Schizophrenia - General Discussion

coastalskipper92 said:I don't quite get the whole thing about the electric shock therapy... people seem genuinely stunned when I mention hearing that it's still actually being used today.

I've heard rumors that they have padded walls in mental hospitals—is that really how things work here in America too?

Good grief, what a form of torture... you want to end it all but you can't even smash your head against the wall. It’s enough to drive anyone truly insane.😬

Well, have you ever heard of an even "lesser" form of humiliation? I’m talking about being stripped down by a whole group in the dining room, followed by a little "queueing up" in the bathroom, where they just give you a collective shower 🤔 and soap you all up
too.

gnki2000 said:why on earth do you assume that 2+2 equals 5?

I don't personally view making an assumption as some kind of psychiatric disorder, though I suppose my perspective might diverge slightly from what modern American medical standards currently dictate regarding that matter.🙂

Imagination is actually more important than knowledge.
☕

imagination can be quite a double-edged sword; it can certainly be a total headache if things go sideways.

Sarah Wilson95 said:Well, have you ever heard of an even "lesser" form of humiliation? I’m talking about being stripped down by a whole group in the dining room, followed by a little "queueing up" in the bathroom, where they just give you a collective shower 🤔 and soap you all up
too.

Oh, come on... you've got to be kidding me. 😲😕

Has anyone here living with schizophrenia ever experimented with psychedelics? I've heard rumors that it almost always spirals into a bad trip for people with that diagnosis—is there any truth to that?

When you're talking about trips versus schizophrenia, there's no simple black-and-white answer. It isn't just one thing; it’s a messy mix of variables like: -genetic predisposition...
-environmental stressors and surroundings
-the potency of the acid...
-hitting a specific trigger at the wrong moment that kicks a disorder into gear, and so on.😉

James Smith66 said:Has anyone here living with schizophrenia ever experimented with psychedelics? I've heard rumors that it almost always spirals into a bad trip for people with that diagnosis—is there any truth to that?

I only know one person who fits that description, but honestly, they were just as unstable before they ever touched anything.

I’ve been thinking about something pretty heavy lately. Is it actually possible to treat schizophrenia without medication? Like, at all? Or even just theoretically speaking?

Melissa Rivera5 said:I’ve been thinking about something pretty heavy lately. Is it actually possible to treat schizophrenia without medication? Like, at all? Or even just theoretically speaking?

Well, look—meds (depending on which ones you're talking about) are still more frequent, effective, and accepted for stabilizing psychosis involving grandiose delusions. But let's be real: we're talking about suppressing symptoms, not actually curing anything. That's the classic pattern. Most doctors don't claim to "cure" it because you can't really cure it; they just manage it by using drugs to push the symptoms down.
There have been some experimental non-drug approaches that showed slightly better results in the early stages, but overall? Nothing compares to targeted pharmacotherapy in terms of long-term outcomes.
They've even experimented with things like hypnosis or using AT&T, but nothing has really moved the needle significantly.

I’m reaching out because I really need some advice here. I’m 38, healthy—yeah, actually—but lately, things have taken a turn. About a month ago, I started noticing some pretty strange behavior from my mom, who’s 70, and my dad, who’s 72. To get straight to the point: by all accounts, it looks like my mother might be dealing with paranoid schizophrenia. She’s become absolutely convinced that my father is cheating on her—that he’s constantly texting someone behind her back (even though he really only ever calls or texts people already saved in his contacts). It’s gotten to the point where she’s tearing the entire house apart every single day just to find "proof" for what she thinks is happening. Whenever my brother or I try to gently explain that none of this is real, she snaps at us, insisting she isn't crazy and threatening to stop talking to us entirely if we even mention calling a doctor. What are we supposed to do? Honestly, she’s such a wonderful person, but I’m genuinely scared for her.

loneowl72 said:I’m reaching out because I really need some advice here. I’m 38, healthy—yeah, actually—but lately, things have taken a turn. About a month ago, I started noticing some pretty strange behavior from my mom, who’s 70, and my dad, who’s 72. To get straight to the point: by all accounts, it looks like my mother might be dealing with paranoid schizophrenia. She’s become absolutely convinced that my father is cheating on her—that he’s constantly texting someone behind her back (even though he really only ever calls or texts people already saved in his contacts). It’s gotten to the point where she’s tearing the entire house apart every single day just to find "proof" for what she thinks is happening. Whenever my brother or I try to gently explain that none of this is real, she snaps at us, insisting she isn't crazy and threatening to stop talking to us entirely if we even mention calling a doctor. What are we supposed to do? Honestly, she’s such a wonderful person, but I’m genuinely scared for her.

-Look, nobody here can give you a real solution; you need a professional. This forum is just for advice, but in the real world, you need to get a family member to a psychiatrist or a follow-up appointment—assuming she’s already been diagnosed once before. Is she actually staying on her medication, or is she skipping doses or forgetting them?

