Posts by driftinggull21

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An opening post is intended to establish the subject matter, present a clear perspective, and pose specific questions. This structure is necessary to foster constructive and engaging dialogue.
In your initial post, you merely described a friend of yours who maintains numerous profiles across various legacy internet forums—even though he acts as a moderator, he was also banned...
The title consists solely of the question, "Is this normal?"
Psychology, as a scientific discipline, cannot make such broad generalizations; one cannot discuss the existence of multiple forum profiles in terms of "normality."
To summarize, the thread was removed for two reasons:
1. It was not properly formatted or introduced:
2. It was not posted to the appropriate subforum (though I personally find this criterion flexible, as certain topics may fit multiple boards depending on their framing and intent)

Your topic might find a place on another board, but it does not belong here in Psychology.

@nobodyl

Forget about support groups for now; those are only useful once a person is actually sober, stable, and committed to staying that way.

The first step is getting a referral from a primary care physician for inpatient alcohol rehabilitation.

Call 911 and explain that he hasn't been sober for seven days and is physically unwell. Once the paramedics arrive, if he becomes combative, the police should be called to take him to a psychiatric facility.
Once there, he needs to be evaluated by a psychiatrist. You must explain the situation and request hospitalization—even involuntary if necessary—and ask that a petition be sent to the appropriate social services agency for a competency evaluation. This allows for a legal guardian to be appointed to oversee his medical decisions.
In practical terms, this means that every time your brother relapses or goes gambling, he can be hospitalized under the guardian's authority.
Following hospital treatment, he will be required to take Antabuse every single morning.
He must also attend all scheduled psychiatric outpatient appointments and join a local support club.link na adresar, so check which one is closest to you.
Implementing everything I have outlined is difficult; it requires immense strength and unwavering consistency from your parents.
I hope you succeed. If not, always remember Nicole's advice: protect yourself first.

Henry Garcia9 said:Look, I’m not out here hunting for a disability check, but what kind of specific hoops do you actually have to jump through? Besides just being sick, obviously. Is it common for these claims to get tossed out? Because my take is that if someone is actively getting treatment, they can usually hold it together pretty well... I mean, nobody stays in a full-blown psychotic break 24/7 while they're dealing with an illness. Plus, for most other issues, there's a whole pharmacy of meds out there to keep things steady...

You have to pass a medical evaluation by a board to establish total disability. Generally, this requires a severe impairment or significant, permanent changes to one's health, whether physical or mental.
There is also an income threshold to consider (I am not certain of the exact amount, but I believe your income cannot exceed $600 roughly—I would need to verify the specifics with USA Swimming). Personal disability benefits are $417/month.
Additionally, there is an allowance for caregiver assistance which is $350 or $167/month. This benefit is granted more frequently than standard disability. The process is identical: a formal evaluation by a medical board.

neontrucker23 said:What's the long-term outlook for a 20.0? I guess I'm wondering if things tend to stabilize as you get older, or if it's just something you struggle with for life. Also, is it possible to qualify for some kind of disability if someone can't work for three days straight? Thanks for any insight.

This is a chronic, lifelong condition.
Disability claims are handled by USA Swimming (provided you meet their specific criteria), so you should contact them directly.

Henry Garcia9 said:I don't get why you're acting like it's weird that people can stay in remission for years. Honestly, if the treatment 🙂
is working right, I think someone could stay in a "normal" phase for decades.

It is likely a result of professional bias. 😉However, you are correct; remission can last for decades. The issue arises when patients abruptly cease their medication under the false impression they are cured, leading to decompensation within two weeks.😢

Timothy Cruz6 said:What happens when someone diagnosed with schizophrenia is prescribed an antidepressant, like Lexapro? Does it actually lead to any noticeable improvement, or is Lexapro completely ineffective in these cases?

Question number two: what is the typical duration for manic episodes versus periods of stability? Is it possible for a person to remain stable for months while the psychotic episodes only last a few days? Or does schizophrenia typically involve much longer bouts of instability?

Thanks for the insight.

