Posts by Noah Garcia4

William Evans10 said:She is truly ill; her first psychiatric treatment dates back to 1989. The initial diagnosis was paranoid schizophrenia. After about a year, around 1990, it was changed to schizoaffective disorder, which remained her diagnosis until roughly six months ago, when her psychiatrist adjusted it to residual schizophrenia. Her condition took a sharp downturn about a year ago when her cycles stopped—that is, when she entered menopause. She is quiet, withdrawn, almost vacant; she doesn't really look after herself or maintain hygiene, and honestly, she doesn't seem fully aware of how serious her illness is. She doesn't cry, and she can't even laugh. I recently tried teaching her how to smile; I would give anything just to see her smile once, but she simply doesn't know how. It is hard for outsiders to grasp, but she is very sick. It is heartbreaking because I remember her being such a different person, but sadly, that person is gone. I can't even reach her anymore, despite my best efforts. I try to engage her by recounting beautiful memories from the past, but she listens and then it's as if they vanish instantly from her mind, or she just offers a hollow "uh-huh," or says she can't remember. We aren't expecting much improvement; we just hope things don't get worse. Following her hospital stay, we were advised to contact Social Services to arrange for a legal guardian, either one of us or someone appointed by the state.

How is anyone supposed to experience genuine laughter or tears while they're navigating that cocktail of psychiatric meds? It’s a Catch-22: if you're too high, you end up on an antipsychotic, but if you're too low or completely numb, they throw an antidepressant at you. How can anyone actually track which specific medication is responsible for their emotional baseline being totally wiped out? It makes zero sense. 😕🤷☕

Larry Lewis said:I remember this one time—I was right in the thick of a massive psychotic break—and I actually called an Uber to take me to a psychiatric ward in Portland... except, here's the kicker, I wasn't even out of the house; I was just sitting there alone while my family was away on vacation at the coast. I had turned off my phone because I was absolutely convinced the feds were tapping my line—just one symptom after another—until it finally clicked that I needed professional help. And I didn't want to leave the house to go out and pick a fight with someone or cause a scene; I just knew I needed to be admitted.🙂

🙏 🙏 🤣

Larry Lewis said:It improves things with the people who have always truly cared about you. As for those who only know you on a surface level—the ones who see the diagnosis and immediately label you as "unstable"—well, they’re always going to look at you through that lens regardless.

A friend of mine tried to offer me a job recently—along with this group of his buddies I know—and they all turned him down right in front of my face. But get this: when I mentioned I was heading in for a vocational assessment, those exact same people were suddenly telling me *not* to go. It was surreal.

And, of course, it goes without saying that neither then nor now have I given any of them a second glance. Not worth the energy.

EDIT: Their usual line was always "don't bother asking me for a job" because, in their minds, no one with schizophrenia can hold down a position. Yet, once they heard about the official work capacity evaluation, they pivoted to claiming I was just "giving up." Typical.

I suppose I should acknowledge that other people's feelings actually play a role in this entire mess. You hit the nail on the head there—it really is just one of those things where everything connects in ways we often overlook.

Eric Mitchell55 said:Well, let's see... just this past year, back at the start of it, I felt like I was being targeted by aliens. It sounds wild, but people were following me everywhere—literally all over town. I ended up refusing to leave my room because I had pulled the curtains shut, trying to hide from everyone watching me. I was convinced my own family was tampering with my food and water, which led to some pretty bad dehydration, but I wouldn't let them take me to the hospital. I wouldn't even touch my laptop because it felt too dangerous, and I was terrified that if the TV was on, I’d catch some kind of secret message through the screen, so I kept it turned off and covered with a sheet just to be safe.
In the end, I wound up in a psych ward on a locked unit, blah, blah, blah.

I honestly feel so incredibly alone right now. It feels like nobody understands what I'm going through, and no one seems to have any answers. I'm just stuck.

But look, if you’ve already processed all of this, then the next time it starts creeping in, you’ll actually recognize the patterns and realize it isn't reality—unless, of course, something entirely new pops up. And maybe it won't.🙂
I suspect that once you fully accept that you weren't actually dispatched to Earth by extraterrestrials, the cycle will stop repeating itself; however, as long as that tiny doubt lingers—that "maybe I'm just fantasizing, or maybe it's actually happening"—it’s incredibly easy to fall right back into it.