I feel compelled to speak up because I am honestly just so frustrated—I’ve reached my limit with the entire field of psychology and psychiatry. It makes me wonder how many innocent souls and broken hearts had to be shattered before they finally realized that electroshock therapy is nothing short of barbaric and moved to ban it...
It is as if
only God can truly witness the sheer injustice people inflict upon one another—often driven by nothing more than vanity or the ego of some absolute idiots...🙂🙂

Perhaps, in some small way, those inhumane fools will eventually find clarity once their own capacity for empathy is restored...
In the end, love is the only true remedy for a wounded soul, and that is a prescription handed down by God alone.

hiddentrucker16 said:I feel compelled to speak up because I am honestly just so frustrated—I’ve reached my limit with the entire field of psychology and psychiatry. It makes me wonder how many innocent souls and broken hearts had to be shattered before they finally realized that electroshock therapy is nothing short of barbaric and moved to ban it...
It is as if
only God can truly witness the sheer injustice people inflict upon one another—often driven by nothing more than vanity or the ego of some absolute idiots...🙂🙂

Perhaps, in some small way, those inhumane fools will eventually find clarity once their own capacity for empathy is restored...
In the end, love is the only true remedy for a wounded soul, and that is a prescription handed down by God alone.

Look, I don't mean to be a buzzkill, but electroshock isn't actually banned. They still use it, just way less often, and the regulations for when they can administer it are much tighter now.

Gary James88 said:Look, I don't mean to be a buzzkill, but electroshock isn't actually banned. They still use it, just way less often, and the regulations for when they can administer it are much tighter now.

...or am I mistaken about certain countries having outright bans on it?

hiddentrucker16 said:...or am I mistaken about certain countries having outright bans on it?

Spot on. It’s banned in some places (like Canada), but here in America and most other spots, it seems to still be legal (Italy, France, England, USA, Japan...). That said, everyone knows the ECB isn't exactly the gold standard; it's mired in controversy and you rarely see it prescribed these days.

Gary James88 said:Spot on. It’s banned in some places (like Canada), but here in America and most other spots, it seems to still be legal (Italy, France, England, USA, Japan...). That said, everyone knows the ECB isn't exactly the gold standard; it's mired in controversy and you rarely see it prescribed these days.

Thanks for getting back to me; I feel a little better now...🙂🙂

I was just sitting here wondering how many of you deal with a little bit of "madness" in your own lives, specifically those who find themselves feeling supercharged and productive versus those who feel like everything is just falling apart.

Gary James88 said:Spot on. It’s banned in some places (like Canada), but here in America and most other spots, it seems to still be legal (Italy, France, England, USA, Japan...). That said, everyone knows the ECB isn't exactly the gold standard; it's mired in controversy and you rarely see it prescribed these days.

I underwent ECT treatments back during the third and fourth months of 1997.
And honestly, I am no more or less unstable than I was before the procedure.
So, if you are looking for someone who just appeared out of thin air, that would be me 😁.
In the intervening years, my diagnosis was updated in 2000 to schizoaffective disorder.
My current regimen involves five liters of lithium daily, three lamictal, and one and a half Cipralex.
I suppose anyone wishing to maintain a life as tranquil as mine would need to consume at least that much.😁☕

Currently, I am engaging in sexual therapy with my communications specialist, Dr. George.
The rule is simply: no sex until the session is complete.
And so on, blah blah blah...
I shall eventually find the time to link all my clones together, and everyone will receive their due
—they will get a diagnosis from me, while I learn directly from Dr. George
so that there is no further need for debate.
On the news today, Fiolic appeared on television and remarked:
"Just say nice things about others, even if they are unpleasant!"
Amen, Jesus Christ, you haven't seen anything quite as low as this trash before 🙂🙂🙂

Just out of pure curiosity—how does someone living with schizophrenia actually navigate their professional life and social circles? I mean, what does their capacity for work look like in practice? I really don't want to sound insensitive by asking this, but I have a friend with that diagnosis who struggles quite a bit; they’re frequently out on medical leave, spending time in the hospital, and sometimes they stop taking their medication, which leads to some pretty rough patches. Is that a common experience for everyone dealing with this, or is it more about how the condition progresses over time?🤷

I live with anxiety and depression, and I generally manage to stay on top of things, though I’ll admit that when the low periods really hit, I end up needing to take extended sick leave from work.🙄

Richard Davis91 said:Just out of pure curiosity—how does someone living with schizophrenia actually navigate their professional life and social circles? I mean, what does their capacity for work look like in practice? I really don't want to sound insensitive by asking this, but I have a friend with that diagnosis who struggles quite a bit; they’re frequently out on medical leave, spending time in the hospital, and sometimes they stop taking their medication, which leads to some pretty rough patches. Is that a common experience for everyone dealing with this, or is it more about how the condition progresses over time?🤷

My boyfriend works at a sawmill, and he deals with schizophrenia and depression.
He tells me work can feel pretty isolating... he constantly struggles with hallucinations that people are avoiding him or rejecting him. Sometimes, after being out on sick leave, he’s actually terrified to go back because he feels like he’ll be humiliated or something. He gets social anxiety, too. He said it feels like walking into a firing squad, feeling like he's just annoying everyone. Honestly, I deal with similar "brain fog" moments myself sometimes.
Even though he knows some of these things are hallucinations, he can't always help it, despite being on heavy-duty medications. It's one of the reasons I stay away from psychologists and meds myself—it just isn't for me.