1. Lexapro alone certainly won't yield significant improvement for true schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is treated with antipsychotics; antidepressants are introduced only extremely rarely, very cautiously, and on a highly selective basis.

2. There is no set rule. It is entirely possible for a period of good remission to last months or even years, while an acute phase might last anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. Everything depends on how the patient responds to treatment.

@deoksi
This is nothing more than trolling. If you actually have evidence that a psychiatrist has signed a deal with a pharmaceutical company, report them to the Chamber of Commerce, Medicare, and the FBI. That wouldn't just be grounds for termination and losing their license; it would also lead to criminal prosecution.
Psychiatrists are supposed to prioritize patient welfare when prescribing medication, not backroom deals with Big Pharma.
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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.

Kenneth Scott41 said:I feel like I’m hitting a brick wall with my doctors lately. It’s incredibly frustrating because they just keep prescribing these standard acetaminophen or tramadol pills for my pain, and honestly, I don't feel a single thing from them. 🙂 The reality is that I’m on methadone every day—which is morphine-based—so we’re talking about a completely different tier of potency compared to basic tramadol. It’s just simple logic, really; my system is calibrated to something much stronger, so these weaker options are practically placebo at this point. If I actually want some relief, I need something like morphine tablets—specifically MST. But apparently, my doctors have this misguided idea that morphine is only for end-of-life care or extreme trauma, as if you only need it when someone is literally ripping your fingernails out. I’m not trying to be difficult, but I can't figure out if I'm just failing to communicate effectively, or if there's some underlying bias where they think certain people shouldn't have access to these types of medications. Who knows? 🙂 I wish I could just hand them one methadone pill and one tramadol pill side-by-side so they could witness the massive gap in efficacy for themselves. They probably wouldn't even feel the tramadol! 🙂

What kind of pain are you dealing with?
MST is typically prescribed for patients facing constant, 24/7 pain, such as those with metastatic cancer, terminal stages of illness, or following major surgical procedures.
MST is also highly addictive and builds tolerance quickly. It is unlikely they would prescribe it to a patient already on methadone without an extremely compelling reason, as they would essentially just be swapping one dependency for another.

I suppose I should offer my own "insight" on this topic, specifically regarding toddlers around 2 or 3 years old and animated films that border on horror, such as this .

Children at that age are obsessive and rely heavily on rigid routines; they can watch the exact same cartoon every single day for a month 😁 without ever getting bored. According to child psychologists, this won't cause trauma because they use these fantasy worlds and fairy tales to learn how to distinguish good from evil.

As for myself, I have watched horror movies for as long as I can remember, and it hasn't left me with any psychological issues—other than the fact that I still enjoy watching them today...😁

Larry Lewis said:My current regimen is: 15mg Zyprexa, 160mg Zeldox, 30mg Diazepam, and 50mg Faverin.
Regarding the hallucinations—I only heard voices for about half an hour four years ago, and never again; I haven't seen anything visual.
I don't really see my doctor lowering the dose anytime soon, considering she just started me on this specific cocktail.

Look, it's fine that the psychotic thoughts and the voices have cleared out, but I'm mostly stuck in this low mood—just feeling totally unmotivated and disinterested—plus there are other things weighing on me, but I'd rather not go there right now.

This whole condition has absolutely drained me mentally across the board—I feel it deeply—and honestly, being in such a fragile state isn't exactly the most "in" thing to be right now.🙂

The goal of titration is to identify the minimum dose required for a patient to function optimally. During your check-up, you should feel free to ask about the treatment plan, how long you will remain on this dosage, and when tapering might be attempted...

As for having had hallucinations four years ago, it implies a few things:
- Be glad that you are responding well to the therapy and that your symptoms are effectively managed.
- These productive or positive schizophrenia symptoms (hallucinations, delusions) are actually "more benign"—despite appearing terrifying—and easier to manage pharmacologically than negative or deficit symptoms (social isolation, poor communication, depressive moods, withdrawal). One must pay close attention to those, ensuring they are thoroughly covered with antipsychotics, as they represent the more "dangerous side" of schizophrenia.

