(PS10-62) Understanding Recovery from Psychosis And/or Mania Without Long-term Use of Psychotropic Medications

The purpose of the current study is to understand how individuals recovered from (or learned how to successfully manage) a previous experience of psychosis and/or mania without long-term use of psychotropic medications. Specifically, we are interested in speaking with people who found meaning in their previous psychotic and/or manic experience (e.g., finding a sense of purpose, increased spirituality, deepened connection to people/animals/the universe, etc.). “Western” societies (such as the United States [US]) have generally accepted the medical model for understanding, explaining, and treating experiences such as psychosis and mania. This at least partially explains why psychotropic medications (such as mood stabilizers and antipsychotics) are the leading treatment in the US for psychotic and manic experiences. However, many individuals who take these medications report significant side effects that can lead to discontinuation of the medication. Recent research has also called into question the long-term efficacy of medications for the treatment of psychosis and/or mania (Harrow et al., 2022). Therefore, findings from the current study may help inform future psychosocial treatment alternatives for individuals struggling with psychosis and/or mania.

The current study is qualitative in nature. We aim to interview 10-15 participants about their past experience of psychosis and/or mania and how they recovered from that experience without long-term use of psychotropic medications. Participants must be at least 18 years of age, speak English, and live in the US. We are recruiting participants via social media sites, online messaging boards (e.g., Reddit), and word-of-mouth. We aim to recruit a diverse sample of participants in terms of age, gender identity, and race/ethnicity. We have conducted five online interviews at this point in time. We expect that data collection and thematic analysis of the data will be completed by the ABCT meeting date.