Posts by bluejackal2

Sam Green73 said:Whoa, a diagnosis? I dig that idea. 🙂

That actually goes a long way toward explaining a lot of things.

I appreciate you looking out for me, 🙂

Always happy to help. 😉Honestly, I think we should give moderators some kind of seniority credit or extra benefits; this job isn't exactly a walk in the park.

Hey Sam Green73, no offense intended, but you’ve been acting a little strange lately. I'm guessing you just finally relaxed now that you aren't pulling moderator duties anymore, but man, I really hope that's all it is and nothing more serious. 😉

Honestly, it kind of looks like you're suffering from some serious post-mod stress disorder 😬

Just stay chill 🙂

Honestly, I actually kicked the habit a little over three years ago after smoking for three decades straight, mostly just because I couldn't be bothered with the whole hassle of rolling my own cigarettes, and man, I feel incredible now—every smoker I pass on the street smells like a walking chimney to me. It’s the truth, though; smoking really does mess with your health way more than people want to admit.

Steven Stewart3 said:Whoa, hold up—what "legendary pranayama"? I just said people should breathe through their noses consciously whenever they can! It’s simple science: nose breathing actually nourishes your brain. If you're mouth-breathing, you aren't getting nearly enough oxygen into your lungs (and let's be real, we all know where most of that air ends up when you breathe through your mouth instead!), so you end up totally drained. Your immunity tanks, and then everything just falls apart—your health, your goals, your relationships—and suddenly you're spiraling into depression or anxiety, and then people start labeling it as schizophrenia.

Just to be clear, I’m talking about the milder forms of the condition.
My brother was telling me the other day that a lot of people dealing with schizophrenia are actually super chill, clever, and genuinely kind-hearted. Honestly, if you have that kind of foundation, you've already got a massive head start on recovery.

You're just talking nonsense! This has nothing to do with the topic at hand!

Steven Stewart3 said:What I was getting at earlier was really just referring to those milder forms of schizophrenia.

But you basically said nothing, like, even if you're constantly doing deep breathing exercises or pulling off some other miracle, nothing is going to touch it unless you take antipsychotics (the pills)!

Steven Stewart3 said:Look, I don't have schizophrenia myself, but I grew up in a family with two psychiatrists, so I definitely know my way around the subject. People talk about schizophrenia like it's some infectious disease—like leprosy or typhus—but it’s not bacterial or viral. It’s more like a deep trauma of the brain and the heart. One of the big signs is that your whole body just vibrates; it's like when you stretch out a spring and it keeps trembling until it finally settles down, even though it's supposed to be still.

With Rabbit, it feels like an electric current is surging through your entire body. My best advice? Just believe that this will pass. Whenever that intrusive thought pops up like, "Oh man, I have schizophrenia," try to push back against it. Also, make sure you get plenty of physical exercise to help distribute that energy (which everyone actually has inside them) evenly throughout your system. And hey, maybe cut back on the TV—maybe stick to those nature documentaries on the Discovery Channel—and spend more time outdoors. Vipassana meditation can be incredibly helpful, but honestly, if you try it without a proper guide, it might actually make things worse.
Basically, timing and physical activity are everything. If I had to narrow it down to the two most important things, try day by day to stay focused on nasal breathing. So many people mouth-breathe, which means they aren't getting enough oxygen to their brains. Also, pay attention to whether you sometimes completely stop breathing when you're feeling anxious, almost like you've slipped into a trance, and then you need to get right back to focusing on that nasal breathing. It’s tough at first, but if you really want to heal, give it a shot. You can get everything back—all those healthy feelings from your childhood. Second, alongside focused breathing, try to slowly, bit by bit—and anyone can do this these days—cultivate that sense of love and being in love,(think of that high school crush kind of feeling). If you can develop that, you'll literally feel filled with love all day long (I know, sounds cheesy, but it works!), and you'll feel healthy again.
Everything can be fixed, but it won't happen by doing nothing; health isn't just going to fall from the sky. I know people who claim to "suffer" from "schizophrenia" and adopt this mindset where they've already done their part, they'll just act "sick" because, well, usually a nice little disability check follows... you know how it goes.

My uncle plays guitar in a local band and sings, so I don't go around telling anyone about his playing because I honestly don't know anything about it. It's probably better for you to keep quiet about the schizophrenia too, because regardless of having two psychiatrists in the family, you don't really have a clue what you're talking about.

Carol Barrett2 said:

Your score was 26 out of a possible 80.

scores of 30 or less indicate a lack of empathy Common in People with Autism or Asperger ’ sa syndrome

https://psychology-tools.com/test/empathy-quotient

So I took this test and ended up with this. On other tests, I’ve gotten totally different results—stuff saying I actually *do* have empathy. Does this mean I'm a sociopath or a psychopath? Since they have that lack of empathy thing too.

