Posts by Harold Anderson3

I tend to feel pretty unwell whenever I run into a significant hurdle, though I don't think it’s just a matter of my mental state.

See, growing up, people always told me I was a bit odd, but honestly, it never really bothered me much. For some strange reason, though, that perception started weighing on me lately, and I began to

lose my footing in all the activities where I used to actually excel. That’s when the diagnoses started rolling in—first it was numbers hovering around the 100 mark, then they kept dropping lower and lower until I hit 20 🙂 I can't quite wrap my head around what exactly is going on with me, but I know I've found myself stuck deep in the trenches 🙂
To my fellow folks dealing with schizophrenia, how do you all manage the bipolar swings in your moods if you experience them? 😉

I honestly don't have much to say about that particular topic, though I suppose I could offer a few thoughts if anyone is actually interested in hearing them. kaže:
I’ve always felt that people tend to misunderstand schizophrenia by viewing it as this permanent, unbroken state of psychosis, but that isn't really how it works for most folks. It’s more accurate to say that psychotic episodes tend to come in waves, rather than being one continuous, lifelong struggle. If you stay on top of your medication and keep things steady, you can often manage everything so effectively that those intense episodes never even have the chance to show up.

I’ve always felt that schizophrenia isn't just some random glitch in the brain, but rather a deeply intense reaction to living in a world that often feels completely irrational and broken.

I’ve always felt that people tend to misunderstand what antipsychotics actually do, often assuming they’re just tools to turn someone into a compliant, mindless drone with no spark left in them. In reality, it’s not about stripping away a person's will to live or forcing them to be obedient; rather, these medications are specifically aimed at addressing the heavy lifting of mental health struggles, like managing hallucinations, delusions, and those deep bouts of depression.

To me, schizophrenia isn't some kind of mystical or profound experience; it’s just a heavy, painful condition that, thank goodness, we actually have ways to manage and treat these days.

I sometimes get the sense that you all might be a little too preoccupied with the earlier stages of the illness, almost like you're searching for some kind of deep mystery where there isn't any to be found. It feels more like the brain is just playing tricks on you during schizophrenia, rather than anything more profound.

I just wanted to weigh in on this and say that schizophrenia isn't some kind of mystical or spiritual awakening. A huge portion of my own psychotic episodes actually centered around religious themes; I genuinely felt like I had reached enlightenment, or maybe even like I was some kind of modern-day prophet. Looking back, I realize now that it was just a symptom of being unwell, and if I ever found myself slipping into that headspace again, I’d know exactly what was happening and how to handle it. Though, like you mentioned, if I stay consistent with my medication, the chances of that happening again are pretty slim.

To be honest, my faith didn't actually weaken after everything I went through; if anything, it feels much stronger now than it did before those psychotic episodes hit. I’ve come to look at all that intense suffering as part of God’s plan, almost like this profound, heavy experience meant to anchor my belief more deeply than ever before. There is definitely something mystical about how it all unfolded. 🙂

I currently receive $200 some social security benefits, though it isn’t strictly because of my medical condition—there are a few other factors involved, especially since my grandmother pulls in about $2,500 from her assistance. While disability status is $417, if you happen to have enough work history under your belt, you're usually much better off applying for disability retirement instead.

I have this nagging feeling that I set the bar way too high for myself, and when I inevitably fall short, it just feels like a deeper descent into failure. I find myself getting lost in these endless loops of daydreaming and overthinking, though if I’m being honest, it rarely leads to anything productive. People always say you just need to embrace reality for what it is, but man, that is proving to be much harder than it sounds in my case.

