Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Donna Newman82 said:The old order from the psychic finally arrived on October 14th. I won't get into the specifics of how that went down. My dad is really struggling with it; honestly, it seems to be weighing heavily on him. I think the hardest part for him is feeling like his mother views him as the enemy, even if there’s some logic behind her attitude. He gets incredibly frustrated when she just won't listen to him. She’s still living in her own world—walking barefoot through the grass, throwing spoons into the yard because she got annoyed, tossing the blood pressure monitor in the trash... you never know what else she might do. Sometimes it makes me sad, sometimes it scares me, and occasionally, it’s actually just plain funny. She makes these incredibly cunning statements, almost acting as if the doctors haven't figured anything out yet. I've noticed she tends to slip into certain "roles" sometimes. Is it typical with schizophrenia for someone to feel like they can't move their arm, or believe they can't speak? That happens to her occasionally. Her recent interests are pretty wild, too; she's obsessed with local urban legends, spends all her time studying atlases, and goes on about things like the harp, frequencies, and whatnot. I suspect it’s just everything she’s ever read or heard bubbling up to the surface of her conscious mind all at once. Does that sound right? Oh, and the most fascinating part: the other day, she wrote something in Arabic. Just three letters that were supposedly someone's name. It's surreal, especially since she doesn't have any affinity for the Middle East or their alphabet. I don't know how to explain it, nezz, but it's as baffling as watching someone suddenly start speaking a language they've never studied.

Get him to the ER.

Waiting until mid-October is just too risky...
To put it simply—every psychotic episode takes a toll on the brain. The longer someone stays in psychosis, the longer the recovery process becomes.
If it turns out it isn't psychosis, then great. But if it is, getting help sooner is always better.

I think what hurts him most is feeling like his mother sees him as an enemy, even if she has her reasons.

What kind of reasons?

Actually, the strangest part was when she wrote something in Arabic one day... just three letters that were supposedly someone's name...

How can you be sure they aren't just random scribbles?

I honestly have no idea how they haven't already admitted her to the hospital—it’s a complete mystery to me, really😕

We’re calling 911 right now because she’s completely lost it. Paramedics and the police are on their way... honestly, I'm shaking like a leaf.

She... honestly, it’s like she was possessed by some kind of demon...

Donna Newman82, I know this is incredibly stressful, but honestly, this was the right call for both her and you. The doctors are going to take care of things. They’ll run the necessary tests to see if there are any neurological factors involved, figure out exactly what’s happening, and get a treatment plan in place.

Here is likely how things will play out:
She'll be hospitalized, because there's just no way to manage a situation like this on an outpatient basis. They’ll probably stabilize her with medication first, so you might not be able to see her for a day or two depending on how things go. Don't let that scare you; it's standard procedure. They use higher doses during hospitalization to get people back to a functional state as quickly as possible. And don't take it personally if she lashes out or blames you for being there once they let you in...
Just listen to the medical team and try—if you can, though I know it's hard—not to hunt for someone to blame. There isn't anyone. This wasn't something that could have been avoided. That's just life sometimes. Shit happens, and this truly isn't the worst-case scenario.

Honestly, I can still see her face so clearly in my mind... it was haunting. She was a completely different person. That look in her eyes—it was pure aggression, just raw and feral. Between the cursing, the sheer audacity, the paranoia, and that heavy, tragic tension in the air, it was intense. But looking back at that awful situation, I actually had to stifle a laugh when my dad grabbed her by the hands. She started screaming at him to let go, but the second he did, she switched gears and started whimpering about how much pain he was causing her. From where I was standing, he was being as gentle as possible. Once he finally released her, she kept up this "victim" act, but for a split second, I caught her staring at him with such malice, like she wanted to tear him apart, before snapping right back to that pathetic, sorrowful expression. When I called her out on the nonsense, the bitterness flashed across her face again—not directed at me, though; she was mostly just rude to my dad and my sister. It was pure hatred. Anyway, on the way to the local diner, she either dropped her wallet or tossed it somewhere. We might actually head over to the facility today to check on her regarding her medication. Since everything has been handed over to the state, I figure it’s fine even if they have to sedate her a bit. As much as it sucks, maybe that's the only way to help her right now. I am glad there are other people in similar situations there, which might be good for her, but the staff concerns me. They can be so tactless sometimes. :/ Does anyone know if there are any private clinics or specialized facilities in the area where she could stay instead?