I know these internet tests aren't exactly clinical grade, but I figured I'd give it a shot anyway. Honestly, it's possible I didn't even grasp all the questions properly or answered them wrong because I rushed through the whole thing.

Here's what I got:

Your score was 41 out of a possible 80.

Hang in there! :-)

Harold Anderson3 said:Where does this stigma come from—this deep-seated rejection by healthy people toward schizophrenia and those living with it?
I’m fully aware of my own condition and my diagnosis, but I’m also painfully aware of the excessive isolation forced upon me, just like everyone else who sees F20 on their medical charts. It simply isn't right. During Hitler's era in Germany, people facing these exact struggles were being systematically murdered through forced selection. Today, we technically have the right to live, but we're often pushed into such profound isolation that it leads straight into loneliness and depression, which can ultimately spiral into suicide. In both cases, whether through malice or neglect, the end result is often a life cut far too short.

P.S. Sorry if this post feels a bit heavy or depressing... 🕺

I don't really get that vibe myself; people don't run away from me. If anything, they actually enjoy hanging out with me (they know about my diagnosis, of course, since I've never tried to hide it and usually just joke about it to make people laugh).

Olivia Bishop8 said:Hey everyone.
I haven't been on this forum for long. I'm the mom of a guy diagnosed with G20. We've been through some pretty rough patches—more than him, obviously. It’s been a little over four years since he got sick. Two hospital stays, a suicide attempt... you name it. But, whatever, I shouldn't complain too much. Things seem to be looking up lately, I guess. The illness is mostly under control. He's doing okay, just doesn't really go out much. Mostly just hangs with close family, though he's actually planning on heading to college soon (the diagnosis hit right after he finished high school). Honestly, I just wanted to see what you guys think, since you're going through this too... Do you think it could come back? Not like it goes anywhere, but still. He's on meds and sticks to them strictly. I'm just wondering if he can actually do college and live a somewhat normal life ??? Or am I just being overly optimistic ???!!!

If the treatment hits the mark, it’s totally possible to function normally and even tackle college life.

George Cook said:Psychosis can manifest in those suffering from PTSD, and there is also C-PTSD—there is an abundance of research on this in the US. However, in our local medical system, PTSD is typically reserved for combat veterans, while "ordinary" citizens who endure trauma or abuse are frequently mislabeled
as having Borderline Personality Disorder.

One can only wonder how many people have been saddled with the wrong diagnosis because of this systemic oversight.
The American psychiatric establishment often overlooks C-PTSD. Based on my reading of American forums, survivors of domestic violence are consistently diagnosed with C-PTSD and receive appropriate treatment, whereas here, they are simply branded with BPD.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl...-and-psychosis

https://themighty.com/2017/08/ptsd-p...is-connection/

None of us on this forum are clinicians, but speaking from personal experience: seek second opinions and consult various doctors to find real answers.
And one more thing. You are not your diagnosis. It is merely a part of your history, but you are far more than a label.

Based on what you're saying, I wouldn't actually have schizophrenia, even though I carry an F20.0 diagnosis.

My first diagnoses after coming home from the service were F43.1 (PTSD) and F62.0 (Persistent Personality Change), which was what my first psychiatrist gave me.

About a year later, I hit my first psychotic episode (out of the six symptoms listed in your second link, I had five—everything except the second one), and after seeing a second psychiatrist, he handed me an F20.0 diagnosis after six months.

I wasn't exactly thrilled with that second doctor's take, so I went to a private specialist to get a second opinion. That third psychiatrist actually told me I didn't have F20.0 at all and that the first guy had hit the nail on the head with his diagnosis.

Despite all that back-and-forth, today I'm officially listed with both F43.1 and F20.0, but my third doctor insists the specific label doesn't matter as much as the patient's actual health—and honestly, I've been feeling good for a long time now just on 1mg of Risperdal.

You guys are seriously out of your minds!

wearyrider16 said:When is suicide actually considered a rational choice?

Or is it always viewed as a defeat, a surrender, or just plain cowardice?

Keep it brief, please.

Maybe the answer lies in the counter-question: when is it considered appropriate, justified, or logical to put down a pet that’s basically a member of your family?

Honestly, I’m just not a kid person—I’ll take dogs over children any day of the week. You tell a dog to sit, and he actually sits, whereas a kid will just mess with your head until you lose it. Luckily, I’ve finally managed to distance myself from that chaos, so I don't have to spend my life tutoring my sister’s son in math anymore. I’m sitting there busting my back trying to explain basic concepts to him, and out of nowhere, he blurted out: "Uncle, John Deere bought those new tractors!" Like, seriously? Who cares about tractors right now? Are you even listening to a word I'm saying? He’ll be legal in six months and has actually started to wise up, so he can handle his own math homework without me. Once he hits 18, we’re going to get along way better. Once he's an adult and responsible for his own actions, I won't have to deal with all that nonsense—childish stupidity really just grinds my gears.

