585 posts shown.
Casey Gonzalez3 said:Look, we really need to talk about paranoid schizophrenia, because there’s so much misinformation out there that it’s honestly exhausting. It’s not just "being a little suspicious" or being high-strung—it’s heavy stuff. We’re talking about a deep, terrifying disconnect from reality where your own brain starts playing tricks on you, making you feel like everyone is out to get you or that things are happening that simply aren't. It can be incredibly isolating. When you're dealing with delusions or hearing things that aren't there, it feels like you're living in a completely different world than everyone else. And let's be real, the stigma around mental health in America is still huge. People see someone struggling and they immediately jump to judgment instead of offering a hand. If you or someone you know is going through this, please don't just sit there and suffer in silence. Reach out to a professional or hit up the Department of Social Services if you need help navigating resources. There are people who actually get it and want to help you find some footing again. You don't have to fight those shadows alone.Man, we’ve all been there with those obsessive-compulsive rituals... you know the ones. It starts small, like checking if you locked the front door, but then it just spirals into this whole thing. Honestly, it can get pretty intense.
What does paranoid schizophrenia even have to do with OCD? Seriously. I’ve got OCD myself, and there isn't a single connection to be found with any kind of schizophrenia. So, if you're gonna sit here and write stuff, at least use the right terms! Stop grouping OCD in the same context as schizophrenia—it's just not accurate.
By the way, you really need to go talk to a professional about this stuff. Seriously.
I'm totally lost. What are we even talking about here? Give me some context!
analogwalker5 said:If it’s obvious a foreigner wrote the post, will their mistakes be corrected? Or does it not matter if the author is an American or a foreigner?
Nicholas King said:Where am I claiming that you're claiming something? My sentence ends in a question mark—I'm asking... 😬
Why does your response skip her first question ("who could possibly..."), which is why she even started this thread? It would be polite to address that too.
Nicholas King said:I wouldn't go that far 😬.
The original question was "Who is the person capable of..." — the discussion about moderators only came up later.
crimsoncanyon2 said:A woman once told me that a forum moderator could actually write posts on my behalf...
,let alone just fixing typos
Chloe Roberts2 said:That doesn't actually give me any answers at all. So, thanks for nothing, I guess.
Let me be crystal clear: can Risperdal be prescribed for acute psychosis?
Honestly, I’m starting to get really anxious here, and I would truly appreciate a straight answer on whether Risperdal is used for treating acute psychosis. It’s incredibly important to me because, frankly, I’ve lost all confidence in my doctor.
There’s a chance my psychiatrist lied to me about my diagnosis; she once told me I was perfectly healthy and just had a behavioral disorder. So now I'm left wondering—is this whole "acute psychosis" thing just another lie too?
Donna Newman82 said:The old order from the psychic finally arrived on October 14th. I won't get into the specifics of how that went down. My dad is really struggling with it; honestly, it seems to be weighing heavily on him. I think the hardest part for him is feeling like his mother views him as the enemy, even if there’s some logic behind her attitude. He gets incredibly frustrated when she just won't listen to him. She’s still living in her own world—walking barefoot through the grass, throwing spoons into the yard because she got annoyed, tossing the blood pressure monitor in the trash... you never know what else she might do. Sometimes it makes me sad, sometimes it scares me, and occasionally, it’s actually just plain funny. She makes these incredibly cunning statements, almost acting as if the doctors haven't figured anything out yet. I've noticed she tends to slip into certain "roles" sometimes. Is it typical with schizophrenia for someone to feel like they can't move their arm, or believe they can't speak? That happens to her occasionally. Her recent interests are pretty wild, too; she's obsessed with local urban legends, spends all her time studying atlases, and goes on about things like the harp, frequencies, and whatnot. I suspect it’s just everything she’s ever read or heard bubbling up to the surface of her conscious mind all at once. Does that sound right? Oh, and the most fascinating part: the other day, she wrote something in Arabic. Just three letters that were supposedly someone's name. It's surreal, especially since she doesn't have any affinity for the Middle East or their alphabet. I don't know how to explain it, nezz, but it's as baffling as watching someone suddenly start speaking a language they've never studied.
I think what hurts him most is feeling like his mother sees him as an enemy, even if she has her reasons.
Actually, the strangest part was when she wrote something in Arabic one day... just three letters that were supposedly someone's name...