Damn Solis... it’s just plain sad😢

It’s honestly overwhelming—sad, terrifying, and surreal all at once. Sometimes it feels like I'm watching a movie; one part of me is fully present, while the other feels like I'm just drifting through a dream. I'll admit, I'm a little scared that this might become her permanent reality. It’s not even just about schizophrenia; seeing how deeply this illness can tear someone apart is eye-opening. The mind is such a fragile thing, especially when everything descends into chaos. It’s hard on us, sure, but I can't help but wonder what she's actually going through. It feels strange that she's experiencing this now. We never imagined things would reach this point. We thought maybe Alzheimer's, since she had those brief lapses in memory before, but this is different. Her whole life has been an uphill battle, even just being at peace with herself. I find myself wondering why things didn't break like this sooner, especially since these issues don't typically surface so heavily after age 30 or 40. Honestly, I think I might need to find a therapist myself; I can't just sit here typing forever xD, but I really feel the need to talk things through.

Donna Newman82 said:It’s honestly overwhelming—sad, terrifying, and surreal all at once. Sometimes it feels like I'm watching a movie; one part of me is fully present, while the other feels like I'm just drifting through a dream. I'll admit, I'm a little scared that this might become her permanent reality. It’s not even just about schizophrenia; seeing how deeply this illness can tear someone apart is eye-opening. The mind is such a fragile thing, especially when everything descends into chaos. It’s hard on us, sure, but I can't help but wonder what she's actually going through. It feels strange that she's experiencing this now. We never imagined things would reach this point. We thought maybe Alzheimer's, since she had those brief lapses in memory before, but this is different. Her whole life has been an uphill battle, even just being at peace with herself. I find myself wondering why things didn't break like this sooner, especially since these issues don't typically surface so heavily after age 30 or 40. Honestly, I think I might need to find a therapist myself; I can't just sit here typing forever xD, but I really feel the need to talk things through.

Just please, don't write her off immediately. Recovering from any kind of psychosis is a marathon, not a sprint. It took me about six months just to stop acting completely out of my mind—and even then, I wasn't exactly "normal," just stable enough to function in daily life.

Giving up isn't really an option. If we can keep her principles intact while she's home, we can make this work... It’s just that I have this nagging dread about seeing or hearing from her right now. In the past, when she went through these episodes, things would usually settle down by the next day and things would feel relatively "okay." But after this latest incident, she hasn't snapped out of it. She isn't acting wild like she was that night, but from what I can tell, she's still stuck in a very negative headspace. Her sister stopped by to check on her, but her mother quickly told her to leave. She still doesn't want anyone near her or touching her... and that's what worries me. These states used to pass much more quickly. I just really hope this isn't becoming her new permanent reality. 😢

So, everyone—how am I doing? Am I holding up alright?

Larry Lewis said:So, everyone—how am I doing? Am I holding up alright?

Chicago
Honestly, my dentist has basically become one of my best friends at this point.
In just six months, he’s already had to fix five of my teeth—and god knows, we've still got two more to go. 😢

David Vaughn75 said:Chicago
Honestly, my dentist has basically become one of my best friends at this point.
In just six months, he’s already had to fix five of my teeth—and god knows, we've still got two more to go. 😢

Ugh, the dentist... honestly, I’m just sitting here, counting down the days until I inevitably have to go in and have them yank the nerves out of a few of my lower front teeth. Just waiting for the inevitable.

Honestly, I’m feeling a bit off lately—and I don't mean that in a poetic way—but it's mostly because my treatment plan keeps getting shuffled around due to all this endless bureaucratic nonsense. It feels like every time I get settled into a routine, some administrator at the insurance company or a clerk at the clinic decides to move the goalposts just for the sake of it. It’s exhausting, really. I’d love to be more present, but what can you actually do when you're caught in the gears of a system that seems designed to be as inefficient as possible? It’s enough to make anyone feel a bit unmoored.

So, that’s how I’m getting through the day—just pushing along, one foot in front of the other. At least I’m not spiraling into full-blown psychotic thoughts right now, though—well, I did have this moment where I was absolutely certain I heard a voice, just a fleeting thing—but let’s just call it what it was: a trick of the mind. Let's just leave it at "I thought I heard something" and move on before things get complicated.🙂

Just the usual depression and low spirits... dragging me down again.

Larry Lewis said:Ugh, the dentist... honestly, I’m just sitting here, counting down the days until I inevitably have to go in and have them yank the nerves out of a few of my lower front teeth. Just waiting for the inevitable.

Honestly, I’m feeling a bit off lately—and I don't mean that in a poetic way—but it's mostly because my treatment plan keeps getting shuffled around due to all this endless bureaucratic nonsense. It feels like every time I get settled into a routine, some administrator at the insurance company or a clerk at the clinic decides to move the goalposts just for the sake of it. It’s exhausting, really. I’d love to be more present, but what can you actually do when you're caught in the gears of a system that seems designed to be as inefficient as possible? It’s enough to make anyone feel a bit unmoored.

