Posts by stormylynx23

This topic really caught my eye, so I figured I’d just ask: what’s actually the point of lucid dreaming?
I’ve kind of realized lately that just paying attention to regular dreams—assuming I can actually remember them—is pretty useful. It’s helped me out big time on two separate occasions in my life, plus a few minor wins here and there. My theory? You basically "see" all the stuff you're too stubborn to face while you're awake. If I'm getting this right, the subconscious is basically running the whole show once you're out cold...

Laura Davis62 said:😘 There are way more cases of schizophrenia going unrecorded than we realize. It’s not some terminal death sentence. Maybe it’s more of a state of mind—a struggle to fit into one's surroundings. Family support helps immensely, especially if they can actually earn that person's trust. Once you have that, you slowly teach them that jealousy is a destructive trait, or how to genuinely love people instead of just performing for them. You can't snap at every moment of suspicion; that's just part of the illness. And then there are the auditory hallucinations—those sounds or voices in their head. You have to explain that those are symptoms too. It's heartbreaking when patients refuse their medication. Usually, their intelligence is perfectly intact—often quite high—it's just pointed in the wrong direction. These individuals need purpose. Anything. If they don't care for sketching, maybe they can tend a small garden; give them that nudge. No garden? Then indoor plants. Anything to provide a sense of responsibility and the satisfaction of work. They aren't impossible people, nor do they all belong in a psychiatric ward. They are just sensitive souls in need of guidance. They feel love and hate just as deeply as anyone else. I'm using quotes on purpose when I say "healthy"—in my experience, there are plenty of broken people among the "sane." I have a close family member dealing with this; with enough effort and willpower, life can be good. Though, I'll admit, I occasionally reach for a sedative myself. It isn't always easy. But then again, is it easy for someone who is paralyzed? Or blind? Every illness brings its own set of burdens to the individual and the family. This isn't even the worst of it.
The fear of doctors is also a massive hurdle. Patients often feel like the doctor just made up the diagnosis out of thin air. Suddenly, the doctor becomes enemy number one. What works is a physician who meets them for coffee—just a casual chat where the patient doesn't even realize they're being evaluated. Unfortunately, those kinds of empathetic doctors are rare. Most are stuck-up types who won't "lower themselves" to meet a patient on their level, insisting on bringing them into a clinic, sometimes by force. That's a mistake; it achieves nothing. Are mental health professionals really that afraid of their own patients? Yet they tell the rest of us there's nothing to fear. 😠
A MESSAGE TO MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS: Will any of you consider the suggestion of home visits? Just sitting down for a coffee and talking in an environment where the patient feels safe and normal? I truly believe that is the superior approach for these individuals.

Total genius!!
Private practitioners would jump at the chance, sure, but they'd charge you an arm and a leg. As for the folks using insurance? Their clinics would have a massive headache over that—you'd basically have to lobby the Department of Health to make it happen. Plus, there's the whole patient rights thing. Is a psychiatrist even allowed to just show up at someone's house and pretend they're just there "for coffee"?
I don't know, just asking.

Linda Gray76 said:Is anyone here taking Pravda to manage schizophrenia, and what’s your experience been like with it?
My boyfriend lives with schizophrenia, and I’m starting to feel like this specific medication isn't the right fit for him. He’s dealing with side effects, feeling totally emotionally numb, and seems incredibly unmotivated... I barely recognize him anymore. It feels like his entire personality has shifted.
Does anyone have any advice or insights to share?

You really need to lean on his psychiatrist to switch up the prescription. If the doctor tries to brush you off, don't let them. Push back. They have to listen.

Spock said:you’re never going to stop 😕

Look, don't be such a pessimist. You wouldn't be the first or last person to pull this off.
But honestly? It wouldn't even be a tragedy if I never quit. My main goal is just being able to function "normally" on them—you know, holding down a job and handling my own life without becoming some kind of invalid who needs someone else to basically babysit them. I know people who "function normally" while on meds all the time; it’s like how diabetics are considered totally fine as long as they manage their insulin. And hey, I’m already pretty much there.