Larry Lewis said:I didn't get an immediate F20.0 diagnosis myself—they actually had me on antipsychotics right out of the gate—but I know plenty of people who are prescribed APs without ever experiencing a single moment of psychosis. Honestly, it makes no sense to me; if those doctors looking after her mother didn't catch a psychotic break, then they’re either blind or incompetent, because if it's happening, it should be obvious from a mile away.
On the flip side, I remember heading into a local psychiatric ward for an evaluation just before my own worst episode hit—and let me tell you, I was already deep in the throes of it by then. The doctor on duty looked at me and decided it was absolutely unthinkable that I owned a car while being unemployed; he actually had the nerve to tell the elderly folks there that they should sell their vehicles so I could somehow find work. It’s absurd—I was already spiraling at the time, so it really makes me wonder about the actual quality of education these medical professionals are receiving... that's just my two cents.🤷
Larry Lewis said:The one thing I just can’t wrap my head around regarding this girl's mother is why she hasn't snapped out of that psychotic state yet—because, in my experience, coming back to reality is actually the easiest part of the whole ordeal. It’s what happens afterward that really guts you... I’m talking about the crushing stigma, the way friends and acquaintances suddenly vanish from your life, and even doctors who look at you like you’re some sort of walking disaster zone just waiting to lose control. Then you’ve got the depression, the crippling anxiety, and all that other misery that follows once the dust settles.🤷
Taylor Swift said:......for now, the doctors and psychologists have diagnosed her with anxiety and depression along with a few other minor things, but she isn't exactly honest with them, so they don't get the full story... though I suspect there's more to it than just mental health issues. On one hand, I think it might be paranoid schizophrenia... because she had another paranoid episode the other day. My son is only two and can't even string a sentence together yet, but he was carrying his grandpa's phone, and she started screaming that we needed to take the phone away because she was going to call 911... plus all sorts of other nonsense. She seems somewhat normal again right now, but I know these outbursts will happen again... she was prescribed some medication that she's taking... so far, I don't see how it helps, other than helping her sleep through the night....
Donna Newman82 said:I truly believe stress plays a part. She's been under constant pressure her whole life, and going through menopause right now definitely adds another heavy layer to it all...
How do you all deal with this, or how have you handled family members facing this? When they start with the delusions and paranoia, I understand intellectually that it's just her mind misfiring, but sometimes her comments genuinely shake me or leave me feeling confused and even a bit scared. Like yesterday, I was scrolling through YouTube and the video skipped ahead when I wasn't even touching the playlist. She gave me this intense look and asked, "Huh? Why do you think that happened?" Honestly, I didn't know how else to react besides using sarcasm—it's basically my defense mechanism. xD But in all seriousness, I found myself wondering if the video actually did skip on its own. I know it's not what she claims, but then again, what if it was? I feel like I should be the stable one, but instead, I end up spiraling right along with her.
Donna Newman82 said:I'll be spending this week looking after my mother. To be honest, my sister hasn't been much help; she refuses to admit that Mom isn't acting like herself. She insists there’s something else going on—some kind of negative energy or something, I can't quite put my finger on it. Anyway, Dad is going to sit down with her doctor and lay everything out plainly.
So, what does it matter if I’ve diagnosed her? It’s all pretty general anyway. To me, the specifics only matter because I need to get some kind of baseline understanding—honestly, I'm just trying to keep my head above water right now. I started connecting the dots to schizophrenia because so many of the symptoms seem to align perfectly.
Auditory hallucinations—specifically hearing voices—are among the most common symptoms of schizophrenia. These aren't just background noises; they are distinct voices that only the individual can hear. Often, these voices engage in their own conversations, comment on what the person is doing, offer unsolicited advice, or direct criticism toward them.I’ve actually found myself getting into heated arguments with them too, even resorting to some choice words once in a while. Voices don't just whisper; sometimes they give orders. This brings us to what clinicians call imperative hallucinations. They wouldn't even let her walk all the way to the edge of the yard yesterday. On top of that, they had the nerve to tell her she was being messy and needs to do more cleaning. -.-
Hallucinations aren't actually that common. When they do happen, people start seeing things that simply aren't there—anything from strange, flickering lights to more intense visions like monsters or demons. She claims she saw these dark silhouettes, though that doesn't necessarily mean anything was actually there. I know plenty of people who have experienced similar visual distortions or hallucinations. In her case, she’s convinced she saw and heard extraterrestrials arriving for us, even flying right over her house. I sometimes experience somatic hallucinations, which means I feel physical sensations that aren't actually triggered by any real stimulus. For instance, I’ll get this unsettling feeling like my internal organs are shifting around or even disintegrating inside me. Other times, it feels like an electric current is surging through my legs. I often find myself linking these sensations to darker thoughts—like the idea that some unseen force is physically attacking or destroying me. She’s connected it to all sorts of things—claiming people from all over the world are sending her love, or on the flip side, that someone is actively draining her energy. She even mentioned feeling these little "energy vampires" crawling around her legs, trying to suck the life out of her. Honestly, she wouldn't say who sent them... I haven't the slightest clue.
