Posts by Harold Anderson3

It’s tough for everyone dealing with mental health struggles, but I really feel like schizophrenia is one of the most complicated disorders out there. It just pulls in so many different symptoms—both positive and negative—ranging from mania and depression all the way to intense anxiety.

Eric Ramos93 said:That’s only because this thread was opened just once and hasn't even cracked the 10,000 post mark yet; if you look at the ones that get reopened over and over again, they easily hit 30 or 40 thousand posts.

Take the US chat forums, for instance.🙄
I suppose discussions about anxiety on psych forums are a bit more "popular," I have to admit.🙂

I’m not sure if anyone else has caught this, but it looks like this thread might actually hit that incredible one-million view milestone very soon—maybe even as early as today—considering we've been at this for nearly twelve years now. Aside from this specific discussion, I think there's only one other thread in the Psychology section that can claim that kind of massive reach. It really feels like we’re a bit more popular than we first let on, doesn't it? 🙂

Jose Ward4 said:Where's Sizik at? How’s everyone doing? What's the word?

I’m actually heading out to the Midwest for the weekend—well, more like Sunday through Tuesday, really.😁

Hey, Njušice, give me a shout if you happen to see this 🙂

You know, I actually stumbled upon a rather different perspective while reading a book recently.
It put it something like this:
''In developed nations, there's a much wider gap in quality of life between those struggling with mental illness and those who are mentally healthy, whereas in developing countries, that disparity is much smaller.''
It’s undeniably true that someone dealing with schizophrenia in Norway or Switzerland would have a higher standard of living than someone in India or Africa, but they often face a much greater set of challenges—both internal and external—when compared to the people around them. It’s a pretty significant point to consider, really.

Please, just don't go quitting your therapy. A single week of physical intimacy really isn't worth spending three months trying to recover from a psychotic episode. Take my word for it on this one.

I posted an ad about three days ago, but I’d love to tweak it a little bit. If you need to delete the old one to make room for this version, please go ahead and leave this one up.
Just to be upfront, I’ve been dealing with a medical diagnosis for nine years now; if that’s a dealbreaker for you, there isn't much I can do or want to change about it.
I’m looking to meet someone—or perhaps a small group of people—to share my time with. But honestly, I’m not just looking for a way to pass the hours; I’m searching for genuine, lasting friendship.
Since summer is finally here, I was thinking of a few simple ideas: hitting the beach, grabbing a coffee, or catching a movie. We could do just one of those, or maybe all three. We could even take a quick day trip down to the coast, or if we want to keep things low-key, just hang out at one of the local community pools. A coffee anywhere in Washington, D.C., or a trip to one of the many AMC Theatres nearby would be great. Thank God for those options. I can certainly do all these things on my own, just like anyone else, but everything feels so much more meaningful when you have company.
I really hope to find someone—maybe even a few people—who is feeling a bit lonely too and is looking for connection. I truly believe that friendship enriches everyone involved.

Matthew Castillo5 said:The two aren't mutually exclusive at all. A priest handles your spiritual struggles, while a psychiatrist or therapist deals with the mental ones.

Oh sure, just look at Tomislav Ivančić and his "hagiotherapy." It cured my depression, alright—only to hand me schizophrenia in exchange. Now I'm right back where I started, dealing with depression as my most brutal symptom even while in remission.

Laura Castillo6 said:I don't think it's okay either, but it feels like there's no other choice. I mean, technically you could try to go completely cold turkey, but we both know how messy that gets.

As for the whole "success" thing, I think you're looking at it through the wrong lens. Honestly, just being here and staying alive is a massive win, regardless of anything else.

And let's be real—psychosis isn't something you just "walk off." It can be fatal.

A state of psychosis is so much more terrifying than just dealing with the side effects of medication.
Of course, we shouldn't ignore those heavy bouts of depression that sometimes crop up while you're on meds, but they aren't always caused by the drugs themselves.
Those episodes—if you've ever experienced them—can be incredibly uncomfortable, even if they are temporary. They almost feel paralyzing, leaving you stuck for hours or even days at a time. It’s just pure negativity, constant thoughts about death or how hard life is... it feels like it will last forever, but I promise, they always pass.

darksurfer4 said:Hey Diego, how are you doing? As for whether others will accept you—who exactly are these "others"? People who don't deal with schizophrenia? You can find all sorts of those people out there in the world...

If you're really that worried about being accepted, honestly, you might be better off starting your own cult and declaring yourself a deity; then nobody would dare question you because everything would just be "the will of God."

Hi there. Just so you know, things tend to change by the hour here.🙂

I don't really put much stock in gods. If I thought otherwise, I'd probably be heading to a priest for therapy instead of a psychiatrist.

Instead of constantly worrying about my health, I really wish I could just wake up feeling fine, but I suppose there's no avoiding this reality. I have to learn how to embrace my condition and find a way to coexist with it. There isn't any other way forward. It's just the way things are.
The real challenge, though, is wondering if others will be able to accept me alongside everything I'm going through... and honestly, that part feels a little more daunting.☕

I’m looking for someone to hit up the movies with, ideally sometime today (Monday).
We can figure out the specifics—like what time or which movie—through a private message.
I’d say I have a pretty laid-back personality, though I am feeling a bit lonely lately. That's really why I decided to check out this Project.

