Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Hello. I find myself in a situation I wouldn’t wish on anyone... It concerns my mother. Based on what I have read here, it seems she exhibits many symptoms of schizophrenia. However, before I seek advice, I would like to share the full story. I hope you might be able to offer some guidance. Thank you in advance for listening.🙂 To expand on what I said earlier regarding my mother: I must admit that I may sound harsh when describing her, but we were never close, nor did she ever attempt to be a real mother to me. My estrangement from her began about fifteen years ago when my father, my mother, and I (I was six at the time) moved abroad for her career. She is a prominent research scientist or something similar. At that age, I didn't speak a word of English, and they enrolled me in a public school where I was sent to see a psychiatrist simply because I sat there staring blankly at people—thank God, I just couldn't understand anything being taught. I mostly remember the mockery and teasing I faced, though perhaps that is just how I perceived it. Once they realized the situation wasn't working, they moved me to a private academy where I studied the language, and things were actually quite alright regarding my education. However, the home life was different. My mother worked day and night; we practically never saw her, while my father stayed by my side and looked after me. That continued for a few years.
Then, suddenly, my father and I returned to the States, while my mother left to work in America. I didn't even understand why all of this was happening or why we were being separated. For a few years, I lived alone with my father, who wasn't working because he was struggling to finish his degree—he ended up being one of those perennial students who studies for ten years without graduating. During those years, my mother sent us no money at all, even though she was living in a hotel. Financially, we relied on my aunt, my grandmother, and my grandfather—my extended family. In those years, I saw her twice and spoke to her maybe ten times.🙄 After she left so abruptly, she returned just as suddenly, carrying a debt that my grandparents had to pay off at my father's request. It always baffled me how my father would constantly cater to her; he would do whatever she wanted, even if it meant going against me, just to please her. Despite that, I always had a decent, sometimes close relationship with him, whereas my mother and I were like cats and dogs. I could never trust her with anything. She never offered advice, nor did she seem to care about my life; she often wasn't even sure what grade I was in.
Following her return, the "show" began. Everyone noticed her behavior becoming strange. She believes she is being watched, that people are plotting against her, or eavesdropping. This went on for about two years until it became unbearable. Over the last year, her behavior has escalated: she makes scenes almost every other day, screaming, throwing things, and fabricating stories. She harasses my father at his job and searches for him at his university. She hallucinates, hears voices, and feels watched. Throughout all of this, she has a specific vendetta against me; she blames my father and his family for everything. Furthermore, most of her delusions revolve around sexual themes—claiming my father is unfaithful, even though she is the one who should be embarrassed by such accusations. She also spends excessively, but never on us; instead, she spends on herself or her brother's family, like paying for a cousin's field trip, while we receive warnings about unpaid bills.
You are probably wondering why nothing has been done. Naturally, she believes she is perfectly sane. If anyone dares to suggest otherwise, it results in an uproar. My father keeps promising he will take action, but nothing happens; he was raised with the mindset of "suffer in silence." There were several times when, during one of her episodes, I tried to call 911, but my father would grab the phone away from me.
Now, I am asking for your advice on what to do. Honestly, I am asking so I can help myself, because I feel like I am losing my mind. I have become irritable, rude, and generally morose. I used to be the type of person who loved socializing and being cheerful, but now I avoid everything because I never know what to expect when I walk through the door. I cannot enjoy my youth because I am constantly living in fear of her. Thank you.

James Myers39 said:I have a sister who has been battling schizophrenia and bipolar disorder for five years now. Living with someone in that state is an absolute nightmare, and I found myself nodding along to everything Darak 7 and Sad-gril were saying... These individuals often possess such massive egos—which is precisely why they fall ill in the first place—because they demand to be the center of the universe at all times. No matter what you sacrifice or attempt to do for them, it is never enough, primarily because they simply refuse to engage in the recovery process. I have poured so much of my time, my finances, my strength, and my very soul into trying to help her that I am now starting to experience my own mental health struggles, yet I haven't even managed to help her... That is why your mother, Sad-gril, is absolutely right; you have to live your own life and refuse to let anyone drag you down into the abyss, regardless of whether it is a father, a brother, or a sister. For me, the atmosphere in my house became utterly unbearable, which forced me to move out, and I can finally say I feel better now that I have escaped that crushing psychological pressure... It is especially devastating when you realize that you are powerless to save someone who does not want to be saved.

