A 25-year-old schizophrenic woman died after taking a fatal dose of anti-psychotic drugs prescribed to control her erratic and depressive behaviour, an inquest heard today.

Amy Degens died at her home in Queens Court, Hatfield Road, St Albans, on November 28 last year.

An inquest at Hatfield Coroner's Court today heard that Miss Degens suffered severe relapses after failing to take anti-psychotic drugs Quetiapine and Olanzapine, intended to stabilise paranoid schizophrenia. Without medication, the court was told, Miss Degens became severely unwell.

In April 2009, she suffered a breakdown and was detained under section three of the Mental Health Act after she intentionally stopped taking her medication. Just days before her death, Miss Degens had also forgotten to take her medication.

Miss Degens had informed friends and family via text message that she was feeling stressed at work and low after accidentally skipping a dosage. Miss Degen's mobile phone containing the messages were recovered by police during a search of her home. In a statement read out to the hearing, Miss Degens' former psychiatrist Stephanie Saddler, who works for Hemel Hempstead's mental health team, said her patient had taken "impulsive" overdoses in the past when she had become depressed, on one occasion in 2007 after enrolling at a college course.

Miss Degens was discovered by her mother, Susan, who was accompanied by other family members, including Miss Degens' older sister Sarah, at this morning's inquest. Miss Degens was found lying face down on her living room floor shortly after noon.

A post mortem revealed Miss Degens died of a fatal overdose of a therapeutic drug.

St Albans sergeant Julie Hanson, one of the senior officers who was at the scene, said empty packets of tablets, a bottle of vodka and two teddies were found beside Miss Degens' body. During a search of the property, police discovered a book of poems, but found no suicide note.

At the time of her death, Miss Degens appeared relatively settled. She had moved from Sovereign House, where she had received months of rehabilitation, to independent accommodation in St Albans, in June. The move had also forced a transfer from Hemel Hempstead mental health team to St Albans.

Amy was also working as a shop assistant in Watford while studying for a degree in art and was learning Italian. She held aspirations to enrol in a law course in St Albans. However, giving evidence in court today, Miss Degens' care co-ordinator, Jennifer Dellow, said her patient had been unhappy with her diagnosis as a paranoid schizophrenic in the run-up to her death. Mental health expert Dr Gerber, of St Albans community mental health team, had agreed to review her condition and medication. Miss Degens' death came as an unexpected shock to her family, who believed her to be quite settled at the time she died.

Coroner Edward Thomas recorded a verdict of self harm.