Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Rebecca Rivera3 said:I hit a depressive patch today, though I’m hoping it isn't a severe one... I'm hanging out on the forum, which usually means it's manageable; otherwise, I wouldn't even be posting. Still, I slept through most of the day and barely ate anything—just half a sandwich before retreating back to my bed in a dark room.
Harold Anderson3, do you and Diego go running? I find myself doing that occasionally when I can actually muster enough willpower to live, haha.

As for running, I've actually been at it for a few years now, and I managed to complete both a marathon and a half-marathon earlier this year.🙂

And please, you really need to eat! Your brain relies on glucose from food just to function properly. Beyond that, I’d definitely suggest looking into B vitamins—either by eating more foods rich in them or taking a supplement. B-complex is absolutely essential for keeping your central nervous system running smoothly.

Visionary, it feels like my sense of humor has completely vanished lately... I’m following along and taking all the advice shared here because, at the end of the day, I think we're all just trying to survive and find a better way to live.
Harold Anderson3 mentioned that maybe I don't have schizophrenia. There is a history of it in my family—my father and his parents both dealt with it—and besides that, there have been auditory hallucinations. Still, I’m holding out hope that I don't have it, haha. :-) Hope dies last...
You suggested trying B vitamins; I actually tried them once without much improvement, but I'll give it another shot since it can't hurt.
The hardest part is just functioning when I'm in this kind of coma. I can't even force myself to get out of bed; I just lie there like a corpse... it's terrible. I can't even leave the house. Sounds are too loud, lights are too bright, and even when I do manage to step outside, I feel like I'm suffocating. Not to mention the effort it takes just to get dressed before leaving—it feels like an impossible task. It's sad how much a person can decline, and honestly, it's hard to stay optimistic in a situation like this.

Consuming foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids provides a similar benefit to the brain.

Here is some validation regarding psychotropic medication. I have taken Azolar, Moditen, Haldol, and Zeldox. I was on Zeldox the longest—monotherapy, starting at high doses of 2 x 80 mg, then tapering down to 80 mg, then 60 mg, and finally 20 mg. After one year and nine months of continuous antipsychotic use, I have successfully eliminated my auditory hallucinations. Yes.
My diagnosis is F23.2—acute psychotic disorder, schizophrenia-like.
Alongside those, I took Xanax and Prazin. I am still taking those. However, I haven't touched the 20 mg dose of Zeldox for about a month now. Everything is fine; the voices haven't returned. Additionally, I suffered from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder—obsessions with symmetry and repetitive actions performed up to 50 times under the influence of the voices. That has also passed; the compulsions are gone.

This is a success for me, but I am now experiencing depressive episodes that I didn't have before, including suicidal ideation. It is mostly tied to being unemployed. I did not tell my psychiatrist that I stopped the antipsychotic. She considers the current dose to be negligible regardless.

Yes, I have tried antidepressants like Fevarin and Zoloft, but I had to stop them because they caused insomnia.

Also, I was recently prescribed Diazepam because my sleep quality has declined since I stopped the antipsychotic.

Was it wise of me to stop the antipsychotic on my own, given that the dosage has been minimal for the last six months?

I decided to try life without it because the symptoms are gone. Furthermore, Zeldox completely dulled my appreciation for the beauty of the world; everything became banal and boring, and it absolutely crushed my libido. I don't know when my libido will return. Is the loss of libido irreversible, or is there hope for recovery?

Richard White8 said:Here is some validation regarding psychotropic medication. I have taken Azolar, Moditen, Haldol, and Zeldox. I was on Zeldox the longest—monotherapy, starting at high doses of 2 x 80 mg, then tapering down to 80 mg, then 60 mg, and finally 20 mg. After one year and nine months of continuous antipsychotic use, I have successfully eliminated my auditory hallucinations. Yes.
My diagnosis is F23.2—acute psychotic disorder, schizophrenia-like.
Alongside those, I took Xanax and Prazin. I am still taking those. However, I haven't touched the 20 mg dose of Zeldox for about a month now. Everything is fine; the voices haven't returned. Additionally, I suffered from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder—obsessions with symmetry and repetitive actions performed up to 50 times under the influence of the voices. That has also passed; the compulsions are gone.

This is a success for me, but I am now experiencing depressive episodes that I didn't have before, including suicidal ideation. It is mostly tied to being unemployed. I did not tell my psychiatrist that I stopped the antipsychotic. She considers the current dose to be negligible regardless.

