Schizophrenia - General Discussion

It’s been nearly three years since I’ve even stepped foot outside on my own—I haven't even made it into the city at all... just constant fear and panic attacks.

Robin Lopez2 said:I’m actually quite curious about this, so I'll ask: at what point does a diagnosis of psychosis officially get "rebranded" as schizophrenia, or vice versa?

That was twenty years ago, and while the diagnostic manuals have shifted slightly since then, the core logic remains largely the same.

Some psychiatrists preferred starting with a broad psychosis label, while others went straight to schizophrenia; it functioned as a working diagnosis that could be adjusted as needed, alongside various other classifications like OCD, severe anxiety, panic disorders, or simple paranoia.

The choice usually boiled down to either schizophrenia or psychosis, though the symptoms overlap significantly and the medication protocols are identical. While psychosis can certainly manifest as part of schizophrenia, schizophrenia cannot exist as merely a subset of psychosis. Personally, I leaned toward a schizophrenia diagnosis because my symptom profile felt comprehensive enough to warrant it.

On the other hand, a schizophrenia diagnosis required meeting a specific threshold of criteria rather than just exhibiting a few isolated symptoms. If I recall correctly, you had to sustain those symptoms for at least a month to qualify for schizophrenia, yet they slapped that label on me within just a few days, which was technically an error based on the standards used back then.

One complicating factor was that my condition persisted for much longer than two months, meaning I did technically meet all the requirements for schizophrenia regardless; besides, psychosis can also endure far beyond a single month, which is why we rely on doctors to draw the line.

It was almost absurd watching psychiatrists change my entire diagnosis based on a five-minute conversation and a handful of files once I was discharged from the hospital.

Nowadays, there is a general consensus that it wasn't schizophrenia—not that I asked the specialists in Los Angeles who were most certain of that diagnosis—under the reasoning that schizophrenia is incurable, whereas back then, people believed it could be overcome.

Most young patients in their late teens or early twenties didn't lose sleep over a schizophrenia diagnosis because they genuinely expected a full recovery and didn't view it as a life sentence. We actually pitied those with different diagnoses, as they were often considered the hopeless cases, whereas I found it possible to maintain a relatively normal conversation with the schizophrenia patients, while the others were, to put it mildly, quite eccentric.

Ultimately, both schizophrenia and psychosis present in various forms, ranging from mild to debilitating. Under the old definitions, there were at least five or six distinct subtypes, some carrying a grim prognosis and others offering a much better outlook.

Guys, I honestly can’t wrap my head around the fact that my brother has been hitting these extreme manic episodes almost every single month for nearly two years now. It’s happening right this second—he’s just spent the entire day screaming at the top of his lungs, ranting about fascism, claiming everyone is out to get him, and throwing insults at everyone... calling people names, being hateful toward the LGBTQ+ community, you name it. ALL. DAY. LONG.
I am just so drained... again... Honestly, if this keeps up, I’m going to end up sick myself.
Yesterday they bumped his dosage from 9.5mg up to 15mg, but does it usually take a few days for that to actually kick in?
And man, I just have this sinking feeling that he’ll never be stable again. Two whole years!? This is just... wow.

Also, quick question—he’s an American citizen, but he hasn't lived in the States for long and doesn't have much of a work history. He’s currently on unemployment, but let's be real, he’s probably never going to hold down a job. Does he have any rights to specific social services or assistance here in the US?

I'm feeling pretty hopeless...

It’s all so surreal. On the outside, I seem totally fine—outgoing, easy to talk to, and everything—but inside, I’m just crumbling because of what we're going through.

rapiddriver23 said:Guys, I honestly can’t wrap my head around the fact that my brother has been hitting these extreme manic episodes almost every single month for nearly two years now. It’s happening right this second—he’s just spent the entire day screaming at the top of his lungs, ranting about fascism, claiming everyone is out to get him, and throwing insults at everyone... calling people names, being hateful toward the LGBTQ+ community, you name it. ALL. DAY. LONG.
I am just so drained... again... Honestly, if this keeps up, I’m going to end up sick myself.
Yesterday they bumped his dosage from 9.5mg up to 15mg, but does it usually take a few days for that to actually kick in?
And man, I just have this sinking feeling that he’ll never be stable again. Two whole years!? This is just... wow.

