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Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Started by briskgull27 · · 👁 732 views · 7.5K replies

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Participants briskgull27Jason Sanchez3Taylor Howard36crimsonhound80Douglas Ramos2restlesscobra132electricpanther4swiftsurfer27Rachel Ruiz39Rebecca Flores5Brian Moore2Mark Morris3quiethound45Brenda Cook4James Gonzalez11Gerald Rivera60Megan MitchellTaylor Parker10David Stewart52Andrew Harris7mistybisonAmistyscout2Samuel Nelson24 …
George Cook George Cook Active Member
87 messages
joined May 2014
#5581 ·
Has anyone here ever taken that mosaic assessment?
It looks like a wooden tray filled with various little plastic shapes sorted by color. Basically, every color you can imagine is in there.
The task is simply to pick pieces and arrange them however you see fit.

I chose all the sharp triangular pieces and arranged them in a colorful pattern.
When the psychologist asked me what I was trying to create, I just told her I had no idea. 😛

On another note, I recently bought one of those adult anti-stress coloring books, and I’ve noticed I tend to color randomly without any real logic. One minute it’s purple, then orange, then blue and green.
What could that possibly mean?
Carol Barrett2 Carol Barrett2 Regular
363 messages
joined Jul 2017
#5582 ·
I remember doing some kind of assessment once, but not anything like this. It was one of those things with a bunch of pictures and a series of questions. I wasn't really putting much effort into it—just giving half-hearted answers—so the psychologist basically told me they couldn't make an accurate assessment. I think it was some sort of Canadian-style questionnaire, or maybe from some ancient Era, who knows? And then there was that Rorschach thing—you know, the inkblots—but after that, nothing. Not a single follow-up or assessment in five years. At least you actually get tested if something comes up. 😉
Carol Barrett2 Carol Barrett2 Regular
363 messages
joined Jul 2017
#5583 ·
Does it actually matter what color you used with that debt hanging over your head? 🙂
Richard White8 Richard White8 Active Member
50 messages
joined Oct 2015
#5584 ·
George Cook said:Has anyone here ever taken that mosaic assessment?
It looks like a wooden tray filled with various little plastic shapes sorted by color. Basically, every color you can imagine is in there.
The task is simply to pick pieces and arrange them however you see fit.

I chose all the sharp triangular pieces and arranged them in a colorful pattern.
When the psychologist asked me what I was trying to create, I just told her I had no idea. 😛

On another note, I recently bought one of those adult anti-stress coloring books, and I’ve noticed I tend to color randomly without any real logic. One minute it’s purple, then orange, then blue and green.
What could that possibly mean?

That’s either a sign of severe schizophrenia or color blindness. Haha, just kidding. It doesn't mean anything. It's just creativity. A bit of green here, some purple there. Around here, there is still such a massive stigma surrounding mental health. In America, it feels like every other person has bipolar disorder or something similar. They pop antipsychotics like candy. It's totally normalized. We'll probably be seeing the same thing here in ten years.
Carol Barrett2 Carol Barrett2 Regular
363 messages
joined Jul 2017
#5585 ·
Richard White8, you actually in the States right now?
Nicole Barrett76 Nicole Barrett76 Regular
515 messages
joined Sep 2009
#5586 ·
Richard White8 said:What kind of diagnosis is GAP? Unfortunately, those psychologists can't do anything besides send you right back to the psychiatrist for your meds. Catatonic schizophrenia is when a patient stays frozen in one position, standing rigid for hours without moving.
Command hallucinations are more common in paranoid schizophrenia.

GAD stands for Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

I didn't actually need any medication, because the prescriptions my previous psychiatrists provided were perfectly sufficient for my needs. Was I not simply in search of someone willing to sit with me for an hour, or perhaps even just forty-five minutes, to truly listen to what I had to say?

And yet, during my next appointment, I am handed one of those questionnaires, I accidentally check the wrong box, and suddenly—poof!—I am being sent straight back to the psychiatrist. Is it not simply too much to ask for a little genuine empathy?
Carol Barrett2 Carol Barrett2 Regular
363 messages
joined Jul 2017
#5587 ·
Nicole Barrett76 said:GAD stands for Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

I didn't actually need any medication, because the prescriptions my previous psychiatrists provided were perfectly sufficient for my needs. Was I not simply in search of someone willing to sit with me for an hour, or perhaps even just forty-five minutes, to truly listen to what I had to say?

