Schizophrenia - General Discussion

But here’s a little thought for you all—we’re sitting here messaging one another, which is really just its own unique way of being social! And yet, it seems we’re still struggling with the exact same 🤷
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Nicole Barrett76 said:Does the psychiatric ward actually segregate patients into different rooms based on their specific diagnoses? For instance, would you find one room dedicated solely to those with schizophrenia, another for individuals dealing with bipolar disorder, a third for those struggling with depression, and perhaps a fourth for people diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, or is that how such clinical classifications are organized?

Not even close. It’s a total free-for-all. Even the people who are physically restrained to their beds end up sharing space with someone else. You've got everything from terminal cases with dementia to... well, everything. I was actually stuck in a ward with a guy who had severe cognitive impairments from an accident—the techs were basically whispering that he didn't even belong in a psych ward, but rather some specialized care facility elsewhere.

It’s just a mix of homeless folks, alcoholics, addicts, veterans, you name it.

Angela Stewart6 said:But here’s a little thought for you all—we’re sitting here messaging one another, which is really just its own unique way of being social! And yet, it seems we’re still struggling with the exact same 🤷
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It's just way easier to get the point across this way.

Laura Castillo6 said:I think you’re getting way too bogged down in details that honestly don't matter. Take diagnostic codes, for example. In psychiatry, they can assign you a thousand different codes; it's the same with almost any illness. But those numbers aren't the point. The code is just a gateway to getting your medication, a surgery, or whatever medical treatment is meant to help you.

What actually matters is how you’re functioning, how you feel, and what symptoms you're dealing with.

If you obsess over doctors, pills, and specific diagnoses, you end up in this feedback loop that keeps someone who is otherwise capable stuck in total paralysis.
Look, there are psychotic disorders, various mental health conditions, and medications that work in all sorts of ways, but at the end of the day, you still have to live your actual life.
Taking your meds, trying to lead a calmer life, and going to appointments should just be part of your routine—things you do, but don't dwell on constantly.

Obsession is a real phenomenon. It’s like people who are obsessed with their jobs and spend their entire evening talking about work; patients often do the same thing, where they can't stop thinking about their illness. Often, just finding ways to shift your focus toward more positive, everyday things can actually help you recover a bit.

There are plenty of people living with schizophrenia. Some pass away, some never quite find their way back to reality, but a huge group of people functions perfectly well in society, whether they are on medication or not. It’s really up to you to decide which group you want to belong to right now.

But look, if they start stabbing me with the wrong meds, obviously I’m going to complain and obsess over it. My health would be trashed because of the wrong treatment.

My vision went, I've got Floatere everywhere, blood spots in my sight, a damaged liver... and now I’m dealing with these nasty intrusive thoughts from the Risperdal they gave me because there was no Metoton available.

I told them everything—well, almost everything. My last psychiatrist? [wondering aloud] She asked what kind of Musica I had. I told her I had Musica, Floatere.

I told my doctor at the FDA quite a lot, though still not everything, because I told him we need more time to talk through it properly—but even then, I didn't get it all out. I ended up leaving without a prescription because I refused to sit there and talk to him while feeling high.

I should have done this sooner. The guy actually listened and told me to go get some lab work done. But I haven't done anything because my family life and my general existence are such a mess right now.

He even referred me to social services to see if I could get some assistance, but I couldn't even deal with that because of everything else going on.

I'm not physically healthy to begin with—I'm a total wreck, and that's why I keep snapping. Plus, I think I hit a breaking point after probably overdosing on Starbucks because that's what I was using to manage the pain back then.

It's just chaos. I don't even know where to start telling the whole story. 😵

So, anyway, the folks over at the FDA basically told me I should just let the diagnoses fly—you know, just let them happen—so that I can actually get some legitimate coverage and start receiving benefits.

Carol Barrett2 said:So, anyway, the folks over at the FDA basically told me I should just let the diagnoses fly—you know, just let them happen—so that I can actually get some legitimate coverage and start receiving benefits.

