Posts by Robin Lopez2

The side effects are what interest me: How can a patient actually tell the difference between a side effect and the actual symptoms of the illness?

David Vaughn75 said:And don't you see? This whole thing where you reject faith and spirituality... that's just another kind of faith in itself. 🙂

That’s what believers always say, but it’s just semantics. I don't have an issue with religion itself; my problem is when people try to force their views and dogmas on me. To me, religious people are just a bit eccentric, which is fine—as long as they don't burden me with their convictions. At the end of the day, I am my own priority, especially since I've dealt with mental health struggles. My peace of mind is paramount, and my personal faith is the least important factor in that.

Just remember, no matter the topic, I will always find a way to justify my stance, whether it involves religion or anything else. Everyone thinks they're the smartest person in the room; it's human nature. If brains were sold at a local farmer's market, everyone would still insist on buying their own.

Think about it: if I stood up today in the 21st century and claimed to be the son of God, people would think I'd lost it. I don't even need to tell you that during a psychotic episode, I might actually believe that myself. So, officially, I'm considered psychotic, yet the man who made that claim 2,000 years ago isn't.

David Vaughn75 said:Do you honestly think those 400,000 Americans sitting around without a job are just having a stroke of good luck? Or do you really believe they’re all just walking around in terrible health? It’s a bit of a loaded question, isn't it—kind of implies there's some grand design behind the struggle, which, let's be real, is a pretty grim way to look at things. 🙂 Do you seriously think people out there are having a blast because they can't find a decent meal or even basic medicine? Like, give me a break. It’s easy to sit here behind a screen and act like struggle is some kind of "authentic experience," but let's get real—it's nothing but misery. There's nothing poetic about starving or being unable to grab something simple like Tylenol when you're hurting. It sucks, plain and simple.

Look, sadness is just baked into the human experience—it’s part of the deal because let's be real, life is never actually perfect. But the weirdest thing? When our brains start hitting those low points, they don't just feel sad; they go totally off the rails and convince us that we've been abducted by aliens or some other sci-fi nonsense. It’s wild how much our heads can play tricks on us when things get heavy.

If you’ve been following this thread, it should be obvious that faith isn't going to put food on the table, find someone a job, or provide necessary medication. It won't make anyone happier.

I'll say it again: faith is dangerous for psychotic individuals. This is the topic at hand, yet the conversation keeps drifting into an unrealistic fantasy world. For those dealing with psychosis, their own thoughts are the primary enemy. You have to cling to proven reality like a lifeline. You need to toss any irrational thought out of your head the moment it surfaces, and antipsychotics are what help you do that. The most critical step is admitting to yourself that something is wrong; only then can we use medication to discard the delusions.

It is a hard truth to swallow, but during my worst psychotic episode, I truly believed I was right and doing the right thing. Everyone feels that way. It wasn't until I received the correct treatment that I realized everything I had said about faith and spirituality was nothing but total nonsense.

David Vaughn75 said:Let me run that back: my goal is to actually be happy in this life, and for me, that only happens if I have something to believe in.

So, what does science have to say about that? Is there some kind of pill for happiness? 🙂

Healthy people are just naturally happy—with or without faith, it doesn't matter!

If someone slips into psychosis, then finding happiness can become a real struggle.

Science suggests the real remedy for happiness is chocolate. 🙂

David Vaughn75 said:At the end of the day, cold, hard scientific facts aren't going to bring you happiness. Sure, meds can balance out your brain chemistry, but if we want to actually function as human beings in society, we have to believe there's a reason to get out of bed—we have to believe in the good stuff life throws at us.

Plus, let's be real: even science itself is built on a foundation of believing in axioms.🙂

Science has absolutely nothing to do with faith. In the scientific community, faith is redundant; faith is just another word for ignorance. If I have reliable data, there is no need to "believe" in it—I simply know it.

When dealing with psychosis, faith can be extremely dangerous. One should avoid any thoughts or conversations centered on unrealistic concepts. It is vital to stick to things that are grounded and logical, which is achieved through the consistent use of antipsychotics.

