Posts by Harold Anderson3

Morgan Lewis said:Hey everyone,

I was wondering if anyone knows if this new legislation regarding survivor benefits affects those of us living with schizophrenia who are already receiving disability benefits.

From what I’ve been reading and searching for online, it seems you only qualify for a parent's survivor benefits if you're a child with a documented disability and some remaining capacity for

vocational rehabilitation and employment under the specific federal guidelines for people with disabilities.

Most of us have dealt with our disability since the very beginning of the illness—in my case, since I was 26—but we didn't go after the official disability status back then because, let's be honest, nobody would hire us anyway.

And even when we did manage to work... well, we all know how much of a struggle that was. So, by the time I finally applied for benefits because I just couldn't keep going, I ended up with disability

of about $160, rather than being able to claim anything from my late father—because apparently, it looks like he wasn't supporting me until his passing, even though he absolutely was; I just can't prove it.

That's why I feel like this law is just plain unfair. It feels like we're being penalized for actually trying to make it on our own. I managed to finish college and worked for six years,

but honestly, my parents made all of that possible—I never could have pulled it off solo. Meanwhile, someone who struggled with addiction and hasn't put in a single day of work

can still qualify for survivor benefits, which can be quite substantial depending on what their parent's pension was.

I don't have anything against them getting help, but shouldn't we also have the right to access our parents' benefits?

Thanks, and please, if anyone has any experience with this, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

LP, Morgan Lewis

I'm no legal expert, but looking at these social security and pension laws from the outside, they seem like one absurdity after another. Between standard disability, early retirement, old-age pensions, veteran benefits, and various other categories, there really isn't much logic to it—neither in the amounts paid out nor in the criteria used to decide who gets what.

My mother had been retired since she was 35 (she passed away at 58) and her monthly benefit $600 at the time of her death was roughly $270. She didn't have a degree and had worked for about 15 years before retiring. I honestly don't know if I could have inherited her benefits or not, mostly because I never even looked into it.
So, there you go—you ended up with just $160.
If I can offer some advice, if there is any way at all, try to keep working rather than relying solely on benefits. You're still very young, and being active will probably be better for you both mentally and financially.
I don't know, it's all a pretty difficult situation to navigate. Hang in there.

Olivia Bishop8 said:Hey everyone
Looks like you guys just hit on weight issues. Exactly what I was looking to get some advice on. I've posted here before, so if anyone has more tips, let me know. I’m the mother of a guy dealing with schizophrenia. He’s been sick for 8 years now. The first couple of years were pretty rough and honestly nasty, but things are better now, luckily. He’s actually had a job for over a year, which helped his mental state a ton. So, that part is mostly handled. But, through all this, he’s put on a massive amount of weight—over 130 pounds. We can't seem to fix it. He does physical labor, but he hasn't lost a single pound. He struggles with binge eating, and it’s messing with his stomach too. He just gulps food down without chewing. Says he can't help it.
We heard that Dr. Uglešić runs a clinic where they treat weight issues with injections you have to pay out of pocket every day. Money isn't really an issue for us, at least not for me, but he’s cheap and hates spending it. Plus, the idea of daily shots is a huge hurdle for him. Anyone have experience with this kind of treatment? Any ideas on how to talk him into trying it???

That sounds like such a tough situation. Most antipsychotics tend to spike your appetite, and they can easily slow down your metabolism, which makes gaining weight almost inevitable. On top of that, people dealing with depression are often more prone to weight gain, so if your son is also fighting depression, that’s another factor in the mix.
I’m currently sitting just under 220 pounds myself. Over the last five or six years, I’ve put on about 33 pounds, which is quite a bit, though maybe not as extreme as what you're facing. My weight has stayed pretty much stagnant for the past year, even though I also work a physical job.
I don't know if there's much more I can offer, but honestly, that injection idea doesn't sound particularly appealing to me either. Personally, I would focus on making dietary changes first—trying to swap high-calorie foods for lower-calorie alternatives if he can't manage to eat smaller portions. Increasing fluid intake, specifically water, might also help.

Carol Barrett2 said:I don't really have much of a sweet tooth, honestly—but I definitely go a bit overboard with the sugar when I'm making my coffee. 🕺

Go ahead and enjoy your coffee, even if you add some sugar, just try not to overdo it too much.
Hang in there, you're doing fine. 🙂

Sandra Lee2 said:Maybe try finding a new psychiatrist? And stop drinking.

It’s really not as simple as just deciding to quit drinking.
Dealing with that kind of addiction is honestly one of the hardest battles anyone can face.

That said, if someone is living with schizophrenia and staying consistent with their prescribed medication, they really shouldn't be mixing those two things—mixing antipsychotics with alcohol is a dangerous game.