Yes, I have tried antidepressants like Fevarin and Zoloft, but I had to stop them because they caused insomnia.

Also, I was recently prescribed Diazepam because my sleep quality has declined since I stopped the antipsychotic.

Was it wise of me to stop the antipsychotic on my own, given that the dosage has been minimal for the last six months?

I decided to try life without it because the symptoms are gone. Furthermore, Zeldox completely dulled my appreciation for the beauty of the world; everything became banal and boring, and it absolutely crushed my libido. I don't know when my libido will return. Is the loss of libido irreversible, or is there hope for recovery?

Even though you seem to be doing okay right now, there's a very real possibility that the psychosis will return once the antipsychotics are out of your system. 😢 And if that happens, that little 20 mg dose of Zeldox won't cut it; you'll likely find yourself right back at the beginning (80 mg, 60 mg, and so on).
I don't mean to scare you; I'm just speaking from my own experience and what I've seen with others living with psychosis.
You mentioned how Zeldox took away the beauty of the world. That’s a fair assessment, but those meds are what keep you grounded in reality. You really have to find that sweet spot where the dose is high enough to keep you satisfied and present, but not so high that you drift off into the clouds and lose touch with reality due to dopamine levels.
Also, experiencing these depressive episodes and such drastic mood swings isn't a great sign; it's possible you might already be slipping back into psychosis. 😲, and I honestly wonder how you're managing it without medication. Try not to let the unemployment get to you too much; people don't usually kill themselves over joblessness unless they're truly starving.
I know being on antipsychotics is tough. I'm personally taking the maximum dose of Azolar (and sometimes, when I'm feeling particularly low, I'll take half a dose for a few days—so, I mess with my chemistry too 😛), but I would strongly suggest talking to your psychiatrist before things escalate to the point where you face an involuntary hospital stay. In my opinion, you probably need at least a minimal dose of an antipsychotic if you want to prevent the psychosis from returning in full force.
Anyway, that’s just my honest take. Ultimately, the choice is yours, and it's best to make it while you're still feeling relatively stable.

Hey everyone, does anyone here have any actual experience using Abilify? I just got hit with a month-long injection today... they framed it as some kind of "mood stabilizer," if you can believe that... I guess we'll see

bluedrifter45 said:Hey everyone, does anyone here have any actual experience using Abilify? I just got hit with a month-long injection today... they framed it as some kind of "mood stabilizer," if you can believe that... I guess we'll see

Hey, I mentioned in the post above that I’m actually on the maximum dose of that medication, though I take it in pill form. They say it doesn't bring your mood down quite as much as other antipsychotics, but when you're hitting that top dosage, I find myself drifting into some pretty depressive thoughts. To be fair, I can't be entirely certain if it's the medication itself, since I've been struggling with depression for quite a while now regardless of what I'm taking. As for the shot, they likely gave you the injection because it's the most reliable way to ensure you stay consistent with your treatment. I actually stayed on Risperdal for seven years for that exact same reason. Don't worry too much, things will turn out okay. All things considered, it's a solid medication, and it's actually one of the newer ones being widely used here in the States.

Alright, let's go through this step by step.

Harold Anderson3: Exactly. I was told to take B-complex, but I haven't touched it. Honestly, my diet is a total disaster—I live such an unhealthy lifestyle that it’s a miracle I’m even standing. Hardly any fruit, juice, tea, or actual vegetables in my meals... well, maybe some, but nothing fresh. It's mostly fast food, home-cooked stuff, grains, or just cookies and milk—maybe a banana now and then. They say bananas are great for everything from your gut down, right? I probably have zero vitamins. I might be "vitamin-less" rather than just needing a multivitamin. And me and the gym? Yeah, not happening. You need that to regulate hormones and all that.

Rebecca Rivera3: That's how it feels during depression. But once you hit mania—if you even do—everything becomes hilarious, you're overflowing with energy, and you'll be running around trying to tackle everything at once. When I was manic, or whenever I am, I find myself opening accounts on random forums or websites without even bothering to save the passwords. I even made fake Facebook accounts just to play some game, even though I'm basically a tech novice. I don't have anyone in my family who's tech-savvy, but I feel like I could skip an entire generation of knowledge.