Any chronic condition, whether physical or mental, is stressful and naturally exhausting. Some people find a way to cope successfully, while others do not. That is simply the reality. Many patients have reported that supportive psychotherapy or group sessions helped them manage.

Larry Lewis said:Look, I’m not hearing voices, I’m not seeing things—I don't have any of those irrational delusions or whatever you want to call them. It’s just that my doctor has me stuck on this endless cycle of therapy again. And honestly? No amount of pills is going to fix the fact that I’m unemployed and dealing with a mountain of other life stressors—so yeah, I’m not exactly in the best headspace right now. Most of the time I feel like a walking zombie, and my brain feels like it's running at maybe thirty percent capacity thanks to these damn medications. All I really have left is a mild case of OCD, and frankly, I’ve had enough. My doctor wants to shove me into a psychiatric ward and pump me full of kilograms of drugs... so, I think I'll just go see a private specialist instead.

1. What exactly do you mean by "heavy-duty therapy"?😁
2. I assume you've considered that you shouldn't be hallucinating while undergoing treatment.
3. Dosage requirements vary; some people need higher amounts while others need less to manage symptoms.🤷
4. Have you discussed your desire to taper off the dosage with your psychiatrist?

We clearly have some work to do regarding mutual trust.

Just in case, I'll suggest to my doctor that she "slip" some thyroid hormones into her next blood draw.

You are being somewhat contradictory.😳

Kenneth Scott41 said:aha, so you work for them? 😁

I don't work for them; I just know some of their employees.😁

Kenneth Scott41 said:It’s right there in the medication pamphlet, which I suspect you might have skipped over.😁

😁
Cymbalta is a registered trademark of Eli Lilly USA.
That facility is likely just a manufacturing plant located in Spain. The drug itself comes from Eli Lilly USA, which is an American pharmaceutical company.

I have read the medication instructions.😁I am well aware of when Eli Lilly USA held the presentation for Cymbalta.

Kenneth Scott41 said:Well, here I am again, posting about yet another new prescription. 😁 I've been switched over to Cymbalta now; apparently, it’s some newer medication coming out of Spain, which I suppose explains why they're charging me such an arm and a leg $13 per box!
This is genuinely the last time, though—the absolute final time I'm going to trial a new medication. If this doesn't actually do the trick, I'm just going back to my old stuff, even if it leaves me feeling completely asexual. 🙂

Where exactly does it say that?😕
Cymbalta is produced by Eli Lilly, so they're Americans.😁

Bradley Rivera3 said:Hi,

I managed to get my hands on some propranolol. I’d only plan on using it occasionally—maybe once a month—right before those high-pressure moments where the adrenaline kicks in and my heart starts racing or I start sweating uncontrollably (like big meetings or presentations).

From what I've gathered, propranolol is pretty well-known for taking the edge off the physical symptoms of anxiety and panic, and plenty of people swear by it before public speaking:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/20/ar...pagewanted=all

http://www.violinist.com/discussion/...se.cfm?ID=4816

Has anyone here actually tried this? I'm wondering what kind of dose would be effective, and if taking it about thirty minutes before the "stressful" event is enough time for it to kick in.

If this hasn't been prescribed by a doctor, do not take it on your own.
You should consult at least your primary care physician to get a prescription for psychotropic medication that will actually help you focus and perform your job.

Robin Hernandez8 said:I’m not entirely sure if this is the right thread for this... but I ended up being held at a facility in Brooklyn for maybe three or four days after I overdosed on some pills. And, well, I told them my intention wasn't actually to end things, I just wanted to sleep for a long, long time.
I am an adult, technically. But, I guess, my parents had to sign off on everything anyway.
It was a pretty horrible experience for me. Though, looking back, I didn't really have any say in the matter.
Is that just how it works??

In the US, they can hold you in psychiatric care without your consent for up to 72 hours; after that window, they must either release you or initiate formal involuntary commitment proceedings. Parents can only sign on your behalf if you have been legally deemed incapacitated and one of them has been appointed your legal guardian.

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