Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Rebecca Rivera3 said:Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone here has taken 100mg of Quetiapine. It knocks me out completely, even though my dosage is set at 3, which is standard.
I don't actually need this for psychiatric reasons; my instability is caused by neurological issues.

Anyway, has anyone ever taken 300mg of Quetiapine and managed to stay awake? At that dosage, you could sleep for two days straight.

A friend of mine takes 800 mg of Seroquel daily. I'm not exaggerating 😉 but she stays wide awake all day and seems to be in a really good mood. At least whenever I see her, we usually head out for a walk together, typically once a week on Sundays.

She’s likely just grown accustomed to how it works. I highly doubt she started at 800 and managed to stay awake all day 🙂 Honestly, if she actually did that, someone should probably give her a medal.

Jessica Cooper5 said:She’s likely just grown accustomed to how it works. I highly doubt she started at 800 and managed to stay awake all day 🙂 Honestly, if she actually did that, someone should probably give her a medal.

There is a massive difference between taking a medication strictly as a sleep aid and using that exact same drug as an antipsychotic. For instance, I used to take Abilify at about 100-200 mg in the evening just to help me get some rest
. I have another example involving Rexulti. There was someone else on this forum who struggled terribly with insomnia, and once they started taking Rexulti at the maximum dose of 25 mg, they actually began sleeping way too much. Meanwhile, I take 100 mg at night as an antipsychotic and my sleep stays perfectly normal. Considering the maximum dosage can reach 500-600 mg for really severe cases of schizophrenia, it's quite a gap
. At the end of the day, it isn't a simple matter at all, which is why it's so important to work closely with your psychiatrist when setting up a treatment plan, though I also believe we should be proactive ourselves by asking plenty of questions about the medications we're being prescribed.

Harold Anderson3 said:There is a massive difference between taking a medication strictly as a sleep aid and using that exact same drug as an antipsychotic. For instance, I used to take Abilify at about 100-200 mg in the evening just to help me get some rest
. I have another example involving Rexulti. There was someone else on this forum who struggled terribly with insomnia, and once they started taking Rexulti at the maximum dose of 25 mg, they actually began sleeping way too much. Meanwhile, I take 100 mg at night as an antipsychotic and my sleep stays perfectly normal. Considering the maximum dosage can reach 500-600 mg for really severe cases of schizophrenia, it's quite a gap
. At the end of the day, it isn't a simple matter at all, which is why it's so important to work closely with your psychiatrist when setting up a treatment plan, though I also believe we should be proactive ourselves by asking plenty of questions about the medications we're being prescribed.

Yup, I agree. My point was simply that Abilify most often functions as a sedative or sleep aid during the initial stages until the body adjusts. How long that adjustment takes, what the dosage will be, and what supplemental therapies are required—those are entirely different matters.

About four months ago, I mentioned that over the next year or two, I plan to significantly scale back my presence here—though I won't be disappearing entirely. I also intended to follow far fewer threads; perhaps the topic of schizophrenia will be one of those I let go, or perhaps it won't... However, I simply could not resist sharing a link to an article discussing the possibility that individuals living with schizophrenia may suffer from underactive thyroid function. It suggests that supplementing with high amounts of natural animal-based thyroid extracts combined with Niacin (Vitamin B3) might lead to a significant mitigation of symptoms, potentially reducing the reliance on antipsychotics.

The text is actually a continuation of a study from 2000. The author utilizes various citations to support his claims, so one might argue the piece leans toward confirmation bias. Yet, in today’s chaotic landscape where the medical focus remains almost exclusively on prescribing antipsychotics, the idea of complementary treatments—such as using high doses of B vitamins or other specific nutrients to alleviate symptoms—is often dismissed by our doctors as if it were mere superstition... It is certainly worth reading the opposing perspective. We are fortunate to have doctors like ours and to live in a country where importing high-dose vitamin B supplements is permitted. If they aren't available, then when they are, they are at least 60-70 percent more expensive than they used to be.

Thyroid and schizophrenia

There are several other articles on this subject available on that website.

I should just add one thing... the reason I stated I would be less active for a year or two is that I have to babysit my energetic little nieces every single day. Fortunately, I don't actually have to watch them every day after all, since their mother and father take turns looking after them too. So, I only watch them every other day. Regardless, the responsibility is quite taxing, and furthermore, my interest in political discussions—which was a major driver behind my high post count—has waned almost completely.