I'll be the first to admit, though, that I don't always follow that rule perfectly myself...🤦

crimsonviper48 said:Why is it that I end up back in the hospital twice a year... I take my meds regularly, though honestly, I rarely actually swallow them... Not that alcohol has ever made me feel physically sick or sent me into a depressive spiral, either, but I know I can overdo it sometimes, and god, I’m only 22... It just doesn't make sense. I can't tell if it's my borderline personality disorder tearing me apart, or if it's schizophrenia, or maybe they're just teaming up against me... Therapy helps, specifically small group sessions, but still... ending up in the ER twice a year is just way too much...

Are you saying you've lived with schizophrenia for 22 years, or that you're 22 years old, or that you're a "young" 22-year-old, or maybe that you've been hospitalized twice a year for 22 years?

I'm honestly a little lost here; I can't make heads or tails of what you're trying to tell me about being 22. 🤷

Matthew Castillo5 said:My older sister hasn't been officially diagnosed, but she’s got narcissism and a few other personality disorders going on. She basically spends her time tearing down everyone in her orbit, especially her own kids.

I remember you mentioned this on Reddit a while back. Honestly, if there's any comfort to be found in it, please know that you aren't alone in this; there are plenty of families out there dealing with the exact same struggles.

fadedhound86 said:That line you dropped really gave me something to chew on. I guess I’ve spent so much time stuck in my own head, feeling sorry for myself, that I didn't even realize how much my hospital stays, my outbursts, and those dark moments where I'd threaten to end it all actually took a toll on the people closest to me...

Man, this mental health stuff is just brutal... Even when you think you're finally in remission, it still haunts you...

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Carol Barrett2 said:I know I've caused damage—mostly just to my own people. But that's just how this disease works, what can you do? It’s been a huge financial drain on them, too. I mean, they were constantly footing the bill for gas and travel just to come visit me at the hospital and stuff like that.

It's hard to call that "healthy." Unfortunately, I'm not even in remission right now. I'm more like in a plateau stage with the illness. I'll probably have another episode eventually, since I seem to end up hospitalized every couple of years or so.

It's been over two years since my last major episode, though. 🙂

That's just the reality of it. Honestly, plenty of "healthy" people have caused just as much damage to others, if not significantly more than "us." That's life, I suppose. You just have to bury whatever happened in the past, no matter how messy it was, and try to move forward.

ironrider11 said:Maybe the guy with the sick twin though...

To’s honestly what I’ve been thinking as well. If they aren't both dealing with it together, the weight feels so much heavier on the person who's healthy but watching a close family member suffer.

It really is such a difficult spot to be in...

fadedhound86 said:https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0425118/

This is such an incredible HBO series about twin brothers dealing with one brother's struggle with schizophrenia... honestly, I can't recommend it enough!

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Cases like this really highlight how much schizophrenia is tied to genetics.
When you look at identical twins, if one is diagnosed, there’s about a 50% chance the other will be too. In the other 50% of cases, the second twin stays perfectly healthy.
Honestly, I don't know who has it harder—the person living with the illness, or the sibling watching their twin go through it.

I’m honestly not entirely sure, Invega comes from Johnson & Johnson, but it's essentially the same medication as Parnid, which is manufactured by Pfizer. I suppose it's possible that Pfizer might even have their own version of paliperidone in tablet form out there somewhere.

Morgan Lewis said:Hey everyone!

Quick question about meds—I’ve been getting Xplore depot injections for about three and a half years now. On top of that, I’ve been on Zyprexa for way longer than that.
The therapy works for me, honestly, but man, the constant poking and prodding is starting to get under my skin... it's just getting old. Has anyone here actually made the switch from injections back to pills?
And if I did, what would the alternative even look like? Maybe Risperdal?

It seems like almost every antipsychotic medication comes in two different formats—either as a pill you take daily or as an injection—and that’s certainly the case with Xplore. The generic name for Xplore is paliperidone, and when it's produced in its tablet form, it's actually known as... I’ve been spending quite a bit of time lately reflecting on my experience with Invega, trying to make sense of how it actually sits with me. It’s one of those medications that feels like a bit of a balancing act, isn't it? On one hand, there's the relief it provides, but then you have to navigate those inevitable side effects that seem to follow it around. I find myself weighing the pros and cons more often than I'd like, just trying to find that sweet spot where I feel steady without feeling completely unlike myself. It's a bit of a journey, I suppose, and I'm still figuring out my own pace with it.Risperdal is just another antipsychotic option on the table.
You know, you can always have a conversation with your psychiatrist about transitioning back to medication if you feel like that’s what works better for you.
I recently made the switch from Abilify maintenance injections over to Azolar tablets, mostly because my job keeps me out in the field so much that tracking down a clinic for monthly shots just wasn't practical anymore. To be honest, I haven't noticed any real difference in how they work; for me, it really just comes down to what fits my lifestyle better. At the end of the day, some people find it much easier to just handle one injection a month, while others—like myself—find daily pills much more convenient.

Sandra Lee2 said:What other methods are you aware of? Perhaps I misstated my point, but there are supposedly helpful techniques mentioned here:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8888596/

Non-pharmacological interventions for schizophrenia — analysis of treatment guidelines and implementation in 12 US states

Fine. Aside from antipsychotics, what would actually be recommended for someone living with schizophrenia?

