Posts by Larry Lewis

Nicole Barrett76 said:As an individual facing the heavy burden of chronic unemployment with nothing more than my own perseverance to rely upon, I cannot help but wonder: how does one maintain their dignity when the doors of opportunity seem perpetually bolted shut? $417 I find myself positioned quite low on the food chain. Is it not possible that one might feel the need to frequent the restroom due to fish oil consumption? One must consider the presence of PCBs and other contaminants within those oils; even if we are merely discussing trace residues, such substances remain potent toxins. Unless, of course, one is consuming massive quantities—say, ten, twenty, or thirty grams—then surely the PCBs cannot be held responsible.

Is there any greater question than why one must embrace the ritual of consuming whey protein? Does the body not demand this essential nourishment to truly flourish?

I'd honestly suggest you try some whey yourself; you can pick up a liter for about a buck at the local grocery store, and it restores your
liver better than any pharmaceutical drug out there!

Nicole Barrett76 said:Oh, it is quite alright.

You actually reminded me of a woman I happened to wish a happy birthday to just a few weeks ago; she sent me a text that simply read, "Hey Nicole Barrett76, hope you're still kicking." 🤣 🤣 🤣

Glad things are looking up!

You know what really gets to me... when I start loading up on Omega-3s and flaxseed oil—
and then throw hemp oil into the mix, my digestion absolutely goes to hell; I end up hitting the
bathroom at least six times a day.

I was taking Neurobion for about two months—that’s one of those nerve supplements loaded with B-vitamins,
you know, the essential ones for brain function—it isn't too pricey, maybe around $43 a hundred bucks for a
pack.

Do you drink whey protein? I haven't been into it lately, but I really ought to get back on the wagon.

Laura Castillo6 said:Look, man, let's be real—we're all hooked on the web just as much as anyone else.

Well, at least we didn't go all in on those white powder scams🤣

Nicole Barrett76 said:I truly believe that people with BPD face an even deeper level of resentment.

Where on earth have you been, Nicole Barrett76? Honestly, you're driving me to an early grave. 🙂

But then again, we’re all a bit unhinged here—madmen among madmen, really. 🎉

Anyway, how’s the physical health holding up?

How much hate are you all catching—even from those other folks hanging out with the F-boys?

As for me, I’m doing alright... I’ve eaten, I’ve hydrated, and I’m not feeling quite as unhinged as usual.

I’ve got an appointment with my psychiatrist this Monday—though, strangely enough, I actually feel some motivation to go this time—mostly because I need to
iron out some details regarding my medication.

I realize that when you're living with schizophrenia, there isn't always a lot of common ground to cover with "normal" people—either we're spiraling in psychosis or we're perfectly fine,
but the public just doesn't get it; they assume our heads are constantly filled with chaotic nonsense, but honestly, whatever.😉

So, how is everyone holding up? What are you all up to? Let's hope this thread doesn't just fade into obscurity.

goldengull28 said:I’d probably take him out for some hot cocoa... 😁

Or maybe his parents, his grandparents...? 😉

goldengull28 said:Look, I neither accept nor approve of them. I just can't wrap my head around it. I can accept a thief if he admits he's a thief, acknowledges it's wrong, and tries to stop being one—that's fine. But a thief who parades his thievery around like it's totally normal and brags about it instead of just shutting up and fixing himself? Yeah, I'm not buying that.

Schizophrenia is a disease—a nasty one, sure—but it's something you can live with relatively normally, or you don't have to. It's an illness. Nobody chooses this crap... it just happens.
If someone's schizophrenia triggers pedophilia or whatever else, fine, that's tragic. But for God's sake, doing something wrong like that and then claiming it's okay without trying to change? Saying it's perfectly fine when it isn't? That's just 🙏.

I personally know quite a few people living with schizophrenia, and not a single one of them is a pedophile. Honestly, I have no idea
where you're drawing this connection between schizophrenia and pedophilia. 😕

Actually, you didn't really make a concrete point in the first half of your post, so there isn't much for me to
respond to, but it did remind me of this one time I was riding the subway in New York when traffic
came to a dead halt. A whole motorcade of government SUVs and police cruisers were tearing down the street, and in that exact moment,
this little kid sitting near me just yelled out, "Thieves!" and the entire subway car burst into laughter. 🙂

goldengull28 said:Look, it’s not even about "not accepting myself." It’s more that I can’t wrap my head around accepting this absolute circus of a world... a world overflowing with idiots, creeps, scammers, and thieves who act like they own the place, pushing this lifestyle on everyone else like it's some kind of holy grail we all need to follow.
And honestly? You're probably right. This mindset might lead me straight into a ditch eventually, but I refuse to be mentally unstable when I wasn't born that way...
I'm not saying every single person out there is unhinged—there are definitely some good souls left—but let's face it, the vast majority of people are completely messed up.

Acceptance isn't the same thing as approval.

If a person actually accepts that they have a condition—like I do—they've essentially taken
one massive step forward, because if there's even a shred of sanity left in their head, they might actually start treating the illness.

goldengull28 said:I’m all for it,🙂 but I sure as hell don't agree with the rest of the world... or most people out there.