You really have to approach this kind of illness with a specific perspective. Everything negative you described is a symptom of the disease, rather than a reflection of who your sister actually is. She isn't "bad" or "wrong"—she's sick. As a mother of someone struggling with psychosis, I find that my best tool is constantly arming myself with knowledge.

This might be a bit of a long story, but I hope it offers some perspective...
I am the mother of someone living with psychosis. It’s still far too early to pinpoint a specific diagnosis for my son, especially since many types of psychosis share such similar symptoms and behavioral patterns. To formally diagnose schizophrenia, you usually need to observe several years following that initial episode. But even beyond the clinical labels, every single person deals with their own unique reality. I am trying to arm myself with as much knowledge as possible, maintaining constant communication with medical professionals. My goal is to build my own resilience so that I can be a stronger pillar for my son. I won't lie—I am exhausted. I feel physically drained and deeply heartbroken. Living with the realization that my only child is battling this illness feels, at times, like the end of the world. I used to be the strongest, most upbeat person in the room; today, I struggle with depression, panic attacks, and intense anxiety. I don't mean to sound like I'm lecturing anyone, but because I have invested so much energy into educating myself—through endless reading, deep discussions with specialists, participating in support groups (I actually helped spearhead the creation of one), attending seminars, and speaking with psychiatrists, social workers, and even police officers trained in mental health crisis intervention—I feel like I might be able to offer some help to others walking this path. It hurts me profoundly when people label those struggling with mental illness as "difficult" or "negative" personalities. They aren't like that. They aren't to blame for being sick. NO ONE IS TO BLAME!! This illness can transform ANYONE into someone who seems "unlikable," regardless of whether they were the kindest or most difficult soul before the first episode hit.

This kind of illness is what you might call "unlikable," unlike other struggles. In my experience, everyone suffering from this is remarkably similar while they are in the midst of it. It isn’t that the individual possesses a difficult personality; rather, it is the illness itself that imposes those traits upon them. People often mistake their depression for mere laziness, or view their "self-centeredness and lack of empathy" as character flaws, when in reality, it is simply a distorted perception of reality—a fundamental disruption in how they process behavior and emotion. They may lose any sense of the value of money, among many other things, but they are forced to navigate life with the heavy burden of psychosis. Psychosis is a mental condition where one's connection to reality begins to shift. An individual falls ill when several factors converge: genetic predispositions (which can trace back five generations or more—do we even truly know our own American family trees?), personal sensitivity, past trauma, extreme stress, hormonal fluctuations during certain life stages, and the influence of alcohol or drugs. When all these elements create fertile ground, the illness takes hold. This isn't necessarily a structural brain disorder, but rather a significant imbalance in brain chemistry. Experts actually suggest that the pain a parent feels watching a child struggle with psychosis is even more profound than the grief of losing a child to death. You see, after a death, time eventually becomes a friend that softens the edge of your sorrow; there is a finality to it, an understanding that the chapter has closed. But when a child lives with psychosis, every single day brings a fresh wave of agony, a flicker of new hope, or a sudden crisis. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TOMORROW HOLDS. Your child is physically present and alive, yet you are stripped of the right to simple hope, to daydream, or to dream of a normal future. It is a daily battle filled with anxiety and heartache. IT IS A GRIEF WITHOUT AN END, and yet you are required to live through it every moment. The hardest part is accepting the reality of such a diagnosis. As an adult, I like to think I "know everything," but even I haven't fully processed it—so how can a young person, who just wants to live their life to the fullest, ever find acceptance? That is the core of the struggle. When patients are adhering to their treatment—taking their medication, maintaining a structured routine, avoiding stress, seeing a GOOD psychiatrist, eating nutritiously, and exercising... (regular physical activity can actually help mitigate hallucinations in schizophrenia cases)... staying outdoors, and getting enough sunlight...