So, you have to be smart about it when everyone else is busy debating whether aliens are real, pointing to grainy footage, or claiming they're kidnapping people...

In the end, you’re going to have to manage this on your own without some magic wand or a quick fix from medication.

(And for the record, I'm calling out anyone who thinks someone dealing with psychosis can't maintain self-control. ) ☕

David Vaughn75 said:Look, let's be real for a second—most people aren't actually out there grinding to build a life they actually enjoy. They aren't working on their own quality of life at all. Instead, they’re just performing this endless, exhausting act to meet whatever expectations the people around them throw their way. It’s like they’ve completely checked out of their own lives just to play the part everyone else expects them to play. They end up totally neglecting their own needs and gut feelings just to chase some hollow version of happiness for other people. Honestly, it's kind of depressing to watch.

And then they actually start hitting the booze and smoking weed thinking it’s some kind of magic cure for all their problems—as if a bottle of Jack or a joint is gonna fix a broken life. ☕

From where I'm sitting, it feels like you eventually have to pivot your focus inward, otherwise you're just going to spend your whole life running headfirst into a brick wall. And honestly, prioritizing yourself doesn't mean shutting others out—if anything, it usually makes your relationships much healthier.

David Vaughn75 said:Look, let's be real for a second—most people aren't actually out there grinding to build a life they actually enjoy. They aren't working on their own quality of life at all. Instead, they’re just performing this endless, exhausting act to meet whatever expectations the people around them throw their way. It’s like they’ve completely checked out of their own lives just to play the part everyone else expects them to play. They end up totally neglecting their own needs and gut feelings just to chase some hollow version of happiness for other people. Honestly, it's kind of depressing to watch.

And then they actually start hitting the booze and smoking weed thinking it’s some kind of magic cure for all their problems—as if a bottle of Jack or a joint is gonna fix a broken life. ☕

Thank God I haven't had to deal with that particular brand of coping mechanism myself. ☕

I’ve found myself revisiting the New Testament and Revelation quite a few times lately, along with plenty of the Old Testament as well. While I have nothing but respect for the texts, I just can't bring myself to take them literally; there is such a massive chronological gulf between those eras and our modern reality that the lifestyle gap is simply too wide to bridge. I did tune into a Sunday Mass on TV this past weekend, though, and actually found it quite enjoyable.
It feels like trying to apply ancient logic to a completely different world—it's just incomprehensible when you look at it that way.

Schizophrenic madness. 😵🙂😵☕

David Vaughn75 said:Oh, come on, it's not like we're all gonna pack our bags and run away just because we don't like what's for dinner. I was talking about the heavy-duty, life-altering stuff. Like, say, a husband getting violent with his wife. Instead of just getting out of there, she sits around thinking she can somehow fix him 🙄 Or imagine having a boss at work who treats you like absolute property. Seriously, there isn't enough money in the world to buy back your peace of mind.

You wrote this: The most important thing for any person struggling with mental health, regardless of their diagnosis, is to focus on improving their quality of life. If you don't have a job, find one; if you don't have a partner, find one; if people are mistreating you at home or at work, walk away.

I’m not entirely sure what you intended to convey, though I know exactly what you typed.
Were you perhaps trying to suggest that someone dealing with mental health issues should prioritize their quality of life just as much as anyone else would?

This specific part:If you don't have a job, find one; if you don't have a partner, find one; if people are mistreating you at home or at work, walk away. is nothing more than common sense.

Which of those actual challenges have you actually navigated?

And is that really how life works—in such stark black and white terms? You don't have a job, so you find one; you don't have a partner, so you find one. You've simplified the complexities of existence to the point where it sounds like saying, "if you run out of milk, just drive to the grocery store and buy some."