When medication doesn't quite do the trick, doctors often turn to electrical stimulation—what people commonly call electroshock therapy, which is mostly handled at major facilities like the Mayo Clinic.
It’s certainly not the terrifying stuff you see in old movies, though. The patient is placed under anesthesia and a controlled voltage is passed through the brain, and nowadays we even have incredibly sophisticated devices designed to target only the specific areas most affected by the condition.

Back in the day, they used to try things like insulin shock therapy or even lobotomies, but those methods are obviously completely outdated now.

So, alongside antipsychotics, what else would actually be recommended for someone living with schizophrenia?

Honestly, anything that provides support. Psychotherapy, maintaining a healthy diet, staying physically active—but perhaps the most vital thing of all is trying not to retreat into oneself or let the illness take complete control. In my own experience, I found my way through it by staying busy with work. For me, having a sense of purpose through employment was everything.
For some, that might mean an office job, while for others, it could be art or something entirely different.

Hi there, I should probably mention that those specific methods don't actually exist. In my experience, unless the antipsychotic medications aren't quite doing the trick on their own, they're typically used alongside a few other supportive approaches rather than being replaced by them.

Emily Cook8 said:Harold Anderson3, where you at? It's been forever. Give us a shout, man!

Hey everyone, I'm actually out in the field right now near a small town in Florida. I've been keeping up with the forum, but I just haven't really had anything specific to say, so I've been a bit quiet. 🙂

My regimen—morning: Lamictal, Prilosec, Zoloft
evening: Lamictal, Lariam, Seroquel
as needed: Ativan, Celexa

I guess it goes like this...
If I had been healthy, my life would have been so much easier and more straightforward. Instead, I’m just working this basic manual labor job and trying to scrape by however I can. You look at everyone else who finished college and started building families—even my own brothers, really—and then there’s me, just drifting along and trying to survive.
I wish things were different, but honestly, that’s just not an option for me.
So, what now? I suppose I should just wipe away the tears, force a smile if I have to, and keep moving forward...
My mother was incredibly sick, much more than I am, and I can't help but wonder what kind of life she might have had if she hadn't had me to worry about.
She’s gone now, but that doesn't mean my story is over too. I just need to open my eyes and find some new sense of purpose.

Oh, it doesn't really matter. Midwesterners and Floridians tend to go broke at the exact same rate..
By the way, I work alongside some Midwesterners, so I’ve seen it firsthand, but honestly, Floridians aren't any better or worse when it comes to this kind of thing. It just is what it is. 😬

What’s your take on this habit of mine? I tend to swear quite a bit in my day-to-day life, and when I’m actually angry or frustrated, it definitely ramps up—not necessarily in terms of frequency, but the language gets much heavier and louder. It can sometimes escalate toward shouting, though I always make sure to catch myself before that happens because I avoid physical confrontations at all costs.

That said, some of my coworkers swear so much that it’s starting to get on my nerves; honestly, it feels a bit crude and off-putting. They do it completely unconsciously, where even the most intense profanity—taking God's name in vain or swearing by Jesus's mother—is just a standard part of their vocabulary. I realize this is likely a reflection of the local culture or perhaps a lack of certain social graces, but we're all adults here. They’re good at their jobs and they’re great colleagues, they just happen to be incredibly uncouth.

On the flip side, I occasionally hang out with people who are perfectly poised, and if a curse word does slip out, you can tell they feel genuinely awkward about it.

I’ve always preferred to stay somewhere in the middle of the pack; I don't really care to stand out for anything, so I find myself hovering right in that average zone. Still, I notice such a massive gap in how different people express themselves. Why is there such a huge divide, and is it actually possible to bring a bit more refinement back into everyday conversation? I can manage my own speech, but trying to influence others... well, that feels like a losing battle.

Emily Cook8 said:Harold, man, I really hope they get you on the books.

As for the whole suicide thing... I honestly don't even know what to say.
Sometimes I don't see the point in existence either, or all this universal suffering—your own, someone else's—it all feels pretty much the same.
But then you read something on a forum about some guy who’s fighting his heart out, being brave, and refusing to let life break him.

You're a legend!
Unlike all those dead-eyed zombies who have bled this country dry, you're actually alive.
I just wish we lived somewhere else—in a society where criminals and zombies aren't calling the shots. In a country where every single citizen actually gets treated with dignity.

Wishing you nothing but the absolute best! 🙂

Thank you 🙂

Emily Cook8 said:I'm with you there.

Hey Harold Anderson3, have you looked into tapping into your mom's Social Security yet?
Like, did you even bother asking about it?

Not really, Emily Cook8. It wouldn't be much to live on, and even though I'm currently working under the table, I'm hoping to get on a formal payroll soon—honestly, it'll be much better to rely on a steady paycheck than that tiny monthly check.

Oh, Nicholas Bailey3... it’s far too early to be talking about Christmas. Life is moving along fast enough as it is, but seriously...