Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Hey!!! To every single one of your questions, the answer is a hard no... I don't have any behavioral issues or feel disconnected from people, and my sleep is totally fine. My focus is great too... I'm not aggressive at all, and I definitely don't have any suicidal thoughts. Back in school, I was actually top of my class. As for drinking... I'll have a drink here and there, but I don't deal with any side effects other than a hangover the next morning.🙂)))))
It really just varies from person to person.

brightsurfer said:Hey!!! To every single one of your questions, the answer is a hard no... I don't have any behavioral issues or feel disconnected from people, and my sleep is totally fine. My focus is great too... I'm not aggressive at all, and I definitely don't have any suicidal thoughts. Back in school, I was actually top of my class. As for drinking... I'll have a drink here and there, but I don't deal with any side effects other than a hangover the next morning.🙂)))))
It really just varies from person to person.

Thank you. 🙂

I was deeply in love with "someone like that" with "that condition"🙂 for a long time... but eventually, I realized I was going to snap if I stayed with him. It feels somewhat metaphorical—much like any social circle, you end up picking up someone’s mindset, whether you realize it or not—though perhaps it varies depending on the specific temperament of each individual dealing with schizophrenia.
The reality is that the weight of this "illness" inevitably hits those closest to you. You practically need superhuman strength—divine intervention, maybe?—to truly "live" alongside them. I thought I had that strength. I didn't. In fact, that realization left me feeling incredibly guilty...
Though I should add one thing: even when you're "difficult," having a specific role in society matters. I actually gained quite a bit from that relationship...

rustynomad7 said:I was deeply in love with "someone like that" with "that condition"🙂 for a long time... but eventually, I realized I was going to snap if I stayed with him. It feels somewhat metaphorical—much like any social circle, you end up picking up someone’s mindset, whether you realize it or not—though perhaps it varies depending on the specific temperament of each individual dealing with schizophrenia.
The reality is that the weight of this "illness" inevitably hits those closest to you. You practically need superhuman strength—divine intervention, maybe?—to truly "live" alongside them. I thought I had that strength. I didn't. In fact, that realization left me feeling incredibly guilty...
Though I should add one thing: even when you're "difficult," having a specific role in society matters. I actually gained quite a bit from that relationship...

Oh, absolutely.
When you experience one of those major "shifts," you learn so much more than you ever thought possible, and suddenly an entire unknown world opens up to you—one that was completely invisible before. It used to cross my mind, wondering what might happen if we looked at the whole dimension; honestly, it feels like our brains—the ones of us "neurotypical" people—are just operating in such a cramped, limited way, working with a much smaller capacity, which is why everything feels so tight and restricted.
Then again, I know it’s not quite like that either, because they lack that specific filter when it comes to perceiving reality and processing it.

But it works both ways; just as much as you gain, you lose a significant amount too. You end up completely drained, consumed by wasted time, and forced to start all over again as long as you still have the strength—or the will. You can be emotionally broken until there's nothing left of you,
and the thing is, nobody is to blame, and nobody intended for it to happen this way.

rustynomad7 said:I was deeply in love with "someone like that" with "that condition"🙂 for a long time... but eventually, I realized I was going to snap if I stayed with him. It feels somewhat metaphorical—much like any social circle, you end up picking up someone’s mindset, whether you realize it or not—though perhaps it varies depending on the specific temperament of each individual dealing with schizophrenia.
The reality is that the weight of this "illness" inevitably hits those closest to you. You practically need superhuman strength—divine intervention, maybe?—to truly "live" alongside them. I thought I had that strength. I didn't. In fact, that realization left me feeling incredibly guilty...
Though I should add one thing: even when you're "difficult," having a specific role in society matters. I actually gained quite a bit from that relationship...

I must confess, I find myself in a state of profound uncertainty regarding whether my current mental clarity is truly genuine or if the lithium is simply masking the underlying symptoms of my schizophrenia.
I have just finished taking two of them.
I find myself compelled to share a rather heavy realization regarding my own mental state, though I admit the admission feels somewhat daunting to put into words. It appears that I am living with schizoaffective disorder.

