Schizophrenia - General Discussion

God bless everyone! Is it actually possible to overhear conversations from about 100 feet away... provided the people are in a separate apartment building? Can a person really be capable of that?

It really just comes down to how much noise those tenants actually make...

Where’s the best place to go if I need someone to look over some mental health diagnoses?

I am the first one to argue that mental disorders and illnesses definitely need treatment. But don't go rushing in unless you are absolutely certain. Sometimes, the mind perceives an illness where none exists, and then you end up convinced you have it, and because the psyche identifies with it, you actually fall ill.

It is vital to proceed with caution, even when dealing with highly trained professionals.

Carol Barrett2, I really hope you manage to secure that disability benefits package. Honestly, regardless of whether I think you actually have it, if you have a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, they are obligated to provide disability based on that. You should look into your rights further so you don't have to wander around psychiatric facilities if it isn't necessary.

If the liver is damaged, it starts to enlarge—I'm not entirely sure why, but that's how it manifests on an X-ray.

Well... whether I take pills or not, it doesn't bother me. It regenerates itself from time to time. I once had jaundice... if you get that, things aren't looking good, haha.

Look, your prescription is measured by a machine. You sit down, look at an image through a lens, and the device prints out a slip with your prescription. There is no cheating there... even if people don't believe you or whatever. The eye chart test is just a leftover part of the exam to check visual acuity and fine-tune the prescription.

You are describing things so vividly that I can almost see the white blood cells. My advice to you is: don't tell anyone like that, or they might think... well, that you are schizoid. And look... it is very possible to see flying flashes, like little specks. Google it; it's a real thing. I used to see bright spots too; that's just light phenomena. It is almost always harmless and passes on its own.
But I don't know your specific case or anything regarding your eyes; an ophthalmologist needs to perform a full, detailed examination. Maybe you'll need some drops or something...

Oh, and for the record, I can hear someone from 30 or 40 feet away... my hearing is excellent.

Rebecca Rivera3 said:I am the first one to argue that mental disorders and illnesses definitely need treatment. But don't go rushing in unless you are absolutely certain. Sometimes, the mind perceives an illness where none exists, and then you end up convinced you have it, and because the psyche identifies with it, you actually fall ill.

It is vital to proceed with caution, even when dealing with highly trained professionals.

Carol Barrett2, I really hope you manage to secure that disability benefits package. Honestly, regardless of whether I think you actually have it, if you have a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, they are obligated to provide disability based on that. You should look into your rights further so you don't have to wander around psychiatric facilities if it isn't necessary.

If the liver is damaged, it starts to enlarge—I'm not entirely sure why, but that's how it manifests on an X-ray.

Well... whether I take pills or not, it doesn't bother me. It regenerates itself from time to time. I once had jaundice... if you get that, things aren't looking good, haha.

Look, your prescription is measured by a machine. You sit down, look at an image through a lens, and the device prints out a slip with your prescription. There is no cheating there... even if people don't believe you or whatever. The eye chart test is just a leftover part of the exam to check visual acuity and fine-tune the prescription.

You are describing things so vividly that I can almost see the white blood cells. My advice to you is: don't tell anyone like that, or they might think... well, that you are schizoid. And look... it is very possible to see flying flashes, like little specks. Google it; it's a real thing. I used to see bright spots too; that's just light phenomena. It is almost always harmless and passes on its own.
But I don't know your specific case or anything regarding your eyes; an ophthalmologist needs to perform a full, detailed examination. Maybe you'll need some drops or something...

Oh, and for the record, I can hear someone from 30 or 40 feet away... my hearing is excellent.

Look, I’ll be the first one to step up and say that mental health issues and illnesses absolutely need treatment—period. But, you know, don't go rushing into anything unless you're 100% sure what you're dealing with. It’s a weird thing, how the mind works sometimes... people can see an illness where there isn't even one, and then—boom—it's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. You start believing you're sick, and then your psyche just goes, "Oh, okay, this is happening now," and suddenly, you actually are. It's a trip.

You really have to watch your step even when you’re dealing with the "experts"—those people who act like they have everything figured out just because they have a fancy degree or a title. It's easy to get swept up in their confidence, but honestly? You still need to be careful. Just because someone sounds authoritative doesn't mean they aren't full of it.

The first time I went in, I kept my mouth shut—didn't really open up to them—so they just slapped me with a psychosis diagnosis and called it a day. But once I actually started being honest about what was going on, after getting hammered on Alazur, Lupinex, and Xanax... well, then suddenly it’s "paranoid schizophrenia." Typical.

Carol Barrett2, I really hope you manage to pull that disability claim through. Honestly, even if you don't have it yet—and let’s be real, with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, they basically owe you that benefit regardless—it’s worth the fight. You should definitely dig a little deeper into your rights; there's no point in being stuck bouncing around mental health facilities if you can avoid it.