How do I just get moving again? My primary diagnosis is schizophrenia, and my current regimen includes Zyprexa along with smaller doses of Risperdal. I’m also on Effexor; my doctor recently bumped me up to 150 mg, but I haven't really felt a difference yet—maybe it just needs more time to kick in. It’s just that I am completely lacking energy. You can see it on me; it feels like my brain is running on low power mode, maybe at 20% capacity at most.
I’ve had about enough of listening to friends and coworkers criticize me or make fun of my behavior and who I am.
What’s hardest to swallow is that this has been my entire life. The only time I ever truly felt good and full of life was before the psychosis hit.
At night, I have a hard time falling asleep because I’m so restless, and all these memories from a rough childhood start flooding back, which I feel is at the root of everything.
Then in the morning, getting out of bed is a struggle; there’s this heavy depression and apathy that just leaves me lying there, lost in my own head.
The best part of the day is usually the afternoon, once I manage to actually accomplish something, like studying or just tidying up my room.
I’ve been able to handle simple tasks, though you can't really do anything in isolation—you have to be around people—and my lack of drive, confusion, and exhaustion are so obvious to everyone else.
As for college, it’s been incredibly difficult, or honestly, it’s just not happening right now.
So far, I’ve been hospitalized five times, some for depression and others for schizophrenia. The last one was...
My diagnosis is F20.4 (post-schizophrenic depression). I don't really think going back into a psychiatric ward is the answer, even though I know they’d probably welcome me back with open arms.

Larry Lewis said:It’s common knowledge that people with chronic conditions—including mental health struggles—often react to shifts in the weather. It’s just how biology works. But hey, if you aren't feeling it, then consider yourself lucky, I guess.

I haven't really noticed a connection to the weather myself either. My mood isn't a constant rollercoaster dictated by the clouds; some days are naturally better than others, but it doesn't seem to hinge on the barometer.
The real key is just staying consistent with your medication, whether you're feeling great or having one of those rougher days.

Robin Lopez2 said: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.

Yeah, you'd likely feel more upbeat, and that makes total sense because almost all antipsychotics have a depressing effect, even if the newer ones aren't quite as heavy-handed as the older generations. If you're feeling particularly low, it might actually be better to talk to your doctor about adding an antidepressant rather than just cutting out the antipsychotic altogether. Besides, when those depressive moods hit, you can just power through knowing they'll pass. After all, isn't everyone feeling a little blue every once in a while?

Robin Lopez2 said: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?

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.

coppermason38 said:I know a woman who struggles with schizophrenia—honestly, she’s incredibly draining and frustrating to be around. When you're sitting with her, she either starts laughing with these unsettling grimaces, falls into dead silence, or just rambles on about these tedious, disjointed stories that constantly loop back to Jesus. Her parents are quite odd, too—her dad was a decent guy, worked a steady job until retirement, but he was always disorganized, neglected his appearance, and had zero social life. Her mom has some cognitive issues and deals with heavy depression—she’s constantly popping pills like Xanax—but she still managed to pull through her career. Then there’s her sister, who is easily the most well-adjusted one in the family. I’ve known this woman for years, and her condition has just steadily declined; she’s 33 now. Of course, she doesn't work—whenever anything requires actual effort, she claims she's too sick, but the moment it suits her, suddenly she's perfectly fine. Back when she was younger and actually functioning socially, she was just lazy—no work ethic, no sense of responsibility, just extremely self-centered. She used to be quite pretty, too—always dressed up, wearing makeup, doing her hair—but now? She looks like she crawled out of a wreck. She just throws on whatever tacky rags she finds around the house, she's unkempt, and her dental hygiene is terrible, which is such a shame because guys used to really go for her. She has no friends left; she drove everyone away because she can't stand being around people anymore—though she used to be the exact opposite, always needing to be surrounded by crowds and meeting new people constantly. At this point, her own family can barely stand her; if they had the money, they’d happily pay to have her placed in a facility just so they wouldn't have to deal with her. She refuses her therapy because she insists she's "normal," yet conveniently becomes "sick" whenever work or responsibilities come up. Recently, a state evaluation team came to her house because her sister filed a claim for disability benefits—to prove she’s unfit for employment. They noted that while she’s physically healthy, she has absolutely no interest in anything and spends her entire day just lying in bed smoking. Sometimes she won't even acknowledge you on the street, but other times, she'll spot me in town, sit down right next to me at a cafe without being asked, and expect me to just entertain her because she feels like talking in that moment. The last time I saw her, she sat across from me and started that irritating, random smiling again, so I just completely ignored her. She even mentioned thinking about suicide, and I told her that sounded like a good idea. The worst part is if someone were to ever enable her, she’s under the delusion that she should have a child.🙂
I don't feel sorry for her because she has absolutely no desire to help herself. She won't take her medication, she won't see a psychiatrist—basically, she refuses any kind of treatment whatsoever. And then she suffers, and what can you even say about that?