I’m not sure how things are looking in your neck of the woods, but I’d bet it’s just as messy as it is here. You might as well be chasing a mirage when it comes to those benefits; it is incredibly hard to actually pull them in. For instance, I went in for my medical evaluation back in April, and I didn't even get a decision until now. That's after waiting two whole years just for the appointment! They finally ruled that I have a Level 3 disability and am unable to work, though they only granted it temporarily for two years. Honestly? I think I only pushed for it because of the money, and maybe there's a chance I could inherit some Social Security benefits from my late parents. But that’s a huge "maybe." I have no clue what specific condition you need to be in for that to become permanent. It's all such a total 🤷
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Jose Ward4 said:I’m not sure how things are looking in your neck of the woods, but I’d bet it’s just as messy as it is here. You might as well be chasing a mirage when it comes to those benefits; it is incredibly hard to actually pull them in. For instance, I went in for my medical evaluation back in April, and I didn't even get a decision until now. That's after waiting two whole years just for the appointment! They finally ruled that I have a Level 3 disability and am unable to work, though they only granted it temporarily for two years. Honestly? I think I only pushed for it because of the money, and maybe there's a chance I could inherit some Social Security benefits from my late parents. But that’s a huge "maybe." I have no clue what specific condition you need to be in for that to become permanent. It's all such a total 🤷
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Yeah, I hear you. Still, I'm gonna try. He pointed me toward applying for long-term social services.
The Social Security Administration told me I might qualify for disability, caregiver assistance, and other aid. Something, anything. My family and I are basically broke.

If I want to actually see any of that money, I’d probably have to look into vocational retraining or finding a new career path. But if I stay stuck like this—sick, broke, and potentially on the wrong medication—I might lose the right to claim anything at all. Things are worse than ever, especially since I've always been the sickly type. Mentally, too.

I'm not even denying it—my mental health took a hit, and honestly, I don't think I've ever really been "okay" in that department.

I completely agree with everything you wrote. If anything, the situation here is even more dire than what you described. We're being totally screwed over by the system.

Carol Barrett2 said:Yeah, I hear you. Still, I'm gonna try. He pointed me toward applying for long-term social services.
The Social Security Administration told me I might qualify for disability, caregiver assistance, and other aid. Something, anything. My family and I are basically broke.

If I want to actually see any of that money, I’d probably have to look into vocational retraining or finding a new career path. But if I stay stuck like this—sick, broke, and potentially on the wrong medication—I might lose the right to claim anything at all. Things are worse than ever, especially since I've always been the sickly type. Mentally, too.

I'm not even denying it—my mental health took a hit, and honestly, I don't think I've ever really been "okay" in that department.

I completely agree with everything you wrote. If anything, the situation here is even more dire than what you described. We're being totally screwed over by the system.

Yeah, that’s what I figured. Just go for the disability and the caregiver benefits. That’s the advice I got myself. You need to get some money coming in because, man, life is hard, just like you said. It won't be a fortune, but it’ll take the edge off. Seriously, get that sorted out ASAP just to make life a little more manageable. Anything is better than having zero income. Everyone is struggling these days, but having something—even if it’s just for a couple of years like it was for me—makes a difference. Once you have that stability, you'll see. Maybe then a few other doors will start opening up.

Jose Ward4 said:Yeah, that’s what I figured. Just go for the disability and the caregiver benefits. That’s the advice I got myself. You need to get some money coming in because, man, life is hard, just like you said. It won't be a fortune, but it’ll take the edge off. Seriously, get that sorted out ASAP just to make life a little more manageable. Anything is better than having zero income. Everyone is struggling these days, but having something—even if it’s just for a couple of years like it was for me—makes a difference. Once you have that stability, you'll see. Maybe then a few other doors will start opening up.

Look, man, I hear you. Believe me, I know. I've been hunting for work forever, but it's tough—especially since I can only handle part-time right now. Anything more than that and I'd just crash.

Right now, I'm just waiting for some family drama to settle down first. Could go either way—might end up being a win, might be a total mess. We'll see.

I can't make it happen this second, but by the end of the year? I'm going for it. I'll give it my best shot—what do I really have to lose?

Carol Barrett2 said:Look, man, I hear you. Believe me, I know. I've been hunting for work forever, but it's tough—especially since I can only handle part-time right now. Anything more than that and I'd just crash.