Jose Ward4 said:I have to disagree there. I am one hundred percent certain you can hold down a full-time job even if you've retired. I’m just not sure if there’s a legal distinction between disability benefits and standard retirement when it comes to working. Honestly? If it were up to me, I wouldn't work. Why take the hard road when there's an easier path available? Why make life harder than it needs to be? If I were pulling in $10,000 or even $5,000 a month in retirement, I probably wouldn't be looking for a job either. That money would hit my account every month and I wouldn't give it a second thought. I think most people feel the exact same way, which is why nobody wants to give up those benefits. Why go to work if you don't have to? Man, if I could pull that off, I’d be the happiest person alive, and I truly wouldn't care what anyone else thinks. That’s just how I see it.

Look, if you're on professional disability and you still have some capacity to work, then yeah, you can hold down a job. But if you've been declared totally disabled with zero remaining ability to work, there isn't any legal employment left for you for the rest of your life—unless you decide to go off the grid and work under the table.

Harold Anderson3 said:Aha.

Don't take this the wrong way, but I think your friend is just looking for an easy way out; pretending to have PTSD just to secure a pension feels... well, a bit cowardly, if you ask me.
I've been dealing with schizophrenia since 2009, and I fought tooth and nail to finish my degree, though I didn't quite make it, and now I'm working a demanding physical job for $1767. I could have easily applied for disability benefits, but I chose not to. Partly because the money isn't enough to live a decent life—maybe not enough to live at all, really—but mostly because I refuse to let my illness define me; I'm still young, and I don't want my whole existence to be swallowed up by a disability check.
But then again, it seems like this country allows just about anything to slide.

Honestly, if you tell him that, he’ll probably try to claw your eyes out. In his mind, we're all just the same kind of people, and he actually told me he hates my guts just because my retirement check is bigger than his. He basically said that having more money makes me a target for his resentment.

I tried to break it down for him nicely, but it's just a lost cause.

Harold Anderson3 said:Did you finish college before or after your diagnosis? I fell ill during my freshman year, and I was also studying electrical engineering. I didn't end up finishing.

I finished my degree back in 1988, then started seeing someone at the VA hospital in 1996 following the war, and finally received the schizophrenia diagnosis in 2000.

Nicole Barrett76 said:Believe me when I say that life is infinitely, vastly more beautiful when one possesses intelligence than when they do not. Unfortunately for me, mine sits somewhere around the 90 or 95 mark—just slightly below the national average. I attempt to mask this deficiency through extensive reading and a decent level of education.

But isn't it true that to truly survive in this brutal, predatory world, one requires an IQ of at least 110?

Man, we were out grabbing a few drinks yesterday and I ended up getting totally grilled by some guy I went to elementary school with. He starts attacking me about how it's such a waste that I'm not working, especially since I finished that brutal engineering degree, and that I could be tapping into European Union grants and all sorts of other nonsense. I’m trying to explain to him how antipsychotics basically turned me into this emotionally numb shell of a person along with my illness, and why I wouldn't even want a job anyway since I'm retired and dealing with my veteran disability benefits and zero remaining work capacity, etc., etc., but he just doesn't get it. See, his business was struggling, so his neighbor—who's a vet himself—convinced him to just retire based on PTSD claims, so he listened, played the "crazy" card, got his pension, but since he didn't qualify for the specific veteran disability status, he's now trying to hunt it down because of this new law. The guy is healthy as a horse, doesn't take any meds, and now he thinks I'm just faking my mental health issues to get a check, like we're all cut from the same cloth. It's easier for him to shove that logic up my ass than to actually wrap his head around it, and it's not even the first time he's been riding me about working just because "it's a waste of a degree." No wonder people get pissed at us veterans when there are folks like him around. Look, I've got an IQ north of 110, but frankly, I don't give a damn about that. I just want peace, quiet, and for nobody to mess with me using their weird fixed ideas about what I should be doing. People should just live their own lives and stop trying to manage mine; I'm not asking anyone for advice or help.

It’s honestly such a mind-f*** dealing with this illness because my intelligence stays completely intact regardless of what’s happening physically. It's like, if you take that away from me too, then everyone can finally see that something is actually wrong, instead of people just assuming I'm perfectly fine because they see I'm sharper than most of them.

Joseph Bailey41 said:That’s awesome. Did you ever try to charm people using that accent? It used to be such a huge thing. Usually, I’d just lean into the bit and pretend I was some nuclear physicist or the daughter of an alien hunter—something totally ridiculous. 🕺

I haven't, honestly. If I were a bit younger, I think I'd actually have a blast doing that, but at my age, people would probably just assume I'm losing my mind. 😬