coming off my anti-psychotic with medical supervision

'okaymyemye, you've just completed nursing school, what will you do next?'

'i'm going to go through withdrawal!'

i'm currently on 0.25 mg of risperidone. when i started school, i think i was on something like 3 mg and had been given the impression that would basically be for the rest of my life. my current doctor doesn't think i need it at all. whatever it is i have, she's pretty sure it's not a lifelong psychotic illness, just based on my progression through this process of decreasing the dose, my performance in school and my social abilities. while it's true i don't tell her everything that goes on in my head, i agree. i finally feel like my true self after, what, 20 years?

she asked me at our last appointment if i wanted to stop taking it altogether, but, even now, when i miss a dose i do feel it the next day. it's not that bad, but there are withdrawal symptoms. i basically feel shaky and agitated with brain fog and can't sleep without it. i said i was fine staying on the 0.25 mg but she suggested basically taking it as needed.

being off the risperidone completely means i'll also be able to stop taking my benztropine, since it was for side effects. unfortunately, missing my benztropine also gives me withdrawal symptoms similar to missing my risperidone. she's advised me also to take it as needed.

i'm stopping them because i've been advised by a doctor who, i think, is genuinely invested in my health so... i'll just be dealing with that for a little bit. i was going to apply to work as a PSW at one of my previous placements like next week until i get licensed as an RPN and she was like 'give yourself at least a month, you deserve some time off'.