Anyway, I just got into a massive blowout with my own people, so clearly, I'm not doing great either. From what I can see, we're all dealing with something. Life's been hitting us hard—financial stress, health issues, messy relationships—so it's really no wonder we're all cracking under the pressure.

What Rebecca Rivera3 is describing could be from the meds, or just pure mental burnout, I guess. Before my psychosis—assuming that's what it was—my thoughts were just racing constantly. Truth be told, I haven't had the exact same struggles she's talking about. It could also be something else entirely, like panic attacks and things like that. It really does come down to how much a person can take before they snap in these situations. It's sad. But like I said, I think it's mostly due to life's problems. I don't think anyone here has mentioned being completely problem-free so far.

That lady who mentioned Omega is also right. You don't just get it from fish and stuff. I read somewhere that hemp oil supposedly has it too.

Man, we're all a mess. Not just us, but everyone around us, and us around them—because it seems like everybody has their own "music" playing, if you don't call it a diagnosis. 🕺

Richard White8 said:Here is some validation regarding psychotropic medication. I have taken Azolar, Moditen, Haldol, and Zeldox. I was on Zeldox the longest—monotherapy, starting at high doses of 2 x 80 mg, then tapering down to 80 mg, then 60 mg, and finally 20 mg. After one year and nine months of continuous antipsychotic use, I have successfully eliminated my auditory hallucinations. Yes.
My diagnosis is F23.2—acute psychotic disorder, schizophrenia-like.
Alongside those, I took Xanax and Prazin. I am still taking those. However, I haven't touched the 20 mg dose of Zeldox for about a month now. Everything is fine; the voices haven't returned. Additionally, I suffered from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder—obsessions with symmetry and repetitive actions performed up to 50 times under the influence of the voices. That has also passed; the compulsions are gone.

This is a success for me, but I am now experiencing depressive episodes that I didn't have before, including suicidal ideation. It is mostly tied to being unemployed. I did not tell my psychiatrist that I stopped the antipsychotic. She considers the current dose to be negligible regardless.

Yes, I have tried antidepressants like Fevarin and Zoloft, but I had to stop them because they caused insomnia.

Also, I was recently prescribed Diazepam because my sleep quality has declined since I stopped the antipsychotic.

Was it wise of me to stop the antipsychotic on my own, given that the dosage has been minimal for the last six months?

I decided to try life without it because the symptoms are gone. Furthermore, Zeldox completely dulled my appreciation for the beauty of the world; everything became banal and boring, and it absolutely crushed my libido. I don't know when my libido will return. Is the loss of libido irreversible, or is there hope for recovery?

I’m on Metoten [Moditen] and Diazepam myself. Honestly, if I took 5 mg of Diazepam, I could sleep through a hurricane, but for me, it hits a bit lighter—maybe a side effect—but at 2 mg, I sleep like a log. I still take 1 mg of Metoten even though my dose was halved ages ago, mostly because I'm too lazy to split the pills. It's a pain to halve them perfectly, so I just take the whole thing. I never had hallucinations, but this works for me since Risperidone was a disaster—gave me all sorts of dark thoughts. As for libido, I wouldn't know. I don't hit the gym, so it's no surprise mine is low, along with my general health. And you're spot on—being broke because of unemployment is a killer. One thing leads to the other. I have this compulsion involving ideas—I find myself writing down extra words and phrases, can't seem to shake it. The ideas themselves are positive, but the rest isn't. The anxiety and compulsions are hard because my memory is shot. By the time I go to write something down, I've already forgotten it. The depression and bad sleep have been around forever, and then there's this boredom... it's like nothing really matters anymore, if that makes sense. Except for me, it's not quite as dire—just a "cracked" F23.

Harold Anderson3 said:Hey, I mentioned in the post above that I’m actually on the maximum dose of that medication, though I take it in pill form. They say it doesn't bring your mood down quite as much as other antipsychotics, but when you're hitting that top dosage, I find myself drifting into some pretty depressive thoughts. To be fair, I can't be entirely certain if it's the medication itself, since I've been struggling with depression for quite a while now regardless of what I'm taking. As for the shot, they likely gave you the injection because it's the most reliable way to ensure you stay consistent with your treatment. I actually stayed on Risperdal for seven years for that exact same reason. Don't worry too much, things will turn out okay. All things considered, it's a solid medication, and it's actually one of the newer ones being widely used here in the States.