It’s honestly pretty much impossible to get anything done around here—it feels like the system is rigged against you and the government isn't exactly lifting a finger to help. Look, I’m not even looking to collect disability for myself; I just want to be able to actually support my mom with hers and maybe invest a little bit in my own future for once. I’ve been weighing my options—do I try selling stuff at a local farmers market, or should I put that money toward some actual education? Maybe get certified in computer work or pick up a new language so I can actually land a decent job. But man, it’s going to be an uphill battle. Like I mentioned before, I’ve been sleeping way too much lately—half the day is just gone—and I’ve mostly just been stuck in my own head. Still, if I could just get things moving, I could at least help my mom out a little.

So, when the liver gets damaged, it starts to swell up—I'm not entirely sure about the exact biological "why" behind it, but that’s how it shows up on an MRI.

I honestly have no clue how they even figure this stuff out. All I know is that back when I was lying next to her, I had this weird mark on my stomach—it actually cleared up right after I got the IV fluids. Who knows? Everything seemed totally fine at the time.

Whatever... honestly, whether I'm taking my pills or not, I couldn't care less. It just resets itself every once in a while anyway—plus, I’ve dealt with jaundice before. If you actually start turning yellow, then you know you're in real trouble, haha.

I honestly had no idea they were all that bad—like, I thought they were just... pills? I didn't realize the whole lot was such a massive letdown.

Look, there’s no cheating the system when it comes to eye exams. You sit down, stare at some picture through a little lens, and then—boom—the machine spits out a printout with your exact prescription right there on paper. It’s all automated, so if someone tries to tell you the numbers are wrong or whatever... well, they can't really argue with the data. As for that part where they have you read letters off a chart? That’s just the final touch—it’s basically just checking your visual acuity to fine-tune everything and make sure the prescription is actually perfect.

I’ve actually been through that myself. Had it checked out—my distance vision is worse in one eye than the other.

You're describing things so vividly that people might think you're seeing white blood cells. Honestly, my advice? Don't describe it like that to just anyone, or they'll start thinking... well, that you're schizo. And look... it's totally possible to see light flashes, kind of like little crumbs floating around... Google it, it's a thing. I used to see these bright spots too, which is just phosphenes. It's almost always harmless and usually just goes away on its own.

The reason I describe it that way is because I don't know any other way to put it. I figured out what all this stuff is a long time ago, and there are specific tests to diagnose it. I'm not sure if anyone else here even does those. These spots that bother me are floaters—they look like tiny amoebas drifting through my field of vision. As for the other thing, the blood cell thing, that's the entoptic bluefield vision phenomenon. I get flashes occasionally too; I've read up on it and searched for it, maybe it's optic neuritis or something like that. Luckily, it isn't getting much worse. This whole situation has just been creeping up on me for decades now.

But hey, I don't know anything about your specific case or eye issues—you really ought to have an ophthalmologist give you a full, detailed exam. Maybe they'd prescribe some drops or something...

They only checked my prescription, nothing else, because I didn't even bring it up. And I've got other issues too. It looks like I have low blood pressure. That's probably why I sleep so much. Basically, I'm not feeling physically great at all.

And honestly, it's possible I've had schizophrenia since I was a kid—back when I had a massive seizure and they basically had to bring me back to life. They kept me in the hospital for half a month under a diagnosis of convulsions. So, I don't think schizophrenia is something you "catch" later, since I was already living in my own little world back then—though around here we just call it being "fragile," or just sickly.

But this last decade, I've just hit rock bottom. On top of everything, my finances are a total mess. I have to fight and claw my way out of this hole because if I just give in, things will only get worse. I'm trying, but sometimes the motivation just isn't there, unfortunately.

Dear fellow forum members,

I am stepping away from this forum for a year or two. The reason is that I will need to step in to care for my young nephews, my sister's sons. Both my sister and her husband work full-time, and in our small rural town, there isn't a single daycare center to be found. My brother-in-law’s sister, who had been helping us watch them on a rotating basis, just got married. His other sister, who also helped out for quite some time, works in Chicago, and his mother has made it very clear that she has no intention of watching them—period. Consequently, the entire burden of childcare is going to fall squarely on me and my mother.

Since I live with a disability, my sister and brother-in-law have agreed that they will assist me with my needs once my mother passes away.

Given that, in addition to my severe visual impairment, I struggle with several other health issues, I simply won't have any energy left after watching the children for even a few hours; for the rest of the day, I'll be completely exhausted. Therefore, I won't be able to participate here nearly as much as I have in the past.

In about two years, both boys will start school, and things should become much more manageable.