And yet, during my next appointment, I am handed one of those questionnaires, I accidentally check the wrong box, and suddenly—poof!—I am being sent straight back to the psychiatrist. Is it not simply too much to ask for a little genuine empathy?

It’s absolute madness. Everyone thinks I'm perfectly fine, too. Back at the local family clinic, the doctor basically went wild with question marks and exclamation points over my penicillin allergy and tried to push it on me anyway. 🤦 My old man and I barely made it through that whole ordeal after a nasty reaction to some penicillin. And then they had the nerve to try and give it to my sister, too. 😵
Rebecca Rivera3 Rebecca Rivera3 Active Member
206 messages
joined Mar 2017
#5588 ·
My psychiatrist keeps insisting I take certain psychological tests, but honestly, I’m thinking about just telling him no. It feels like such a waste of time. I mean, sure, maybe they help with basic stuff or act as a little extra guidance for some people, but what good does it do for me? What am I going to gain? I don't need to end up with even more issues to deal with. Just what I need right now...
Carol Barrett2 Carol Barrett2 Regular
363 messages
joined Jul 2017
#5589 ·
My test was from back in '96. O:O [SJBT]
Rebecca Rivera3 Rebecca Rivera3 Active Member
206 messages
joined Mar 2017
#5590 ·
I’m not taking any medication :-) haha... what’s the point? In a society this dysfunctional, you can't even afford to be healthy. It’s much easier to just find someone else who’s struggling and hang out with them instead...
Rebecca Rivera3 Rebecca Rivera3 Active Member
206 messages
joined Mar 2017
#5591 ·
I doubt there’s any medication out there actually capable of manufacturing feelings. What do you even do when you feel completely hollow inside? When you can't love, can't feel anything at all... life is defined by emotion, and without them, everything feels meaningless. What happens when you find yourself unable to give a genuine laugh? To love, or even to be loved... it's a heavy realization. This world can be a sad place—and my own world often feels even worse.
Harold Anderson3 Harold Anderson3 Regular
732 messages
joined May 2023
#5592 ·
Rebecca Rivera3 said:I doubt there’s any medication out there actually capable of manufacturing feelings. What do you even do when you feel completely hollow inside? When you can't love, can't feel anything at all... life is defined by emotion, and without them, everything feels meaningless. What happens when you find yourself unable to give a genuine laugh? To love, or even to be loved... it's a heavy realization. This world can be a sad place—and my own world often feels even worse.

Rebecca Rivera3, those emotions are still there deep down inside you.🙂 I can tell just from reading your posts that you have such a warm, sensitive soul; you're clearly a very feeling person, even if you're struggling through a lot of sadness right now. I truly believe things will eventually balance out for you, though I suppose that ultimately depends on your own journey. And if we're being honest, I think the same applies to me, if you know what I mean.😉
Jose Ward4 Jose Ward4 Regular
379 messages
joined May 2015
#5593 ·
Richard White8 said:Yeah, ginger and turmeric are fantastic! Mixing turmeric and ginger with a teaspoon of honey—that's what I used to drink, and I felt great. I don't know why I stopped. Pure laziness. But keep at it; it'll do you good.

Hey there. Thanks for the tip on the turmeric. Quick question though: how much turmeric are we talking about per cup of ginger tea? If I'm making a small 7-ounce serving of ginger tea, how much turmeric should I toss in? I don't want to overdo it and end up feeling weird.
Richard White8 Richard White8 Active Member
50 messages
joined Oct 2015
#5594 ·
Jose Ward4 said:Hey there. Thanks for the tip on the turmeric. Quick question though: how much turmeric are we talking about per cup of ginger tea? If I'm making a small 7-ounce serving of ginger tea, how much turmeric should I toss in? I don't want to overdo it and end up feeling weird.

I personally take two teaspoons of turmeric mixed with two teaspoons of ginger and a teaspoon of honey; I stir it and drink it. When making ginger tea, just add one or two teaspoons of turmeric. You aren't going to hurt yourself. And if you really want to go for it, throw in two tablespoons, haha.
Jose Ward4 Jose Ward4 Regular
379 messages
joined May 2015
#5595 ·
Richard White8 said:I personally take two teaspoons of turmeric mixed with two teaspoons of ginger and a teaspoon of honey; I stir it and drink it. When making ginger tea, just add one or two teaspoons of turmeric. You aren't going to hurt yourself. And if you really want to go for it, throw in two tablespoons, haha.