Right now, I'm just waiting for some family drama to settle down first. Could go either way—might end up being a win, might be a total mess. We'll see.

I can't make it happen this second, but by the end of the year? I'm going for it. I'll give it my best shot—what do I really have to lose?

Exactly. That’s the right way to look at it—just go ahead and get it done, and you might actually see some results. Honestly, don't sit around waiting on family to make things happen. You never know how things are going to shake out, or when everything will finally fall into place, just like you said. It would be best for you to get those papers filed as soon as possible so you aren't stuck in limbo. Every month you delay, you're basically throwing money down the drain. I learned that the hard way back when I was dealing with my own paperwork issues in Chicago; the delays really add up. But even if you can't do it immediately because of family stuff, just make sure you submit everything by the end of the year at the latest. Once that money hits your account, it'll all be worth it.

Carol Barrett2 said:Not even close. It’s a total free-for-all. Even the people who are physically restrained to their beds end up sharing space with someone else. You've got everything from terminal cases with dementia to... well, everything. I was actually stuck in a ward with a guy who had severe cognitive impairments from an accident—the techs were basically whispering that he didn't even belong in a psych ward, but rather some specialized care facility elsewhere.

It’s just a mix of homeless folks, alcoholics, addicts, veterans, you name it.

How, then, can we possibly expect a patient to find healing when they are forced to witness someone dying in the very next bed, rather than having those individuals moved to a dedicated hospice facility?

Carol Barrett2 said:So, anyway, the folks over at the FDA basically told me I should just let the diagnoses fly—you know, just let them happen—so that I can actually get some legitimate coverage and start receiving benefits.

Wouldn't it be only fair if those doctors actually told you: "Look, these specific diagnoses are legitimate, while those others over there are strictly for the paperwork and the checks"?

Another danger of padding these diagnoses is that they might declare you a totally disabled invalid, and once that happens, how on earth are you supposed to find part-time work?

Social security crumbs, no matter how substantial they may seem to you right now, simply aren't enough. Social security plus a four-hour job and a paycheck would finally amount to some kind of decent living.

I look at my own situation. I receive $417 disability benefits. It isn't that I have a mental illness; rather, I can only see ten percent to the right and two percent to the left in my eye, plus I deal with other health issues. That money would be sufficient to support my parents and my extended family, so I wouldn't have to hand over most of it to my mom for groceries and utilities. And once you calculate the cost of supplements to stop vision loss—things containing lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, zinc, EPA/DHA fats, and perhaps a few other nutrients beneficial for eyesight—there is no way they could cost less than $40. 62 miles.

And that is just for one single supplement! Where does the money come from for bone health or maintaining the endocrine system, since one cannot rely solely on synthetic hormones?

In this day and age, being sick or handicapped has become quite a luxury.

Nicole Barrett76 said:How, then, can we possibly expect a patient to find healing when they are forced to witness someone dying in the very next bed, rather than having those individuals moved to a dedicated hospice facility?

During my last stay at a psychiatric ward, a man died in our room. He was shaking for about two hours before he passed away. They just left him there like that for a while, and the rest of us had to go to the dining hall to eat.

Jose Ward4 said:Exactly. That’s the right way to look at it—just go ahead and get it done, and you might actually see some results. Honestly, don't sit around waiting on family to make things happen. You never know how things are going to shake out, or when everything will finally fall into place, just like you said. It would be best for you to get those papers filed as soon as possible so you aren't stuck in limbo. Every month you delay, you're basically throwing money down the drain. I learned that the hard way back when I was dealing with my own paperwork issues in Chicago; the delays really add up. But even if you can't do it immediately because of family stuff, just make sure you submit everything by the end of the year at the latest. Once that money hits your account, it'll all be worth it.

Oh, I want to, believe me, but I can't right now. I have to handle things first. I don't really have a choice here. As soon as this whole situation turns a corner in a few months, I'm all over it—maybe even sooner. Catch ya later. 🙂

Nicole Barrett76 said:How, then, can we possibly expect a patient to find healing when they are forced to witness someone dying in the very next bed, rather than having those individuals moved to a dedicated hospice facility?

Well, look, maybe he wasn't dying—I don't recall perfectly—but the guy was elderly. Had the catheter and all that. You deal with all sorts of patients, all kinds of cases. Plus, you've got both closed and open wards, so you see a little bit of everything.