Joseph Bailey41 said:My favorite definition of insanity is "insisting on doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
(And I think I might have said too much there.)

You mentioned that I’d be considered 'crazy' if I stick with the medication, but the reality is that without them, I’m just 'crazy' by default. It feels like I can't really win either way, no matter how you look at it. 😁

Laura Castillo6 said:Just hang in there and be as persistent as you possibly can.

I can certainly try to be persistent, but I’m starting to feel like this specific approach to treatment isn't really working for me. It feels like a double-edged sword; as much as the meds help on one hand, they seem to be doing just as much damage on the other. Without them, I might struggle with my mental stability, but with them, I feel like a shell of a person—emotionally numb, isolated, and like I'm just spinning my wheels in life. Does anyone else honestly think this is a fair way to live?

I can't speak for everyone else here, but for me, depression is hands down the most miserable, gut-wrenching feeling I've ever had to endure. It’s a slow burn, but you can really feel it systematically tearing your life apart. I've also dealt with the complete opposite end of the spectrum—those manic-psychotic episodes—which, to be honest, can feel pretty great while they're happening, even if they leave a massive trail of destruction in their wake. Ideally, you want to stay somewhere in that healthy middle ground, but man, that's such a moving target to aim for; you're constantly chasing it. For me, medication is really my only reliable tool. I wouldn't say I'm overmedicated, per se; it's more that I'm trying to manage the heavy negative symptoms of psychosis, and depression is a huge part of that. It might even be that the Abilify is contributing to my low moods, but if I stop taking it, I run the risk of spiraling straight back into a psychotic state. So, I'm stuck in this endless loop of depression-psychosis-depression—though, truthfully, the depression lasts much longer. There are moments where I feel "normal," but those windows are brief, or at least that's how it feels from where I'm standing right now.
Because of all these mental health hurdles, my social life and career have taken quite a hit. As for starting my own family, I don't even let myself dream about it because I'm afraid of just setting myself up for disappointment. Work is... well, it's fine for now. I've got a job, though who knows how much longer that will last.
Lately, I've been in this strange, jittery phase where everything just gets under my skin. Every little thing is getting on my nerves. 🙂
I think it might be time for me to take a 5 mg Normabud. 😉

Schizophrenia seems to be the hot topic on the forum lately... I honestly can't even keep up with everything you all are posting 😲🤣🤣

Laura Castillo6 said:I don't buy that theory myself, but I’m a firm believer that mental health issues usually stem from a mix of genetics and social environment. Think of it this way: the genetic part is like having the potential for a condition to develop, while the social side acts as the trigger—that external pressure from the world around you that actually sets things off.
I found this video that breaks the whole concept down perfectly

Looking back, I used to drink quite a bit before I got sick, and I definitely had the genetic predisposition for it. That’s why I think it’s so vital to talk about these things openly; if we can address them early, we might be able to prevent them entirely. When you consider that roughly 3% of people experience psychosis and about 1% carry an F20 diagnosis, we're talking about a massive number of people in the US population today.

It's pretty much the standard medical explanation most people accept. However, what's more interesting is trying to weigh those two factors against each other—whether it's more genetic or more social—which is a tricky, highly individual question to answer.

I also drank heavily before my diagnosis, and for a while, I was using marijuana too (which, looking back, was probably a bad idea to combine the two), but honestly, I feel like the psychosis would have surfaced regardless. My mother didn't drink at all, yet she fell ill when she was 18. For me, it happened at 21.

Jamie Lewis said:Honestly, I can’t even wrap my head around what that feels like. Maybe if I went on some heavy drugs I’d actually understand what you guys are going through. 😲 It really isn't easy when you're stuck in a psychosis.

Try watching this video—just stare at the center of the screen for a minute or two, focus there, and then look at an object near you.

So, you're taking Ziprexica (an AP), and you're saying it's a miracle drug? If you had any extra, I’d literally pay you in gold bars. 😵 😉

What exactly are you using it for? If you actually need it, just go see a psychiatrist and you can get a prescription through your insurance for free.

Jamie Lewis said:What meds are you on, Harold Anderson3? Does that mean you're doing okay now—stable and back on track?

I take Azar via injection once a month. It’s a relatively new medication and one of those rarer antipsychotics that doesn't really slow me down or drag my mood through the mud. Apparently, it might even give a little lift, but for me, just knowing it won't pull me down is plenty.

I take Leponex in the evenings, though I adjust the dosage based on how I'm feeling that day, following what my doctor advised. Depending on my state of mind, I'll take anywhere from one to three tablets at night. I should mention it does cause some hypersalivation—basically, I wake up with a pretty soaked pillow most mornings. 🕺

I'm also on an antidepressant called Ladiomil, though it feels a bit weak, and Cerson, which I mostly use just to help me get some sleep.

It might sound a bit intense when laid out like that, but honestly, I don't deal with many side effects, aside from my liver enzymes being a bit elevated. As for how much of a long-term issue that actually is, I really can't say.

For work, I'm with an American company that specializes in assembling industrial halls and large tents, and I do the same manual labor as everyone else there. It's physically demanding and requires a certain amount of dexterity, but that comes naturally with experience. So far, the company seems pretty happy with my performance.

Even though I don't always have the energy to socialize outside of work as much as I'd like...
I did manage to have a great time today hanging out with a hiking group during a weekend in the Catskills.

And yeah, thanks for asking. 🙂