Man, you guys aren't going to believe this. I had to step away from my medication for two days because the heat was just too much. From Sunday through Tuesday, I was off the pills. Instead, I was drinking ginger, thinking it would give me some strength and help my lungs clear out. Then yesterday, I ordered some lavender tea from Whole Foods. I ended up knocking back three servings of ginger in 24 hours while I was off my meds, and holy cow... around 11 PM last night, I threw up three times. It was just liquid, though. Absolutely wild. I was scrambling to clean up after I puked because, well, they say ginger flushes toxins out of your liver, right? That's what the books say. And then I had diarrhea on top of it. Honestly, I thought I had caught some crazy tropical fever or something. You really can't believe what nature can do if you stay pure. Anyway, the weather has calmed down, so I'm back on my regular medication starting today.
Carol Barrett2 Carol Barrett2 Regular
363 messages
joined Jul 2017
#5596 ·
Maybe it was just some side effect from quitting. Are you taking anything else similar to modulate it? I know I probably shouldn't be taking it when the Sun is this intense, but here I am, doing it anyway.
Richard White8 Richard White8 Active Member
50 messages
joined Oct 2015
#5597 ·
Jose Ward4 said:Man, you guys aren't going to believe this. I had to step away from my medication for two days because the heat was just too much. From Sunday through Tuesday, I was off the pills. Instead, I was drinking ginger, thinking it would give me some strength and help my lungs clear out. Then yesterday, I ordered some lavender tea from Whole Foods. I ended up knocking back three servings of ginger in 24 hours while I was off my meds, and holy cow... around 11 PM last night, I threw up three times. It was just liquid, though. Absolutely wild. I was scrambling to clean up after I puked because, well, they say ginger flushes toxins out of your liver, right? That's what the books say. And then I had diarrhea on top of it. Honestly, I thought I had caught some crazy tropical fever or something. You really can't believe what nature can do if you stay pure. Anyway, the weather has calmed down, so I'm back on my regular medication starting today.

Seriously, look at how much work that ginger does for detoxification. Add a little turmeric to the mix and you'll be pure as driven snow. My psychiatrist never mentioned anything about avoiding my meds due to the heat. Some people claim you shouldn't go out in the Sun when taking certain pills. A friend of mine takes high doses and spends midday tanning in the peak afternoon Sun without any issues whatsoever. Apparently, everyone reacts differently.
bluedrifter45 bluedrifter45 Member
12 messages
joined Jul 2017
#5598 ·
Does anyone actually know what psychological testing looks like in practice? I suppose it’s just a mountain of multiple-choice forms, based on what I’ve heard, along with some repetitive reciting of stories and numbers, and then that's it, plus the interview. Is there anything else to it, I guess?
Harold Anderson3 Harold Anderson3 Regular
732 messages
joined May 2023
#5599 ·
bluedrifter45 said:Does anyone actually know what psychological testing looks like in practice? I suppose it’s just a mountain of multiple-choice forms, based on what I’ve heard, along with some repetitive reciting of stories and numbers, and then that's it, plus the interview. Is there anything else to it, I guess?

I was officially evaluated only once, right at the onset of my first psychotic episode over eight years ago. Usually, you deal with two distinct types of tests: one focused on emotional state and another for IQ. Once those are finished, you sit down for a conversation with a psychologist. That’s really all there is to it. It isn't a bad experience, though I wouldn't say it's incredibly helpful since psychologists aren't authorized to prescribe medication—and when you're dealing with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, getting the right pharmacotherapy dialed in is the most critical part of the whole treatment process.
Jose Ward4 Jose Ward4 Regular
379 messages
joined May 2015
#5600 ·
Carol Barrett2 said:Maybe it was just some side effect from quitting. Are you taking anything else similar to modulate it? I know I probably shouldn't be taking it when the Sun is this intense, but here I am, doing it anyway.