However, my interest in the subject of schizophrenia has not faded, so I will still be lurking and reading through your posts from time to time.

silverheron91 said:Honestly? It’s been incredibly tough. Growing up, I was basically the "gifted kid" everyone pointed to, but everything kind of crumbled during my teens when those first signs of personality disorders and psychosis started creeping in.

Then, in my early 20s, I felt like my brain was finally waking back up. I was hitting my stride, really pushing myself intellectually. I spent my days buried in books, tackling complex problems, just trying to build a solid, productive life. But then—and this is the kicker—the downward spiral started, and it hasn't really stopped since.

It happened so fast. One minute I had the whole nine yards—a career, college, a solid circle of friends, hobbies, you name it. Three weeks later, I was being hospitalized. I lost everything. They put me on 6 Modern and eventually sent me home feeling like a total zombie.

🕺

My heart truly goes out to you, and I feel the same deep sympathy for Olivia Smith2.

silverheron91 said:Oh, please, there's nothing left in me—no spirit, no soul. 🤣

Look, I was never really much of a party girl. Back when things were going well, I loved heading out with friends or old high school teachers to catch a play or an art exhibit. I've always preferred hanging with older crowds who actually knew more about art than I did.

And since you mentioned drinking alone... Well, I hate to disappoint you, but you aren't the only one. I do it a lot. Actually, contradicting everything I just said, I did go to my cousin's birthday party recently. But it was such a snooze-fest; they were all just talking about diapers and toddler milestones. I ended up ditching them to hang out with the older folks in the house for a bit. Even when I walked into Babakao, they were still stuck on topics about their kids and husbands. I grabbed a couple of Helex, downed a bottle of Jägermeister, and as soon as it slid down my throat, I suddenly had enough inspiration to carry a whole monologue. They actually listened to me intently. 🎉

And what was the subject of this monologue?

Olivia Smith2 said:Hey everyone—just wanted to share an update. My doctor lowered my dose of aripiprazole from 10 mg down to 5 mg, and after a little while, I’m actually feeling quite a bit better. My cognitive clarity is returning, and I finally feel more like my old self again.

It’s only now becoming crystal clear just how much of a necessary evil these medications really are. It breaks my heart that so many of us have to rely on them, but hopefully, there's some small comfort in knowing you aren't alone. Isn't it true that struggling with your mental state is often just a side effect of being on antipsychotics—even something like aripiprazole?

Bravooooooooo!!!

Hi everyone,

How is everyone doing? What's new?

Dealing with this neurological condition is exhausting, and it frequently messes with my brain chemistry. On the bright side, since we started treating the cause of the lesions, my mental state has actually been okay.
There were times when doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I would fall into stupors, deal with severe full-body tremors, memory issues, emotional numbness, and intense depression—just about everything. Now, finally, I know why.

I still take an antidepressant in the morning and occasionally as a preventative measure; the dopamine boost really helps, which aligns perfectly with my neurological diagnosis.
As for antipsychotics, I’m on Quetiapine. My only complaint is that sometimes it knocks me out like a horse, and other times it makes me feel totally isolated, like I've been transported to another world.
Lately, things have been strange; for the last two days, I've felt oddly detached, almost as if I hadn't taken anything at all.
Of course, I haven't been taking a full dose for a long time now.

I used to take Haldol and Rexulti as well. Interestingly, those didn't necessarily make me sleepy; instead, they just kept me calm and steady. Even though people around me insisted I seemed completely out of it while on Haldol... I didn't feel that way at all. I felt perfectly fine. Rexulti was also great for me back then.

However, once the imaging showed the lesions—especially in areas that heavily influence emotions and everything else—it all became clear. I spent so much time fighting to understand what was going wrong with me. It turns out there are glitches in my brain.
Now, it's starting to significantly impact my motor skills, causing major physical difficulties and body pain.
The vision loss has been the most persistent issue, along with mobility struggles involving spasms, tingling, involuntary movements, tremors, the inability to perform certain motions, rotations, dizziness, and so on.
It's just one struggle after another....
I don't know why life threw this at me, or how I'm supposed to live with it.

I'm still very much an attractive woman, but honestly, all I want is to be left alone. No one could truly understand what I'm going through, so I'm better off on my own.

Rebecca Rivera3 said:Hi everyone,

How is everyone doing? What's new?

Dealing with this neurological condition is exhausting, and it frequently messes with my brain chemistry. On the bright side, since we started treating the cause of the lesions, my mental state has actually been okay.
There were times when doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. I would fall into stupors, deal with severe full-body tremors, memory issues, emotional numbness, and intense depression—just about everything. Now, finally, I know why.