Paul Thomas9 said:I wouldn't even know where to start with this one... Regarding OCD, I can tell you it feels like it hits before schizophrenia does. For me, it’s stuff like: constant worrying about things you *know* aren't actually a big deal, double-checking if the front door is locked, obsessively arranging things just right, repeating tasks a certain number of times, measuring things constantly, or being terrified of germs and contamination. But then I read up on schizophrenia and suddenly I see these symptoms too, like 🙏disorganized thinking and thought disorders, where thoughts jump from one thing to another without any logic, or feeling like your mind is just "blocked," losing interest in everything you used to love, having trouble concentrating, being unable to express how you feel, avoiding eye contact, or having a totally blank facial expression. It feels like I'm stuck somewhere right in the middle of both... damn it all

Honestly, who knows? Everything seems to bleed together. Look at this mess:
F22 Persistent delusional disorders
F22.0 Delusional disorder
F22.8 Other persistent delusional disorders
F22.9 Unspecified persistent delusional disorder
F24 Induced delusional disorder
F24.0 Induced delusional disorder
God knows, man.

Paul Thomas9 said:Honestly, finding a decent psychiatrist is my biggest headache right now. I have no clue where to turn or who’s actually going to take my specific issues seriously. It’s honestly terrifying... my buddy went to see one, and the guy barely spent five minutes talking to him before just tossing three different prescriptions at him. Like, he didn't even address what was wrong! That's supposed to be a psychiatrist? It sucks when they won't actually listen to you—that's the most important part. Feels like they just want to hand out pills so they can get rid of you and head home as fast as possible. If anyone has any leads on a good doctor, let me know

Was that psychiatrist maybe some big-shot director from a major clinic?
Look, psychiatry isn't one-size-fits-all. You've got all kinds of approaches. Some doctors focus heavily on biological psychiatry—which basically means they're all about the medication. But even then, they can't just throw pills at you; they actually have to listen first. Then you have the people who lean more toward talk therapy, like psychoanalysts.
If you go to a private practice, they definitely have to listen if they want you to keep paying them. You can find plenty of options, though nothing is ever going to be quite as "perfect" as you might hope.

Paul Thomas9 said:I honestly don't even know where to start with this... I think it all kicked off back in middle school during the summer. I was just heading back to my apartment, eating some ice cream, and when I went to toss the wrapper in the trash can, this random thought just slammed into my brain: "What if something bad happens if I throw this in right now?" I don't know how to put this into words, but basically, if you go to throw away trash and you miss the bin three or four times, you start getting this overwhelming fear that something terrible is going to happen—depending on what you're thinking about. You can only actually finish the task once you've forced yourself to think of something positive, or just cleared your head completely... It wasn't that intense at first, but it’s been five or six years now and I'm terrified that this condition has spiraled out of control. Is my brain just failing me? I can't sleep most nights because I feel like there are these forces acting on me. I mean, I guess things act on us, but probably not the way I imagine they do... I really hope not. Honestly, the symptoms are endless. I see shadows on the walls and feel like someone is constantly standing behind me or watching me—I can't tell if it's people or something else entirely. It's exhausting. I can't even watch a weird movie or anything involving the paranormal anymore because I immediately think it's actually happening to me. My thoughts get so dark that even a psychiatrist would probably be spooked... There's so much more to say, but I'll save that for another time. So, tell me... am I crazy or what?!!!!!!!

Have you looked into what OCD actually is?
Look, none of us here are "crazy." We just have mental health struggles. 👍

Paul Thomas9 said:Got a bit of a situation here and wondering if anyone can help me out. I see people talking about schizophrenia, but honestly, I don't have the energy to read through all those long articles right now. Could someone just give me a quick rundown on what it actually is? I’ve been browsing different sites and started seeing myself in the symptoms, and now I'm just spiraling... I don't know what to think. If I've finally lost it, then yeah, I guess I'm screwed, but I have no clue what kind of mental health issue I'm actually dealing with. If you guys want me to vent about how I'm feeling and describe my symptoms, I can do that... thanks, cheers