The truth is, nobody can really step in and help you if you aren't willing to help yourself.
I find myself feeling so much empathy for those people who truly want to be there for someone else but just can't seem to make a difference; even the best doctors realize they can't save everyone.

Benjamin Taylor6 said:My daughter-in-law used to crush up Xanax for her husband when he was being difficult—just mixed it right into his food or drink. He never even noticed a weird taste or anything. Honestly, though, you really ought to sit down with a psychiatrist and discuss this behavior; maybe ask about getting his meds in injectable form instead. Those liquid or powder versions tend to be much more subtle and don't leave such an obvious aftertaste. http://www.mayoclinic.org

I have to say, the whole idea of crushing up pills and hiding them in someone's food sounds absolutely terrible to me. I mean, what happens if he realizes there's powder in his meal? It seems like a recipe for disaster—he’d probably lose his mind or become incredibly paranoid.
I remember hearing about patients in the hospital who were refusing to take their medication, so the nurses basically gave them an ultimatum:
"It's either the pill by mouth, or you're getting the shot in the butt. Your choice." 😉

Larry Lewis said:Glad to hear you're hanging in there. I’m doing okay myself, more or less—had my check-up today and the doc says I'm not quite out of the woods yet. 🙂We are definitely hitting the pub soon; honestly, it’s about damn time. As soon as I clear my schedule, I'll reach out. Between all these coffee dates I have lined up with various women—and frankly, I've had quite enough of them—a night out with the guys sounds like just the thing.🙂

So, that’s how it works—you're heading out for coffee with the ladies. Honestly, just go for it; don't you dare cancel on a single one of them. 🤣
I'm sure we'll all get around to making that trip eventually, so there's really no need to worry about it right now.

Larry Lewis said:Hey, you absolute lunatics—where have you all been hiding? How are those crazy heads of yours doing?🙂

Hey friend, I'm doing alright over here—just riding a bit of a hypomanic wave, I suppose. 🙂I just hope this lasts. So, when are we finally grabbing a drink? And please, don't go thinking I'm asking that rhetorically. 😉

Henry Garcia9 said:Spot on. It’s a messy situation. But maybe once they get burned, they’ll finally realize they can't just wing it without medication... though some people probably spend years living in total denial, basically just sabotaging themselves at this point.

Take me, for example. I stopped my meds once, got hit hard by the symptoms, and I haven't even thought about pulling that stunt again. Now I'm just living a normal life—thank God—totally symptom-free thanks to staying on my therapy. And honestly, I think this stability is here to stay, since I've been feeling this good for a couple of years now. 🙂

Good for you; you're setting a great example by following the right path.
I actually went through something similar myself, though back then my diagnosis was just an F-22, which isn't technically classified as true scleroderma, before I eventually got the official F-20.0 diagnosis in writing.🙂
I know a colleague of mine who's a bit older, well over 40, and he's certainly a bright guy, but he keeps stopping his medication every two or three years and ending up back in the hospital, and he's been stuck in that cycle for years.🤷

Matthew White4 said:I'm on 37.5 mg of Effexor three times a day. If I miss even a single (ONE!) dose, I literally turn into this shaking, massive, terrifying monster!

Anyway, just talk to your doctor.
I'm dying to know what happens!

So, I went ahead and called my doctor, and starting tomorrow, I'm getting back on 75 mg of Effexor after taking a break for about three and a half weeks. Honestly, I don't feel particularly depressed right now, but I figured a little boost in serotonin wouldn't hurt anything.

So, I’ve been on 75 mg of this medication, but I ended up stopping because I couldn't find it at any local pharmacy for about a week, and by then my prescription had already expired. It turns out I haven't actually taken it for three weeks now, and honestly, I don't feel much of a difference; my mood seems pretty much the same as it was before. I'm feeling a bit conflicted about whether I should just jump back on it or if I really ought to check in with my doctor first. She isn't exactly thrilled when I start tweaking my own treatment plan, so I have a feeling she won't be too happy hearing that I've been off it for three weeks. Does anyone have some advice? I am still being very consistent with the other two medications I take, Zyprexa and Risperdal.

