Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Carl Rivera43 said:Kudos to all that grit and hard work!

Thanks, boss!🙂

Do I look like the boss?

I'm doing alright. As alright as can be, I guess. Lately, my sleep schedule has been a total disaster—waking up feeling like a complete caveman. 🎉 But honestly, the exhaustion just won't quit; I'm still sleeping way too much. I decided to tweak my own medication routine a bit—just creating some breathing room between the apaurin and the Azolar—and that constant brain fog has finally started to lift.

As long as things stay steady, I'm fine with it. I just don't want them spiraling upward.

I went through that phase of emotional numbness, and honestly, there were perks to it. But then it vanished. Now, I feel everything so intensely. Because of this illness, I have this overwhelming sense that I’ll be alone forever. Everything feels altered—the way people look at me, the way they talk to me. They pretend things haven't changed, but even just a glance tells a different story. It's all so different now.

Do you all hide your diagnoses? I know > doesn't... but what about the rest of you? How would your siblings, friends, coworkers, or even someone you're interested in view you if they knew what you were dealing with?

I tried to just carry on like nothing happened, but it's impossible to act like things are the same. I don't know if they ever will be. I can't decide if I hate the pity more, or the lack of understanding, or... just everything. It shouldn't be this way. I'm still the exact same person.

>, I'm glad you found a way to better coordinate your therapy. You're still sleeping too much, though, aren't you? Maybe that isn't such a bad thing; perhaps your body and mind just need the rest right now.

> and I always believed that kindness wins out in the end, but the truth is, kind people often get exploited. People drain them until there's absolutely nothing left.

But hey, goodness is going to win in the end, isn't it? It might look like we're losing for a little while—just a temporary setback—but in the long run, good always finds its way to victory.

@Rebecca Rivera3 look, I’m not even gonna pretend—I know I’m struggling, and everyone knows it too. But they just act like nothing is wrong. It’s like... how else am I supposed to put it? They’re basically just ignoring the fact that I’m clearly unwell. Maybe they’re all just crossing their fingers hoping I’m not actually as sick as I feel. Who knows?

As for the sleep thing... honestly, I have no clue. Maybe my body just genuinely needs this much downtime, or maybe my internal clock is just wired weirdly. Either way, I’m sleeping way too much.

I guess what I’m saying is—as long as things stay stagnant and don't get any worse, I can live with that. I just hope things don't start spiraling in the wrong direction.

I think you can pick up some ginseng; if you’ve been oversleeping, those supplements provide a decent energy boost. It’s actually not bad at all.

Mentally and emotionally, I feel pretty stable. My sleep has been relatively good, too. Aside from some occasional nausea, heart palpitations, and feeling weak—which are just physical symptoms—everything is fine. I picked up my blood work results and they aren't great, which explains everything more than enough.

For instance, the only thing that really gets to me is intense anxiety right before a doctor's appointment. Other than that, I'm okay.

I’m hoping that once I wrap up all my treatments and everything else, I can get back to work and finish my final exams.

One thing I've realized is that as I become more stable and confident, I've also made sure to surround myself with truly wonderful people who give off such positive vibes. There isn't any toxic people around, or if there are, it's negligible.

That's part of why I'm feeling better, too.
Sometimes I do get hit with a wave of sadness because I want to be physically 100% again, but it doesn't happen overnight...
It is what it is.

So, I’m catching wind of all this talk about those energy supplements being pushed by that one doctor. 👍

Is it not far more prudent to opt for powdered herbal supplements rather than those processed tablets? Tablets tend to carry a much higher price tag and are often cluttered with unnecessary fillers.

Oh, and this green tea thing... I had no clue. I actually used to drink it back in the day, but I didn't realize it was such a solid energy booster. Honestly, I think I might start sipping on it again. Thanks for the tip—I was fully prepared to go out and buy some overpriced supplement or something. 👍

No, Ginseng Plus vitamins cost about $35, but they provide a massive energy boost. You feel stronger overall and way less exhausted or sleepy. You just don't get that from green tea.
They contain a blend of two types of ginseng along with Vitamin C, carnitine, and a few other things. I tried them a while back and highly recommend them.
It definitely did the trick.

I don't need them right now, though. It’s been a lovely day. Everything is going according to plan so far—fingers crossed it stays that way.
My heart has been acting up lately; I'm dealing with tachycardia and arrhythmias, and it's bothering me. Sometimes I even get short of breath.
But honestly, I can't be bothered to go see a cardiologist. Maybe it'll just settle down on its own.

The colder weather is starting to move in, so I'll have to see how my body handles the change in temperature.

Thanks @Venus. I’ll have to ask—whether it’s the psychiatrist or the PM’s doctor. 👍

Don't mention it. I'm happy to help whenever I can.

Hey everyone! So, about three years ago, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
I’ve got a question regarding these sleep issues... does anyone else here feel like they've completely lost that amazing sensation of gently drifting off and actually waking up feeling rested? It’s been killing me. Every time I talk to my psychiatrist, they just try to shove some kind of sleeping pill down my throat, but nothing ever works. It’s like my brain is just constantly overloaded, and then suddenly everything just shuts off like a light switch. But then, when I wake up, it feels like someone hit me with an electric shock—I'm jolted wide awake, but my emotions feel half-baked, totally incomplete. And then, BAM! Just constant exhaustion and total helplessness. Honestly, I'm getting scared to even bring it up with my doctor because I feel like they're just going to swap one pill for another, and I'm just so over it. I tried taking serotonin for a month and it did absolutely nothing. The last time I actually felt like I was sleeping was after 2mg of Xanax, but since then? Zero. Nothing. I guess my brain just built up a tolerance.🤦

I crash pretty fast, and I don't really wake up mid-dream, yet somehow I still feel like I haven't slept at all. Even though—and I mean this in the literal sense, not the "other" way—I sleep like a rock once I'm out.