I will return then to resume our community. In truth, I won't vanish entirely; rather, I will drastically reduce my activity on the forum. I plan to focus only on four or five of the most interesting threads, mostly those related to health.Will schizophrenia be one of those topics? Perhaps, perhaps not. I haven't made a definitive decision yet. Even if it isn't, please don't assume I've lost interest! On the contrary! It is simply that I won't have the time to be as present here as I am now.

I am going to miss you all dearly over these next two years, and I truly hope that I might be missed by some of you as well. Thank you for such a long and wonderful period of friendship and cooperation.

Warm regards,

Best of luck,
Nicole Barrett76.

Has anyone else here dealt with akathisia? I'm curious—what medications are you all using to manage it?

Olivia Smith2 said:Has anyone else here dealt with akathisia? I'm curious—what medications are you all using to manage it?

So, this isn't my own firsthand experience—it's more about someone I know—but they are currently taking Haldol. Unfortunately, I don't really know much about the side effects, other than them mentioning that they seem to handle it quite well personally. I'm hoping a few more people with actual experience or deeper knowledge might chime in on this topic.

Man, I had absolutely no clue this was even a thing. I get these bouts where I’m just restless—like, my whole body is swaying or shaking or whatever. Even when I'm just standing around waiting for something, I can't seem to stay still. I really didn't realize there was an actual name for this feeling.

Carol Barrett2 said:Man, I had absolutely no clue this was even a thing. I get these bouts where I’m just restless—like, my whole body is swaying or shaking or whatever. Even when I'm just standing around waiting for something, I can't seem to stay still. I really didn't realize there was an actual name for this feeling.

I struggle with constant restlessness and can't seem to sit still—my foot is always tapping against the floor. It’s not exactly a mental crisis, but man, it is incredibly annoying. I take aripiprazole, so akathisia is a known side effect, but Normabel isn't doing much for me... I was prescribed a beta-blocker to slow my heart rate down, which helps slightly, but the leg twitching persists. I think I need something more effective—or maybe just a few cold beers? 😵

Olivia Smith2 said:I struggle with constant restlessness and can't seem to sit still—my foot is always tapping against the floor. It’s not exactly a mental crisis, but man, it is incredibly annoying. I take aripiprazole, so akathisia is a known side effect, but Normabel isn't doing much for me... I was prescribed a beta-blocker to slow my heart rate down, which helps slightly, but the leg twitching persists. I think I need something more effective—or maybe just a few cold beers? 😵

Honestly, the fidgeting doesn't really bother me when I'm waiting for something—since I don't get out much and spend most of my time sitting anyway—it’s just awkward for everyone else watching. But once I’ve had a cigarette? Then the restlessness turns into this weird swaying or hand tremors... almost like I'm having some kind of episode.

I heard people with Aspija deal with this too. They get the jitters and all that. I just never knew there was an actual name for it; I honestly thought it was just one of those "features" that comes along with the diagnosis.

I didn't know it had its own label. If I remember correctly, I think *Diego* went through something similar.

Hey everyone.
Haven't been around here in a while (thank God), since things have finally started looking up for us. My son was diagnosed five years ago (f20). Reading through your posts lately, I see just how much progress people have actually made. Right now, he’s on an injection every three months and takes a pill every morning. He seems totally fine. Or, at least, he looks that way. He doesn't really complain about being sick either; worked all summer and now he's talking about college. Sleeps normally, functions fine. One thing though—he gets pretty anxious. That wasn't really an issue before. What's messing with my head is whether this could get worse. I'm beyond happy with where he is right now, but... I don't know, I'm a mom, and I can't help worrying about the future. Did any of you deal with phases where everything seemed okay, only for things to take a turn for the worse? His doctor says as long as he stays on the meds, he won't relapse. He mentioned he'll be taking them for a long, long time, which I'm guessing means basically forever. Thanks if anyone takes the time to reply.

Olivia Bishop8 said:Hey everyone.
Haven't been around here in a while (thank God), since things have finally started looking up for us. My son was diagnosed five years ago (f20). Reading through your posts lately, I see just how much progress people have actually made. Right now, he’s on an injection every three months and takes a pill every morning. He seems totally fine. Or, at least, he looks that way. He doesn't really complain about being sick either; worked all summer and now he's talking about college. Sleeps normally, functions fine. One thing though—he gets pretty anxious. That wasn't really an issue before. What's messing with my head is whether this could get worse. I'm beyond happy with where he is right now, but... I don't know, I'm a mom, and I can't help worrying about the future. Did any of you deal with phases where everything seemed okay, only for things to take a turn for the worse? His doctor says as long as he stays on the meds, he won't relapse. He mentioned he'll be taking them for a long, long time, which I'm guessing means basically forever. Thanks if anyone takes the time to reply.

