Schizophrenia - General Discussion

briskgull27 · 2006-12-22T16:41:08+00:00

This condition is honestly so overwhelming that even doctors hesitate to officially write down an F20 diagnosis on your medical records. I personally can't wra…

briskgull27 RegularOP

712 messages
joined Jan 2007

#941 · Jan 24, 2007

Olivia Kim66 said:Interesting topic, and honestly, even more interesting posts. :-)
I have a buddy who was diagnosed with F20.0 a few years back.
I’m wondering if there's any way I can help him out with the social side of things. It feels like he’s lost his circle, or maybe he’s just actively dodging people. I don't want to force him to hang out if he isn't feeling it, because he probably wants to keep certain stuff private. I don't want him to feel like some specimen I'm studying just to gossip about later. I respect his privacy, I really do, but I also can't just sit by while my friend completely isolates himself because of his health. We're friends, after all.
As for me, I don't know the exact details of his condition (other than what F20.0 means). Maybe he's a risk to others, so his parents are keeping him tucked away to avoid any embarrassment. I know it's been brutal for his folks and they obviously want what's best, but as his friend, I can't just turn my back and walk away. I don't want to be pushy—maybe his doctor actually told him to avoid certain people or social situations to keep things stable. Maybe pushing too hard could make it worse.
I just want to be there for him if I can, even if it's just hanging out, since that's part of having a decent quality of life.
Since we've barely seen each other lately—maybe once or twice a year—I'm pretty much in the dark about what's going on with his episodes, hospital stays, or general state. All I know is that when he's doing okay, he does some group therapy sessions.

I personally dealt with G20 before being transitioned to G25.
I'm not sure—maybe just take him to a movie? Honestly, I haven't been socializing much myself lately because life just got in the way. I'm currently on medical leave (against my will) while my friends are out living their normal lives, and it feels awkward to spend time with them sometimes.
Occasionally, I get a burst of manic energy and head to a concert or a party, which carries me through for a month or two.
Other times, I can't even stand the thought of going to the grocery store; unless I absolutely need something specific, I only go if I'm forced to.
The truth is, I often find I have nothing to talk about when I've been stuck at home all day while everyone else is dealing with heavy, real-world problems. It's a sad reality, but it's true.👍

Donna Campbell6 Active Member

62 messages
joined Jan 2007

#942 · Jan 24, 2007

Wait... hold on. I was just thinking about this earlier today while grabbing coffee at Starbucks... everything feels like it's moving way too fast lately. Like, seriously. One minute you're chilling, and the next, the whole world feels different. It’s wild... anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah... just some random thought that popped into my head out of nowhere. Just felt like sharing it here. Hope everyone's having a good one... kaže:
So, I got hit with some compliments today... weird vibes, honestly. Someone told me they were proud of me... then said they actually see my self-assurance as a strength... and then—get this—they actually thought I was being narcissistic... just kind of sat there processing that one for a minute... 😂 😂 😂

Haha, any other crazies out there? Come on, say hi... I think I'm basically running this whole thread solo right now...

The other crazies—and honestly, a few of us who haven't even gotten our official paperwork from the psych ward yet—are mostly out there in the stands... just happily letting you take up at least half the spotlight.🙂

briskgull27 RegularOP

712 messages
joined Jan 2007

#943 · Jan 24, 2007

Donna Campbell6 said:
Wait... hold on. I was just thinking about this earlier today while grabbing coffee at Starbucks... everything feels like it's moving way too fast lately. Like, seriously. One minute you're chilling, and the next, the whole world feels different. It’s wild... anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah... just some random thought that popped into my head out of nowhere. Just felt like sharing it here. Hope everyone's having a good one... kaže:
So, I got hit with some compliments today... weird vibes, honestly. Someone told me they were proud of me... then said they actually see my self-assurance as a strength... and then—get this—they actually thought I was being narcissistic... just kind of sat there processing that one for a minute... 😂 😂 😂

Haha, any other crazies out there? Come on, say hi... I think I'm basically running this whole thread solo right now...