Also, quick question—he’s an American citizen, but he hasn't lived in the States for long and doesn't have much of a work history. He’s currently on unemployment, but let's be real, he’s probably never going to hold down a job. Does he have any rights to specific social services or assistance here in the US?

I'm feeling pretty hopeless...

It’s all so surreal. On the outside, I seem totally fine—outgoing, easy to talk to, and everything—but inside, I’m just crumbling because of what we're going through.

Check out the thread regarding work capacity and guardianship, and good luck to both you and him.

So, I had my follow-up appointment with my psychiatrist about a week ago. He ended up diagnosing me with F29 alongside the F32 I’ve been dealing with for a while now. I told him things have really taken a turn for the worse over the last few weeks—lots of paranoia and those intrusive, racing thoughts. Like, at the Whole Foods where I work, I kept getting this intense feeling that someone had hidden a camera inside a lightbulb just to film me. It happened a couple of times. Same thing with my laptop; I felt like someone was watching me through the tiny webcam while I was scrolling through Facebook. Sleep has been a total disaster too. I can’t drift off, and my head just spins with all these thoughts... 🙄 it’s honestly terrifying. And when I finally do pass out, the dreams just loop. A few times when I woke up to light a cigarette, I actually had hallucinations. I heard rustling coming from the freezer in my dresser, or felt like someone was standing right there in the room with me. Even when I close my eyes, I see these ugly, distorted, demonic faces and eyes staring from everywhere, and then I’m too scared to go back to sleep. The worst night ever was back in April of last year. I woke up in the middle of the night and checked the clock—it was exactly 3:00 AM. I got up to grab some water and light a cigarette, but when I went back to bed, I suddenly heard this horrific noise coming from inside the wall, like the whole structure was about to collapse. Images of total catastrophe, like a city in ruins, just flashed before my eyes. When I opened my closets, they seemed to be moving, and I became convinced there were dead people inside or that the wardrobe was going to leap out at me. I was completely paralyzed, just gripping the bedsheets for dear life. My heart was racing like crazy, my ears were ringing so loud, and I felt totally underwater. I was certain I was either going to die right there or end up in the ER at a psychiatric ward. Eventually, I managed to calm down after taking 2 Xanax and praying to God to help me find some peace. Things didn't settle until about 4:30, and then I finally drifted off. I’ll never forget that night. My doctor prescribed 25 mg of Brintellix to take before bed. He actually wanted to put me on Risperdal, but I feel like Brintellix is gentler and has fewer side effects, so he went with that. He thinks it'll help clear up the paranoia and help me sleep, though I’ve never really been a big fan of antipsychotics. On top of that, I’m still on 75mg of Effexor, plus Clonazepam 2mg and Lorazepam 2mg three times a day, though I mostly just take those as needed. Does anyone here know much more about what F29 actually entails?

So, wiredmason56, were you out there experimenting with substances back in the day—you know, during those rebellious high school years when everything feels like a revolution?

I’ve dealt with some symptoms that look remarkably similar to yours—actually, almost identical, really—but ever since I started my current regimen, they've completely vanished.

Look, nobody wakes up in the morning feeling thrilled about the realization that they need antipsychotics to function, but if you ask me, you might need to move past a baseline dose and try something a bit more substantial.😢

Larry Lewis said:So, wiredmason56, were you out there experimenting with substances back in the day—you know, during those rebellious high school years when everything feels like a revolution?

I’ve dealt with some symptoms that look remarkably similar to yours—actually, almost identical, really—but ever since I started my current regimen, they've completely vanished.