David Vaughn75 said:Look, everyone needs something to hold onto, whether they’re feeling 100% or they're struggling through some hellish illness 😉 Personally, I'm a science guy through and through, but I also truly believe that God watches over anyone walking a path filled with love and Shine.

In my view, nobody is obligated to have any kind of faith; you can just live your life!

To me, faith is just an entry point into a sort of "mild collective psychosis." That's fine by me, provided it stays purely theoretical and doesn't interfere with actual, practical action.

fadedlynx96 said:Thanks. I'm rarely in the States, but feel free to DM me if you have questions.
It is an absolute fact that the psychiatrists at the University Hospital are constantly trying to outdo one another, especially those from the different wings or buildings. I’ve heard them more than once dismiss a diagnosis based on trivialities, essentially undermining the doctor I spent over two months working with. Then, they would pivot and interpret the same diagnosis in a completely different way—for everyone involved, it was treated like a game of flipping coins, swapping psychosis for schizophrenia and back again just for the hell of it.
Psychotherapy was always a different experience entirely, regardless of whether it was group sessions or individual ones.
On top of that, the doctors from the upper wing used to make comments about how the patients in the lower wing were hopeless cases who couldn't be saved, saying this right in front of all the other patients from the upper wing and me, since I was in the lower wing.
In the end, I am not even certain what actually worked. I eventually stopped taking the medication, and everything turned out fine without it. Oh, and they also threatened me, saying that if I ever thought nothing had happened or that I had healed on my own, they would lock me up again because apparently, that kind of thinking is just a symptom of the illness returning.
After that episode, things weren't exactly sunshine and rainbows. Or maybe they were. I’ve posted on other threads about things that were, at the very least, far from perfect... it's hard to explain (I lost track of how many women I slept with a long time ago, I regularly use escorts, I used to be a minor escort myself, I'd approach girls in places where I think I knew exactly what I was doing, and I've been in car accidents where the survival rate was less than fifty percent).
Sometimes I think I am not normal. But only occasionally. It hits me harder when someone else points it out, and it’s even worse if they actually mean it.

I’m actually quite curious about this, so I'll ask: at what point does a diagnosis of psychosis officially get "rebranded" as schizophrenia, or vice versa?

Noah Garcia4 said:Oh, I think not—I'm keeping my secrets. 🙂

Well, he showed up, and he isn't backing down. 🙄 He claims he’s a changed man, 😲 leaning heavily into all those clichés about how much he loves me, acting like he's suddenly become this tiny, insignificant speck of a person trying to make amends. 🤣 🙄

In that case, I won't even pretend you told me the first letter was R 🙂

Noah Garcia4 said:I’m sticking to the milligram dosage exactly as my doctor prescribed. Right now, I’ve actually tapered down to about one-fifth of what I was taking when I first started this treatment. Why the drastic change? Well, it turns out you need a massive initial dose just to get the body to actually "accept" the medication—anyone who has navigated this territory knows exactly what I'm talking about. Over the course of two years, I’ve managed to scale down this antipsychotic from 6mg all the way down to 1mg. For the moment, things are holding steady, but if the stability slips, we'll probably have to bump the dosage back up.

Which antipsychotic are you talking about?

Megan Cooper6 said:Look, I know firsthand that you can live a perfectly normal life with schizophrenia... I’ve been running a blog for years on the subject—just search "Schizophrenia is just a crisis" on Google if you want to see how someone actually navigates this thing from the inside.

I've been following your blog since the very beginning. You are such an incredible person, facing life with so much pride regardless of your diagnosis!

Timothy Wood38 said:Well, maybe talk to your psychiatrist about an antidepressant? Just be totally honest with them about how you're feeling, and I'm sure you'll figure something out together. Personally, I spent two years on 10mg of Zyprexa, always paired with various antidepressants. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds to me like you're struggling more with a lack of drive than actual depression—though, let's face it, those two often go hand in hand. There are so many options on the market these days. In my opinion, Wellbutrin might be a great fit for you. It's frequently prescribed for that loss of motivation, and from what I hear, it can even help with libido. Plus, unlike most psych meds, it doesn't typically cause weight gain. Of course, everyone reacts differently. Definitely run everything by your doctor first. Good luck.