Carl Jackson said:It seems weird to me too. If you don't account for all the stress and the circumstances surrounding the episode, and just base everything on one 10-15 minute conversation, then yeah—that diagnosis comes way too fast.
I wasn't about to let such a rushed, thoughtless diagnosis follow her around for the rest of her life, so I went to see a "distinguished" private neuropsychiatrist for a second opinion. He was in a rush. He told me he couldn't say anything until he saw her, then practically kicked me out after two minutes while still charging the full session fee... as if we’d been there for 45 minutes. Fine. So she goes in, and he repeats the exact same diagnosis. Of course, he saw the initial report, and I told him that was specifically why we were there. He prescribed some meds—I can't remember the names because I was in a complete fog from everything—but we paid about $275 for the visit. Then he suggested hospitalization. Those meds just made her sleep constantly, which honestly wasn't the worst thing. We went back to the local clinic where the first doctor was, and it was the same old story: more meds, more talk about hospitalization, end of story. It makes me wonder how they handle young people facing these issues for the first time if this is their approach... how do they even deal with them in a hospital setting? We didn't go through with it. I was leaning toward it at certain points, but my dad definitely said no, so she wasn't hospitalized. The worst part was the weight gain from the medication; eventually, she just decided on her own—I'm not sure when exactly—to stop taking them. My dad supported her stopping, but I didn't. But what am I supposed to do with a 26-year-old adult? I can't tie her down and force-feed her pills. I can't achieve anything without her cooperation. Mostly, things just settled down and we stopped talking about it, especially not in front of her, but I'm still constantly anxious. She's still depressed, almost non-stop, angry, and we have to walk on eggshells around her...

What should I do? Is there any way to approach people this sensitive? Can anyone with experience tell me what the actual symptoms of living with schizophrenia are? I read here on the forum that it mostly hits young people around age 18; is that true?

From what I can see, the hurdle here is that she doesn't want to be hospitalized, but it might be (or even likely is) necessary. When you're in a facility for a month or two under 24-hour medical supervision, it's much easier to find the right treatment plan than it is after a single 45-minute talk. People are often hospitalized for much milder issues than schizophrenia.
Secondly, regarding the diagnosis itself, it doesn't mean much to me personally. It changes constantly; in my five years of psychiatric treatment, I think I've had about ten different diagnoses. My latest is F20.0, but after my last hospital stay, it was F20.4 (postschizophrenic depression). One doctor I see for psychotherapy told me my condition looks more like bipolar disorder, while my primary doctor insists it's probably schizoaffective disorder because of my frequent mood swings. Yet, the diagnosis remains F20.0. So, the label itself isn't the most important thing to me; it's more about the medications I take.
Maybe try talking to your sister again about agreeing to hospitalization—try explaining that it isn't a prison, it's a hospital, and that she will actually feel better.
You can develop schizophrenia at any time, though it most commonly manifests around age 18.

electricharbor30 said:I was just wondering, is there any actual chance for a younger family member to get some kind of disability benefits, or like, any sort of government assistance in any form, seeing as they aren't able to work and the diagnosis is F20?

I actually have a friend who deals with psychosis and is unable to work, and since she doesn't have a formal employment history, she receives disability payments from the state$417.

Larry Lewis said:Group therapy isn't some inherent disaster—honestly, I go myself, and I find the whole experience perfectly acceptable. It’s easy to get caught up in the cynicism surrounding it—the idea that sitting in a circle with strangers is somehow performative or useless—but my own experience suggests otherwise. It can be quite grounding, provided you find the right group, though finding a therapist who actually listens instead of just checking boxes is a bit like hunting for a decent cup of coffee in a city full of burnt espresso chains. Anyway, I’m fine with it.