Look, nobody wakes up in the morning feeling thrilled about the realization that they need antipsychotics to function, but if you ask me, you might need to move past a baseline dose and try something a bit more substantial.😢

I'll be honest, there was a time when I was really into partying—doing ecstasy, LSD, speed, and smoking weed. That was just my whole circle, we were always high on something. But that was a few years ago, and I haven't touched anything since. I used to smoke occasionally, but I know how much weed can trigger psychosis, so I've stayed away from it. Looking back, my grandmother—my mom's mom—was on Rexulti and Cogentin, so she was dealing with some kind of psychosis, which makes me realize I probably have a genetic risk for something like that. I started noticing these specific symptoms while I was on Wellbutrin, so I stopped taking it, and now my doctor has me on Effexor, which is working really well for me. My doctor mentioned that certain antidepressants can mess with your brain chemistry, especially if you're juggling multiple meds at once. I don't know, the idea of taking antipsychotics isn't exactly appealing to me, but if things take a turn for the worse, God forbid, I guess I'll have to.☕

Honestly, I’ve got this nagging feeling that drugs aren't some foreign concept to you—what you're going through right now is clearly the result of substance abuse, hanging out with the wrong crowd, and just... frankly, poor life choices.

Mental health struggles run deep in my family line—it’s practically part of our DNA—and, if I’m being honest with myself, I didn't exactly help matters back in the day. I spent my younger years experimenting with just about every substance under the sun, which, looking back through a much more cynical lens, was essentially just fuel on the fire for developing these issues.

That’s true, I guess, but who really sits around worrying about that stuff when they’re feeling great? Honestly, I was just thinking about it while I was hanging out at a backyard BBQ—like, is a piece of candy or a soda really going to mess me up? Everything felt awesome at the time. The idea that I could end up picking up some kind of mental health issue from that... it never even crossed my mind.🙄

wiredmason56 said:That’s true, I guess, but who really sits around worrying about that stuff when they’re feeling great? Honestly, I was just thinking about it while I was hanging out at a backyard BBQ—like, is a piece of candy or a soda really going to mess me up? Everything felt awesome at the time. The idea that I could end up picking up some kind of mental health issue from that... it never even crossed my mind.🙄

Oh, absolutely—but let's be honest, even back then we all knew that drugs weren't exactly some magic pill that makes you sharper or healthier... yet we just didn't care. We were reckless, plain and simple—driven by that specific kind of youthful, misguided bravado—and now? Well, look at us. Now we're left dealing with the fallout of our own bad decisions.
I am absolutely, 100% convinced—beyond any shadow of a doubt—that I certainly didn't spend my years messing around with drugs just to end up sitting here today with a college degree and a functional, "normal" life. It’s almost absurd when you step back and look at the trajectory—really think about it—how we stumble through those chaotic years only to land, somewhat miraculously, in the middle of a structured existence. It feels like a cosmic joke, honestly.
Lord, we certainly paid a premium price for that youthful recklessness—and I don't mean just in dollars and cents, either. It’s one of those things you only truly grasp once the bill comes due—which, in my experience, is always much later than you'd like—and the cost is far higher than any sensible person would have ever budgeted for.

Yeah, obviously I wasn't really thinking about taking vitamins, but honestly, what did I care? I don't think I was ever much of a pill person anyway, especially when it comes to the heavy stuff. If things had gone differently, maybe I’d be living a totally normal life right now without having to swallow psych meds every day. No depression, no insomnia, no panic attacks, or whatever else you want to throw into the mix. My psychiatrist actually told me recently that it’s almost easier for people dealing with psychosis, particularly during those manic phases, than it is for those stuck in the depths of depression. Personally? I think I’d much rather deal with being manic than feeling this absolute garbage in a depressive slump.☕

wiredmason56 said:Yeah, obviously I wasn't really thinking about taking vitamins, but honestly, what did I care? I don't think I was ever much of a pill person anyway, especially when it comes to the heavy stuff. If things had gone differently, maybe I’d be living a totally normal life right now without having to swallow psych meds every day. No depression, no insomnia, no panic attacks, or whatever else you want to throw into the mix. My psychiatrist actually told me recently that it’s almost easier for people dealing with psychosis, particularly during those manic phases, than it is for those stuck in the depths of depression. Personally? I think I’d much rather deal with being manic than feeling this absolute garbage in a depressive slump.☕