You have a point; "lack of willpower" is a fair description. I've tried Zoloft and Effexor in the past, but the side effects often outweighed the benefits. That’s why I’m skeptical and eager to get off psychiatric meds entirely—even though some of them really helped me. Over the last 16 years, I've cycled through about 20 different types.

driftinggull21 said:A 1 mg dose of Risperdal is truly a baby dose.
If you genuinely want to stop taking AP, you need to discuss that directly with your psychiatrist.
However, keep in mind that if you discontinue your treatment and suffer a decompensation, 1 mg of Risperdal will not be enough to manage the symptoms.

I'm aware of that risk because I've already been there. That's why I prefer the 1 mg; I'd rather stay on a low dose than have to restart the whole process with heavy doses if I hit another psychotic episode.

Since Risperdal works by blocking dopamine, maybe I could avoid things that spike dopamine levels—like coffee or cigarettes—to see if I can manage without that small dose? Or maybe there's some other trick.

Harold Anderson3 said:Man, if you have even the slightest hint of F20 in your profile, you should honestly be grateful it's only 1 mg a day. I'm taking 25 mg every two weeks (which averages out to about 2 mg daily), and I don't deal with any of that sluggishness or stiffness. If it's really making you feel heavy, you should probably ask for something like Artane to help with that.
On top of the Risperdal, I'm also on 5 mg of Zyprexa, and I originally started out on 50 mg of Risperdal and 100 mg of Lamictal every single day. Just take it slow, listen to your doctor, and I truly believe you'll eventually be able to phase off the Risperdal entirely. In my experience, with acute psychotic disorders, people usually stay on a minimal dose for about five years before they can successfully taper off completely.

I had my first psychotic episode about 12 years ago. Since then, I've cycled through Luvox, then Modem followed by Cogentin, and eventually Risperdal. Once I switched to Risperdal, things improved. About five years ago, I tried stopping the medication; I managed to hold out for six months before the psychosis returned. Since then, I've been back on 4 mg of Risperdal daily, and my psychiatrist gradually lowered the dose until I hit 1 mg, which I've been on for about two years now. I have no intention of stopping treatment again because I am certain the psychosis would come back. Perhaps I misspoke when I said the 1 mg makes me feel "stiff"—it would be more accurate to say it causes mild depression. I know I'd feel much more upbeat without that 1 mg. I'm generally against taking medication, but I have to stick with this 1 mg to prevent a relapse. Since it's such a small dose, I was wondering if there's any trick to finally getting rid of it too.

Michelle Lopez56 said:Greetings, everyone.

Schizophrenia is something one can actually overcome, leading to a full recovery. I say this because I was personally diagnosed with schizophrenia, yet I managed to recover completely and now lead a perfectly normal life.

I would suggest reading the book by Ronen David.

http://www.psychosisbook.com/

I also might recommend looking into the story of Daniel Fisher, who defeated schizophrenia himself and went on to become a respected psychiatrist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP_EW...layer_embedded

How?

As far as I'm concerned, you're being vague. Are you living a normal life with medication or without it?

My first diagnosis was F23.0, then after a while, a psychiatrist labeled me with F20.0. Later, another psychiatrist argued it wasn't F20.0 at all, but rather psychosis combined with PTSD.

Officially, based on that second doctor's assessment, I am on 1mg of Risperdal, and I live a normal life with it.

Now I'm wondering—based on your opinion and the links you're sharing—could I potentially exist without that 1mg of Risperdal, or without any medication at all?

That 1mg of Risperdal slows me down a bit, though I am also 100% certain that without it, I would slip back into psychosis very quickly.

Is there some trick to getting off that 1mg of Risperdal, even though it really is a minimal dose?

coppermason38 said:Look, I was just sharing my own experience with someone living with schizophrenia.
Maybe I was a little harsh with my wording. I'll go back and re-read it.