Thanks. Yeah, I see... since it acts as a partial dopamine receptor agonist, it doesn't cause the weight gain you get from Zyprexa or some of those other atypical antipsychotics that hit so many different receptors... anyway, they have me diagnosed with F60.3 (emotionally unstable personality) and F23.8 (acute and transient psychotic disorders)—mostly because of some attention-seeking incident about five years ago that ended up being labeled as psychosis, I guess. I am mostly worried about the side effects of all these drugs, specifically whether I'll still be able to function intellectually like I used to. It isn't even entirely clear to me why they're prescribing this given my diagnosis, but well, it is what it is.😢

Thanks, Harold Anderson3 and Visionary, for the response. Regarding Azolar—it was far too strong for me. The akathisia was unbearable; just constant movement and an inability to sit still. As for Risperdal, it felt like being hit in the head with a sledgehammer. I’ve never experienced anything worse. Compared to that, Haldol and Moditen were a dream. Azolar is one of the newer ones, and I hear it works wonders for some people. My current Zeldox is also relatively new—I actually lost 10 pounds on it because it completely killed my appetite.
I suspect I was given a mild diagnosis: F23.2—acute psychotic disorder similar to schizophrenia. I wasn't hospitalized. If I had been in a ward telling doctors that a snake inside me was persecuting and commanding me, or that Baphomet was hunting me, or if I had started fighting and smashing things around the house, then they would have diagnosed me with paranoid schizophrenia.

I lost four years of my life to schizophrenia. My employment contract in Washington, D.C. was terminated, and I decided to move to Cleveland to stay in my grandmother's apartment—that’s how God ordained it. Once I arrived in Cleveland, the voices started. They told me they were from God and that I had two curses to fulfill: one from a former professor and one from my mother. I had to cut them off. Consequently, I barely spoke to my mother for four years. I lived entirely under the command of those voices. I trashed half the apartment—tables, the bed, pictures off the walls, books, five different lamps. I didn't leave the house and didn't speak to anyone except my grandmother over the phone. I was fully convinced that God had decreed this suffering as a way for me to resolve these two heavy curses. On top of all that, I developed OCD. The problem is that I live alone, and there was no one there to help me. When my brother once visited from Washington, D.C., I had an aggressive outburst triggered by the voices. I told him the voices were from God and that I had these two curses. He just listened and believed me—he accepted that I was hearing voices from God and didn't react at all.

After four years of madness, I started watching Richard Dawkins on YouTube—the atheist evolutionary biologist. His logic clicked with me, and I began to believe there is no God. I looked up the symptoms of schizophrenia online, and everything matched perfectly. I went to the psychiatric ER and told them my story. They wanted to admit me, but I refused because I didn't have supplemental insurance. They barely let me leave, provided I returned for a follow-up in two days. They gave me Risperdal. Two weeks later, I scheduled an appointment with a psychiatrist who turned out to be a perfect fit. She is an incredible doctor—highly knowledgeable and truly understanding. She wasn't in favor of hospitalization either, so we started outpatient treatment.
It’s been just under two years since then. I haven't found steady work yet, and I have a gap in my resume that I've filled with freelance translation work (which is true, as I did translate). What else am I supposed to say in a job interview? That I was in a severe psychosis for four years? Honestly, I can't believe what happened to me—I grieve for those lost years. It feels as though someone stole my life.
And I find myself wondering why I deserved this. I was compassionate, kind, helped others, and believed in God, only to end up here. Since then, I no longer believe in God. Now, I believe in some sort of force—I don't know what—and I believe in medication, antipsychotics, and my other friends.

Reading through these posts, I see that everyone here has either survived their own personal hell or is fighting through one every single day. It’s truly heartening to come to a place like this where we can all offer support and lean on one another... people who have walked similar paths just seem to understand each other better.
I ended up sleeping the whole day away today; I only woke up about an hour ago.
My diagnosis is simple schizophrenia and schizophrenic disorder. I’ve tried countless medications, but nothing seems to work... it feels futile. Aside from that, I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, though I struggle with skipping meals sometimes and sleeping far too much.
I don't know... I'm just hoping for a new chapter to start soon, where this depression finally ends and whatever comes next begins. The hardest part is feeling like I can't have friends, a boyfriend, or anyone else in my life... because who could ever truly understand this madness?