The thing is, as soon as people start feeling "okay," they often want to ditch their medication entirely. They convince themselves they aren't actually sick and don't need it anymore—mostly because it’s just too hard to accept reality. Sometimes, the sheer depression caused by realizing they have a condition leads them toward alcohol or drugs, which only speeds up the relapse into that unhealthy state. When that happens, the road back is much steeper and longer; many never quite reach that same level of mental wellness they hit after the first episode. For some, it takes two years, for others five or ten, and some will never truly accept the diagnosis, which means their condition just keeps spiraling downward. The sooner they embrace it, the sooner they can lead a stable life and stick to their treatment plan. You have to accept the illness before you can truly work on it. That said, as a mother, I am prepared to move mountains for my child as long as there is breath in my lungs. My advice? Arm yourselves with knowledge. If you understand what the illness is versus who your loved one actually is, everything changes. Once you learn how to navigate their various phases, you become an incredible asset to them. They need love and understanding just as much as anyone else. Please, don't leave them to face this alone; they need us, even if they end up being verbally aggressive toward us most of the time. But remember: that isn't them, it's the illness talking. They love us, they need us, and sometimes they even hate how much they need us. They just want to be themselves, but they feel trapped. They just want to be like everyone else. And please, never call them "crazy" or anything similar. It hurts them deeply. At its core, this is just a chemical imbalance in the brain; in fact, many of these individuals are actually highly intelligent. Give them their independence. Try not to be overly possessive or controlling when they push back, even though we only do those things out of pure love. YOU HAVE TO WALK ON EGGshells! And please, don't let a new episode discourage you. Look at it as a single lost battle, not the entire war. There is hope that your loved one will lead a wonderful life tomorrow, because happy endings really do exist. Maybe God chose you for this mission for a reason, so try to find the lesson in it. I’m certainly trying. Most importantly, take care of yourselves—make sure to carve out time away from all this heavy stuff for a hobby or something that brings you joy, just so you can maintain your own sanity. My heart goes out to all of you.

I realized there was one more thing I wanted to share with you all.
Even if you end up "losing this earthly battle" and never get to experience your beloved again in this lifetime, at least you'll have the peace of mind knowing you gave it everything you had. You went all in, and honestly, there is a certain kind of grace in that.

Emily Fox4 said:Hello. I find myself in a situation I wouldn’t wish on anyone... It concerns my mother. Based on what I have read here, it seems she exhibits many symptoms of schizophrenia. However, before I seek advice, I would like to share the full story. I hope you might be able to offer some guidance. Thank you in advance for listening.🙂 To expand on what I said earlier regarding my mother: I must admit that I may sound harsh when describing her, but we were never close, nor did she ever attempt to be a real mother to me. My estrangement from her began about fifteen years ago when my father, my mother, and I (I was six at the time) moved abroad for her career. She is a prominent research scientist or something similar. At that age, I didn't speak a word of English, and they enrolled me in a public school where I was sent to see a psychiatrist simply because I sat there staring blankly at people—thank God, I just couldn't understand anything being taught. I mostly remember the mockery and teasing I faced, though perhaps that is just how I perceived it. Once they realized the situation wasn't working, they moved me to a private academy where I studied the language, and things were actually quite alright regarding my education. However, the home life was different. My mother worked day and night; we practically never saw her, while my father stayed by my side and looked after me. That continued for a few years.
Then, suddenly, my father and I returned to the States, while my mother left to work in America. I didn't even understand why all of this was happening or why we were being separated. For a few years, I lived alone with my father, who wasn't working because he was struggling to finish his degree—he ended up being one of those perennial students who studies for ten years without graduating. During those years, my mother sent us no money at all, even though she was living in a hotel. Financially, we relied on my aunt, my grandmother, and my grandfather—my extended family. In those years, I saw her twice and spoke to her maybe ten times.🙄 After she left so abruptly, she returned just as suddenly, carrying a debt that my grandparents had to pay off at my father's request. It always baffled me how my father would constantly cater to her; he would do whatever she wanted, even if it meant going against me, just to please her. Despite that, I always had a decent, sometimes close relationship with him, whereas my mother and I were like cats and dogs. I could never trust her with anything. She never offered advice, nor did she seem to care about my life; she often wasn't even sure what grade I was in.
Following her return, the "show" began. Everyone noticed her behavior becoming strange. She believes she is being watched, that people are plotting against her, or eavesdropping. This went on for about two years until it became unbearable. Over the last year, her behavior has escalated: she makes scenes almost every other day, screaming, throwing things, and fabricating stories. She harasses my father at his job and searches for him at his university. She hallucinates, hears voices, and feels watched. Throughout all of this, she has a specific vendetta against me; she blames my father and his family for everything. Furthermore, most of her delusions revolve around sexual themes—claiming my father is unfaithful, even though she is the one who should be embarrassed by such accusations. She also spends excessively, but never on us; instead, she spends on herself or her brother's family, like paying for a cousin's field trip, while we receive warnings about unpaid bills.
You are probably wondering why nothing has been done. Naturally, she believes she is perfectly sane. If anyone dares to suggest otherwise, it results in an uproar. My father keeps promising he will take action, but nothing happens; he was raised with the mindset of "suffer in silence." There were several times when, during one of her episodes, I tried to call 911, but my father would grab the phone away from me.
Now, I am asking for your advice on what to do. Honestly, I am asking so I can help myself, because I feel like I am losing my mind. I have become irritable, rude, and generally morose. I used to be the type of person who loved socializing and being cheerful, but now I avoid everything because I never know what to expect when I walk through the door. I cannot enjoy my youth because I am constantly living in fear of her. Thank you.