Regarding this part: For instance, a husband being abusive toward his wife. That probably applies to me. 🙄

As for this part: Or perhaps a boss at work treats you like property. That's a massive oversimplification; technically, you're an employee, not a slave, since slaves weren't getting a paycheck.
Then again, if you expect your manager to be kind and respectful to you, you generally have to offer that same courtesy in return, don't you? ☕

David Vaughn75 said:Look, at the end of the day, the most important thing for anyone dealing with mental health issues—regardless of whatever label the doctors slap on you—is working on the actual quality of your life. If you don't have a job, go find one. If you're single, look for a partner. If people at home or at work are treating you like garbage, get away from them. Period.

I know, I know—it's way easier said than done, and let's face it, we're never going to get our lives perfectly sorted out, but if we just sit around on our butts waiting for things to magically fix themselves, they aren't going to.

You have to accept that sometimes the necessary change actually has to happen within yourself.
I'm specifically looking at the situation at home, for instance. Those people essentially make up your entire world. There's the option to just go off on your own, or perhaps finding some sort of middle ground through compromise.

Eric Mitchell55 said:Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all the support and the advice you guys shared. It means a lot. 🙂
Regarding group therapy, my psychiatrist mentioned getting me into a session for young adults dealing with psychotic issues sometime this fall. I’m hoping it’ll provide some much-needed help 🙂
My friends and my boyfriend are all in the loop about what I’m going through, so they've been a huge help and are always there for me.

Blueberry, how long have you been in remission?

I’ve never gone longer—it’s been two and a half years now 😲. Of course, that doesn't mean it was smooth sailing; I managed to dance right on the edge of a relapse twice during that stretch. About eighteen months ago, things got incredibly shaky when I was tapering off lithium, and last summer hit me pretty hard after my uncle passed away, though I managed to pull through both times. I'm putting a lot of faith in this streak staying permanent, mostly because, for once, I actually feel comfortable in my own skin.☕

Larry Lewis said:Thanks, Blueberry, that truly means a lot to me.😘

This feels sweet, Blueberry, almost like the good old days 😘 🙂 ☕

Just focus on staying steady yourself; that’s what will help our sisterhood the most.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:I have had—unfortunately, if I am being honest with myself—the opportunity to participate in group therapy sessions, though constraints regarding space, time, and, let's face it, money, meant I was often grouped with severely psychotic patients.
We were talking about so-called short-term group psychotherapy. It is such a neglected form of treatment; I haven't heard of anyone practicing it since, nor do I know if anyone even still does.
Over time, I realized that the facilitators of these therapies treat different patients in entirely different ways—they employ distinct approaches that yield vastly different results. Does that make sense?
Initially, based on a patient's history and medical background, the therapist would assess the stability of their Ego. With patients whose Egos were, shall we say, completely overwhelmed by psychotic experiences (think severe cases of schizophrenia or those "neglected chronic" types...), a very specific approach was taken. The goal wasn't necessarily for the patient to fully grasp their condition, but rather to help them adjust their orientation from their internal world toward the external world.
This particular style of therapy demanded an immense amount of effort and total commitment from the doctors—from the psychotherapists, specifically.
Then, there was also this focused method of short-term group therapy designed for less severely ill individuals—or perhaps more accurately, those who are partially ill and approaching recovery with much more ambition.
In those cases, the work was more educational in nature.
It could essentially be broken down into three parts.
1. Helping the patient accept assistance from another person within the group.
2. Providing them with some way to understand their own "maladaptive" behaviors.
3. Pointing out potential provocations or dangerous situations related to the illness, such as a regression or a relapse.
If the group can help a patient recognize these triggers and find a way to avoid them, then that therapy is a success. Is that not the ultimate goal?
There is so much more to say—I could write pages upon pages—but I have noticed that this type of therapy is incredibly effective, yet it remains completely forgotten and overlooked.
Generally speaking, group therapy works, provided one attends regularly and the sessions are conducted properly.🙂

That’s essentially how I experienced it personally. Back when I was in a darker headspace, if anyone pointed out that I was reacting poorly or overreacting, my immediate instinct was to get defensive and upset.
Nowadays, if someone gently suggests, "Hey, that might not be what they meant," or "Hold on a second," I can actually take it. I’ve learned to accept constructive criticism without letting it hit me where it hurts, and then I just move on.