Honestly, this Risperidone is straight-up poison. I can't believe they haven't pulled it from the shelves yet—I mean, between patient complaints and all the noise online and in the news, you'd think they’d be more careful. Rebecca Rivera3, tell me about it... that's exactly how I've been sleeping lately. I just drift off for ages and then end up pacing around at night like a zombie. It's like some weird Hegelian loop or something. And don't even get me started on the appetite issues; I'm right there with you on that. If I skip a meal, my stomach goes into full revolt because I end up going 14 to 20 hours between eating. It's a mess. I feel like I'm basically stuck in this endless cycle of hospitals and psych wards. When you look like you aren't eating properly, people start assuming you're losing your mind—they hear voices, they hear buzzing, whatever. Honestly, it's probably why those ancient ascetics ended up the way they did—whether it was their wild ideas or their religions—they were just running on empty.

I mean, look, we’ve all been getting hit from every angle lately. I saw what was written earlier about curses and all that mystical stuff—honestly, I don't know anything about any of that. My family has been convinced for the longest time that we’re under some kind of hex or whatever. But if you ask me? I think I might actually *be* the curse, considering I’m a total nutcase—not that anyone's surprised. 😢

I’m certainly no expert on schizophrenia (thank goodness!), but since I saw B-complex mentioned, I thought I’d chime in with a little observation. I’ve heard that B vitamins—especially B-12—can be notoriously difficult for the body to absorb, particularly when they come in pill form. I’ve also heard stories from others who felt a massive difference once they switched to a liquid B-complex, especially when standard tablets just weren't doing the trick. The logic seems to be that a liquid version hits the upper digestive tract and gets absorbed much more efficiently, whereas pills might travel through such a long path that absorption becomes difficult or even impossible by the time they get where they need to go.
From what I can tell, you don't see much liquid B-complex available in our local pharmacies here in the States, though they do carry liquid supplements designed for toddlers that contain essentially the same nutritional profile as a full B-complex. I can't recall the specific brand name off the top of my head, but that's just something I picked up while chatting with a pharmacist.
I did notice that I occasionally feel a bit more relaxed after drinking some Juicy Fruit flavored electrolyte drinks, which might just be a total coincidence. Looking back, I realized those drinks actually contain a whole B-complex, similar to how Coca-Cola or other fortified sodas work.
Whether that sense of relaxation was a genuine effect of the vitamins or just a fluke, I honestly couldn't say for sure. I probably wouldn't recommend them as a primary supplement, though, mainly because of some of the additives used, even if most of the ingredients are naturally derived.

Rebecca Rivera3 said:Reading through these posts, I see that everyone here has either survived their own personal hell or is fighting through one every single day. It’s truly heartening to come to a place like this where we can all offer support and lean on one another... people who have walked similar paths just seem to understand each other better.
I ended up sleeping the whole day away today; I only woke up about an hour ago.
My diagnosis is simple schizophrenia and schizophrenic disorder. I’ve tried countless medications, but nothing seems to work... it feels futile. Aside from that, I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, though I struggle with skipping meals sometimes and sleeping far too much.
I don't know... I'm just hoping for a new chapter to start soon, where this depression finally ends and whatever comes next begins. The hardest part is feeling like I can't have friends, a boyfriend, or anyone else in my life... because who could ever truly understand this madness?

Hey, have you tried Zeldox? I have personally tried five different antipsychotics—Azolar, Risperdal, Haldol, Moditen, and Zeldox. Zeldox worked best for me. It doesn't cause weight gain, and it supposedly has antidepressant effects as well.

Finding the right medication combination is essential. A friend of mine was hospitalized three times last year. They switched his therapy to Azolar and Aripiprazole, but it failed. They eventually reverted him to his standard regimen of Haldol 5 mg and Seroquel 800 mg, and that keeps him stable. He is working and functioning normally now. Hopefully, he won't face another hospitalization anytime soon.

Carol Barrett2 said:Honestly, this Risperidone is straight-up poison. I can't believe they haven't pulled it from the shelves yet—I mean, between patient complaints and all the noise online and in the news, you'd think they’d be more careful. Rebecca Rivera3, tell me about it... that's exactly how I've been sleeping lately. I just drift off for ages and then end up pacing around at night like a zombie. It's like some weird Hegelian loop or something. And don't even get me started on the appetite issues; I'm right there with you on that. If I skip a meal, my stomach goes into full revolt because I end up going 14 to 20 hours between eating. It's a mess. I feel like I'm basically stuck in this endless cycle of hospitals and psych wards. When you look like you aren't eating properly, people start assuming you're losing your mind—they hear voices, they hear buzzing, whatever. Honestly, it's probably why those ancient ascetics ended up the way they did—whether it was their wild ideas or their religions—they were just running on empty.