Most days—most of the time, actually—I’m functioning just fine. I’m holding it together, moving through the motions without much fuss, and life feels relatively stable. But then, out of nowhere—like a sudden thunderstorm hitting the Midwest when you least expect it—this crushing depression just slams into me. Everything falls apart. Suddenly, I can't stand the sight of anyone, and dealing with that mental collapse is an absolute gauntlet to run. It’s exhausting. The one silver lining—if you can even call it that—is that I usually bounce back pretty quickly. For instance, yesterday was a total wreck, a complete downward spiral, yet here I am today feeling perfectly fine. It sounds contradictory, I know, but that's the reality of it. However, this leaves me staring down a rather daunting dilemma: how on earth am I supposed to commit to anything serious or build a career when I feel like I could spontaneously disintegrate at any given moment? It’s a constant, nagging anxiety—the fear that my own stability is just an illusion waiting to shatter.

I’m still dealing with this mild OCD—it doesn’t really get in my way most of the time, I suppose—but those sudden, sharp spikes? Those are the ones that truly terrify me. It’s pure horror, honestly. In those moments, when the anxiety just hits a fever pitch, no amount of prescription pills can touch it. They’re useless against that specific kind of dread.

Life has thrown some serious curveballs my way lately—honestly, it feels like I’ve been stuck in a bit of a downward spiral for quite some time now—but there really isn't any other option but to keep pushing forward... regardless of how much everything might just blow up in my face.

Thanks for the input, driftinggull21—really appreciate you taking the time to weigh in.

It really frustrates me how doctors and hospital staff tend to downplay things, acting like schizophrenia isn't that big of a deal—or that any mental health struggle isn't. They essentially try to sugarcoat it for us, but once you step back out into the real world and leave the hospital behind, you realize how overwhelming it really is and how much of a struggle it can be. The medication makes me feel a bit slowed down, and I catch myself daydreaming quite often, which people definitely notice... I'm speaking from experience regarding how this affects my job.
And don't even get me started on the idea of trying to maintain a relationship with someone who doesn't have these struggles.
My advice to you, Larry Lewis, is to try and stay active with some kind of work. I deal with mood swings too, but I've managed to hold down the same job for over three months now. It's nothing fancy—just feeding metal sheets into a machine and catching them as they come out—but I actually find happiness in it.
Hang in there, 😉

Karen Garcia4 said:Thanks, Larry Lewis.

We both know luck played a massive role in my situation. I was the textbook definition of a massive ego. I was mixing meds, drugs, and alcohol, all while insisting I wasn't actually sick—just living a "wild lifestyle." Truth is, I was just ashamed of my condition. Now? Everyone knows. My employees, the people who hired me, my friends, family, neighbors... they all know. Even strangers seem to pick up on it; I can see it in their eyes when we meet. You just can't stop that kind of gossip once it starts. I can't really blame people for repeating what I did during my worst psychotic breaks, because if I were in their shoes... well, I’d be doing the exact same thing. But I'm not that person anymore. Today, I finally understand how much a single word can wound someone. I am a completely different human being than I used to be. I've changed everything, but the biggest transformation happened within my own ego.

From what I can gather, Outoftheblue got banned for having multiple accounts. If you look through the thread, you can see a few of her posts under other banned handles too. It's a shame, honestly, because everyone should be grateful to her for starting this discussion. I learned so much from reading her posts and the others... such a waste.

Stay safe and healthy out there...

It's actually surprising to me that you're managing so well on 25 mg of Seroquel daily.
To give you a quick rundown of where I'm at...
My psychosis kicked off exactly three years ago. I ended up in a psychiatric ward for six weeks, and my discharge plan was 10 mg of Zyprexa at night. I stopped taking that Zyprexa almost immediately, and within two weeks, the sneaky lady CIA returned in her true form. That led to a six-month stay in the hospital, eventually being discharged on 50 mg of Risperdal Consta and 100 mg of Seroquel per day. Now, after two and a half years, I can finally say I feel steady again, as if I never even had to struggle with medication in the first place. I'm currently on 25 mg of Risperdal and 5 mg of Zyprexa at night.

As for Outoftheblue, I actually spoke with her briefly here about two months ago under a different username, so she still pops in every now and then.