Everything you have written is absolutely correct, and I find myself in complete agreement with every single point you made.
It is a rather heavy thought to carry, isn't it? One cannot simply expect everyone to exist within the same boundaries of normalcy or mental equilibrium. It seems we are all navigating such vastly different internal landscapes, and expecting a universal standard of "normal" feels, perhaps, like an exercise in futility.
It is a recurring, somewhat heavy thought that weighs upon my mind, and I find myself frequently—perhaps even every other day—turning to my husband to ask him the most fundamental and, quite frankly, daunting question: why on earth is he with me?
And honestly, I can’t help but feel that he was quite simply designed for one particular, deeply troubled soul. ☕

brightsurfer said:HELP!!!!!
I'm feeling a little lost and could really use some input from anyone else dealing with unknown.
So, basically, I had this episode where I was hallucinating—hearing voices and just thinking some total nonsense—and it lasted about three days. I ended up at the psych ward for a day, got diagnosed with unknown, was prescribed meds, and then went home. That was three years ago. Since then, I've been totally fine; nothing like that has ever happened again. I'm currently on 5mg of Zyprexa. Life is good—I work, go to school, and honestly, I'm pretty happy. About six months ago, I went for a check-up, and I decided I didn't want to stop the meds. To be honest, I'm not even sure why, but they don't really mess with my life or cause any issues. Anyway, she gave me an unknown diagnosis.
I honestly have no clue why she gave me that. I only had that one single episode and literally nothing since. Zilch. My psychiatrist was talking such nonsense I actually felt sick. I think I seriously need to find a new doctor, but I have no idea who to see. Does anyone here know a decent psychiatrist?
Also, I wanted to ask someone who actually deals with unknown... PLEASE... when is the right time to tell a guy about your condition? Has anyone gone through this or anything?
I feel like if I told him right away, most guys would honestly just freak out and run for the hills. I don't really know anyone who would actually accept it and stick around.
Most people just don't get what this is like....

If he truly cares about you... and isn't a jerk... or... I don't know... if you aren't having active episodes... then there is really nothing to worry about.
I've been with someone diagnosed with schizophrenia for two years, and it never once crossed my mind to view him as "lesser" or anything like that because of his illness.
Even when he experiences hallucinations or believes things that aren't real, I just talk him through it and remind him of reality.
It hasn't been difficult for me at all.

Brian Mitchell44 said:To wrap things up, I’ve already touched upon my friend here who was dealing with all sorts of hallucinations. I kept pushing him to see a doctor, but he refused—and now, after everything, he just got released from the psychiatric ward a few days ago (he actually checked himself in voluntarily for nearly three weeks). He’s been prescribed a specific regimen, and his psychiatrist mentioned it’s a "mild psychological disorder"—whatever that’s supposed to mean, since she didn't get into any specifics. So, there's one thing weighing on me: now that he's on this medication, is it common for him to be perfectly fine one day, only to have it hit him like a ton of bricks the next? Does he just spiral back into those fixed ideas out of nowhere? 😕

I honestly don't know what to do with him. Look, I'm not saying I want to work with him or anything, but we've been friends for years. I feel for him because he's sick, but am I even sure he realizes how much he's struggling? He sent me this message explaining why he thinks we shouldn't talk or see each other anymore—which is really just his latest fixation: he actually wanted me to delete his number so he wouldn't "burden" me or my personal life, plus a few other lines.

Does this ever actually end? Can these medications truly provide long-term help and bring back the person he used to be? Or do I just have to accept this is his new reality and maybe, for my own sake, it would be better to just walk away from all of this? 😢

I honestly don't buy it... my grandmother has been on them for depression and suicidal thoughts for ten years now after her son passed away, and she still cries every single day and talks about ending it all.
A guy I know with schizophrenia takes them too... heavy doses of Prozac along with about eight other different pills... and sometimes it's like they aren't even working at all.
Personally, I look at it as something that might be poisoning people more than healing them... though I suppose it helps some... I don't know... maybe it just depends on the individual.

So, I’ve been sitting with this diagnosis of unspecified psychosis and schizotypal personality disorder—basically a "borderline case" on my EEG. Honestly, I have this nagging feeling my doctors are sugarcoating things to avoid labeling me with a full-blown schizophrenia diagnosis. If they went that route, my life would basically be over. It would be a total disaster for my career prospects; right now, I’m working as a forklift operator, and if word ever got out that my head isn't quite right, I wouldn't be able to hold down a job anywhere. I struggle a lot with mood swings, and I suspect the docs are just trying to protect me from the stigma, but deep down, I can't help but feel like it's actually schizophrenia. Currently, I'm on 10mg of Zyprexa and Depakote Chrono.
I tend to keep to myself, and yeah, I get pretty lonely. Socializing isn't really my strong suit, so I probably come off as a bit of a weirdo or just some guy who doesn't fit in. More than anything, I just want to find a sweet girl who actually gets me, but I honestly have no clue how to find a soulmate when I'm living like this. Any advice out there from my fellow schizophrenia warriors? 😢