I mean, look, we’ve all been getting hit from every angle lately. I saw what was written earlier about curses and all that mystical stuff—honestly, I don't know anything about any of that. My family has been convinced for the longest time that we’re under some kind of hex or whatever. But if you ask me? I think I might actually *be* the curse, considering I’m a total nutcase—not that anyone's surprised. 😢

Risperidone is genuinely toxic. I was visiting a friend in the hospital when his psychiatrist told him she wouldn't prescribe Risperidone because, in younger men, it causes severe fatigue—basically, it completely crushes you.

Curses don't exist. That's nonsense. You even have university professors who believe in curses and carry chestnuts in their cars for luck. It's superstition. My issue was that I spent four years in a psychosis fueled by curses, voices, and demons. If I hadn't believed in curses, maybe I would have avoided the psychosis, or maybe not. It was inevitable. You can't control it, and you can't be self-aware enough to know you're in a psychosis. Because when you're in a psychosis, everything is real, and there is no other way to perceive it.

Raymond Walker5 said:I’m certainly no expert on schizophrenia (thank goodness!), but since I saw B-complex mentioned, I thought I’d chime in with a little observation. I’ve heard that B vitamins—especially B-12—can be notoriously difficult for the body to absorb, particularly when they come in pill form. I’ve also heard stories from others who felt a massive difference once they switched to a liquid B-complex, especially when standard tablets just weren't doing the trick. The logic seems to be that a liquid version hits the upper digestive tract and gets absorbed much more efficiently, whereas pills might travel through such a long path that absorption becomes difficult or even impossible by the time they get where they need to go.
From what I can tell, you don't see much liquid B-complex available in our local pharmacies here in the States, though they do carry liquid supplements designed for toddlers that contain essentially the same nutritional profile as a full B-complex. I can't recall the specific brand name off the top of my head, but that's just something I picked up while chatting with a pharmacist.
I did notice that I occasionally feel a bit more relaxed after drinking some Juicy Fruit flavored electrolyte drinks, which might just be a total coincidence. Looking back, I realized those drinks actually contain a whole B-complex, similar to how Coca-Cola or other fortified sodas work.
Whether that sense of relaxation was a genuine effect of the vitamins or just a fluke, I honestly couldn't say for sure. I probably wouldn't recommend them as a primary supplement, though, mainly because of some of the additives used, even if most of the ingredients are naturally derived.

My psychiatrist also brought up a certain B vitamin. I believe it was B9, but even they aren't entirely certain—it's still on the fringe and not 100% proven. They say the same thing about Omega-3, that it helps with schizophrenia.

I have taken Neurobion, which provides high doses of B6, B9, and B12. However, Neurobion is typically prescribed for neurological nerve disorders rather than mental health issues.

And yes, most recently, my psychiatrist suggested I try curcumin. It is found naturally in turmeric, but curcumin in supplement form is about 185% stronger than the spice itself. I am taking that now.

Even psychiatrists don't have all the answers. As my doctor put it, prescribing medication is like a blindfolded chicken pecking around. You have to try ten different things before one finally hits the mark.
Furthermore, my doctor constantly reminds me that medicine, specifically psychiatry, is still a very limited and insufficiently researched field.

Richard White8 said:My psychiatrist also brought up a certain B vitamin. I believe it was B9, but even they aren't entirely certain—it's still on the fringe and not 100% proven. They say the same thing about Omega-3, that it helps with schizophrenia.

I have taken Neurobion, which provides high doses of B6, B9, and B12. However, Neurobion is typically prescribed for neurological nerve disorders rather than mental health issues.

And yes, most recently, my psychiatrist suggested I try curcumin. It is found naturally in turmeric, but curcumin in supplement form is about 185% stronger than the spice itself. I am taking that now.

Even psychiatrists don't have all the answers. As my doctor put it, prescribing medication is like a blindfolded chicken pecking around. You have to try ten different things before one finally hits the mark.
Furthermore, my doctor constantly reminds me that medicine, specifically psychiatry, is still a very limited and insufficiently researched field.