You were blunt because you didn't stop to consider how you would feel if the roles were reversed. Where is the empathy?

driftinggull21 said:

I don't understand why they would assign a schizophrenia diagnosis immediately. Typically, for a first psychotic episode, you wouldn't label it schizophrenia, even if it seems obvious. Usually, you only record a schizophrenia diagnosis once a decompensation recurs. That is how my doctors explained it, and that was the standard procedure in several cases I am aware of.

Yes, it is certainly not standard practice to list F20 right after the first psychotic decompensation. Even when the schizophrenia is clearly evident, clinicians often opt for F23 due to the "psychological impact." Similarly, there are patients who clearly meet the criteria for F20, yet the diagnosis is never officially recorded because the therapist realizes the patient wouldn't be able to handle it if it were verified.
Therefore, while it is technically possible to document F20 immediately in rare instances, it is truly not the norm.

Just asking, is there any chance a younger family member could receive disability benefits or some form of government assistance, given that he is unable to work and his diagnosis is F20?

They should contact the American Statistical Association in their local area.

At the end of the day, the specific diagnosis matters less than the actual health of the patient. We use working diagnoses for a reason. It’s ungrateful and risky to pigeonhole someone into a specific category too early, only to find out later that they don't actually fit that mold.

I have to address this:

blackfriar from KBZ (@Feniks) said:Anyone who followed the debates over at Politico knows Simba-OS went after me once I brought up the true fact that before the PAT-ov JNA units at the white barracks opened fire on the General Hospital, mortar teams positioned behind the hospital were targeting the military grounds. Given the "realization" that the "US Army attacked everything living, even protected sites," it was impossible to tolerate, and @Feniks had to be silenced.
That’s all there is to it.

The truth is, your nemesis is right—you're lying and refusing to stand by what you said. You previously claimed those mortars were firing from the grounds of the hospital, rather than behind the hospital! Now you're playing word games, switching "from" to "behind," but the whole story is a fabrication. There were absolutely no mortars near the Osijek General Hospital or even behind it! The only two 82mm mortars hitting the white barracks were located near the tracks by the gas distribution center, which is well outside the perimeter of the Osijek General Hospital—and it certainly wasn't "behind" it like you're claiming now.

If I were in charge here, I would ban you solely because of the systematic lies you spread across this forum. You are intentionally playing the victim just to get back into our good graces, saying things like:

blackfriar from KBZ (@Feniks) said:The fact remains that I have never bowed my head in my life. No matter the cost, I have remained upright. I won't change that now, so to anyone thinking I will humble myself and beg for mercy: don't hold your breath.

By writing the way you do on the KBZ, you are bending over backward and lying along the way; you just don't realize it. Your entire body of work on this forum is woven from falsehoods. Don't delude yourself into thinking people hate you because of your political views. Views are one thing; lies are something else entirely. Everyone respects different opinions, but nobody respects lies.

Karen Garcia4 said:You can't exactly expect someone struggling with schizophrenia to get a kick out of thinking their waiter is actually from the Mall of America. Where's the fun in that? The real mystery lies in faith. It’s that kind of belief that fuels the mind with all sorts of ideas, just feeding into your own internal fiction. I wonder how long a psychosis would last if I started imagining I was a fighter pilot... maybe fifteen minutes.

That’s exactly why I believe—if you look at it from the opposite perspective—that every believer is a potential schizophrenic. There is always that underlying possibility that the illness could manifest in all its full glory, even if it doesn't necessarily happen that way.

Laura Barnes said:So, what happens if I just ignore the warning and head into the forum? Am I actually risking a virus or what?

It depends. It’s a possibility, but not a guarantee.

Robert Wright4 said:I can try to ignore the warning, but I can't do anything about the fact that Firefox won't even let me load the Reddit page.

Go to Tools, then Options, head over to Security, and just uncheck "Block reported attack sites." That should fix it for you.😍

jadetrucker43 said:A few malware scripts were flagged on page one of the entire Reddit. Since this was an isolated incident, you can safely ignore that warning.

Can users who already had infected computers—and actually paid out of pocket to get them cleaned—just ignore the fact that they lost money, or are they expected to just feel guilty for even visiting this Reddit?