The other crazies—and honestly, a few of us who haven't even gotten our official paperwork from the psych ward yet—are mostly out there in the stands... just happily letting you take up at least half the spotlight.🙂

Well, for me, it’s already happened—all my axons and dendrites have snapped, and now I'm just leaking information everywhere!

briskbison27 Member

21 messages
joined Mar 2007

#944 · Jan 24, 2007

briskgull27 said:I usually get a few compliments here if I'm navigating the forum smoothly—everything seems to be going great on my end.

Dude went to McDonald's and asked me:
"Want to come along?" So I pictured the whole trip and told him: "I can't."
He was like: "I don't get it,"
And I said: "I'm scared to go because I'm not exactly a genius sister."
So George and dude just headed out, leaving me at home waiting for my homemade fries.

I suggest outoftheblue—since she’s such a psychological pro—post a formal research paper titled "The Total Preservation of Social Mechanisms During Ten Years of Treating Schizophrenia." Or, to put it simply, if she actually pulled it off, she should teach the rest of you how it's done... I truly believe character is something even an F20 diagnosis can't destroy😈 ...I wonder what Del Boy would say about that🙏... "only the bold prevail, my dear"... anyway, I'm rambling... I know an MD who is as wicked as they come😈 ,but I couldn't care less about the DG, it's irrelevant..

briskgull27 RegularOP

712 messages
joined Jan 2007

#945 · Jan 24, 2007

Honestly, why doesn't anyone call you out on these tall tales? I actually work alongside one crazy individual who constantly tries to pull this kind of stuff on me.
It’s something I hear all the time, and it really makes me wonder: how do people manage to stay on their meds for years and still function like perfectly normal human beings??????

briskbison27 Member

21 messages
joined Mar 2007

#946 · Jan 24, 2007

briskgull27 said:Honestly, why doesn't anyone call you out on these tall tales? I actually work alongside one crazy individual who constantly tries to pull this kind of stuff on me.
It’s something I hear all the time, and it really makes me wonder: how do people manage to stay on their meds for years and still function like perfectly normal human beings??????

Is this directed at me...?? Or...

briskgull27 RegularOP

712 messages
joined Jan 2007

#947 · Jan 24, 2007

briskbison27 said:Is this directed at me...?? Or...

For everyone here, I’m wondering—are they just messing with me, or is there actually some truth to this?

briskbison27 Member

21 messages
joined Mar 2007

#948 · Jan 24, 2007

briskgull27 said:For everyone here, I’m wondering—are they just messing with me, or is there actually some truth to this?

What do you mean by "being played"? Explain yourself to a clueless woman like me.

briskgull27 RegularOP

712 messages
joined Jan 2007

#949 · Jan 24, 2007

briskgull27 said:Honestly, why doesn't anyone call you out on these tall tales? I actually work alongside one crazy individual who constantly tries to pull this kind of stuff on me.
It’s something I hear all the time, and it really makes me wonder: how do people manage to stay on their meds for years and still function like perfectly normal human beings??????

this bolded part

briskbison27 Member

21 messages
joined Mar 2007

#950 · Jan 24, 2007

briskgull27 said:

this bolded part

Because they're just "good loners"... supposedly... I haven't the slightest clue... why don't you go pester a therapist into scheduling group sessions for you? Maybe then you could explain to the rest of us how you've managed to remain such a social creature. I seem to have forgotten where we live—that kind of logic might pass in America or on Mars, but certainly not here.

briskgull27 RegularOP

712 messages
joined Jan 2007

#951 · Jan 24, 2007

briskbison27 said:Because they're just "good loners"... supposedly... I haven't the slightest clue... why don't you go pester a therapist into scheduling group sessions for you? Maybe then you could explain to the rest of us how you've managed to remain such a social creature. I seem to have forgotten where we live—that kind of logic might pass in America or on Mars, but certainly not here.