Larry Lewis said:Dear Alexis, please don't be afraid. Most of us have walked this path—it's just that you were hit by it while you were still a child, and that makes the weight so much heavier to carry.
If things are truly as bleak as you say, then yes, there is a long road ahead—but it's an uphill climb toward recovery, so fight it any way you see fit, or at the very least, just don't let the darkness swallow you whole.
Believe me, I feel that fear too, and plenty of other people do as well; you aren't alone in this.

In fact, I just found out today that my sister is back in the hospital after being in remission for a long time—my heart is just aching, and I'm praying to God that it doesn't spiral into schizophrenia. My parents won't tell me anything because they don't want to upset me, and so it goes... you really aren't the only one.

Honestly, everything I wanted to say was just this: I know what you're going through, and I truly empathize with you, if that means anything at all.

I feel for you too, Larry. 😢 I really hope this is just a minor setback and that everything turns out okay. 🙂

Eric Mitchell55 said:I’m still having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that I'll be on medication for the rest of my life. It’s heavy, knowing I’ll be managing this condition indefinitely, just constantly hoping to stay in remission for as long as possible. Looking back at the stretch between age 14 and 19, I went through six episodes—which works out to a little over one episode per year on average.
Lately, I feel so disconnected from myself. I struggle to trust people, I find it hard to believe what I see right in front of me, and I definitely don't trust what I hear. Everything just feels... surreal, like nothing is quite real.
To be honest, I’m scared of what life has in store.

You really need to find someone who can walk through this with you—someone to help anchor your perception of reality so you can actually believe what you see, hear, and think again. You need a person who understands you and will champion your healthy side until the illness stops taking over. A psychiatrist might not be the perfect fit depending on the situation, but if there isn't anyone else available, they could be a decent place to start.👍

Eric Gray2 said:I really hope I don't step on anyone's toes by saying this, but... honestly? This was an excellent post. 🙏 🙏

That's good to hear 🙂 😁

Sean Smith39 said:I know my way around the internet, but I just wanted someone living with schizophrenia to tell me what it’s actually like—how it feels. And please, don't talk down to me. Just because I have "Canada" in my username doesn't mean I'm automatically Canadian, though even if I were, I still get what this is all about—at least as much as a sane person can. 😉 .

I'm sorry if I upset you🙂.

Sean Smith39 said:Alright, my bad if I rubbed you the wrong way 🙂.

I’ll step in here, if I may :hand raise: 🙂🎉

The reality is that people aren't monoliths. People living with schizophrenia are individuals, which means they all carry their own unique versions of it.

The road to a diagnosis can look like anything; it might start with insomnia, a bout of depression, panic attacks, anxiety, general maladjustment, social isolation, or sudden behavioral shifts—you name it.

Once it becomes undeniable that a person's thoughts, speech, or actions have drifted away from shared reality, they eventually land in a psychiatrist's office, where they'll likely receive an initial diagnosis of psychosis. From there, the specific label you get depends entirely on which doctor you happen to see.

The real issue we're grappling with here 😍 is the aftermath of being labeled "psychotic." Generally, the prescription is medication. A lucky few find the right meds on the first try. In some cases, if you hit a year of remission, doctors might taper you off (that was my experience), but if the symptoms resurface after that, you're often marked as a chronic case, tethered to medication for life.😍

And once you're on those antipsychotics, good luck figuring out what they actually do to your system. Almost all of them trigger depression. So, you get the antipsychotic, then you need an antidepressant just to level things out. But again, like I said, a person with schizophrenia is still a human being. And if you've been hospitalized a few times—which, let's be honest, most of us have been through the wringer—it means
you have to accept that you are ill.
You have to maintain the discipline to take your meds and endure the side effects, though after a while, it gets blurry whether you're feeling a side effect or a symptom itself.
You have to navigate being around people who look at you like you're some kind of freak, yet you're expected to remain perfectly polite.
On top of all that, you're supposed to hold down a job, socialize, raise a family, and maintain friendships—basically doing everything "normal" people do, which is its own kind of absurdity.
Why? Because "normal" people can afford to be eccentric; they can claim their quirks give them character.
But for someone dealing with psychosis, a little bit of eccentricity is often seen as a total break from reality.