Go ahead and lay it out. But look, you aren't going to get a real answer unless you go see a psychiatrist. Personally, I doubt it's schizophrenia if you're actually self-aware enough to realize something is wrong. Usually, people with schizophrenia think they're perfectly fine and it's the rest of the world that's gone crazy.

bluecobra142 said:Hey everyone, I’ve recently been dealing with a case of schizophrenia within my own family, so I started digging around online to learn more and stumbled upon this group. I see you guys talk about this stuff pretty openly here (which I appreciate), so if you don't mind, I'd love to hear some firsthand perspectives to help me make sense of things.
From what I’ve gathered, most people seem to hit schizophrenia around 18 or 19, but that wasn't the case for my sister. For her, it didn't start until she was twenty-three. She’s always been incredibly sharp—honestly, one of the smartest, most grounded people I've ever known. Her advice was always spot on. Then, she started hanging out with this friend who convinced her that strangers on the subway were reading her thoughts, and that she could hear theirs too. They’d spend time hypnotizing each other to try and uncover past lives, diving deep into numerology... just all that weird stuff. Eventually, they stopped being friends, and that breakup seemed to trigger everything. My sister started spiraling while the friend actually thrived—found a boyfriend and moved on with her life... hm... right around the time I moved out of the house myself.
Everything just went downhill from there. It started with voices criticizing her, smells or stenches that only she could detect, and even delusions about her physical appearance changing. Everyone else just refused to admit anything was wrong.
Growing up, we had a very religious mother and a dad who wasn't really into faith (back when we were kids, he didn't believe in God), so honestly, an explanation involving spiritual possession or witchcraft actually makes sense to me.
As time went on, she just withdrew into herself, retreating to her room and almost merging with the illness. In the middle of all this, she actually had a boyfriend who seemed totally normal to me; he really liked her, and I think he genuinely cared.
I actually started thinking that maybe she functioned perfectly fine in public and this whole thing was just a performance meant to send a message to us at home.
I kept hoping it was just a phase, but it only got worse. She broke up with him, started sleeping all day, and would wander the streets alone at night—who knows where. She became increasingly aggressive toward everyone at home, blaming our elderly relatives for everything, talking nonsense, and obsessing over useless "scientific" facts.
It all came to a head recently when the police found her wandering alone at 3 AM near a local park and took her to the psychiatric ward after she told them she wanted to end it all. That’s the "short version." She’s under medical care now, but frankly, I’m skeptical. Dr. Gruden, a highly respected psychiatrist, doesn't agree with the mainstream view on schizophrenia; he believes it's a sickness of the spirit, likely stemming from something occult, and personally, I'm inclined to agree with him. I don't know much about schizophrenia, and it's devastating to feel like my sister is just a shell of her former self. It makes me wonder—where did her soul go? I know people here are curious and ask questions because this disease is so mysterious, but believe me, this isn't entertainment for me. This is just my way of trying to reach her and understand her better, with your help.

Classic.