I wouldn't say I've turned into a complete hermit, though. I keep my phone on me just in case, and I might give someone a call once a week. It's really not that big of a deal.
I am curious about one thing: Is it true that people dealing with schizophrenia manage to hold down normal jobs just like everyone else? How do they pull that off while managing all their medication?

briskbison27 Member

21 messages
joined Mar 2007

#952 · Jan 24, 2007

briskgull27 said:I wouldn't say I've turned into a complete hermit, though. I keep my phone on me just in case, and I might give someone a call once a week. It's really not that big of a deal.
I am curious about one thing: Is it true that people dealing with schizophrenia manage to hold down normal jobs just like everyone else? How do they pull that off while managing all their medication?

I honestly don't know... I'd love to hear from someone else because I'm wondering the same thing. You can be an extrovert at heart without needing a massive cell phone bill to prove it. Besides, whenever my anxiety about cancer or heart disease finally starts to subside, my mind immediately pivots to being convinced I definitely have schizophrenia. Then my brain convinces me that this horrible illness always manifests by age 25... but what if my mind is lying to me?😲 I'm heading to bed...

Taylor Campbell4 Regular

369 messages
joined Jul 2009

#953 · Jan 24, 2007

briskgull27 said:

this bolded part

But you mentioned earlier that you actually met a teacher with this diagnosis—someone who manages both her own kids and an entire classroom...

I'm not trying to call you out, but that seems to contradict what you're saying now.

If you're looking for more details, there's plenty of info online. If you search through American English resources—which, let's face it, have thousands of times more content than anything else—you'll easily find countless articles and reports about people living incredibly productive lives despite these diagnoses.

So, I'm not sure if I've misread your point or misunderstood why you're surprised by this...

Taylor Campbell4 Regular

369 messages
joined Jul 2009

#954 · Jan 24, 2007

Look, this forum doesn't exactly have enough traffic for some paranoid individual to be hunting you down. And as for that stigma—as briskgull27 mentioned—it might just be that one of those high-profile regulars is struggling with their own issues and wants to avoid the label.

I’m telling you—if you dig through the English-speaking web and actually know how to play around with idioms, you'll definitely stumble upon plenty of examples like that. I'd try to pull one out of my own hat right now, but honestly, nothing is coming to mind.

I have a friend who only works part-time, but even before his schizophrenia diagnosis, he wasn't exactly a go-getter—so I can't help but wonder if he’s just naturally lazy, though I might be wrong about that.

Taylor Campbell4 Regular

369 messages
joined Jul 2009

#955 · Jan 24, 2007

It isn’t just about being lazy—it’s more like he’s struggling with these deep-seated insecurities and a lack of self-confidence, much like so many other people out there who aren't dealing with clinical issues. It’s holding him back from finding a better, more stable career path. (Plus, let’s be honest, his education isn't exactly extensive, and in today's job market, that makes things even tougher.)

From what I can gather—and that’s a pretty limited perspective, mind you—he’s actually perfectly capable of working anywhere; there aren't any real physical or logistical barriers standing in his way.

briskgull27 RegularOP

712 messages
joined Jan 2007

#956 · Jan 24, 2007

Taylor Campbell4 said:But you mentioned earlier that you actually met a teacher with this diagnosis—someone who manages both her own kids and an entire classroom...

I'm not trying to call you out, but that seems to contradict what you're saying now.

If you're looking for more details, there's plenty of info online. If you search through American English resources—which, let's face it, have thousands of times more content than anything else—you'll easily find countless articles and reports about people living incredibly productive lives despite these diagnoses.

So, I'm not sure if I've misread your point or misunderstood why you're surprised by this...

I completely agree, but it does make me wonder: how is it that someone can work alongside their colleagues for years with significantly fewer resources or opportunities, yet still manage to pull off the exact same job? How do they actually make it happen?
I know most people here aren't currently on the grind, but I’m curious to hear from those who are sticking to a standard 9-to-5, five-day work week. How is everyone holding up?
I honestly have so much respect for them. You have to wonder, though—how do those people manage to work like that and still stay perfectly healthy?🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏

Taylor Campbell4 Regular

369 messages
joined Jul 2009

#957 · Jan 24, 2007

Honestly, if you ask me—and I mean this sincerely—I don't think it's such a massive revelation that things feel the way they do for you right now.
Look, you shouldn't have to tear your life apart just to be a teacher. Or really, for any job, depending on what we're talking about. To get a task done, a person might only need, say, 40, 50, or maybe 60% of their total effort—their energy, focus, whatever you want to call it. That’s out of a full 100%. So, if someone only has a few percentage points—or even a few dozen percent—left from that total capacity, they can still meet that 40 or 60% threshold. They'll still have enough left over to make it work. That's just how I see it.

