Posts by Nicole Barrett76

William Price16 said:👍

You aren't allowed to be optimistic, and you aren't allowed to be suicidal either.
According to the general social vibe these days, the only acceptable mental state is something akin to the atmosphere of a dreary, gray afternoon in Seattle.
Or, as Freud supposedly put it: "The goal of psychoanalysis is to convert hysterical misery into ordinary unhappiness."
Forget all that. Don't listen to them.

But I simply cannot do that. How can one remain indifferent when a vital component of my entire strategy rests solely in their hands? There is a significant catch here, isn't there? If that single element fails to materialize as intended, the entire plan collapses—or at the very least, becomes an uphill battle I may not be able to win.

Jeremy Scott said:Anyone expecting to find steady work in this economy belongs in an asylum🤣 🤣

Just kidding. No hard feelings.🙂

I have meticulously drafted a strategy to make this happen, and I am currently executing that plan.

Once again... there is certainly truth to what you said. But what follows? Should we simply abandon every reasonable and legitimate desire for a better life and bury it two miles underground?

I would much rather bury myself two miles underground.

Arthur Scott5 said:I suppose I’m just navigating this whole ordeal on my own, though it hasn't been easy on anyone. It’s been incredibly difficult for my parents to come to terms with the fact that I’m struggling with my mental health—it's heavy for the whole family, I guess. Anyway, I have an appointment scheduled next week at the Mayo Clinic to see Dr. Miller. I was wondering if you all think going there is a good move? I’ve heard through the grapevine that the psychiatrists at the Mayo Clinic are top-tier—really reasonable people who are willing to sit with you for hours if that's what the situation requires. At least, that’s the impression I’ve gathered...

Even though I am dealing with "only" a physical ailment, my struggles can't possibly compare to yours, and even my own family refuses to fully accept me. They only seem to tolerate me when I stay tucked away in my room acting "normal." The moment I attempt to explain my plans for finding employment, it feels as though they would rather lock me in a basement or temporarily commit me to a mental asylum just so I could be "unstable" enough to satisfy them.

briskskipper27 said:Islamic fanatics in Syria have launched a full-scale campaign to wipe out priceless archaeological treasures. We’re talking Byzantine mosaics, Greek sculptures, Roman statues—all gone because they depict human figures, which clashes with their radical ideology.
Reports suggest this systematic destruction of ancient history is likely the worst case of cultural genocide we've seen since the Taliban blew up those Buddha statues in Bamyan back in 2001 for the exact same religious reasons.
In mid-January, ISIS militants—basically Taliban-style extremist gangs holding large chunks of northeastern Syria—targeted a 6th-century Byzantine mosaic near the city of Raqqa by the Euphrates River.
Word is, some businessman from Turkey actually showed up in town hoping to buy the mosaic. But these extremists didn't even know the thing existed until they stumbled upon it; instead of selling it, they just used explosives to level it. Now, it's just dust.
http://freethinker.co.uk/2014/02/14/...ing-destroyed/

It is fundamentally incompatible with their primitive minds. Is it not true that every statue and every image that is not intended for worship must be left untouched and neglected according to the Quran?

briskskipper27 said:Islamic fanatics in Syria have launched a full-scale campaign to wipe out priceless archaeological treasures. We’re talking Byzantine mosaics, Greek sculptures, Roman statues—all gone because they depict human figures, which clashes with their radical ideology.
Reports suggest this systematic destruction of ancient history is likely the worst case of cultural genocide we've seen since the Taliban blew up those Buddha statues in Bamyan back in 2001 for the exact same religious reasons.
In mid-January, ISIS militants—basically Taliban-style extremist gangs holding large chunks of northeastern Syria—targeted a 6th-century Byzantine mosaic near the city of Raqqa by the Euphrates River.
Word is, some businessman from Turkey actually showed up in town hoping to buy the mosaic. But these extremists didn't even know the thing existed until they stumbled upon it; instead of selling it, they just used explosives to level it. Now, it's just dust.
http://freethinker.co.uk/2014/02/14/...ing-destroyed/

In Bamyan, what we truly witnessed was a personal vendetta by the mastermind behind those crimes against the UN. Since the UN sought to protect those monuments while failing to provide much-needed aid to the starving population there, the leader ordered the destruction of the statues out of sheer defiance. I am certainly not justifying such an act, yet can one not understand it when considering the broader context?

Larry Lewis said:I honestly can't wrap my head around why there's such a massive stigma attached to schizophrenia when, frankly, the prognosis for recovery is actually quite promising. In my personal estimation—and I've seen enough to say this—borderline personality disorder is far more taxing than schizophrenia.