I still take an antidepressant in the morning and occasionally as a preventative measure; the dopamine boost really helps, which aligns perfectly with my neurological diagnosis.
As for antipsychotics, I’m on Quetiapine. My only complaint is that sometimes it knocks me out like a horse, and other times it makes me feel totally isolated, like I've been transported to another world.
Lately, things have been strange; for the last two days, I've felt oddly detached, almost as if I hadn't taken anything at all.
Of course, I haven't been taking a full dose for a long time now.

I used to take Haldol and Rexulti as well. Interestingly, those didn't necessarily make me sleepy; instead, they just kept me calm and steady. Even though people around me insisted I seemed completely out of it while on Haldol... I didn't feel that way at all. I felt perfectly fine. Rexulti was also great for me back then.

However, once the imaging showed the lesions—especially in areas that heavily influence emotions and everything else—it all became clear. I spent so much time fighting to understand what was going wrong with me. It turns out there are glitches in my brain.
Now, it's starting to significantly impact my motor skills, causing major physical difficulties and body pain.
The vision loss has been the most persistent issue, along with mobility struggles involving spasms, tingling, involuntary movements, tremors, the inability to perform certain motions, rotations, dizziness, and so on.
It's just one struggle after another....
I don't know why life threw this at me, or how I'm supposed to live with it.

I'm still very much an attractive woman, but honestly, all I want is to be left alone. No one could truly understand what I'm going through, so I'm better off on my own.

I am so sorry. Hang in there.

Hey,

So, I was talking to my psychiatrist about how much I've been hitting rock bottom lately—I mean, I’ve always struggled with depression—and her take was basically, "Oh, that’s just standard procedure for everyone right now. Things are getting worse for almost everyone, except maybe those currently in psychosis."

Since you all have firsthand experience dealing with psychosis, I wanted to get your take on that statement.

Is she actually onto something here, is she totally off base, or is it somewhere in the middle?

Maria Price3 said:Hey,

So, I was talking to my psychiatrist about how much I've been hitting rock bottom lately—I mean, I’ve always struggled with depression—and her take was basically, "Oh, that’s just standard procedure for everyone right now. Things are getting worse for almost everyone, except maybe those currently in psychosis."

Since you all have firsthand experience dealing with psychosis, I wanted to get your take on that statement.

Is she actually onto something here, is she totally off base, or is it somewhere in the middle?

I don't have psychosis—just BPD—but I'm actually doing great. I'm only struggling because I missed my weekly therapy sessions, which just let all this suppressed grief over my mom bubble up to the surface. Honestly, for once, the world has finally slowed down to my pace. I don't have to sprint just to stay level; everything's stalled out, and I'm finally "competitive" because everyone else is stuck in their own existential crisis too. At least I don't stick out anymore.

Not everyone is miserable like your doctor claims; some people are doing totally fine without needing to be psychotic.
Edit: I actually had a panic attack when they mentioned easing restrictions—like, a legit "is this happening?" moment where I thought I was having my first actual breakdown. So, tell me again how "normal" this is...

Maria Price3 said:Hey,

So, I was talking to my psychiatrist about how much I've been hitting rock bottom lately—I mean, I’ve always struggled with depression—and her take was basically, "Oh, that’s just standard procedure for everyone right now. Things are getting worse for almost everyone, except maybe those currently in psychosis."

Since you all have firsthand experience dealing with psychosis, I wanted to get your take on that statement.

Is she actually onto something here, is she totally off base, or is it somewhere in the middle?

Man, if it were up to me, I’d happily stay in a state of psychosis for the rest of my life—it’s always so much more interesting—just if someone would let me wipe all those conspiracies and spies out of my head once and for all!

bluejackal2 said:Man, if it were up to me, I’d happily stay in a state of psychosis for the rest of my life—it’s always so much more interesting—just if someone would let me wipe all those conspiracies and spies out of my head once and for all!

That actually makes sense...

Sarah Sanders2 said:I don't have psychosis—just BPD—but I'm actually doing great. I'm only struggling because I missed my weekly therapy sessions, which just let all this suppressed grief over my mom bubble up to the surface. Honestly, for once, the world has finally slowed down to my pace. I don't have to sprint just to stay level; everything's stalled out, and I'm finally "competitive" because everyone else is stuck in their own existential crisis too. At least I don't stick out anymore.