To put this in perspective for you, since you're asking, 😍: imagine walking into a hospital, getting heavily sedated, and then a few days later, you're walking around, talking, and hanging out with other patients before being discharged. You go home, and everyone expects you to suddenly be "fine." In reality, what they're thinking is that you're "crazy," and that's a label 99% of the people around you will cling to forever.

As for living in remission—when the symptoms subside—it’s exhausting. To put it bluntly, regular people are allowed to lose their minds occasionally, but a person with schizophrenia isn't given that luxury.

So there it is. Feel free to ask more.
Did you want me to back this up with medical data from Google, or were you specifically looking for this kind of subjective perspective? ☕
off topic : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqRW5...&feature=share 👍

Lawrence Hill6 said:First off—someone struggling with schizophrenia is fully aware of what they’re doing. They act, but the people around them just don't see it. Then, being shut out by society pushes them toward an edge—they feel this desperate need to prove they can be the "bad guy," even though they've spent their whole lives fighting not to go there. Meanwhile, the government has endless money for nonsense I won't even bother listing... we really need a New York Times or a Wall Street Journal to actually cover this;;;;;
Sorry if this comes off aggressive—not trying to hurt anyone's feelings, just looking at the facts...

Of course I'm aware, but your theory about schizophrenics attempting to test reality—only to have things end badly—is a bit of a stretch, though I follow your train of thought...

Larry Lewis said:The whole species, I suppose.🤷

I'm fairly certain we're talking about the human race in general here.

Larry Lewis said:Only you truly know your own mind, and believe me, nobody is ever going to fully understand you—unless, if you're incredibly lucky, someone manages to love you regardless.

As for the forum and the "brainwashed" crowd, I'll tell you this: just like everywhere else on the internet, everyone here is just looking for something to consume.

Are you suggesting that schizophrenics are specifically difficult to comprehend, or are you making a broader, more cynical observation about the human race in general?

ruggedtinker9 said:There is no such thing as a cure for schizophrenia. I might believe these professionals when they actually manage to heal someone, rather than merely masking the symptoms with medication.

http://youtu.be/o1AEbuRR4jw

p.s. I don't personally consider myself to have ever been ill, nor do I believe I possess some sort of disease. I simply possessed a different perception of reality. Since I am the only one who truly knows what I experienced, no one else can claim to understand. I have no desire to engage with this topic or this forum anymore, as it seems most people here have been completely brainwashed.

And next they'll probably try to convince us that people living with schizophrenia have needs and desires just like anyone else. 😬
It seems like you're trying to get a conversation started, but the prompt cut off right at the beginning. If you were about to dive into a topic or share a thought, feel free to lay it out—I'm ready when you are. quote It’s funny how we tend to cling to the idea of "normal" as if it were some kind of universal constant, a steady baseline that everyone else is somehow successfully hitting while we’re all just stumbling around in the dark. We treat it like a destination or a standard of behavior that exists somewhere out there in the ether, waiting to be achieved through enough discipline or social conformity. In reality, what most people call normal is usually just a collection of shared anxieties and a mutual agreement to pretend that the chaos underneath everything isn't actually happening. It’s less of a fixed point and more of a moving target, shifting every time a new trend hits or a new societal expectation takes root. If you spend too much time trying to calibrate your life to meet that imaginary middle ground, you eventually realize you're just chasing a ghost that doesn't actually exist. 😍"Who am I?" (Quotes)
Sure, they’ll lock you up and throw a handful of pills at you, but don't expect any actual relief from that. That's where the "help" hits a dead end. Wow, he actually goes around believing that we’re all just fundamentally normal deep down? Please, give me a break. 🙂

So, this psychiatrist is actually trying to suggest that a tangible, physical issue could be the trigger for psychosis. No way. I mean, come on. We’re really going to act like psychosis isn't some profound, unexplainable mystery that just descends from the ether? It’s almost funny how they try to apply logic to something that clearly defies it. 🙄

ruggedtinker9 said:There is no such thing as a cure for schizophrenia. I might believe these professionals when they actually manage to heal someone, rather than merely masking the symptoms with medication.

http://youtu.be/o1AEbuRR4jw

p.s. I don't personally consider myself to have ever been ill, nor do I believe I possess some sort of disease. I simply possessed a different perception of reality. Since I am the only one who truly knows what I experienced, no one else can claim to understand. I have no desire to engage with this topic or this forum anymore, as it seems most people here have been completely brainwashed.