It’s just a textbook case of self-indulgence—the kind that eventually leaves you stranded when the chips are down.

Or am I just being overly cynical here?

Terry Newman7 said:So where does all this whining lead?

Hopefully straight into some good luck and a damn good time—plus getting to hang out with someone like that.

I think you misunderstood me—or rather, I didn't express myself very clearly.

Of course we ought to strive to be more positive and content, but there has to be a legitimate reason behind it.
But one should always question why we feel satisfied or upbeat in the first place, because there are plenty of
people out there who settle for incredibly cheap thrills.

What I was trying to get at is that a sense of pure self-satisfaction doesn't exactly force us
to reflect or change the things about ourselves that aren't working.

In fact, even a bit of discontentment can be a powerful catalyst for growth.

I find myself unable to fully embrace who I am—nor can I truly come to terms with my current circumstances—though, of course, the two are inextricably linked.

Self-complacency is a slow march toward the grave.

Laura Castillo6 said:A 300mg dose of Seroquel is basically the same as taking 1mg of Risperdal.

Sure—but personally, 300mg of Seroquel hits me so hard that I can actually feel
it rattling around in my brain—which isn't exactly a pleasant sensation—but
once that initial "peak" passes, it’s fine. Usually, I just take 200mg for sleep
Kada I'm having no trouble drifting off.

I was also on Risperdal recently, and when I take, say,
1 mg, it barely sedates me at all—that's about it.

Those are just my experiences with those two specific drugs.

It isn't strange at all when a "patient" is prescribed two antipsychotics at once.

Robin Lopez2, regarding what you wrote about your social
doctor—it sounds like he was just messing with his doctor, nothing more, but hey, he guessed
your regimen correctly.

My own cocktail: Klonopin: 1,1,2 of 0.5 mg
Effexor: 1,0,0, of 75mg and 37.5 mg as needed
Seroquel: 0,0,1 of 200mg
Seroquel XR: 0,0,1 of 300 mg

Again, this is MY regimen—it's not necessarily ideal—but I'm doing okay with it.

Seroquel is ranked 6th on the list of most harmful medications in existence.

Here is some advice we all probably know, but I'll say it anyway: stay active, push yourself physically until
you sweat and strengthen your system, because these drugs drastically reduce a person's lifespan
and they do it fast.
Surround yourselves with people you truly trust, or at least
people who offer some semblance of understanding.

And aim for less lucid dreaming—basically, try to stay more "awake" internally.

Personally, I enjoy a little indulgence with marijuana now and then, but I wouldn't recommend it.

Eat as healthy as your bank account allows, and stick
to plain water when you're thirsty.

There—just my two cents. 🙂

Harold Anderson3 said:I'm hoping for the best too.

I've dealt with occasional sleep issues for a long time now, though I know people dealing with milder conditions like depression face similar struggles. At the same time, I personally know plenty of folks living with schizophrenia who sleep perfectly fine, and I'm sincerely hoping you happen to be one of those 😉lucky ones.

The last few days have been okay, but for about a month straight, even 300mg of standard Seroquel
wasn't enough to knock me out—and honestly, 300mg, damn it, 🙂

Harold Anderson3 said:Thanks, 😉

So, instead of Zyprexa, my doctor decided to put me on Azolar at 10 mg since it doesn't seem quite as "numbing" and shouldn't drain my energy levels quite as much.

We actually went through the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and despite how terrible I feel subjectively, it turns out I'm dealing with a milder form of depression—meaning things haven't crossed the line into actual suicidal attempts, and I'm not experiencing physical symptoms like digestive issues or getting exhausted instantly. Regarding my tendency to oversleep sometimes, she suggested it might be a way of escaping responsibilities or real-world problems through sleep. It’s certainly easier to just drift off than to face everything head-on, though there are times when my fatigue feels genuinely unbearable, even if I’ve slept plenty. Then there are those periods where I'll stay up all night and somehow still feel fine. This mood swinging really messes with my sleep patterns, making it either too much or almost non-existent.

As for school, I'm planning to switch from Electrical Engineering to a slightly less intense Mechatronics track, and a colleague of my doctor's who works over at MIT might be able to help me navigate that transition.

Anyway, we'll just have to wait and see what kind of difference switching from Zyprexa to Azolar makes.

I'm crossing my fingers that the Azolar does its job; I've heard good things about it.

Forgive me if I sound alarmist, but what you mentioned regarding the extreme fatigue and those sleepless nights
is not something to take lightly, and I truly hope your doctor is treating it with the gravity it deserves.

