees things that are not really there. However, they are very real to the person experiencing them.

Own your own health. Be proactive in your health management. Don't wait until you are in crisis and someone else has to take over your decision making options.

 

[blackribbon]

As for the book you referenced, I don't know anything about it but like I wouldn't want my car fixed by a journalist who had done a lot of research on car repair but rather I'd want a mechanic who actually had gotten his hands dirty by putting them in a car engine...I'd also be a bit skeptical about a journalist claiming to be a medical expert. Unless, you really don't believe that schizophrenia is a medical condition ... Is it a biological malfunction of the brain (not intelligence) or is it demons and/or "bad choices"? I tend to believe it is a biological issue that can be improved through various forms of treatment. The number of people on the "disability" has increased because the diseases are being diagnosed more and people are living longer. We no longer throw people away in asylums at a very young age. They are being treated and able to function as independent adults. We are also recognizing real issues such as generalized anxiety, PTSD, major depression...which back up a few years and they wouldn't have been given any help or disabled status....so be careful when sorting through the statistics. We are working hard to learn more about mental illnesses in a time when the resources to help people are getting thinner. We still don't have the brain figured out but the research in mental health issues is growing along with the basic medical neurological function.