I’ve truly enjoyed our wonderful little chats lately—honestly, it’s been such a pleasure!—but I feel like I’ve started to become a bit of a nuisance, even to myself. So, I’ll just say a quick hello and wish you all the very best until our paths happen to cross again.🙂👋
Laura Castillo6, I didn't quite wrap my head around what you were saying regarding consciousness. If you could break that down a bit more simply, that would be wonderful!
Personally, I’m a big believer in actual medicine, so I decided to stop messing around with all those supplements myself.
I used to take vitamins and magnesium from Nature Made for a time. These days, things are a bit tight budget-wise, so I've switched to just taking a B-complex. Honestly, back when I was on the full regimen, I felt so much more energized—which was a lifesaver since my job involves heavy manual labor.
Joseph Bailey41 said:I don't doubt you, but I'm not the Church. That's why I'm not judging anyone; in my eyes, you all are equally holy. 😁
You don't "work" toward becoming a saint—you simply become one. You never truly know when it will happen.
So, let me ask you all—do you think consciousness is essentially synonymous with alertness? In that sense, the more alert one is, the better. Or perhaps we lose that clarity during psychosis? Or maybe it becomes so intense within us that we end up losing ourselves entirely.
Joseph Bailey41 said:To me, this is just more proof that "intelligent design" doesn't hold water—it isn't actually intelligent, nor is it well-conceived from a design standpoint. One opening serving two functions (breathing and eating) was developed through evolution, and then we humans just tacked on a third function: speech. Animals don't chat while they eat, after all. 😁
If it didn't acknowledge them, certain priests wouldn't be performing exorcisms or even mentioning the Holy Spirit. When Christianity spread across America, it essentially had to "assimilate" all those pagan deities that were already present in these regions—rebranding them as saints so people could continue their worship without too much friction. And those old deities didn't just pop out of nowhere; they evolved from even older ancestor cults and animistic beliefs in nature spirits. Just as everything in nature constantly transforms, develops, and changes shape to adapt to its environment, the same thing happens within society. That said, we shouldn't claim a specific way of thinking is "better" or "more advanced" just because it's newer. It isn't. It's simply better adapted to its era. The way people with schizophrenia or autism function might have been more suited to the natural and social environment during certain phases of history than our current rationalist paradigm. Look at Abraham—if he wasn't experiencing schizophrenia, then nobody was, yet he's considered the father of three major world religions. Nowadays, if a man took his son into the mountains to sacrifice him because voices told him to, only to change his mind because the voices gave him new instructions, he wouldn't be seen as a figure of respect. He'd be viewed as dangerous to the community, forcibly hospitalized immediately, and kept on antipsychotics for the rest of his life. Back then, people valued and honored him. Those who hallucinated burning bushes or apocalypses... they wouldn't fare so well today. Unless, of course, they knew how to keep quiet and turned it into a movie or something. 🕺
I feel the need to offer a correction here, as holiness is a deeply complex subject to study. In my view, Moses and Jesus had to function in a very specific way because that was part of the divine plan for salvation. The Church makes a very clear distinction between illness and holiness. I actually heard about a priest who suffered from F20. He, for instance, possessed the ability to pray for incredibly long periods. I've even personally struggled with psychosis myself—where negative thoughts start creeping in and then you have to fight through them, and so on... Essentially, the Church carefully examines what actually happened in the lives of saints. To me, human holiness represents the highest level of intelligence for that individual. In the past, we needed someone like Moses to provide a figure for humanity to look toward for salvation and to leave behind a trace of God's presence. Nowadays, modern secularism tends to brush aside that kind of connection with God. At least, that's my take on it. Regardless, Moses is my favorite saint because his journey was undoubtedly incredibly difficult. I won't even bring up Jesus here, because He is a story all His own.