Delusional ideas are essentially false beliefs that lack any basis in reality. They aren't just simple mistakes; they are deep-seated misconceptions built on an irrational foundation. One defining characteristic of a delusion is that it remains stubbornly resistant to logic—you can't simply reason someone out of them. Furthermore, these beliefs usually clash directly with the individual's actual education and their cultural background here in America. When someone is struggling with this level of paranoia, they truly believe they’re being followed, plotted against, or even wiretapped. It reaches a point where they feel like people can read their minds, force unwanted thoughts upon them, or exert total control over their physical movements and emotions. They start believing that invisible forces are pulling the strings or that microchips have been implanted to manipulate them. There's also the tendency to believe they are actually someone else—usually a famous historical figure or a celebrity—or that they possess supernatural abilities. They might even think they're receiving coded messages through the TV, radio, or newspapers. I saw this firsthand recently. She was convinced someone was reading her mind and controlling her every move. At one point, she even tried to use a SIM card she found at work, believing it contained some kind of tracking device. About a week after this behavior started, she became convinced she had the power to heal negative energy just by waving her hands around her body. She claimed this "gift" was left to her by her spirit guide, who she believed had to leave because certain outside forces were destroying their connection. On top of all that, she kept talking about the love of her life, and she's convinced that songs are being used as secret messages sent to her—that people are actually manipulating her movements just to force her to play a specific song meant for her or someone else in our family. One specific type of delusion involves ideas of reference—this is when a patient becomes convinced that other people's actions are directed specifically at them, or that random events and strangers hold some strange, often negative, significance tailored just for them.(For instance, she once claimed that a city bus suddenly swerved toward certain buildings before turning sharply, interpreting the maneuver as a direct warning meant only for her. She insisted everyone on the bus looked bewildered and that even the driver seemed confused by his own driving... then there was the time she pulled into what she called a "positive spot" in a parking lot, claiming voices in her head compelled a driver to charge straight at her and that specific location, though she managed to dodge him. To her, even the driver appeared disoriented, as if he didn't understand why he had driven that way.) It’s similar to how someone might believe that people on a TV show or a radio broadcast are actually talking about them.
And honestly, how can I not suspect schizophrenia? Maybe it's something similar to... well, that time she was thrashing around on the floor like something out of a horror movie. She couldn't even speak back then; she just completely blanked out. The next day, she started falling into these trance-like states where her eyes would roll or squint, her head would drop, and her hands would go numb. That was the hardest part for me to witness, and thankfully, it hasn't happened since, but she still has these paranoid outbursts. She talks to herself, scribbles constantly in notebooks, draws...
Donna Newman82 said:A friend of mine suggested that I should say an entire generation is being skipped over. What do you all think about that? O.o
Kyle Lee7 said:My psychotherapist mentioned to me last week that since their rehabilitation program doesn't actually account for psychotherapy (much like how they wouldn't include physical therapy in a standard plan), it falls under the category of a regular psychiatric consultation. Since those are limited to three visits per year, anything beyond that means we'll be paying out of pocket $33.
Normally, you'd see a therapist once a week. If you skip vacations and holidays, that works out to about 45 sessions a year. So, if I'm paying for 42 of them at $100 each, that's roughly $1400 annually just for psychotherapy. It’s still technically cheaper than seeing a private practitioner—who usually charges $300 or more per session—but it feels incredibly silly. I mean, psychotherapy is its own established category, and this specific clinic is a premier referral center that has been doing this for 60 years... and now, all of a sudden, psychotherapy effectively doesn't exist? Unless, of course, the folks over at the psychiatric hospital manage to talk their way out of covering it.
Bit by bit, we are starting to look more and more like the USA (and not in a good way...).
It's honestly not surprising when you consider the fact that 35% of the population ends up subsidizing healthcare for 100% of the users. ☕
Personally, I'm one of those people who pays for the standard coverage plus supplemental insurance, and yet I still end up going to my neurologist privately and my gynecologist privately...