No, I'm sticking with the Clonazepam and Haldol. My doctor keeps telling me that this specific medication isn't going to alter my DNA, so it shouldn't be that hard to get off of. Honestly, it feels like such a long road sometimes. 😁Honestly, this actually makes me feel better. Back in the day, I was on some heavy-duty stuff—something like Clozaril—and man, the suicidal ideation it triggered was no joke. So, naturally, what’s the first thing I do? I go straight to Google to look up the side effects, only to find out that exactly what I was feeling was listed right there on the label. It’s like, "Oh, great, thanks for the heads up." It really made me think, *Are you kidding me right now?* Like, why would I end it all just because of a pill? It felt so incredibly narcissistic of the doctors to prescribe something that could push someone over the edge like that. Thankfully, I finally got off that junk. It took three long years, but thank God I'm past it.

I don't know about you all, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much we rely on those little moments of clarity. You know? Just one tiny spark that makes everything click. It’s like when you’re driving down a long stretch of highway outside of Austin—just miles of nothingness—and suddenly, the light hits the landscape exactly right, and you feel this sudden, overwhelming sense of purpose. It's rare, though. Truly rare. We spend so much time chasing the big wins, the massive breakthroughs, that we completely miss the subtle shifts in perspective that actually change who we are. I was reading this article the other day about how small habits shape our entire reality, and it really hit home for me. It reminded me of an old mentor of mine back in college. He used to say that greatness isn't a destination; it's just a series of very intentional, very small choices made while nobody is watching. Anyway, I'm rambling. My point is, keep your eyes open for those little golden opportunities. They aren't always loud. Sometimes they're just a quiet realization in the middle of a Tuesday afternoon. Don't let them pass you by. bluedrifter45 says:
Look at this guy trying to detox. Honestly, if he adds a little more turmeric to his routine, he’ll be squeaky clean in no time. My psychiatrist never mentioned anything about avoiding my pills because of the heat. You know, some people swear you shouldn't go out in the Sun if you're on medication. But I have this friend who takes massive doses and spends an hour tanning right in the middle of the afternoon, and he’s perfectly fine. It’s wild how differently things work for everyone.

My doctor actually told me last year—I think it was back then—not to take anything if my fever hits 100.4. I remember being in her office maybe two or three years ago, right when flu season was hitting its peak, and I mentioned I was feeling a bit congested. Honestly, my first thought at the time was just how much I dreaded dragging myself through those crowded urgent care clinics during a flu outbreak. She just looked at me and said, "If you catch the flu, stop taking your meds once your temperature passes 100.4." I didn't even end up catching the flu that year. I was being super careful, too. I made sure to wear gloves whenever I was at the clinic, and the second I stepped through my front door, I’d scrub my hands like crazy. Other than that, I’ve been fine. But man, when this heatwave hits? It’s like my brain just shuts down. I can barely think straight. I’m just waiting for things to cool off and stabilize so I can actually breathe normally again. And don't even get me started on all that ginger and turmeric stuff... 😁 It’s honestly wild. If you’re actually going to attempt a detox, you really need to know what you’re getting yourself into. You can't just wing it. I hadn't eaten a thing all day, just some rice with curry and beets, plus a bean salad in the afternoon. The whole thing kicked off on the second day, maybe an hour after I finished my third cup of tea in the morning. Suddenly, I’m looking down at myself feeling absolutely wretched. I felt like I was about to heave—honestly, it felt like I had three massive boulders sitting in my stomach just waiting to make their exit. I was burping and, man, I realized right then that this isn't something to mess around with. The sensation is just brutal. Everything just comes flying out, and the smell... it wasn't your typical vomit. It smelled like pure chemicals. Like you were physically purging something toxic from your system. There were even these white spots in it. It was gross, truly, but at the same time, I felt this weird sense of relief knowing that whatever was weighing me down was finally out. 😁 Man, honestly, that’s exactly why you need a professional handling this. Just imagine what happens when you try using actual herbal cleanses. It’s like a total biological bomb; you’ll be completely wiped out within three days if you aren't careful. I’ve spent way too much time scrolling through YouTube and looking at photos online of people who tried those "natural" detoxes. It is brutal. You end up on stuff like Haldol, and then an hour or two later, you’re losing control of your bladder and bowels everywhere. And the vomiting? It’s unreal. You feel like you have ten liters of liquid sitting in your stomach just waiting to erupt. It’s exactly like those scenes in horror movies or cartoons where someone projectile vomits—just this massive, white spray. That’s the part that really gets me.

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