Ashley Morgan said:So, I’ve been sitting with this diagnosis of unspecified psychosis and schizotypal personality disorder—basically a "borderline case" on my EEG. Honestly, I have this nagging feeling my doctors are sugarcoating things to avoid labeling me with a full-blown schizophrenia diagnosis. If they went that route, my life would basically be over. It would be a total disaster for my career prospects; right now, I’m working as a forklift operator, and if word ever got out that my head isn't quite right, I wouldn't be able to hold down a job anywhere. I struggle a lot with mood swings, and I suspect the docs are just trying to protect me from the stigma, but deep down, I can't help but feel like it's actually schizophrenia. Currently, I'm on 10mg of Zyprexa and Depakote Chrono.
I tend to keep to myself, and yeah, I get pretty lonely. Socializing isn't really my strong suit, so I probably come off as a bit of a weirdo or just some guy who doesn't fit in. More than anything, I just want to find a sweet girl who actually gets me, but I honestly have no clue how to find a soulmate when I'm living like this. Any advice out there from my fellow schizophrenia warriors? 😢

Try making an effort so you aren't so withdrawn. You don't have any reason to stay in; just get out there, and you might meet someone. That's the solution. If she's a good person, like me for instance, 😁...she won't care about a useless label like having schizophrenia. So, go get 'em! 👍

Ashley Morgan said:So, I’ve been sitting with this diagnosis of unspecified psychosis and schizotypal personality disorder—basically a "borderline case" on my EEG. Honestly, I have this nagging feeling my doctors are sugarcoating things to avoid labeling me with a full-blown schizophrenia diagnosis. If they went that route, my life would basically be over. It would be a total disaster for my career prospects; right now, I’m working as a forklift operator, and if word ever got out that my head isn't quite right, I wouldn't be able to hold down a job anywhere. I struggle a lot with mood swings, and I suspect the docs are just trying to protect me from the stigma, but deep down, I can't help but feel like it's actually schizophrenia. Currently, I'm on 10mg of Zyprexa and Depakote Chrono.
I tend to keep to myself, and yeah, I get pretty lonely. Socializing isn't really my strong suit, so I probably come off as a bit of a weirdo or just some guy who doesn't fit in. More than anything, I just want to find a sweet girl who actually gets me, but I honestly have no clue how to find a soulmate when I'm living like this. Any advice out there from my fellow schizophrenia warriors? 😢

😕 Are you actually suggesting that employers ask about your medical history and specific diagnoses during the hiring process?
Isn't that basically illegal under labor laws?

Besides, let's be real here...😁🤣 most people don't have the slightest clue what these classifications mean, nor can they tell the difference between an unknown or an unknown or some other code.

You're either kidding or just completely out of touch.

right now I'm working as a forklift operator

Well, when you eventually apply for a pilot position, there's a real chance they might bring it up. Until then, I can at least offer some comfort by noting that for most drivers—and I'm talking about the actual employees of our local MTA—I highly doubt they are all carrying around a massive list of mental health diagnoses.

☕

Sarah Wilson95 said:😕 Are you actually suggesting that employers ask about your medical history and specific diagnoses during the hiring process?
Isn't that basically illegal under labor laws?

Besides, let's be real here...😁🤣 most people don't have the slightest clue what these classifications mean, nor can they tell the difference between an unknown or an unknown or some other code.

You're either kidding or just completely out of touch.

right now I'm working as a forklift operator

Well, when you eventually apply for a pilot position, there's a real chance they might bring it up. Until then, I can at least offer some comfort by noting that for most drivers—and I'm talking about the actual employees of our local MTA—I highly doubt they are all carrying around a massive list of mental health diagnoses.

☕

What kind of people are we even dealing with here? Honestly, some people don't have a clue—not even the professionals. I have this black cap with "F-43.1" printed on it in huge purple letters. Earlier this year, I ended up in the emergency room at a psychiatric clinic wearing that exact hat. So, there I am, sitting right in front of the psychiatrist, and she just stares at my hat and asks me what’s wrong with me. I told her nothing was wrong. Are you kidding me? 😁

Oh, so you're the author?
I honestly thought you were just some blurred-out figure in the background 🤣

p.s. Could someone give me a proper, textbook explanation of what psychosis actually entails? And why has the term neurosis basically fallen out of fashion?
Does psychosis inherently require hallucinations to be present?

Psychosis is basically a cluster of disorders where perception gets totally warped—usually without the person even realizing it. We're talking olfactory, auditory, tactile, or visual hallucinations.
Treatment typically involves antipsychotics (mostly things like Haldol or Moditen combined with Akineton). Just a heads up: a high frequency of psychotic episodes can eventually lead to schizophrenia.
Neuroses, on the other hand, are a completely different beast.
Those codes you see (like F-60, F-43, etc.)? Those are just the standard diagnostic codes used in the DSM.