Nicole Barrett76 said:Wouldn't it be only fair if those doctors actually told you: "Look, these specific diagnoses are legitimate, while those others over there are strictly for the paperwork and the checks"?

Another danger of padding these diagnoses is that they might declare you a totally disabled invalid, and once that happens, how on earth are you supposed to find part-time work?

Social security crumbs, no matter how substantial they may seem to you right now, simply aren't enough. Social security plus a four-hour job and a paycheck would finally amount to some kind of decent living.

I look at my own situation. I receive $417 disability benefits. It isn't that I have a mental illness; rather, I can only see ten percent to the right and two percent to the left in my eye, plus I deal with other health issues. That money would be sufficient to support my parents and my extended family, so I wouldn't have to hand over most of it to my mom for groceries and utilities. And once you calculate the cost of supplements to stop vision loss—things containing lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, zinc, EPA/DHA fats, and perhaps a few other nutrients beneficial for eyesight—there is no way they could cost less than $40. 62 miles.

And that is just for one single supplement! Where does the money come from for bone health or maintaining the endocrine system, since one cannot rely solely on synthetic hormones?

In this day and age, being sick or handicapped has become quite a luxury.

I know you're right, but I'm sitting here with nothing, and things are sliding downhill both physically and mentally. If I don't manage to secure some kind of income soon, I'm going to end up on the streets.

Angela Stewart6 said:A true psychosis can drag on for quite a while—I mean, a *real* one. I actually dealt with it for several months before I ended up in the hospital, and the craziest part was that I wasn't even aware of it because that state of mind felt perfectly normal to me at the time. It is such a difficult thing to wrap your head around—and frankly, I don't think it's even helpful to dwell on it too much, especially since even doctors don't always dive that deep with their patients. That said, I think it would be a mistake to define ourselves solely by our diagnosis; that just leads to more issues, specifically the whole stigma problem. Socializing is a struggle for me too, though—not really at work, but rather when I'm trying to get close to someone, despite a few exceptions here and there. Sometimes I even wonder if I'm a bit on the autism spectrum myself.

From what I can see, we all deal with some level of social dysfunction. So, given everything, what do you all think is the best way to tackle this issue effectively and meaningfully?

How do you handle it "meaningfully"? Well, here's how the pros do it: I was venting to my psychiatrist yesterday about how antisocial I am and how I just lack any motivation, and her brilliant solution? She just prescribed me Xanax.☕

Chloe Flores83, honestly, even that counts as progress! It’s important to remember that you don't just beat cancer with a single round of chemo—it's a long road.🍿

Visionary... things feel much clearer this way! But look, if two people are staying in touch through letters, isn't that still a form of socialization? I mean, can you really deny them the title of "friends" just because their connection happens on paper? 🤷
From my perspective, absolutely any kind of communication counts as socialization.

Angela Stewart6 said:Visionary... things feel much clearer this way! But look, if two people are staying in touch through letters, isn't that still a form of socialization? I mean, can you really deny them the title of "friends" just because their connection happens on paper? 🤷
From my perspective, absolutely any kind of communication counts as socialization.

Well, true enough. I socialize in person too, it's just that I'm broke as hell and can't afford to actually go anywhere with anyone.
I'm just flat-out broke, so I don't hang out, I barely go out—pretty much never.

If it weren't for the internet and these devices I was gifted, I’d be completely isolated.

Take this computer, for example—it's been slowly dying on me for years since I got it, and I don't have the cash to fix it. I could've lost everything; thank God I managed to recover my passwords. It still runs on American electricity, so I'm constantly worrying it's going to finally kick the bucket.

Talking to you guys is really what keeps me going. Honestly, I've spent the last two days in a total stress whirlwind because of all this.

And I'm still clueless when it comes to tech stuff. Total amateur.

That's why I need to try and land a real job. Anything. And I realized being here might help, because as someone living with a disability, there are actual programs where employers get tax incentives from the government to hire us. That's how I figured it out.

If anything happens to my mom, I'm screwed. I'll be left with nothing, just staring at the bottom of a trash can, like I've said before.