+!
Giving advice isn't hard, and you can write it with tons of love, but will it actually help?
At the end of the day, you're the one who makes the calls and decides how to use your own gifts.

Before I hit my 40th birthday, I went through 20 years of my life that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
Even though people always saw me as the happy-go-lucky type, they had no clue what I was actually going through.

"The world is just one big hospital, and we're all patients."
Some of us just have it a little harder than others.
Whether a person spends one day in their mother's womb or a hundred years on this earth, everyone needs to feel loved and live in Love.

Existing isn't nearly as important as actually having a Life.
Every human soul just wants to be happy.
Believing in God isn't the issue; it's truly beautiful when you actually get to know Him.

My advice:
Lean on the Father—which means pray!

If you want to experience Life, Love, Wisdom, Health (spiritually, mentally, and physically), Peace, Joy... then just hold onto the Father!

Mark Lewis13 said:This kind of illness is what you might call "unlikable," unlike other struggles. In my experience, everyone suffering from this is remarkably similar while they are in the midst of it. It isn’t that the individual possesses a difficult personality; rather, it is the illness itself that imposes those traits upon them. People often mistake their depression for mere laziness, or view their "self-centeredness and lack of empathy" as character flaws, when in reality, it is simply a distorted perception of reality—a fundamental disruption in how they process behavior and emotion. They may lose any sense of the value of money, among many other things, but they are forced to navigate life with the heavy burden of psychosis. Psychosis is a mental condition where one's connection to reality begins to shift. An individual falls ill when several factors converge: genetic predispositions (which can trace back five generations or more—do we even truly know our own American family trees?), personal sensitivity, past trauma, extreme stress, hormonal fluctuations during certain life stages, and the influence of alcohol or drugs. When all these elements create fertile ground, the illness takes hold. This isn't necessarily a structural brain disorder, but rather a significant imbalance in brain chemistry. Experts actually suggest that the pain a parent feels watching a child struggle with psychosis is even more profound than the grief of losing a child to death. You see, after a death, time eventually becomes a friend that softens the edge of your sorrow; there is a finality to it, an understanding that the chapter has closed. But when a child lives with psychosis, every single day brings a fresh wave of agony, a flicker of new hope, or a sudden crisis. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT TOMORROW HOLDS. Your child is physically present and alive, yet you are stripped of the right to simple hope, to daydream, or to dream of a normal future. It is a daily battle filled with anxiety and heartache. IT IS A GRIEF WITHOUT AN END, and yet you are required to live through it every moment. The hardest part is accepting the reality of such a diagnosis. As an adult, I like to think I "know everything," but even I haven't fully processed it—so how can a young person, who just wants to live their life to the fullest, ever find acceptance? That is the core of the struggle. When patients are adhering to their treatment—taking their medication, maintaining a structured routine, avoiding stress, seeing a GOOD psychiatrist, eating nutritiously, and exercising... (regular physical activity can actually help mitigate hallucinations in schizophrenia cases)... staying outdoors, and getting enough sunlight...