bluecobra142 said:Hey everyone, I’ve recently been dealing with a case of schizophrenia within my own family, so I started digging around online to learn more and stumbled upon this group. I see you guys talk about this stuff pretty openly here (which I appreciate), so if you don't mind, I'd love to hear some firsthand perspectives to help me make sense of things.
From what I’ve gathered, most people seem to hit schizophrenia around 18 or 19, but that wasn't the case for my sister. For her, it didn't start until she was twenty-three. She’s always been incredibly sharp—honestly, one of the smartest, most grounded people I've ever known. Her advice was always spot on. Then, she started hanging out with this friend who convinced her that strangers on the subway were reading her thoughts, and that she could hear theirs too. They’d spend time hypnotizing each other to try and uncover past lives, diving deep into numerology... just all that weird stuff. Eventually, they stopped being friends, and that breakup seemed to trigger everything. My sister started spiraling while the friend actually thrived—found a boyfriend and moved on with her life... hm... right around the time I moved out of the house myself.
Everything just went downhill from there. It started with voices criticizing her, smells or stenches that only she could detect, and even delusions about her physical appearance changing. Everyone else just refused to admit anything was wrong.
Growing up, we had a very religious mother and a dad who wasn't really into faith (back when we were kids, he didn't believe in God), so honestly, an explanation involving spiritual possession or witchcraft actually makes sense to me.
As time went on, she just withdrew into herself, retreating to her room and almost merging with the illness. In the middle of all this, she actually had a boyfriend who seemed totally normal to me; he really liked her, and I think he genuinely cared.
I actually started thinking that maybe she functioned perfectly fine in public and this whole thing was just a performance meant to send a message to us at home.
I kept hoping it was just a phase, but it only got worse. She broke up with him, started sleeping all day, and would wander the streets alone at night—who knows where. She became increasingly aggressive toward everyone at home, blaming our elderly relatives for everything, talking nonsense, and obsessing over useless "scientific" facts.
It all came to a head recently when the police found her wandering alone at 3 AM near a local park and took her to the psychiatric ward after she told them she wanted to end it all. That’s the "short version." She’s under medical care now, but frankly, I’m skeptical. Dr. Gruden, a highly respected psychiatrist, doesn't agree with the mainstream view on schizophrenia; he believes it's a sickness of the spirit, likely stemming from something occult, and personally, I'm inclined to agree with him. I don't know much about schizophrenia, and it's devastating to feel like my sister is just a shell of her former self. It makes me wonder—where did her soul go? I know people here are curious and ask questions because this disease is so mysterious, but believe me, this isn't entertainment for me. This is just my way of trying to reach her and understand her better, with your help.

When someone hits a psychotic phase like this, meds and psychiatrists are pretty much the only lifeline left. Even though we still don't know everything there is to know about schizophrenia, just get her stabilized on some pills first so she can actually function. Honestly, Gruden isn't even all that great; most patients end up complaining about him. He might seem okay at medicine, but he hasn't published any actual scientific papers—he’s more of a TV personality than a scientist. For now, just stick to the scientific theories until the psychosis passes and things settle down. Once she's stable, if you guys are religious, look into hagiotherapy. It’s a method developed by a theologian here in the States focused on healing the spirit—I don't know a ton about it, so do your own homework. If you truly believe in possession, you could always go the exorcism route, but seriously, talk to the psychiatrists before trying either hagiotherapy or an exorcism. More heads are better than one. Personally, I'm not a believer and theological theories don't do much for me, but if your sister is, maybe it could help. But again, consult a psychiatrist before any exorcism; it looks like this could be some kind of hypnosis or trance, and jumping into that could make this whole mess way worse than it already is. At the end of the day, science and psychiatry are the only ones offering real answers and treatment methods right now. It's far from perfect, but hey, take what's available and use the rest as a supplement.

Harold Anderson3 said:I thought I’d pivot to something a little more on-topic for a change...
I just spent the last three weeks checked into the psychiatric ward over at Johns Hopkins. Now, I can already hear some of you regulars wondering why on earth I'm bringing this up, but here’s the deal:
While I was there, I met all sorts of people dealing with mental health struggles, including several folks living with schizophrenia. And honestly? Not one single person I met views their condition the way our dear Dubravka does. Everyone else uses every trick in the book—all possible ways, really—to distract themselves from anything else just so they don't have to confront the heavy reality of what they're going through. But Dubravka? You're a total outlier (and maybe a bit of a deviant phenomenon) 🙏

Whatever. I spend most of my time trying to point out that life has much bigger problems than this; schizophrenia isn't exactly the end of the world. Beyond that, you just find a job, a hobby, or something to keep busy and keep moving.
As for those people living off their spouse or retired folks? They clearly have nothing better to do than whine all day on forums, which is probably why they put me on their ignore lists. Honestly, if there was money handed out for complaining, those people would be billionaires.

Just to add some context; things started looking up after I got checked into the hospital. I mean, I looked pretty pathetic for a good chunk of my stay, but once the meds kicked in and my psychiatrist finally "nudged" me in the right direction, things actually started heading uphill.