Harold Anderson3 said:Since my diagnosis is F20.0, and you can't technically suffer from both depression and schizophrenia at the same time, I figured I’d share my situation here.
So, as I mentioned before, I am being treated for schizophrenia, but the depressive symptoms are incredibly intense. In fact, they are really my only real struggle right now, mostly because I don't experience any of the "positive" symptoms at all.
My current medication regimen includes antipsychotics like Risperdal Consta (25 mg) and Zyprexa (5-10mg), along with an antidepressant, Alventia XL (150 mg). On top of the depression, my sleep is a total mess; I either sleep way too much or not nearly enough, and there are plenty of nights where I just don't sleep at all.
Keeping up with my studies is becoming an uphill battle—I'm currently at MIT studying electrical engineering—and the university doesn't seem to have much empathy for mental health struggles, so I'll probably have to drop out soon.
Since my highest level of education is just high school, I'm feeling pretty lost regarding job prospects; everything feels so uncertain right now.
I live with my mom and my grandmother; my mom also carries an F20.0 diagnosis and has been retired since she was 35 (she's 52 now).
I think my depression is a mix of internal factors and a reaction to a pretty heavy environment around me.
Every once in a while, I have these brief windows where I feel somewhat "alive" and can actually handle my responsibilities, but most of the time, I'm just struggling through the depression and the constant negative thoughts.
Sometimes I find myself thinking it might have been better if I had never been born, because life just feels like a continuous grind, and honestly, my mother isn't really in a position to be a parent.
I talk to my father occasionally, but he has his own family now and doesn't really care to understand what I'm going through. He remarried and has two new kids; I lived with him until I was 18, when I moved in with my mom because things were getting really difficult with my stepmother. I'm 28 now.
Looking ahead, I feel like I'm just spiraling further, and I can't see a way out of this. There are moments when my thinking feels sharp and intelligent, but other times, I feel completely incapable of doing anything productive.
I have a regular check-up with my psychiatrist today at 2:00 PM, and I plan to lay everything out for her, though I'm not even sure if help is possible in a situation like this. To be honest, as I'm typing this, I'm right on the verge of tears, but that's nothing new for me.
The thought of suicide crosses my mind sometimes, but I know it would be a massive tragedy—not necessarily for me, since I feel quite numb toward myself, but for my mom and grandma. That's why I try so hard to push those thoughts away.
But living like this doesn't lead anywhere either, except toward a complete breakdown. The hardest part is that these issues have been dragging on for years, and there's just no sign that anything is ever going to get better.

Hang in there, Harold Anderson3, my friend. 👍

Nicole Barrett76 said:I have a question for you all.

Suppose someone is going through a psychotic episode, yet they remain lucid enough to realize that if they hear voices, it’s simply their brain misfiring. They understand there isn't anything extraterrestrial happening.

They see that you are taking an antipsychotic and ask if you could just share a couple of tablets to get them through a day or two until they can reach a doctor. Perhaps there is a practical reason why they can't seek medical help immediately—say, they live out in rural Nebraska and don't have anyone to drive them, so they have to wait for the first bus into the city.

We are all aware that providing medication in this manner is strictly forbidden. Even if another person exhibits identical symptoms, it doesn't mean the same medication will be effective for them.

Would you actually hand over those pills to that person, or would you simply leave them to endure the voices?

To be perfectly honest, I believe I would decline to give them the medication; instead, I would prefer to offer my presence—perhaps by staying at their house or bringing them to mine. However, it is quite easy to say that when one hasn't truly stood in those shoes. Who can say for certain? Perhaps, in the end, I might succumb to the temptation and provide the pills after all.

What do you mean by "succumb to the temptation"?

Personally, I think in that situation, my first instinct would be to give them some medication
and then immediately get them to a psychiatrist for an evaluation.

silentpilot97 said:I’ve been taking that medication since the start of the year. As for remission... well, it could be better. I don't really have symptoms from the illness itself, but my day-to-day reality is just pretty rough. Honestly, it feels easier to just zone out in front of the TV or lose myself in some old-school video games rather than actually facing all these problems head-on...
What medication are you currently on?

I recently switched over to SEOquel VR.

Look, Kuiš, you're young—probably why you were prescribed such an expensive specialty drug in the first place—but sometimes
doctors around here, if they aren't seeing real progress—and I don't just mean mental health, but
your overall quality of life—tend to just switch you over to something cheaper, which might be
less effective overall.

My honest advice? You need to start tackling those life problems head-on as soon as possible.

Anyway, I'm signing off now; I'll catch you guys over on the thread started by our resident legend... yeah...

silentpilot97 said:I'm 24. I've been living with the diagnosis since I was 20.

So, how long have you been dealing with that expensive medication? Are you actually seeing some solid remission right now?

Well, I’ve been carrying this diagnosis since I was 20 too—though, if we’re being honest, I’ve certainly put in more mileage than you have.🙂

silentpilot97 said:I’m currently on Xylem via injection. Physically speaking, I haven't noticed any side effects at all; from what I've gathered, this medication is actually known for having the lowest side-effect profile among all antipsychotics.
As for mental side effects... honestly, I have little to none, though it’s hard to say for sure because I can never tell which symptoms are caused by the meds and which are just part of my underlying condition...
Xylem is definitely the most straightforward option, even if it is the priciest—one single shot runs about $1000. Thank God we have programs like Medicaid to cover mental health costs, otherwise, it would be a massive burden to pay out of pocket...

How old are you? And how long has it been since you received your diagnosis?

Carl Rivera43 said:And hey, if they ask us nicely, I wouldn't mind giving them a back massage myself!

I actually dig the concept—really, I do—but I can't quite wrap my head around who exactly is going to be doing the asking... or who’s doing the begging.🙂