Olivia Smith2 said:They lowered my dose because I haven't been diagnosed with schizophrenia yet—they actually told me the goal is to eventually get me off everything entirely. They've been tapering me down for two years now, so this was just another step in the process.
That said, I'm struggling immensely with reading, comprehension, and memory. Looking around this sub-forum, it seems like this isn't much of a topic? It feels like nobody else is dealing with this—so I have to wonder, am I just... 😠
Have you ever considered that you might have ADHD? When you mix antipsychotics with ADHD, it can really tank your concentration—which is already a struggle if you're dealing with that diagnosis.
I’m pretty much on the same page as you, and I think you really hit the nail on the head with how you put this together... I feel almost exactly the same way, though I probably wouldn't have phrased it quite as elegantly as you did. It seems like highly successful people tend to be a bit lower on the empathy scale, which, honestly, might just be one of the engines driving their success... It’s something I hope our leadership can instill in us, and if I had to guess, I think they’ve made some decent progress there already. The thing is, I haven't quite "made it" yet—I'm still just an average guy being kept on a short leash by my parents. Man, I would love to be one of those high achievers; just imagine being able to tell the old folks to back off, enjoying the spoils of success, and finally having the breathing room to get my own head straight.
Jose Ward4 said:I feel fine, but at the same time, I don't feel fine at all.
It’s like all those antipsychotics just blunt your emotions—both the highs and the lows. It makes sense, though, since they work by dialing down dopamine, which is basically our brain's reward system... Personally, I’m just on an antidepressant, and while I definitely notice I’m a bit less reactive emotionally, I actually find it helpful. It gives me that steady ground I need to finally get my life in order...
Drink some caffeine... Start hitting the gym, sign up for some martial arts classes, grab a drink now and then, switch up your whole look—maybe get a leather jacket. Watch plenty of action movies... I know, sounds easier said than done. Believe me, I used to be just like you. I actually made those changes, but my pride would never let me back down from a fight, even when I was clearly outmatched by someone much bigger...
Here’s one more tip: find a way to get some petty payback behind their backs. Scratch their car in the middle of the night, snap off a side mirror, or maybe just set off some fireworks near their house. That’ll give you a little boost of confidence too. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S8 using Reddit
In today's social climate... It feels like I can't just have a regular relationship or enjoy those simple, everyday things everyone else seems to do so easily... Like just kicking back with a cold beer, singing along to some tunes, and having a good time without any drama...
Nicole Barrett76 said:If you aren't presenting any other symptoms, as Mario suggests, then isn't it highly probable that what you are describing is simply the Super Ego as defined in psychology or psychoanalysis? Should you really be worrying about this when such a phenomenon is actually quite common?
But what would "other symptoms" even look like? I mean, is it totally normal to occasionally play out an entire conversation in my head—planning exactly what I'll say and how the whole scene will unfold? Because that's what I do. It could definitely be that Super Ego thing, especially since my self-confidence can be a bit shaky... particularly when I'm around my dad... I'm definitely not having hallucinations where I see things that aren't there or hear voices coming from thin air...
Carol Barrett2 said:Look, if you're just having an internal monologue or even talking out loud to yourself, that’s pretty much standard human behavior—totally normal. It's only when you start hearing a literal stranger's voice in your ear that things get weird. Personally, I'm constantly running full-blown debates with myself in my head about random ideas and stuff. Nothing to worry about.
It's not like I'm hearing an audible voice, though—you know, like in those movies about schizophrenia... It’s more like this *other version* of me—someone a bit tougher, maybe a little more cynical—is checking in. This "inner me" addresses me directly, almost like a coach, and we end up dissecting a situation or a person together. Or if I'm at the gym pushing through a heavy set, he’ll give me that mental nudge to hang in there. Honestly, I really hope I'm not dealing with some mild version of a mental health issue... I definitely don't want to end up being prescribed heavy-duty antipsychotics over some internal pep talks!