So, I’ve been reading lately that the term "neurosis" has supposedly been phased out. It isn't really used anymore, or so they say... which leaves me a bit perplexed. Is it actually gone? Why would they just decide to toss a perfectly functional word aside?

Is depression merely a subset of neurosis? One wonders where the line is actually drawn. Is it a distinct entity entirely, or just a more profound shade of the same anxious spectrum? It’s a question that seems to linger, much like a persistent fog over the Potomac. Does one bleed into the other, or are we simply mislabeling our own internal weather?

Anxiety? I honestly don't follow. What exactly is it? Is there anyone alive who hasn't felt that sensation at some point? Good grief.

Bipolar disorder... is it a matter of neurosis or does it veer into psychosis? One wonders where exactly that line is drawn. Is it a steady slope, or a sudden cliff?

Schizophrenia... I assume we’re talking about psychosis here? Or am I missing something? And does one necessarily have to pass through a stage of neurosis before that happens? One wonders.
Is neurosis actually a fundamental component of every single illness? Or is it just a convenient label we slap on something relatively minor when we can't quite pin down the cause?

coastalskipper92 said:Oh, so you're the author?
I honestly thought you were just some blurred-out figure in the background 🤣

p.s. Could someone give me a proper, textbook explanation of what psychosis actually entails? And why has the term neurosis basically fallen out of fashion?
Does psychosis inherently require hallucinations to be present?

You know that one cheesy, old-school joke:

There is a certain kind of person who lives in a complete delusion, someone utterly convinced that two plus two equals five, living entirely within their own distorted reality. Then you have the neurotic, who understands perfectly well that two plus two equals four, yet they remain perpetually miserable because they simply cannot find peace with that fundamental truth.🤣

In other words, I don't think neuroticism is a direct pipeline to psychosis. For instance, I find myself feeling quite neurotic about sixteen times a day, yet I haven't experienced a single psychotic episode in my life.😁

Neurosis, if you think about it, is really more about those internal psychological instabilities—that sense of being emotionally unsettled—but you don't actually lose your grip on reality or struggle to process the world around you logically, which is the key distinction when you look at how psychosis functions.

Brian Moore2 said:I honestly don't know what people are talking about; even mental health professionals don't seem to grasp the point. I have this black cap with "F-43.1" printed across it in large purple letters. Back in January, I showed up at the emergency psychiatric ward wearing that exact hat, and there I was, sitting right in front of the psychiatrist with it still on my head... She just kept staring at my hat and asking me what was wrong. I'm telling you, everything is perfectly fine on my end. 😁

It’s probably for the best that she didn't just assume that figure was some kind of throwaway number.🙄🤣

Yeah, and love too. It’s just another neurotic disorder, one of those long-haul ones.😁
Unconditional love is a joke—it’s colorless, reckless, and frankly, it doesn't exist.😛
A little amnesia might actually be useful if you're drowning in long-term credit card debt.😉
Nobody likes depression. Not even at a funeral.🙂
Anxiety? That usually hits right before the end, like a final cry for help... much like those endless, futile suicide threats.🙄
With schizophrenia, a purple aura is acceptable.😍
But Borderi? They live in their own hermetic, black-and-white world.☕...

Lately, I’ve been seeing these bugs... little black things crawling around... then I realize I just imagined them, because they were way too big and then they just vanished. Honestly, I feel like I'm losing my mind, but I'm terrified to admit it because I don't trust their entire medical system or their treatments. I'm afraid they'll just toss me into a psych ward and start using electroshock therapy, and then I'll be completely gone. No way.
Glass... like a sardine... what can you do?🤷

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.😬

Easy for you to talk about those black bugs... everything's fine. Until those green fossilized mammoths show up.☕
We haven't had any real shockers around here for ages... no electric shocks, and hell, not even a screening of "Flight Over the Coward's Nest"... that legend played out a long time ago.😉
They aren't running around like Inquisition lunatics anymore... trying to "cure" you with a guillotine and chains.🙂

hollowtinker18 said:Easy for you to talk about those black bugs... everything's fine. Until those green fossilized mammoths show up.☕
We haven't had any real shockers around here for ages... no electric shocks, and hell, not even a screening of "Flight Over the Coward's Nest"... that legend played out a long time ago.😉
They aren't running around like Inquisition lunatics anymore... trying to "cure" you with a guillotine and chains.🙂

That's fair, but I actually just read on this thread about someone losing their cool and being sent straight for electroshock therapy. Her father even signed off on her renouncing certain rights or something similar... I can't quite recall the details. It makes me wonder if it's really okay if something more serious happens to her.😕