Curcumin supplements probably include black pepper or some other additive to boost absorption, since the compound itself is pretty hard for the body to soak up. I remember using turmeric with black pepper back in the day, and it truly was a lifesaver for a nasty, painful inflammatory issue I had in my lower spine. I honestly didn't believe there was anything out there that actually WORKED and provided real relief.
Regarding mental health, there's this theory that curcumin works similarly to Eli Lilly, but without the risk of driving someone toward suicidal thoughts (which can be a scary side effect with Eli Lilly). Since it's generally healing for so many different things, I'm not sure if it's used for other mental health aspects beyond potential depression.
I do know that Magnesium and B-complex vitamins support the nervous system and likely help stabilize various psychological states by supporting things like myelin sheath production.

@goldentip how are you holding up socially these days? How do you spend your downtime?

I went through a psychotic episode that dragged on for nearly two years. Looking back, if I had actually sought psychiatric help at the time, would I have ended up with schizophrenia?
Back then, I’d keep my phone powered off because I was convinced it was being tapped. I was terrified of walking outside at night, constantly spinning around thinking someone was following me. To make matters worse, some creep actually *was* stalking me and my friend, which just poured gasoline on the fire of my paranoia.
I was certain my coworkers were enemies spying on my every word.😵
Once, during a meeting at the office, I suddenly blurted something out. Everyone turned to look at me with pale faces, and I just burst out laughing—honestly, I had no idea what I’d even said. It was as if my mouth moved faster than my brain could process a sentence. It happened again, too. I just told them, "Sorry, I'm tripping over my words," though I truly hadn't a clue what had come out of my mouth.🤔
My focus at university was nonexistent.
Then, about six months later, my colleagues ran into me and started recounting these hilarious things I’d said—things I didn't remember saying at all, despite usually being the life of the party. I was also plagued by dreams where a hand tried to pull me toward a mirror; I’d fight it and turn toward my mother, who would say in the dream, "What hand? You have schizophrenia." Just another dream centered on that diagnosis.
It wasn't until I finally read about schizophrenia that I realized the phone-switching and the stalking paranoia (which my friend had fueled, and I had fully believed!) were classic symptoms. I looked at my friend, who was staring at me blankly, and said, "Wait, this is schizophrenia, isn't it?"
Is it possible for one person to influence another's consciousness? To convince someone else to adopt their psychotic delusions?
My friend, who was sane throughout this, just stared at me, white as a sheet, unable to comprehend my talk of dream intrusion and loss of control.😵
@goldentip I feel the same way because I was dealing with massive stress and paranoia at the time. But I suppose there's no use crying over spilled milk.
How can you ever be sure it won't happen again?
Oh, and during that period, I suffered from constant nightmares, lucid dreams, and visions of demons. I was terrified to sleep.

Raymond Walker5 said:I’m certainly no expert on schizophrenia (thank goodness!), but since I saw B-complex mentioned, I thought I’d chime in with a little observation. I’ve heard that B vitamins—especially B-12—can be notoriously difficult for the body to absorb, particularly when they come in pill form. I’ve also heard stories from others who felt a massive difference once they switched to a liquid B-complex, especially when standard tablets just weren't doing the trick. The logic seems to be that a liquid version hits the upper digestive tract and gets absorbed much more efficiently, whereas pills might travel through such a long path that absorption becomes difficult or even impossible by the time they get where they need to go.
From what I can tell, you don't see much liquid B-complex available in our local pharmacies here in the States, though they do carry liquid supplements designed for toddlers that contain essentially the same nutritional profile as a full B-complex. I can't recall the specific brand name off the top of my head, but that's just something I picked up while chatting with a pharmacist.
I did notice that I occasionally feel a bit more relaxed after drinking some Juicy Fruit flavored electrolyte drinks, which might just be a total coincidence. Looking back, I realized those drinks actually contain a whole B-complex, similar to how Coca-Cola or other fortified sodas work.
Whether that sense of relaxation was a genuine effect of the vitamins or just a fluke, I honestly couldn't say for sure. I probably wouldn't recommend them as a primary supplement, though, mainly because of some of the additives used, even if most of the ingredients are naturally derived.

Personally, I’ve been thinking for ages that baby food—or maybe even pet food—might actually be better for us old farts than our regular diet. I was surprised the other day when I saw one of those baby purees. Just meat, carrots, garlic, all blended together. But man, they are pricey. I don't quite remember every single ingredient in that specific one. 🍿