Not everyone is miserable like your doctor claims; some people are doing totally fine without needing to be psychotic.
Edit: I actually had a panic attack when they mentioned easing restrictions—like, a legit "is this happening?" moment where I thought I was having my first actual breakdown. So, tell me again how "normal" this is...

Yeah, I felt the same way—things were fine until I found myself completely isolated. I mean, I could have opted for "virtual happy hours," but what’s the point?

And as for that panic you felt, it makes total sense. Any sane person would probably be hit with panic right now as the lockdowns ease up. For one reason or another. It's just shock upon shock.

Paranoia or panic—it's really just different shades of the same thing... fear is fear.

Maria Price3 said:Yeah, I felt the same way—things were fine until I found myself completely isolated. I mean, I could have opted for "virtual happy hours," but what’s the point?

And as for that panic you felt, it makes total sense. Any sane person would probably be hit with panic right now as the lockdowns ease up. For one reason or another. It's just shock upon shock.

Paranoia or panic—it's really just different shades of the same thing... fear is fear.

The only reason I’m struggling is because the lockdown actually worked for me. Now that life is getting back to "normal," I'm not really feeling it. And no, it's not even about being scared of the virus lol.

Sarah Sanders2 said:The only reason I’m struggling is because the lockdown actually worked for me. Now that life is getting back to "normal," I'm not really feeling it. And no, it's not even about being scared of the virus lol.

Heyyy,,, well, looks like we're in the same boat here. I don't want to go back either. And honestly? I can't, because I'm dealing with another horrible illness on top of everything else.... I don't even know who I am anymore... I mean, okay, I know my name and my face, but I have no clue who is actually hiding under my skin with a disorder like this. It's one of those things they describe in medical books as being super scary, and then they just toss you in with the people you used to be afraid of. You end up in this community where nobody really gets it, and you can't even follow the rules because you always end up failing... Just alone and in pain, totally Unknown...

Anyone here messed around with New York City, specifically Xeplion or Pfizer? I’m on Pfizer right now, and honestly, the only downside is that falling asleep takes a bit longer. Before this, I was on a mix of Risperdal 2mg and Risperdal 50mg, which just left me feeling completely wiped out and sluggish.

Today, I finally mustered the strength to dig deeper into the specific part of my brain where my lesions have been acting up—they tend to flare up and then suddenly subside, though I can't tell if it's out of fear or something else entirely.
I’ve never been intimidated by science; it’s always fascinated me, and I usually intuitively understood things without even looking them up. But now, hitting a mental block feels like a subconscious defense mechanism.

The reason I decided to look into this is that over the last few days, I've noticed some significant shifts in my mood and general well-being.

Interestingly, I came across something on Wikipedia stating that the lesions located in my area of the brain are linked to the development of schizophrenia—it specifically mentions an increased risk.

I have to admit, that news left me feeling a bit stunned...

Between dealing with Corona and some other health issues popping up, I ended up pulling a 15-day stint in the psych ward. Honestly, I was spiraling—convinced I was dying or that something terrible had happened to my family. I lost my grip for a second there; started giving away my stuff to people, acting all "happy" and handing gifts to my neighbors and relatives. I was terrified for my niece, too, though she doesn't know anything about it.

It actually hit me a little harder maybe a month ago. I haven't been hanging out on this forum as much lately—mostly just trying to cut back on my screen time in general.

John Forbes Nash (1928–2015)

In honor of this mathematician's passing, we're observing World Schizophrenia Day.👍

briskdriver12 said:Anyone here messed around with New York City, specifically Xeplion or Pfizer? I’m on Pfizer right now, and honestly, the only downside is that falling asleep takes a bit longer. Before this, I was on a mix of Risperdal 2mg and Risperdal 50mg, which just left me feeling completely wiped out and sluggish.

Hi everyone! I’ve been on Xeplion for about nine months now, and I’ve actually been taking Zyprexa since back in 2001. My goal is to eventually stick solely to either Xeplion or Pfizer, because they help me in every possible way—plus, I haven't dealt with any side effects yet. The only issue is the insomnia it causes; I'm wondering if it can be used as a standalone treatment, or if you typically need something else added to your regimen just to help you sleep. Currently, I take Zyprexa along with some Valium. Since these medications are quite expensive, I’m curious about how doctors decide who gets them and when. I'm really hoping they don't pull my prescription for the newer stuff—I'd much rather they switch me off the Zyprexa instead!