Anonymous said:My son went through the exact same thing when he turned 18, at least I think that's when it hit him. I realized how sick he actually was when he attempted suicide by jumping from a building. Thank God it didn't end worse, but he's in the hospital now. I just don't know how to convince him that what he's seeing and feeling isn't reality; that it's just hallucinations that will either pass or fade away once the medication kicks in. Will he ever be the person he was before? He truly was such a wonderful kid.🙂

So here's the thing. We were just talking about how this stuff can start early, show up during puberty, and then basically explode into schizophrenia right after. I’ve been part of a support group, and it's split. Half the people there swear they had issues long before the schizophrenia hit, while the other half claim everything was perfectly fine until the diagnosis or bipolar disorder kicked in. And look, you can't forget—no matter how much you think you know someone, you can't truly know what's happening inside someone else's head, even if they're your own flesh and blood. My parents had absolutely no clue I was struggling until things went south in college. That's when my grades tanked, and shortly after, I ended up in a psychiatric ward.
In my case, things actually improved after treatment. Honestly, I'm doing better today than I was before being hospitalized. So, maybe there is hope. That's just me, though. I know others feel differently.

Paul Jones4 said:How are things, stormylynx23?

Doing alright, just grinding through work. You?
My psychiatrist tells me my lithium levels at 0.72 mmol/L are totally fine, but then I look at the lab results from those blood-sucking vultures at the clinic, and they say anything over 0.5 mmol/L is out of range.
The real kicker is that I waited over a month and a half to get my blood drawn when I should've gone after a week. Screw kidney issues—I’ve got two of them, so if one gives out, I’ve always got a backup. Hell, maybe I could even "borrow" one from my brother. I'm sure someone on this forum would be interested in a deal...

vividskipper15 said:stormylynx23, I’d argue that what you're describing was pure neurosis. Creating an imaginary sense of superiority is a classic defense mechanism when someone feels fundamentally inadequate. The problem is, when you're just a kid, nobody sits you down and explains that your perception isn't the absolute truth—or that your mindset can actually be changed. Without that realization, you never even consider the possibility of growth. This feeling likely traces back to your childhood because, to you, it felt like reality; it wasn't a sudden loss of confidence, but rather a baseline state you were stuck in. I don't know if I'm overstepping here, so correct me if I'm wrong.

Yeah, it's kind of like that. And once puberty hit, things just spiraled out of control. As for whether it was neurosis or not... honestly, who knows.

vividskipper15 said:That was my mistake—I thought you were worried about what everyone else would think of you.
That’s basically the defining trait of Silicon Valley!
I know I’m being a nuisance, but they really didn't teach us much at university. For instance, I had no idea that social phobia (which falls under neuroses) could actually escalate into psychosis.
Best,

Yeah, I definitely worried about what people would say—or rather, what they’d think of me. Honestly, it still trips me up sometimes. But that was like a decade ago. My main takeaway from that time is just feeling totally inferior to everyone else my age. And then you get that whole escape into your own head, where you feel way more capable than you actually are in the real world. Someone once told me that an inferiority complex and a superiority complex are just two sides of the same coin—one acts as a defense mechanism for the other. Like they come as a package deal. As I mentioned before, I never actually sought help. No therapists, no psychiatrists, nothing. It never even crossed my mind. I genuinely thought my state of mind was perfectly fine, totally normal. I guess I just didn't have any "insight" into how messed up things actually were. So, I don't know... if you aren't even aware you're screwed, does it still count as a neurosis?