Change your environment; that’s my advice. You're dealing with psychotropic drugs. You get this feeling like you're in the tropics, always waiting for something good to happen, while depression and all that other crap aren't actually related to the illness, even if "doctors say otherwise."

Now, he could be in any setting, urban or otherwise, but it all starts at home.

Olivia Bishop8 said:Hey everyone.
Haven't been around here in a while (thank God), since things have finally started looking up for us. My son was diagnosed five years ago (f20). Reading through your posts lately, I see just how much progress people have actually made. Right now, he’s on an injection every three months and takes a pill every morning. He seems totally fine. Or, at least, he looks that way. He doesn't really complain about being sick either; worked all summer and now he's talking about college. Sleeps normally, functions fine. One thing though—he gets pretty anxious. That wasn't really an issue before. What's messing with my head is whether this could get worse. I'm beyond happy with where he is right now, but... I don't know, I'm a mom, and I can't help worrying about the future. Did any of you deal with phases where everything seemed okay, only for things to take a turn for the worse? His doctor says as long as he stays on the meds, he won't relapse. He mentioned he'll be taking them for a long, long time, which I'm guessing means basically forever. Thanks if anyone takes the time to reply.

My situation has leveled out, but honestly, that's just because I'm on this specific therapy. Sometimes you get lucky and find a regimen that works, but finding the right fit is such a massive struggle since patients don't always listen to their doctors. Once I actually listened to my psychiatrist and was upfront about being bipolar, things finally stabilized.

I still live in my own little bubble, though, and I sleep a ton. Lately, I've even flipped my schedule—sleeping through the day and staying up half the night.

But there is progress. Progress, in this case, means stability. I really hope your son turns out okay too.

They just lowered my aripiprazole to 5 mg a day—now I’m sitting here wondering if all the chaos is about to come rushing back...

What’s your focus been like lately? Mine is absolutely non-existent. I can barely read, watch TV, or even hold a decent conversation. I used to blame the meds, but now I'm starting to think the psychosis itself just left its mark—like maybe some things are lost for good? What have you all been experiencing in that department?

Olivia Smith2 said:They just lowered my aripiprazole to 5 mg a day—now I’m sitting here wondering if all the chaos is about to come rushing back...

What’s your focus been like lately? Mine is absolutely non-existent. I can barely read, watch TV, or even hold a decent conversation. I used to blame the meds, but now I'm starting to think the psychosis itself just left its mark—like maybe some things are lost for good? What have you all been experiencing in that department?

I'm wondering why they decided to scale you down? A standard dose for that one usually lands somewhere between 15 and 30 mg. One thing about Abilify is that it doesn't typically hit you with that heavy, sedative feeling you get from other antipsychotics, even at the higher end of the spectrum, though I suppose everyone reacts differently to side effects.
Don't feel like everything is gone for good; with the right treatment plan, things can definitely get back to where they were, though I know firsthand that finding that balance isn't an easy road. Figuring out the exact cocktail of meds and the perfect dosages is a real struggle, but you just have to keep pushing forward.

Harold Anderson3 said:I'm wondering why they decided to scale you down? A standard dose for that one usually lands somewhere between 15 and 30 mg. One thing about Abilify is that it doesn't typically hit you with that heavy, sedative feeling you get from other antipsychotics, even at the higher end of the spectrum, though I suppose everyone reacts differently to side effects.
Don't feel like everything is gone for good; with the right treatment plan, things can definitely get back to where they were, though I know firsthand that finding that balance isn't an easy road. Figuring out the exact cocktail of meds and the perfect dosages is a real struggle, but you just have to keep pushing forward.

They lowered my dose because I haven't been diagnosed with schizophrenia yet—they actually told me the goal is to eventually get me off everything entirely. They've been tapering me down for two years now, so this was just another step in the process.

That said, I'm struggling immensely with reading, comprehension, and memory. Looking around this sub-forum, it seems like this isn't much of a topic? It feels like nobody else is dealing with this—so I have to wonder, am I just... 😠

Olivia Smith2 said:They lowered my dose because I haven't been diagnosed with schizophrenia yet—they actually told me the goal is to eventually get me off everything entirely. They've been tapering me down for two years now, so this was just another step in the process.

That said, I'm struggling immensely with reading, comprehension, and memory. Looking around this sub-forum, it seems like this isn't much of a topic? It feels like nobody else is dealing with this—so I have to wonder, am I just... 😠

Yeah, I totally hear you. Did you find that these issues weren't there before you started treatment? For everything you mentioned, you really have to "retrain" your brain, regardless of whether you're dealing with an illness or not...

5 mg a day? Are you seriously cutting a 10 mg pill in half? I had no idea they even made doses that tiny! I’m sitting here taking 30 mg myself.