So, here’s a little thought I had today—kind of a deep one, maybe? If I’m just sitting there by myself, having a full-on conversation where I’m talking to an imaginary version of myself... you know, playing both parts, responding to my own points, making comments back and forth? But the thing is, I’m not actually *hearing* an external voice or anything. It's all just happening internally in my head. In that case, would that be considered schizophrenia?
I’m not saying there isn't any writing here, but I can't help but philosophize a bit since dopamine really is the engine behind our motivation and reward systems... It’s like, if I accomplish this task or that goal, I feel a surge of satisfaction... whereas serotonin is more about that general sense of being okay, just feeling good in your own skin... Whoever cares, I guess. But honestly, it's true that being on Zoloft right now makes me want to skip out on socializing, but then if I grab a strong cup of coffee, suddenly I’m all chatty again... It’s like when I hit that perfect sweet spot between serotonin and dopamine, I feel unstoppable. When one gets out of whack, everything feels off. Of course, there are tons of other neurotransmitters and complex biological gears turning under the hood too...
As for that serotonin thing, I really felt it firsthand. I realized it when someone was shot right in front of my house—three bullets to the head—and I just stayed completely stone-cold... or even when I walked away from a massive pileup on the interstate and felt absolutely nothing at all. 112 miles/h
Harold Anderson3, I’ve been chewing on what you wrote about how healthy, mindful people supposedly have higher dopamine levels, and honestly, I’m not so sure about that... If you ask me, I think they actually have higher serotonin levels instead. That would explain why they seem so centered, positive, and totally in tune with peace and harmony. On the flip side, take someone like me—if I had higher dopamine, I’d probably be constantly revved up, chasing extreme sports, obsessed with caffeine, and always looking for the next rush. And then, if I didn't stay active, all that energy would just spiral into anxiety and restlessness. You wouldn't get that sense of zen or bliss; you’d just be stuck in a permanent state of Fight or flight.
Harold Anderson3 said:We don't actually have superhuman strength; we just really believe we do. 😛 For instance, about a year and a half ago, I got into a scrap with a legit boxer at my university, and I was genuinely convinced I could take him. Then he landed a punch right in my eye with everything he had, and I ended up in the ER at the ophthalmology clinic. To make things even more interesting, I found myself in the psychiatric emergency room later that very same night. 🤣
How is your OCD doing lately? That disorder can be incredibly brutal, and honestly, I think it can be even more taxing than schizophrenia in certain situations.
It’s easing up a bit thanks to the Zoloft... Though Boksac certainly knows how to throw a punch and everything else... But man, if you actually manage to get close enough to someone, that grip and raw strength they have is just like being caught by a bear... I’ve heard stories where it takes a whole squad of SWAT officers just to restrain one person because of that sheer force... Or even a girl dealing with schizophrenia who was trying to jump off a cliff, and it took several people just to hold her back...
Harold Anderson3 said:I’ve been in the exact same boat since 2009, and I’ve never really been able to fully step away from my meds. It seems like every time I feel something "spiritual" stirring inside me, it doesn't take long before I end up back in the hospital.
I actually came across something interesting in a book called *The Human Mind* by Robert Winston, where he mentions that "healthy" believers tend to have slightly higher dopamine levels in their brains compared to "healthy" atheists. Meanwhile, people with schizophrenia experiencing psychosis have drastically elevated dopamine levels. If you follow that logic, it suggests that even healthy believers are just a little bit disconnected from reality. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, though... I honestly haven't a clue. 😛
That explains why you guys have such superhuman strength sometimes!
Personally, I feel like when I'm off my antidepressants, my dopamine spikes and I get this massive rush for my workouts, but I lose all my inner peace. I really hope I'm not heading toward schizophrenia, but my OCD feels like a constant internal dialogue—like I'm talking to myself, but it's like two different people in one head... But I don't HEAR a voice... it's more like I'm just having a conversation with it, you know? Like I'm two people having a chat in my own mind...