Laura Castillo6, your idea of a perfect being would be downright spooky based on what you’ve written here—honestly, it’s a little chilling! Sorry 🕺
I’ve actually landed on a specific conclusion after reading this. God created man in His own image, right? God is a Creator. Looking at your post, I see a very clear tendency toward trying to create a "perfect" being. Have you even realized the connection there? 🙂
Jose Ward4, we really can't just rely solely on our own inner voices—not when you consider that there are both good and evil spirits at play, assuming you have even a basic familiarity with religion. To truly listen only to oneself, one would need to possess a state of absolute, perfect consciousness. Every single day brings its own unique blend of darkness and light, which is precisely why we need God. We need that connection to cleanse us, because let's face it—none of us are perfect. Usually, this process happens through the Church. In my view, this path was established for us by Jesus through Peter. Now, sure, you could attempt to navigate this on your own, but I honestly believe it’s much more grounded to go through the Church and the Gospel. Perhaps what you’re saying is true—that it might be "healthier" to simply pray, "God, please help me get through this test," and so on. But you have to understand—my own records would probably label me as obsessively religious, so please don't mind my constant references to God; that's just how I perceive the world! Even though I don't attend church services regularly, I still find such peace being in those spaces.
Jose Ward4 actually gave me such a great explanation regarding shamans earlier. It turns out they have people just as troubled as we do—it’s just that the distinction lies in timing. A shaman perceives certain truths or visions, whereas someone struggling with mental health might experience those same things at the wrong moment. It's a pretty fascinating way to look at it!
And honestly, of course God exists. Without Him, true humility wouldn't even be possible—we'd all just end up thinking we're the center of the universe, which is a recipe for disaster. Otherwise, it’s just "me, myself, and I" over and over again. And we can't have everyone following that path, right?! 😲
I agree with you, Harold Anderson3. Personally, I don't think drugs or alcohol act as the primary trigger for psychosis—rather, the research suggests that people already predisposed to psychotic episodes are simply more vulnerable to substance use. In my case, I’m fairly certain it’s a genetic thing—it runs in the family. My grandmother was actually hospitalized and eventually took her own life; I'm just not sure what her specific diagnosis was at the time.
I’ve been thinking lately—and I really do believe this—that for those of us struggling with illness, the mind can be an incredible servant, but it makes for a truly terrible master. Joseph Bailey41, I absolutely love the way you frame your thoughts on this subject! Anyway, I'm signing off now because I am absolutely exhausted. I'm heading straight to bed. 🥱
Jamie Lewis said:Honestly, I can’t even wrap my head around what that feels like. Maybe if I went on some heavy drugs I’d actually understand what you guys are going through. 😲 It really isn't easy when you're stuck in a psychosis.
Try watching this video—just stare at the center of the screen for a minute or two, focus there, and then look at an object near you.
So, you're taking Ziprexica (an AP), and you're saying it's a miracle drug? If you had any extra, I’d literally pay you in gold bars. 😵 😉
It’s definitely not easy. Thank God only about one percent of people have to deal with this. I only watched the beginning of that video—I wouldn't want to go any further—but I used to draw those kinds of bizarre patterns back when I was in the hospital. I don't know why. As far as I know, we have an excess of dopamine, which is also what drugs trigger. So, basically, the medication works to counteract that.
And I have to say—just like Chloe Flores83 mentioned—I went through some incredibly intense therapy sessions right at the beginning. It was quite a ride! My mother actually used the word "zombie" to describe me during that period—and honestly, looking back, she wasn't exaggerating one bit. I was just completely out of it.
Carol Barrett2 said:I'm doing alright, I guess. Life just keeps getting progressively worse—just one headache after another. How about you? Hope things are actually decent on your end. 🙂
I felt the exact same way, Visionary. Honestly, I truly believe things are going to turn around for you—life has a way of doing that! The main thing is just making sure you're doing alright. As for me, things are actually looking pretty good.
Chloe Flores83 said:Vordas, believe me, we have never actually met. Or maybe we did and I just totally blanked on it🙂
Sunflower, I just don't really get what's happening in this video—how about you? For me, my head was always just full of wild, scattered ideas that ended up being kind of silly or even funny in hindsight. I never actually dealt with anything that made me feel awful, anxious, or paranoid. Not before or after my psychotic episode. The only thing was this one time I heard a voice in my head telling me what to do when I found myself stuck in the middle of the woods late at night. There wasn't a soul around, and then I stumbled upon some guy who was looking to jump me. I somehow managed to get away in one piece, probably thanks to that voice.