Look, you might not be dealing with a full-blown illness, but there’s clearly an underlying issue at play here. If there’s a glitch in the system, you can't just ignore it and hope it goes away; you actually have to step up and fix it.
Are you actually sane, though? I honestly can't tell.

If I may be so bold, most of the discussions here seem to spiral endlessly into a loop of shouting matches, pure aggression, and general madness, yet it feels like the vast majority of people actually participating have already moved past that stage of development.

ruggedtinker9 said:There is no such thing as a cure for schizophrenia. I might believe these professionals when they actually manage to heal someone, rather than merely masking the symptoms with medication.

http://youtu.be/o1AEbuRR4jw

p.s. I don't personally consider myself to have ever been ill, nor do I believe I possess some sort of disease. I simply possessed a different perception of reality. Since I am the only one who truly knows what I experienced, no one else can claim to understand. I have no desire to engage with this topic or this forum anymore, as it seems most people here have been completely brainwashed.

What kind of brainwashing are we talking about here? This topic is a massive, sprawling mess that covers everything under the sun. If someone is driven to the point of wanting to end their life, do you honestly think an antidepressant is going to act as some sort of magic cure? Of course not. But does switching from an SSRI to an SNRI fundamentally alter your very personality and how you perceive reality? Absolutely.
From the perspective of someone who believes that if you actually turned Jesus into a mobile app, you’d end up creating an atheist.😲😲)
If you’re lying there staring at the ceiling because sleep refuses to show up, is popping a sleeping pill the move? Sure, if you want. But let’s be honest—is the insomnia actually the issue, or is it just a symptom of some deeper, underlying mess that a little white pill isn't designed to fix? Probably the latter. And if things have spiraled to the point where you feel like you're losing your grip on reality, is reaching for an anti-anxiety med really the ultimate solution? Maybe. Did it actually solve the root cause of the chaos? Not exactly. Is there a better way to handle it right now? Honestly, I haven't found one yet.
Are we talking about those heavy-duty medications that essentially trade your long-term organ health and cognitive function for immediate relief? Sure, they can be. But isn't the whole point of navigating life just trying to help yourself as best you can and finding a way to live a decent existence within the hand you've been dealt? Absolutely.
Do people stop taking their medication because the side effects feel too heavy or just plain unbearable? Absolutely.
Do some people take their meds religiously and feel fantastic? Sure. Is chemical imbalance the absolute, one-size-fits-all explanation for everything? Not quite. Is every single ailment rooted in a chemical imbalance? You could argue yes... and so on and so forth.

Some folks embrace their pills and live wonderful lives alongside them. Others find themselves questioning whether the treatment is actually doing anything at all. Some deal with constant side effects, while others don't feel a thing.
As for this whole discussion on the forum, I’ve been dragged through the mud from every angle—people attacking the topic, the way it was phrased, and honestly, who knows what else is coming next😍. Sure, I got one compliment along the way. And then there’s the mountain of comments telling me to "go smoke a joint" or acting like it's some big joke; they're lunatics. Look, I’m plenty crazy myself whenever I’ve had a drink or smoked up, haha. 🙄

And yeah, I remember seeing this one doctor on a major network news program about ten years ago. (Do I really need to name the physician, the show, the host, and the exact airtime?) She basically claimed that people with schizophrenia would never organize a protest or even bother to rebel. (As if they aren't just regular people...)
There. Do your best to make a human being out of someone. 😍☕

David Vaughn75 said:Oh, please, recovery...
As long as we can actually get through our daily grind without falling apart, that's what matters

Anyway, I’m heading out to the coast for this long weekend 👋

Enjoy yourselves 👋

Yeah, yeah, blah blah blah—we're all patients here, we actually know what we're talking about, you aren't the only one in the waiting room.🙄 🥳

Go catch a fish or something. 😉 ☕