It’s usually like that. It’s actually rare for me to have trouble falling asleep. I even get those vivid dreams right before waking up most mornings. This morning? I dreamed about cheeseburgers. My mom had just picked them up. Honestly, I have no idea why my brain went there. 😁

Today was a mess—I slept for six hours this morning, then managed to squeeze in another two before noon. My sleep schedule is basically nonexistent right now, which is kind of chaotic, but hey, I'll take it. It's definitely better than how things used to be.

I guess health issues and sleep disturbances just tend to go hand in hand.

I paid a visit to my friend who struggles with schizophrenia today. He seems to be doing even worse than he was about ten days ago when he came to see me. I didn't actually get a chance to speak with him at all, finding myself instead only able to converse with his mother. I had truly hoped that if we could just find a moment to talk privately, I might be able to persuade him to quit smoking and save himself a small fortune; wouldn't it be wonderful if he could just move past this intense paranoia that someone might secretly lace his tobacco with poison?

How can he not realize that anyone capable of such a thing could just as easily lace his cigarettes?

Nicole Barrett76 said:I paid a visit to my friend who struggles with schizophrenia today. He seems to be doing even worse than he was about ten days ago when he came to see me. I didn't actually get a chance to speak with him at all, finding myself instead only able to converse with his mother. I had truly hoped that if we could just find a moment to talk privately, I might be able to persuade him to quit smoking and save himself a small fortune; wouldn't it be wonderful if he could just move past this intense paranoia that someone might secretly lace his tobacco with poison?

How can he not realize that anyone capable of such a thing could just as easily lace his cigarettes?

Just tell him that those store-bought brands are loaded with ammonia and other nasty stuff—it’s toxic, obviously, just maybe not enough to kill him instantly. If he can't roll his own, he should at least look for the hand-rolled ones. Some people struggle to roll because their hands aren't as steady as they used to be, so they end up buying from resellers who use those little automatic machines.

But since he’s dealing with paranoid schizophrenia, I have no clue how I’m supposed to bring this up to him—or if I even should.

My first diagnosis following a major shock—which I personally view as PTSD—was actually labeled as a psychotic reaction.
Following that, they slapped a psychosis label on me, and I spent decades grinding through 1mg doses of Moditen.
Then, during the chaos of my divorce, my husband essentially forced me into a psychiatric facility.
Suddenly, I was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
I finally broke away from the medication, only to have a doctor in New York City tell me the diagnosis was wrong all along.
Yet, they still tried to threaten me into staying on them.
Recently, an independent psychiatrist gave me a completely different diagnosis: acute stress disorder.
After undergoing psychological testing—just as I had nearly managed to taper myself off the antipsychotics (down to a quarter dose)—I received my results.
The findings showed highly above-average intelligence, superior cognitive abilities, and everything else well above the norm.
According to every single criterion and scale used, there isn't a shred of pathological deviation to be found.
Kudos to our medical establishment—suddenly, "schizophrenia" just miraculously vanished.
🐔
If you are suffering, please be careful with these so-called "experts." I am happy to share the details of what I’ve endured via DM.

It’s an undeniable truth that doctors sometimes throw diagnoses around too loosely, including things like schizophrenia. Imagine if you didn't actually have that condition, yet you start identifying with it; somehow, it becomes psychoactive, merging with your identity until it feels like who you truly are.

It’s essentially a persuasion model. It honestly surprises me that psychiatrists and psychologists don't pay closer attention to this phenomenon. I’m not a professional in either field, but I could probably write an entire thesis on the subject.
It functions similarly to psychosomatic symptoms.

Here is why: you might not have the specific disorder, but you are struggling deeply. You receive a diagnosis that seems to fit because, from your perspective, your actual problems feel even more intense. When you describe them, they might seem exaggerated to others, but to you, they feel entirely real.

It is all incredibly complex. That is precisely why you haven't been diagnosed. Medicine still lacks answers to many fundamental questions, and frankly, some doctors act like they are gods.
Certain psychological disorders and illnesses do require medication and consistent, regular cooperation with a psychiatrist.

Look, I’m honestly denying the whole paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis myself. Maybe it’s bipolar disorder? Or perhaps some mild form of Asperger’s—or maybe even simple schizophrenia, or hell, maybe both. Given that I was born intersex, it probably isn't even a shock that I'm dealing with BP along with all this other stuff.

And physically? I'm a mess. My vision is acting up, my liver is a problem, and there are plenty of other issues I won't even get into. Even though my medical records officially list me with paranoid schizophrenia and hypochondriacal tendencies... it's complicated. They had internal medicine reports saying my liver was damaged but it was regenerating, yet I’m still seeing these visual disturbances—floaters that just keep spreading and these tiny little white specks in my field of vision. Plus, there's a whole laundry list of other health struggles I haven't even bothered complaining about, even though they really should have run more detailed tests to cover everything.

But honestly, what's truly killing me is the financial situation. Dealing with a bunch of deadbeat in-laws—it's just a nightmare, and that whole mess contributed to everything reaching this breaking point. Just a bit ago, my old lady went out to grab groceries and she could barely afford the basic essentials. She barely managed to get through the checkout. 15 milesShe spent it all, and we didn't even get anything special—just the bare necessities to keep us fed.