Alex Sullivan5 said:thanks for the info, thegirl. I’ve actually done my own reading on avoidant personality disorder—and several others under the personality disorder umbrella that feel uncomfortably familiar, like histrionic, schizotypal, and schizoid disorders. A psychologist I spoke with briefly described it as this secondary layer of discomfort when you're around people close to you... just a constant urge to withdraw and alienate yourself from every social connection.
The thing is, I don't have much faith in my current psychiatrist. Here in the States—well, where I've been living—psychiatrists can be incredibly narrow-minded with their diagnoses. It makes me hesitant to really open up... maybe if I could just find someone who actually knows what they're doing.
As for social phobia, Holstein hit the nail on the head. It’s that crushing sense of inadequacy that triggers panic attacks. When those hits me, I lose my grip entirely—I get disoriented, lose my sense of place, and even start experiencing hallucinations... seeing black spots or spirals. My doctor just hands out sedatives, which basically just allow me to pretend I'm fine. But once I'm home, I'm right back to retreating into movies and isolation... All these symptoms combined make me feel like I'm going to snap. That's why I joined this thread. I'm no expert, but I can't help wondering if all these disorders could eventually lead to schizophrenia. I hope I'm wrong—even Holstein's comments left me feeling pretty spooked about that possibility. But there isn't much I can do... I think a truly skilled psychiatrist could help, but finding one like that here feels impossible.

Me? I never had panic attacks. On the flip side, I graduated high school back in '97 and didn't see my first psychiatrist until '03, when I was practically forced into a mental ward. So yeah, I didn't deal with any of this for like ten years straight! Probably why everything ended up the way it did. Since you're actually seeing someone, I doubt you need to worry quite as much.

vividskipper15 said:Can I ask one more thing?
When you felt intimidated by people or society, was it because you were afraid of being embarrassed—specifically regarding how others would react to the subject matter (which is a classic trope in sci-fi)—or was it driven by something else entirely?

Yeah, that’s part of it.

vividskipper15 said:Can I ask one more thing?
When you felt intimidated by people or society, was it because you were afraid of being embarrassed—specifically regarding how others would react to the subject matter (which is a classic trope in sci-fi)—or was it driven by something else entirely?

No. I wouldn't even get close enough to talk about a topic.

Taylor Campbell4 said:I get what you're saying—I really do—but I just wanted to point out that being an introvert is perfectly normal. Roughly half the population leans toward introversion, while the other half is more extroverted, more or less. As people mature, they often reach a point where they can lean into either side depending on the situation or their own preference. Neither trait is inherently "bad"; in fact, for someone seeking true balance, having the capacity to navigate both worlds is actually quite beneficial. That said, it’s also completely fine if someone naturally stays more on one end of the spectrum. We shouldn't fall into the trap of thinking everyone needs to be a constant social butterfly or the loudest person in the room. People should just be themselves—authentic, honest about who they are, and free from those kinds of expectations.

It just went to the absolute extreme with me. Like, starting in middle school, I suddenly stopped hanging out with anyone, and I didn't have a single friend through most of high school. I wouldn't talk. Answering questions verbally in class was straight-up hell. I never started a conversation; I tried to squeeze every interaction down to a "yeah," "no," or "maybe." Writing was also a nightmare, especially in my American English classes. And then there's the whole thing Dubravka will probably enjoy; I was toneless. Even though I started growing hair in middle school, my voice didn't really drop until right before graduation. Until then, I sounded like a little girl. Once it finally cracked, the big joke in class was how I'd flip-flop between a man's voice and a girl's voice, and everyone would just lose it laughing. Well, I guess the same thing is happening here.

vividskipper15 said:Can I ask one more thing?
When you felt intimidated by people or society, was it because you were afraid of being embarrassed—specifically regarding how others would react to the subject matter (which is a classic trope in sci-fi)—or was it driven by something else entirely?

First off, it was mostly just this overwhelming feeling of being inferior.

vividskipper15 said:Holstain, did you experience social phobia first and then develop psychosis?
I've honestly never heard of anyone dealing with both. Are you still struggling with SF?

Look, I don't know if what I had fits the textbook definition of social phobia, but talking to guys at the National Alliance on Mental Illness who deal with psychosis or schizophrenia, they all say the same thing: it’s pretty common for things to start spiraling well before the actual psychosis hits. Usually happens during puberty. In plain English? One of the biggest red flags is just totally withdrawing from everyone.
Maybe I used the wrong term when I said "social phobia," but let's be real—it was definitely a phobia of people and society.

And no, it was never officially diagnosed, and yeah, I'm still working on my reintegration.