Just let it go, Jeremy... we live in Washington, D.C.; imagine if we were stuck in some tiny, isolated rural town in the middle of nowhere. We'd never hear the end of it.

I agree with you wholeheartedly.

Shouldn't we be calling Borderline Personality Disorder the "cancer of the soul" rather than labeling it alongside schizophrenia?

It seems to me that modern prejudices aren't driven by whether someone grew up in a rural town or a big city like Chicago, but rather by their age group—specifically, whether they were born before or after the 1970s.

I truly believe that in America, the generations born before the 1960s simply lack the level of education seen in those born later.

Jeremy Scott said:A support system? Just move all the Americans to another country and settle some sane people here instead. 🙂

I must ask you, please, to refrain from making such sweeping generalizations.

Arthur Scott5 said:I suppose I go to Mass and pray to God and all that, but honestly, none of it seems to be helping. Today, I experienced a crisis where I was alone in my room, just falling apart, and I don’t believe in coincidences—let’s just say things happen for a reason. For instance, today I saw the exact same man in my own room who told me that if I don't lacerate my arms until they bleed, I would be forced to eat animals—specifically their brains—in order to acquire their power. Right now, I am searching for a new psychiatrist who will actually prescribe a standard course of medication, rather than what I have currently. With my current doctor, I barely get five minutes of his time before he hands me a prescription and tells me, "Just pray to God, He will surely help you." What more can one even say to that?

It feels exactly like hiring an electrician to wire your entire house, only for him to finish the job and then tell you, "Well, just pray to God that the house doesn't burn down from a short circuit."

Larry Lewis said:I’m sorry, my friend—but then again, who really knows? Modern medicine performs miracles these days—sometimes it feels like we're living in a science fiction novel just to stay upright.

One cannot help but wonder: does this same miraculous logic apply when one is facing the complexities of schizophrenia?

Larry Lewis said:What kind of illness are you dealing with? Is there even a glimmer of hope that you might pull through this?

There are absolutely no signs of improvement.

Currently, I can only see ten percent out of my right eye and a mere two percent through the left; can you imagine how much my vision is failing me?

Some fifteen to twenty years ago, my vision was still at twenty to twenty-five percent, yet I am constantly struggling with endocrine issues that I must manage with synthetic hormones.

Larry Lewis said:The man clearly wasn't in a full-blown psychotic break.

Not in any way, thank God.

Unless, of course, one considers the unrelenting and smoldering depression I endure due to my worsening physical condition.

Jeremy Scott said:With schizophrenia, you aren't even capable of thinking about anything at all.

That is simply not the case.

When a patient is being treated with antipsychotics, their thought processes might certainly slow down, yet they remain entirely capable of reasoning.

Furthermore, if they aren't on medication, their thoughts may instead become intensely focused on their delusions, or perhaps manifest through various "formal" thought disorders—such as tangentiality, viscous thinking, incoherent speech, or flight of ideas, among others.

Might you find interest in this particular Ayurvedic herb, which possesses such remarkable anti-catatonic properties?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3868798/

I haven't quite lost my mind just yet, but I can feel a nasty bout of depression creeping up on me from around the corner.

It stems from the futility of my job hunt, my worsening vision, and the sheer shallowness of the people surrounding me.

If I had my way, I would herd those I deem most superficial into a concentration camp—not because they lack intellect, but because they are blinded by ignorance and an utter failure to know themselves, coupled with a stubborn refusal to change even a fraction of an inch.

It reminds me of that novel by Veljko Barbieri about Voice and Camp. Have you ever read it, or perhaps heard it discussed on NPR?

Kyle Johnson2 said:The suggestion from the colleague above regarding everyone entering their own portion of the password is perfectly acceptable.

- Protecting a document in Word 2003
- Protecting a document in Word 2007

It is worth noting that the password can consist of a maximum of 14 characters.

Larry Lewis said:You mentioned having psychotic symptoms, so if I may be so bold—and I really think you should—could you actually list what those symptoms were? Since you're the one who brought this up, it would be helpful if you were upfront about it; maybe then some of us might feel comfortable opening up to you, too. It strikes me as a bit odd, frankly—the idea that someone experiences psychotic symptoms and simply thinks, "Well, there's no point in making a scene over this," and then just carries on with life as usual.

Secondly, are you still experiencing those—as you put them—psychotic symptoms?

And I'm still a bit confused here—how is it possible that you talked through these symptoms with a professional but still didn't end up with a diagnosis?

Given her posts regarding demons, I suspect her doctor may have already diagnosed her with schizophrenia, yet perhaps chose to record it solely within her private electronic medical records rather than noting it on her primary chart.