I’m not entirely sold on what your psychiatrist told you—honestly, I have my doubts—because depression is such an incredibly common symptom in people dealing with psychosis, schizophrenia, and all that other stuff. I know this from firsthand experience, really... I’ve been sitting on 200mg of Prozac myself, along with a whole laundry list of other medications prescribed under various "psychotic" diagnoses. It’s a complicated web, isn't it? One thing leads to another, and suddenly you're staring down a diagnosis that doesn't quite capture the full picture of how you actually feel.

wiredmason56 said:So, I had my follow-up appointment with my psychiatrist about a week ago. He ended up diagnosing me with F29 alongside the F32 I’ve been dealing with for a while now. I told him things have really taken a turn for the worse over the last few weeks—lots of paranoia and those intrusive, racing thoughts. Like, at the Whole Foods where I work, I kept getting this intense feeling that someone had hidden a camera inside a lightbulb just to film me. It happened a couple of times. Same thing with my laptop; I felt like someone was watching me through the tiny webcam while I was scrolling through Facebook. Sleep has been a total disaster too. I can’t drift off, and my head just spins with all these thoughts... 🙄 it’s honestly terrifying. And when I finally do pass out, the dreams just loop. A few times when I woke up to light a cigarette, I actually had hallucinations. I heard rustling coming from the freezer in my dresser, or felt like someone was standing right there in the room with me. Even when I close my eyes, I see these ugly, distorted, demonic faces and eyes staring from everywhere, and then I’m too scared to go back to sleep. The worst night ever was back in April of last year. I woke up in the middle of the night and checked the clock—it was exactly 3:00 AM. I got up to grab some water and light a cigarette, but when I went back to bed, I suddenly heard this horrific noise coming from inside the wall, like the whole structure was about to collapse. Images of total catastrophe, like a city in ruins, just flashed before my eyes. When I opened my closets, they seemed to be moving, and I became convinced there were dead people inside or that the wardrobe was going to leap out at me. I was completely paralyzed, just gripping the bedsheets for dear life. My heart was racing like crazy, my ears were ringing so loud, and I felt totally underwater. I was certain I was either going to die right there or end up in the ER at a psychiatric ward. Eventually, I managed to calm down after taking 2 Xanax and praying to God to help me find some peace. Things didn't settle until about 4:30, and then I finally drifted off. I’ll never forget that night. My doctor prescribed 25 mg of Brintellix to take before bed. He actually wanted to put me on Risperdal, but I feel like Brintellix is gentler and has fewer side effects, so he went with that. He thinks it'll help clear up the paranoia and help me sleep, though I’ve never really been a big fan of antipsychotics. On top of that, I’m still on 75mg of Effexor, plus Clonazepam 2mg and Lorazepam 2mg three times a day, though I mostly just take those as needed. Does anyone here know much more about what F29 actually entails?

Well, he certainly made himself clear enough, if you ask me...
"F29, he said—he has to list that specific diagnosis because of the Seroquel."
Maybe try asking Medicare why that is the case...😁

wiredmason56 said:Yeah, obviously I wasn't really thinking about taking vitamins, but honestly, what did I care? I don't think I was ever much of a pill person anyway, especially when it comes to the heavy stuff. If things had gone differently, maybe I’d be living a totally normal life right now without having to swallow psych meds every day. No depression, no insomnia, no panic attacks, or whatever else you want to throw into the mix. My psychiatrist actually told me recently that it’s almost easier for people dealing with psychosis, particularly during those manic phases, than it is for those stuck in the depths of depression. Personally? I think I’d much rather deal with being manic than feeling this absolute garbage in a depressive slump.☕