Taylor Campbell4 Regular

369 messages
joined Jul 2009

#958 · Jan 24, 2007

That’s exactly why I think it would be incredible if there were a support group here in NYC—specifically one for people managing this diagnosis while navigating their careers. It would be such a game-changer. If I were in your shoes, I’d honestly try every possible avenue of treatment available, even if it feels overwhelming right now—though, in theory, it’s much easier said than done.

If you look back at that link I shared the other day, you'll see a whole list of therapeutic options. The cognitive stuff really stood out to me, and it brings me back to my point about those support groups. Having a space to swap stories and offer genuine empathy would be invaluable. The support would hit differently coming from people who actually "get it," rather than from us folks who don't deal with these specific challenges. Plus, the practical advice and shared experiences would be much more useful.

At the end of the day, you just have to find that spark of willpower—grab hold of it, and then give yourself a direct order. Just tell yourself, "Alright, let's go." Even when it feels like you're walking straight into a furnace, you have to throw yourself into that heat. You have to realize it isn't some insurmountable disaster—by "fire," I mean stepping into an environment that might feel totally uncomfortable or uninviting, but doing it anyway because you know it's vital for your long-term recovery and overall quality of life.

briskgull27 RegularOP

712 messages
joined Jan 2007

#959 · Jan 24, 2007

Taylor Campbell4 said:That’s exactly why I think it would be incredible if there were a support group here in NYC—specifically one for people managing this diagnosis while navigating their careers. It would be such a game-changer. If I were in your shoes, I’d honestly try every possible avenue of treatment available, even if it feels overwhelming right now—though, in theory, it’s much easier said than done.

If you look back at that link I shared the other day, you'll see a whole list of therapeutic options. The cognitive stuff really stood out to me, and it brings me back to my point about those support groups. Having a space to swap stories and offer genuine empathy would be invaluable. The support would hit differently coming from people who actually "get it," rather than from us folks who don't deal with these specific challenges. Plus, the practical advice and shared experiences would be much more useful.

At the end of the day, you just have to find that spark of willpower—grab hold of it, and then give yourself a direct order. Just tell yourself, "Alright, let's go." Even when it feels like you're walking straight into a furnace, you have to throw yourself into that heat. You have to realize it isn't some insurmountable disaster—by "fire," I mean stepping into an environment that might feel totally uncomfortable or uninviting, but doing it anyway because you know it's vital for your long-term recovery and overall quality of life.

You know how hard it is to accept that you'll be living with a disability for the rest of your life.
Thanks for always being active here.🙂
There are some groups mentioned on the previous pages, along with links.
I'm just speaking my mind here; I'm not necessarily looking for a handout. I'm just making some noise because I know there are others out there struggling in silence, and I consider myself one of them.
And since I'm feeling pretty fired up: half the people on these anxiety and depression forums are basically acting like they've lost touch with reality.
They can all kick my ass. Cos I m a smath ass.

Donna Campbell6 Active Member

62 messages
joined Jan 2007

#960 · Jan 25, 2007

briskgull27 said:
You know how hard it is to accept that you'll be living with a disability for the rest of your life.
Thanks for always being active here.🙂
There are some groups mentioned on the previous pages, along with links.
I'm just speaking my mind here; I'm not necessarily looking for a handout. I'm just making some noise because I know there are others out there struggling in silence, and I consider myself one of them.
And since I'm feeling pretty fired up: half the people on these anxiety and depression forums are basically acting like they've lost touch with reality.
They can all kick my ass. Cos I m a smath ass.

And don't even get me started on the politics section. If you look there... man. I can't shake the feeling that the whole thing is just one big psych ward. Every third post I read makes me want to just type, "So... you feel better now?" and walk away...

Schizophrenia - General Discussion

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