Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Enchantress said:You clearly haven't been part of our community here. Honestly, if you hadn't mentioned being schizophrenic in your posts, I doubt anyone would have even suspected it while reading them. Now that we know, though—well, it doesn't change how we feel about you.

Taylor Campbell4 said:I didn't mean to imply it was just luck, though I wouldn't rule out life circumstances or past traumas—those certainly play a role. But even then, those are just triggers; the root cause lies within the individual itself—as Bema mentioned, and I won't go into too much detail.

Gregory Young3 said:Of course, I see where you're coming from. When I say "clear-headed," I mean being free from intrusive thoughts, hallucinations, and all that other noise.
I’m well aware of what it feels like to be in a fog from medication. I know that heavy, sleepy sensation, but what exactly is the alternative during an acute crisis? Honestly, if you decide to skip your meds for a while, you'll quickly see the consequences. It just becomes one relapse after another.
I definitely agree—it's like having a quick fix where a primary care physician just writes a script and calls it a day (at least that's how it works here in the US). That isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you the stability to live your life, work, and actually enjoy yourself for a bit.

briskgull27 said:So, does that make me the rotten root?😳

Taylor Campbell4 said:To be perfectly honest, I don't think any of us are entirely free from prejudice—not even when we think we are. I won't go into my own biases regarding outtheoftheblue, as that isn't really the point, nor will I swear that there aren't people among us with slightly different minds (and their accompanying diagnoses) who don't participate in these psychological threads quite as candidly—though I am quite observant of it, if not exceptionally so.

If I were prone to a bit of "paranoia"—and since I don't know outtheoftheblue at all, having heard some rather unpleasant things about her (as well as other folks dealing with schizophrenia)—I might actually be afraid to share a room with her at night. 😬 (Well, I mean, theoretically speaking—if certain conditions were met.)$$

Ultimately, it's all there: the stigma. Whether it's someone with long hair, someone who stammers, or whoever else, everyone carries some sort of label because no mind is truly free from forming preconceived notions about others. However, for the person "carrying that stigma," it isn't particularly productive or helpful to constantly analyze how people react to them. One shouldn't dwell on it; rather, one should accept it and realize that the individual is often just as biased toward others as the world is toward them.

What matters much more is how that person views themselves—specifically, trying to adopt a fairer, more balanced perspective toward their own struggles and flaws. That, in turn, inevitably influences everything else, including the environment (which eventually adopts that same attitude from the individual).

briskgull27 said:This is honestly so exhausting. I feel like I could just stop taking my mood stabilizers tomorrow—and let’s be real, they mess with your head quite a bit—so
tomorrow, I might just quit them altogether, just to prove to myself that I can conquer this schizophrenia and bipolar disorder within five years.
But what if I end up needing them for twenty or thirty years instead?!!!!
I'm just not really sure.

briskgull27 said:I totally get that. It's such a paradox; back when I was working summer jobs in Florida, I slept in rooms packed with people.
When you're broke, you aren't even worried about your own safety, are you?

And man, they certainly made themselves at home with my food!😂 😂 😂 😂

I'd probably just give you one of my sleeping pills so you could finally get some rest.😍

Taylor Campbell4 said:Well, if I were in that spot, I’d be terrified. Every single time I went to make coffee or tea, I’d be double-checking to make sure nothing had been slipped in. I’d be sleeping with one eye open—plus, I always sit with my back against the wall, which is just my habit anyway. 😛 (Though, honestly, I have a hard time falling asleep myself; most things don't work on me unless it's something incredibly strong.

Taylor Campbell4 said:To be perfectly honest, I don't think any of us are entirely free from prejudice—not even when we think we are. I won't go into my own biases regarding outtheoftheblue, as that isn't really the point, nor will I swear that there aren't people among us with slightly different minds (and their accompanying diagnoses) who don't participate in these psychological threads quite as candidly—though I am quite observant of it, if not exceptionally so.

If I were prone to a bit of "paranoia"—and since I don't know outtheoftheblue at all, having heard some rather unpleasant things about her (as well as other folks dealing with schizophrenia)—I might actually be afraid to share a room with her at night. 😬 (Well, I mean, theoretically speaking—if certain conditions were met.)$$

Ultimately, it's all there: the stigma. Whether it's someone with long hair, someone who stammers, or whoever else, everyone carries some sort of label because no mind is truly free from forming preconceived notions about others. However, for the person "carrying that stigma," it isn't particularly productive or helpful to constantly analyze how people react to them. One shouldn't dwell on it; rather, one should accept it and realize that the individual is often just as biased toward others as the world is toward them.

What matters much more is how that person views themselves—specifically, trying to adopt a fairer, more balanced perspective toward their own struggles and flaws. That, in turn, inevitably influences everything else, including the environment (which eventually adopts that same attitude from the individual).

It is far more important how that individual views themselves. Attempting to adopt a healthier perspective toward one's own flaws and challenges will naturally influence how others react to them.

briskgull27 said:So, does that make me the rotten root?😳

briskgull27 said:I totally get that. It's such a paradox; back when I was working summer jobs in Florida, I slept in rooms packed with people.
When you're broke, you aren't even worried about your own safety, are you?

And man, they certainly made themselves at home with my food!😂 😂 😂 😂

I'd probably just give you one of my sleeping pills so you could finally get some rest.😍

Taylor Campbell4 said:Dealing with family and their perception of you is often the hardest part—it’s this tangled web of complex relationships that can wrap around a person, making them feel completely powerless.

briskgull27 said:I haven’t really spoken up about who I am until now.
Back when I was younger, I was thinner, had more energy, more big dreams, and plenty of friends to hang out with. Even then, I had this gut feeling that a major shift would have to happen sooner or later.
I tried to push through and act like everyone else for as long as I could, but how can you compare yourself to others when they haven't faced the kind of tragedies I have?
Most of them still have their mothers around, too.
How am I supposed to hunt for a great career above $1667 when I'm worried about losing my footing
once word gets out that I struggle with schizophrenia?
I don't even have a specialized degree; I just finished high school.

Let's set aside the sheer intelligence of goranboa for a moment.

Do you know what most people immediately think when they hear someone is "crazy"?

They think: stupid.
Or maybe: brilliant but heartless.
Or even that you're "unstable," just like you mentioned hearing from your godmother.

In the end, you're left with one choice: accept it or give up.

And all those theories about "sheer willpower" are usually sold by people whose lives have been smooth sailing the whole way.

briskgull27 said:I haven’t really spoken up about who I am until now.
Back when I was younger, I was thinner, had more energy, more big dreams, and plenty of friends to hang out with. Even then, I had this gut feeling that a major shift would have to happen sooner or later.
I tried to push through and act like everyone else for as long as I could, but how can you compare yourself to others when they haven't faced the kind of tragedies I have?
Most of them still have their mothers around, too.
How am I supposed to hunt for a great career above $1667 when I'm worried about losing my footing
once word gets out that I struggle with schizophrenia?
I don't even have a specialized degree; I just finished high school.

Let's set aside the sheer intelligence of goranboa for a moment.

Do you know what most people immediately think when they hear someone is "crazy"?

They think: stupid.
Or maybe: brilliant but heartless.
Or even that you're "unstable," just like you mentioned hearing from your godmother.

In the end, you're left with one choice: accept it or give up.

And all those theories about "sheer willpower" are usually sold by people whose lives have been smooth sailing the whole way.

Richard Murphy6 said:Why wouldn't you aim for something decent first? You know, just to get a foot in the door!