First off, regarding your grandmother, you should try to find out her actual diagnosis. In a perfect world, your doctor would have prioritized asking that question from the start. Leponex is prescribed for a massive spectrum of conditions, some of which carry a higher hereditary risk than others, though they all generally involve serious issues. That said, Leponex worked for me.
The bolded part is nonsense; I have never encountered such sheer stupidity from a psychiatrist before, specifically the idea that someone else's situation is somehow more severe than yours. Whether that's professional incompetence, a flawed approach to treatment, or just basic lack of common sense, it doesn't matter.
I've experienced both psychosis and mania, and while there was a brief window where it felt almost fun, it inevitably ended with me spending months in locked wards, which is how psychosis usually plays out.

So, my doctor mentioned that starting Seroquel might help dial down the paranoia and those constant anxieties, plus it should help me actually get some sleep. He suggested that antidepressants can sometimes mess with your brain chemistry too, and he thinks that’s what triggered this, specifically because of the Wellbutrin I was on. But honestly? It feels like this was happening last year even when I wasn't taking that. I don't know. I took my first dose the other night, and man, I was a total zombie the next morning—felt like I was walking around drunk or something. Things are actually starting to feel a bit more stable now that I've kicked off the Effexor, though. I can't ever really pin down what my grandmother's exact diagnosis was since she passed away three years ago, but I remember her having hallucinations whenever she missed her meds, so I know it was something serious, even if I don't have the official name for it.

fadedlynx96 said:First off, regarding your grandmother, you should try to find out her actual diagnosis. In a perfect world, your doctor would have prioritized asking that question from the start. Leponex is prescribed for a massive spectrum of conditions, some of which carry a higher hereditary risk than others, though they all generally involve serious issues. That said, Leponex worked for me.
The bolded part is nonsense; I have never encountered such sheer stupidity from a psychiatrist before, specifically the idea that someone else's situation is somehow more severe than yours. Whether that's professional incompetence, a flawed approach to treatment, or just basic lack of common sense, it doesn't matter.
I've experienced both psychosis and mania, and while there was a brief window where it felt almost fun, it inevitably ended with me spending months in locked wards, which is how psychosis usually plays out.

So, I found out my grandma's diagnosis. She had manic-depressive psychosis—basically bipolar disorder. When she lived on her own, my dad remembers her having more frequent manic episodes. Once she sold her house and moved in with us, she started slipping into depressions more often. I remember one summer, I was maybe in sixth grade, we came back from vacation at the beach, and she had been home alone. Of course, she wasn't taking her meds, so she seemed totally fine, but she pulled me aside and whispered how terrified she was because she felt like electricity was shaking the living room. 🤷Then she ended up spending a few weeks at a psychiatric facility in Portland, and everything went back to normal for a bit. She was getting monthly injections, though I'm not sure which medication it was. My mom told me she used to work as hard as a young woman when she was a nurse, but then she got sick. She’d start claiming my grandpa was a fraud and things like that, but otherwise, she was really sweet and calm whenever she was on her treatment.

Could someone help me make sense of the difference between schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder? I tried looking it up online, but it’s all a bit blurry and nothing really clicked.
If anyone could just break it down for me in plain, simple terms, I’d really appreciate it. 😁

Eric Mitchell55 said:Could someone help me make sense of the difference between schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder? I tried looking it up online, but it’s all a bit blurry and nothing really clicked.
If anyone could just break it down for me in plain, simple terms, I’d really appreciate it. 😁

The simplest way to put it is when you have mood disorder symptoms (like depression or bipolar) happening at the exact same time as the schizophrenic symptoms.

Michelle Evans said:The simplest way to put it is when you have mood disorder symptoms (like depression or bipolar) happening at the exact same time as the schizophrenic symptoms.

I honestly thought it sounded a bit more "normal" than that.
It's like a two-for-one special; I guess I'm just dealing with the whole package at once. 😍

Thanks 😉