So, that’s how I’m getting through the day—just pushing along, one foot in front of the other. At least I’m not spiraling into full-blown psychotic thoughts right now, though—well, I did have this moment where I was absolutely certain I heard a voice, just a fleeting thing—but let’s just call it what it was: a trick of the mind. Let's just leave it at "I thought I heard something" and move on before things get complicated.🙂

Just the usual depression and low spirits... dragging me down again.

Man, this depression thing is such a trip... like, sure, everyone tells you it’s just "brain chemistry," but what about the rest of it? What about being stuck without a job in this economy, or having zero real friends to lean on? Or the fact that most girls aren't exactly looking to date someone dealing with schizoaffective disorder? Not to mention my family situation is an absolute dumpster fire... but hey, nobody wants to hear that. Is there some magic little pill that fixes all those real-world problems too?

David Vaughn75 said:Man, this depression thing is such a trip... like, sure, everyone tells you it’s just "brain chemistry," but what about the rest of it? What about being stuck without a job in this economy, or having zero real friends to lean on? Or the fact that most girls aren't exactly looking to date someone dealing with schizoaffective disorder? Not to mention my family situation is an absolute dumpster fire... but hey, nobody wants to hear that. Is there some magic little pill that fixes all those real-world problems too?

Honestly, you know what’s truly infuriating about the healthcare system here? The fact that I can't even access the specific therapy my specialist prescribed—the one that actually *worked*—is absolutely maddening.
If they’re going to pass laws forcing primary care doctors to prescribe generics, then they should have had the foresight to ensure those generics are actually sitting on the shelves of local pharmacies.

My GP prescribes me Loquen XR 300, but when I get to the pharmacy, they tell me it's out of stock and they haven't the slightest clue when it'll be back in. Meanwhile, the doctor won't budge on prescribing the brand-name version. So, what am I supposed to do? I tried going without it, and it's been a disaster—just pure depression, irritability, and sleeping from 7 AM until 2 PM... it's a mess.

Quick question about driver's license exams. What actually happens during those psychological evaluations? My brother was supposed to go this morning to get his commercial driver's license, but he totally froze up... He’s terrified the evaluator will "notice" that his mental health isn't quite 100%. He's been driving for years without a single accident or ticket, but he's also dealt with hand tremors since he was a kid, so he's just a nervous wreck right now. Anyone have experience with this or know what to expect? Please share!

Harold Harris20 said:Quick question about driver's license exams. What actually happens during those psychological evaluations? My brother was supposed to go this morning to get his commercial driver's license, but he totally froze up... He’s terrified the evaluator will "notice" that his mental health isn't quite 100%. He's been driving for years without a single accident or ticket, but he's also dealt with hand tremors since he was a kid, so he's just a nervous wreck right now. Anyone have experience with this or know what to expect? Please share!

Does he already have a license from somewhere else?

I've had my license since I was 18—well, let's be real, I've been mentally unstable since I was 21.🙂
Nobody ever asked me a single thing—not even when the cops pulled me over while I was drunk and getting into a shouting match with them because I thought they were wiretapping my phone. That was back when I was deep in a psychosis... thinking they were tapping the lines, following me, reading my mind, all that nonsense.
But a friend of mine—she deals with some sort of psychotic episodes herself—told me they told her she had to provide medical clearance proving she doesn't have mental health issues. Unfortunately, I don't know much more than that.

Larry Lewis said:Does he already have a license from somewhere else?

I've had my license since I was 18—well, let's be real, I've been mentally unstable since I was 21.🙂
Nobody ever asked me a single thing—not even when the cops pulled me over while I was drunk and getting into a shouting match with them because I thought they were wiretapping my phone. That was back when I was deep in a psychosis... thinking they were tapping the lines, following me, reading my mind, all that nonsense.
But a friend of mine—she deals with some sort of psychotic episodes herself—told me they told her she had to provide medical clearance proving she doesn't have mental health issues. Unfortunately, I don't know much more than that.

Last year, when I went for my medical checkup to renew my driver's license, they asked me to bring in a signed note from my primary care physician. My doctor handed me the clearance without any drama at all, even though I’d been managing depression for the last couple of years.

Yeah, he’s been driving for about 10 years now without any issues at all. But honestly, I don't see how he's going to pass a medical clearance when his doctor knows he's being treated for schizoafektivan disorder. It’s just one thing after another... isn't it enough that we're already worrying about his health 24/7? Now we have to deal with the system too.

Matthew Castillo5 said:Last year, when I went for my medical checkup to renew my driver's license, they asked me to bring in a signed note from my primary care physician. My doctor handed me the clearance without any drama at all, even though I’d been managing depression for the last couple of years.

Under the new regulations, anyone renewing their license is required to submit a brief medical history from their GP. It’s typically just a single sentence stating something like, "Patient is being treated for X and Y, remains compliant with medication, and is functioning well."