Does anyone else here have voices that actually help them out, or did yours only say nasty things? And does everyone living with schizophrenia have to hear voices?
My experience was quite similar to yours, though not an exact match—for instance, my symptoms didn't transform my entire reality in quite that way. I definitely had those intrusive thoughts at times, but I eventually learned how to push them out of my mind. The most unsettling parts for me, though, were the tactile hallucinations. To give you a specific example: I once felt the distinct sensation of someone giving me an injection—I could actually feel the sting and the liquid spreading through my skin like some kind of poison. And get this—not long after that, I ended up in the hospital and was actually given an injection!
I dealt with voices too, but I’d rather not go into all the details. I really don't know everything that goes into this illness.
Oldboy said:Just look at how much these guys have lost their minds—I mean, what is it about this girl being so incredibly attractive and high-strung that it triggers a full-blown schizophrenic episode? You really ought to point out to this "stunning" forum lady that she also supposedly carries a nasty diagnosis—something she keeps hyping up here just to feed her ego, clearly acting out just like she does in real life.🤣
Angela Stewart6—wasn't it actually you who got caught in the crossfire there? You totally spiraled during a psychotic break thinking aliens were actually real. loooooool
Jamie Lewis said:Angela Stewart6, I just finished watching that YouTube video. Man, that really is a brutal illness. It makes so much more sense to me now. Are you taking any medications for it? What kind are you on?
Andrew, that was a pretty intense example you shared, but it definitely helps illustrate how irrational things can get during these episodes. I take an antidepressant in the morning, and then at night, I take olanzapine (which is basically the generic version of Zyprexa, an antipsychotic) along with diazepam. I use the diazepam as needed—since, as it turns out, I’ve started experiencing some delusions lately. It wasn't something I should have let surface, but well, what's done is done. 🕺
Harold Anderson3 said:I suppose believing in them might have been a bit of an escape for me too.😛
My biggest struggle during my psychosis was this overwhelming sense of grandiosity; my brain was just racing at a hundred miles an hour, and I genuinely believed I was the most important person in the entire country. Honestly, the political climate at the time really messed with my head. Looking back, it feels like my mental health struggles coincided perfectly with how chaotic things were happening across America. But, I guess you learn from those mistakes. I know now that I'm not that central figure, and I understand that managing my mental state with medication is just as vital as making sure I eat or get enough sleep. I feel incredibly lucky that these medications exist, especially since I don't have to go around explaining my prescription to every person I meet.
Let's take it from the top! I am intimately familiar with that feeling of being "special"—it's a trip—but I've been working hard here to stay stabilized (well, as much as I possibly can). I really did think I was one-of-a-kind. However, I totally get where you're coming from. It seems like the political mess in the US definitely fueled the fire, making it even harder to snap out of that headspace, wouldn't you agree? Personally, I don't go around telling people about my diagnosis, but when I was in the middle of the psychosis, people could tell something was off—they would ask me what was wrong because, before all this, I was always such an upbeat, sunny person.
Let’s get back to the main topic! Anne was talking about aliens earlier—and honestly, during my bout with psychosis, I was absolutely convinced that I was being influenced by extraterrestrials. I truly believed they were intervening in my life to somehow "fix" me.
I honestly don't see what the big deal is here—look, I don't personally care for you, and that’s perfectly fine! You decided to cut ties, and I truly respect your decision to walk away. But there is absolutely no reason to start dragging everyone else down just because of that. I am who I am, plain and simple, and there isn't much more to be said about my personality. We all face similar struggles in this life, and that's something we should respect. At the end of the day, everyone gets to choose their own circle—and you should certainly do the same. The people in this community are dear to me, and there is a genuine sense of mutual empathy here—we support one another, and they do the same for me. In my opinion, that kind of connection is something truly worth celebrating.