Nicholas Myers said:I have to admit, this is news to me. I’ve heard whispers about extra fees floating around, but I haven't seen anyone state this officially.
From what I understand, there are referrals for outpatient care, and psychotherapy definitely doesn't fall under the umbrella of a simple "consultation."
Furthermore, there is no regulation stating a limit on annual visits—the mention of three follow-ups usually refers to post-hospitalization check-ins within a six-month window. There is also no rule saying, for instance, that a GP can't refer someone to a psychiatrist ten times a year.
Those kinds of numbers are just hallway talk, unofficial chatter. Officially, I haven't seen a single document mandating a cap on annual psychiatric visits or a specific number of physical therapy sessions for any given diagnosis. 🤷
Brian Young5 said:I’m not sure which thread this fits best in, but I’m dealing with this constant tug-of-war between staying sober and actually having a social life.
Ever since I started on some heavier meds—think Seroquel, Depakote, and Normabates—I’ve been strictly avoiding booze. But man, there are endless opportunities where people push it on you. You’re just sitting around, or you’re at a launch event or a promotion, and suddenly everyone’s asking what you want to drink. Every time I say "no thanks," or ask for a soda or water, I get the eyebrow raise. Either they hit me with a barrage of questions, or they start lecturing me about how "one beer or one glass of wine won't hurt."
Usually, I try to dodge it by saying I’m doing a detox, or if I actually trust the person, I’ll admit I overdid it in the past and need to stay healthy now (which is true). Sometimes I go full "confessional mode" with people I’ve known for nearly a decade—telling them about the times I completely embarrassed myself, doing weird yoga poses at parties, saying things I can't even remember later, or sending furious texts to people I was clearly having a volatile moment with.
But honestly, this whole culture of drinking at every single break, celebration, birthday, or even a casual hangout really grates on my nerves. This obsession with being hammered, or at least smelling like a brewery... it’s exhausting. When I tell people no, I constantly feel like they’re looking at me like I have a stick up my ass. Their interest just vanishes, or they look disappointed, and then they give me these suspicious looks when I insist I can have fun without the alcohol. It’s like they think I’m judging them.
I’m running out of ways to decline gracefully without looking like a total buzzkill or making them think I’m on rehab. To be fair, nobody has actually asked me if I'm an addict yet, except for one old friend. How do I turn down a drink while remaining easygoing, witty, and polite instead of sounding like a total killjoy? My doctor and therapist suggest I just tell them I don't like drinking, but I hate lying. Especially because, truth be told, I actually love the taste of a good dry red. There's also this nagging fear that if I'm honest, they'll just write me off as some boring puritan.
All this psych and pharma therapy is supposed to improve my social life, not wreck it through forced prohibition. What do you guys do in my shoes? It’s fine when I’m with my lifelong friends, but it’s a nightmare when meeting new people, which happens all the time lately. I’ve even had two relationships fall apart because of this. People want to be around someone on their level, and those who live to party don't want a "teetotaler" in their circle—one guy even told me he felt judged because I was watching their drunken antics from a sober vantage point.
And one more thing: whenever I’m at a party, I always have to be the first to leave. I take my evening Seroquel, which makes me incredibly sleepy, so I usually stretch it out until about 2 AM before heading to bed. Of course, people always ask why I’m leaving early, probably thinking I’m bored, and they likely wonder if they should even bother inviting me next time.
Just today, some guy invited me "for a beer" for a first date, or whatever. I’m debating whether to tell him right now that I don’t drink, or just surprise him when we meet (though I can already see the look of discouraged indifference in his eyes if I do).
I thought about posting this in the recovery threads, but people post here way more often, and unlike some of the folks in those groups, I’m on medication just like you guys.
| Altec777 As Brian Young5 says... I called my primary care physician today to request a refill for my Seroquel 300 XR, which I’ve been taking for quite some time. She told me that since I've been on it so long, it's just too expensive, and she flatly refused to write the prescription... She didn't even bother suggesting a generic alternative. I have the official recommendation from my psychiatrist, and having used this medication for two years now, I expected much more support than this... I know there have been some changes to the healthcare system lately, but I find it hard to believe a GP could just flat-out refuse to prescribe a specific medication without even mentioning a generic alternative... It seems unlikely... Does anyone know anything about this? Has this happened to anyone else... |