I could be mistaken, but if my assumption holds true, I find such a practice to be fundamentally unethical.

Regardless of how much psychological distress revealing a diagnosis might inflict upon a patient, does not the individual have a right to the truth? Without honesty, how can one achieve self-awareness or perform the necessary self-analysis required to facilitate any meaningful progress in treatment?

Furthermore, from what I understand about clinical protocols, if a person exhibits psychotic symptoms for merely a week, they receive a different classification than if those symptoms persist for a month; it is only after a month of continuous symptoms that a schizophrenia diagnosis is officially applied. While the symptoms themselves might mirror schizophrenia, clinicians must account for both the intensity and, crucially, the duration of the episode.

And yet, as she mentioned, she has been under this doctor's care for seven months now.

Admittedly, she hasn't been hospitalized for this... though, well...

Sorry, placidheron7, if my comments come across as cold or indifferent; that was truly never my intention. It is far easier for me to sit here and write about this than it is for you to actually live through these symptoms.

placidheron7 said:Can someone please break down what actually triggers a hospitalization for you guys? I’m not even worried about the aftermath, I just want to know what happens *before*—like, what's the breaking point where doctors decide you absolutely have to be admitted? If anyone could give me a specific example, that would be huge. Also, regarding this whole thing about psychosis returning and switching up meds... what does "my psychosis is coming back" actually look like in practice? I’ve been struggling with something for a while now; all the psychotic symptoms were there, but since I was still able to hold down a job and stay "functional," they wouldn't give me an official diagnosis. But I really need to understand this side of things, so if anyone can answer these questions, I’d really appreciate it.

There are numerous accounts within this discussion detailing why individuals were admitted to the hospital and the events that preceded their care, much like the experiences shared during the stays themselves.

Perhaps you might find more clarity if you were to explore this thread a bit more deeply.

Dana Vaughn said:Actually, I was thinking... it doesn't quite make sense to me how a tiny 15mg dose of an azole antipsychotic could actually trigger psychosis. Is it possible my current medication isn't hitting the mark, or maybe I just need a higher dosage to stay stable?

Please, do not attempt to adjust your dosage without medical supervision. Some individuals can have highly unusual reactions to certain medications.

Dana Vaughn said:I think I might be sliding back into psychosis. My mind is just racing constantly, and I find myself obsessing over every tiny little detail—it feels like my brain is running a marathon every single hour. I’ve completely pulled away from my friends lately, too. I have zero desire to go out or see anyone; I've just shut myself off from the world. That usual sense of lightness and spontaneity I used to have? It's just gone.
To be honest, things have been incredibly stressful this past month, and I suspect that's what triggered this. I honestly don't understand the root of psychosis... what is it within a person that actually causes it to happen? Right now, I'm on 15 mg of Azolara, but it doesn't feel like it's doing much for me at all. I have an appointment with my doctor this Wednesday, but until then, I'm just taking Normabel once a day.

Perhaps these symptoms have resurfaced because you were attempting to taper off the Abilify, and you simply need time to stabilize.

To me, these particular symptoms don't necessarily sound psychotic. I experience them myself quite often. However, since I don't deal with anything more severe than GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and a touch of neuroticism, I don't let it worry me too much. I ask myself: how can anyone expect me to be cheerful when I feel the need to lash out at every minor inconvenience in life? People tend to grate on my nerves because they are far too superficial. If I spend time with most people, I can barely endure more than 30 or 40 minutes with them. There is only one person with whom I can sit for two hours if necessary.

Of course, my own circumstances cannot be compared to yours, given that you are managing schizophrenia.

How can I possibly convince my Epson L550 to respect the page margins I have meticulously set for a Word 2003 document? I have specifically configured all margins to be exactly 1cm, yet the printer remains obstinate; while it dutifully handles the left and right margins at 1cm, it stubbornly insists on printing the top and bottom margins at 2.5cm. I am currently running Windows 7 in English, using Microsoft Office 2003 in American English, and the Epson interface itself is in English.

I have already attempted to access the print properties via Ctrl+P, but alas, I could find nothing that addresses this specific issue.

Dana Vaughn said:Hey everyone, has anyone else here tried tapering off Azalea-AP? I just had my dose dropped by 5 mg and honestly, I feel absolutely terrible. It’s this constant sense of nervousness, irritability, and physical tension... it feels exactly like I'm going through withdrawal. I'm at the point where I don't know if I can actually push through this, and I'm seriously considering asking my doctor to put me back on the previous dose. Has anyone else dealt with these kinds of symptoms?

Could you perhaps ask your doctor to prescribe something to help manage the symptoms during this transition, or maybe suggest a much more gradual tapering schedule?