They look remarkably similar even when they are undergoing treatment, too; I actually just got back from visiting someone at a psychiatric hospital about two hours ago. Honestly, man, everyone looks exactly the same, they all carry this identical expression—it really hit me today how universal it feels.

It isn't just that slow, zombie-like walk or the sluggishness, it’s specifically that gaze. It’s wooden and detached, a stare that doesn't seem to land anywhere... yet somehow it’s so strangely piercing that it genuinely gives you the chills.

Sarah Wilson95 said:They look remarkably similar even when they are undergoing treatment, too; I actually just got back from visiting someone at a psychiatric hospital about two hours ago. Honestly, man, everyone looks exactly the same, they all carry this identical expression—it really hit me today how universal it feels.

It isn't just that slow, zombie-like walk or the sluggishness, it’s specifically that gaze. It’s wooden and detached, a stare that doesn't seem to land anywhere... yet somehow it’s so strangely piercing that it genuinely gives you the chills.

Except that look isn't coming from the illness; it's coming from the meds.

Is there any truth to the idea that you can manage schizophrenia using herbal remedies?

Also, how does LSD actually impact someone dealing with schizophrenia?

I'm really curious to hear about your personal experiences with this—thanks a ton for sharing.

Greetings... I have a brother who struggles with schizophrenia. As difficult as things are for him, it is equally painful for us to watch him suffer while feeling completely powerless to help him.
The hardest part is that we can't ensure he stays consistent with his medication. When he follows his prescription, everything remains stable, but the moment he stops, the hallucinations take over—he starts believing he’s being followed, watched, or something along those lines...
He is currently in one of those volatile phases... He took the car and left the house without telling anyone where he was headed, and he isn't answering his phone...

ruggedharbor said:Greetings... I have a brother who struggles with schizophrenia. As difficult as things are for him, it is equally painful for us to watch him suffer while feeling completely powerless to help him.
The hardest part is that we can't ensure he stays consistent with his medication. When he follows his prescription, everything remains stable, but the moment he stops, the hallucinations take over—he starts believing he’s being followed, watched, or something along those lines...
He is currently in one of those volatile phases... He took the car and left the house without telling anyone where he was headed, and he isn't answering his phone...

That is truly terrible—watching someone you love suffer while feeling completely powerless to assist them.😢
Any individual with schizophrenia who stops taking their medication will eventually hit an acute phase. At that point, hospitalization is necessary to adjust the treatment (usually requiring higher doses to stabilize brain chemistry and resolve the psychotic episode). I recommend informing his psychiatrist about this situation and finding a way to get him admitted to a facility.
Furthermore, if your brother frequently stops his medication on his own, you should ask his doctor about depot therapy. These are antipsychotics administered via intramuscular injection every few weeks (which can also be handled at a local clinic or through the CIA). Definitely consult his psychiatrist regarding that option.
I hope everything turns out okay.🙂

I would honestly love it if my friends or family members would just slide into my DMs and act like the total self-destructive schizophrenics they actually are, thanks.

My brother has been battling this illness for a very long time now. I see all these self-proclaimed experts popping up on these forums, attempting to explain the biological origins of such outbreaks, but I find myself unconvinced. Is it truly just biology? I suspect otherwise, and I’ve actually found supporting evidence in a prominent sociological theory—one you can easily look up on Wikipedia. In my view, the true culprits are the erosion of social cohesion and the constant processing of misinformation. It sounds radical, perhaps, but I often get the distinct impression that he is inhabiting an entirely different dimension. All those hallucinations... they felt so undeniably real, even in public settings, to the point where it seems practically impossible for him to be fabricating them. He simply perceives realities that remain invisible to the rest of us.
He refuses to discuss it, and frankly, enough time has passed that we should respect that. Despite everything, he hasn't lost an ounce of his intellect, even after more than ten years of this struggle. Back when the condition first surfaced, he was acting like a typical twenty-one-year-old, chasing after a girl who eventually broke up with him. That rejection hit him hard, and things began a rapid downward spiral. He tried to distract himself with other relationships, but then, quite suddenly, he just snapped. He closed his eyes and began uttering these bizarre things, leading into the hallucinations and various conspiracy theories. Yet, looking at him today? He is remarkably sharp and intelligent—it is almost unbelievable.