Larry Lewis said:I was at a party last night—just trying to unwind, minding my own business—and I had these total strangers approaching me, telling me they knew I wasn't "crazy" and making all these comments about my spikes... people I have literally never met in my entire life. Look, I get it—I really do—and I suppose I should be flattered that they were trying to offer some sort of encouragement, but it’s incredibly grating when it feels like my medical history is public knowledge. It turns out word travels fast, even in a crowded room.🙂I still haven't quite wrapped my head around the fact that people look at me and immediately see a diagnosis rather than a person. It’s exhausting, honestly—it’s one thing to deal with the reality of having schizophrenia, but another thing entirely to have it served to you on a silver platter by someone you just met. Just let me enjoy the party without turning my mental health into the main topic of conversation, for heaven's sake.🙂

I know exactly how you feel, and honestly, if I were in your shoes, I’d try leaning into a bit of self-deprecating humor regarding my own health struggles. There's something about showing people that you can take your situation in stride and actually make a joke out of it that completely shifts the dynamic; once they see you're relaxed and not letting it weigh you down, the way they perceive you changes entirely. They’ll start to realize that living with schizophrenia isn't this looming, heavy tragedy, which usually takes the pressure off everyone because they won't feel that constant, awkward need to step in and try to cheer you up. I know, it all feels a little uncomfortable and strange to think about at first, though.

granitefalcon26 said:Look at it as an advantage! You can tell a girl, "Hey, if you don't go out with me, I might actually lose my mind."😂 🤣

I was thinking that this might actually work, too. 🤷

I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately about how we approach our daily routines and whether we’re actually getting anything done or just staying busy for the sake of feeling productive. It feels like there’s this constant pressure to be "on" all the time, isn't there? I often find myself caught in that loop where I’m checking off small, insignificant tasks just to feel a sense of accomplishment, while the big, looming projects sit there staring me down from across the room. I suppose I’m a bit too easy on myself sometimes, which probably doesn't help with the actual progress, but I try to maintain a certain level of peace about it. I’d love to hear if anyone else struggles with that specific kind of restless procrastination, or if I’m just uniquely gifted at making simple things feel much more complicated than they need to be. kaže:
Hey everyone, I’ve been doing quite a bit of digging into this condition lately—my grandmother is actually dealing with it—and I’ve come to realize that despite all the hallucinations and irrational thoughts, people living with it truly believe these things are real. They aren't just imagining them; they genuinely feel like they are happening or even that they are someone else entirely. So, I was wondering, if a psychiatrist were to develop schizophrenia themselves, would they be fully convinced by those hallucinations, or do you think their medical training would allow them to recognize those distorted ideas for what they really are?

I've been wondering about something lately—is it actually possible for someone to feel like they're being watched or that there are cameras everywhere, yet still maintain enough clarity to realize these thoughts are just symptoms of schizophrenia? I mean, would a person be able to step back and recognize that their own mind is playing tricks on them, or is the whole point of the condition that you lose that ability to see things objectively? It feels like if you're experiencing those delusions, you'd naturally be unable to question them, which would mean someone else would have to be the one to notice something is off and suggest what might actually be happening. ☕

Hey there, you old rascal. 🙂
I can't speak for everyone else, but I certainly know my own mind. Back when I was going through a psychotic episode, I could feel things slipping, but I felt completely powerless to stop it. The only thing I really knew was that I had to get myself to a psychiatric ward immediately. Even though I’ve spent quite a bit of time learning about this illness, I couldn't just ignore the symptoms or try to live my life alongside them. It’s the same situation now if I were to suddenly stop taking my medication; I would recognize the warning signs instantly, yet I'd find myself standing there, unable to do anything to fix it.
Every time I head in for a checkup, my doctor asks me the same thing: "So, how are we doing with the positive symptoms?" She’s talking about things like hallucinations, racing thoughts, or those moments when paranoia starts creeping in. And honestly, I just give her the straight truth.
I honestly like to think I have a decent intuition when it comes to spotting the early warning signs of an illness if they start to surface.
So, it's technically possible to identify the illness, but I can't help but feel like that doesn't actually give us much to work with if there aren't any effective treatments available to help someone actually get back on their feet.

But you know, there is this one individual—at least, he's the only one I can think of, though there might be others out there—who managed to go most of his life without relying on medication despite battling such a severe illness: John Nash, the Nobel laureate.
I was watching that documentary *God Doesn't Look 100% Normal*, and while the portrayal isn't exactly perfect, there’s something really impressive about how they manage to function without any medication, and I honestly find myself admiring that kind of strength.