honestly, I feel like slapping a diagnosis on a twenty-year-old is just straight-up biased and discriminatory... fuck it anyway ☕

ruggedharbor said:Greetings... I have a brother who struggles with schizophrenia. As difficult as things are for him, it is equally painful for us to watch him suffer while feeling completely powerless to help him.
The hardest part is that we can't ensure he stays consistent with his medication. When he follows his prescription, everything remains stable, but the moment he stops, the hallucinations take over—he starts believing he’s being followed, watched, or something along those lines...
He is currently in one of those volatile phases... He took the car and left the house without telling anyone where he was headed, and he isn't answering his phone...

Look, you've gotta find a way to get him to stay on his treatment, whatever it takes. If you have to mention the hospital or call 911, do it. Just because you call for help doesn't mean he's automatically getting locked up.
Someone mentioned earlier that there are long-acting depot versions of the meds too—basically one shot every six months and you're set.

James Myers39 said:I have a sister who has been battling schizophrenia and bipolar disorder for five years now. Living with someone in that state is an absolute nightmare, and I found myself nodding along to everything Darak 7 and Sad-gril were saying... These individuals often possess such massive egos—which is precisely why they fall ill in the first place—because they demand to be the center of the universe at all times. No matter what you sacrifice or attempt to do for them, it is never enough, primarily because they simply refuse to engage in the recovery process. I have poured so much of my time, my finances, my strength, and my very soul into trying to help her that I am now starting to experience my own mental health struggles, yet I haven't even managed to help her... That is why your mother, Sad-gril, is absolutely right; you have to live your own life and refuse to let anyone drag you down into the abyss, regardless of whether it is a father, a brother, or a sister. For me, the atmosphere in my house became utterly unbearable, which forced me to move out, and I can finally say I feel better now that I have escaped that crushing psychological pressure... It is especially devastating when you realize that you are powerless to save someone who does not want to be saved.

Look, I personally know at least a dozen people with schizophrenia who aren't like that at all. Some of them are actually incredibly sweet people.
Do your homework and learn as much as you can about the condition. If things are constantly exploding at home, it usually just means there's a massive amount of
miscommunication happening. Don't just cut your sister out of your life, but don't
let her pull you down with her either.

Carol Hall7 said:Look, you've gotta find a way to get him to stay on his treatment, whatever it takes. If you have to mention the hospital or call 911, do it. Just because you call for help doesn't mean he's automatically getting locked up.
Someone mentioned earlier that there are long-acting depot versions of the meds too—basically one shot every six months and you're set.

It isn't every six months; it's more like every two or three. If a solid, long-term democracy is actually established, perhaps once a month.

Sarah Wilson95 said:They look remarkably similar even when they are undergoing treatment, too; I actually just got back from visiting someone at a psychiatric hospital about two hours ago. Honestly, man, everyone looks exactly the same, they all carry this identical expression—it really hit me today how universal it feels.

It isn't just that slow, zombie-like walk or the sluggishness, it’s specifically that gaze. It’s wooden and detached, a stare that doesn't seem to land anywhere... yet somehow it’s so strangely piercing that it genuinely gives you the chills.

You describe them perfectly. It is because of people who are actually sane but still face stigma. It makes things harder for them. Their condition worsens because their surroundings are bizarre, especially when they are stuck only dealing with negative symptoms. And they aren't even at fault for their illness. It's their parents. They wounded them during their most vulnerable years—back when you should have been held and loved, instead, those elders treated them worse than animals. And God gave them that life. God is truly unjust.

For those of you actually living with schizophrenia, how would you even put this illness into words?

Like, just yesterday I found myself having a full-on conversation out loud with another version of myself.
Is that a sign of things getting worse? 😁