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

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#1021 · Jan 26, 2007

Taylor Howard36 said:Exactly—and you have to consider that since only about one percent of the population deals with schizophrenia, what happens then? How does it even work...? It’s just endless questions and very few actual answers...

well, medicine *is* a science, after all 😛

....science, generally speaking, just fascinates me. 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏

How is that even possible??????

Taylor Howard36 Active Member

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#1022 · Jan 26, 2007

briskgull27 said:
How is that even possible??????

Look—if we’re actually looking at the global population figures from back in 2005—which was roughly 6.45 billion people, by the way—then a 1% statistic for schizophrenia is actually an incredibly tiny fraction when you weigh it against the entire world population.😘

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1023 · Jan 26, 2007

You actually have very little leverage here compared to something like HIV/AIDS.

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1024 · Jan 26, 2007

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...HBVAKEHVBA.jpg

Source: WHO

38-46 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1025 · Jan 26, 2007

So, we're looking at roughly 46,000,000 people living with schizophrenia
alongside about 65,000,000 diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder alone, without other co-occurring mental health conditions.

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1026 · Jan 26, 2007

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric condition characterized by chronic and severe mental health challenges. It primarily impacts how a person processes thought and perceives reality, often leading to shifts in behavior and distressing sensations.

The term itself finds its roots in the Greek words schizo (to split) and phrenos (mind or soul), which essentially translates to a "split mind."

One of the primary indicators of schizophrenia is a fragmentation of basic cognitive structures and the inability to distinguish internal thoughts from external reality. Individuals living with schizophrenia may report experiencing hallucinations—or appear to be responding to them—and might express views that don't align with the world around them. When these symptoms result in difficulties with social or professional functioning, and there isn't a clear organic cause, a diagnosis can often be made. Current research suggests that a mix of biological and socio-cultural factors play a role, while newer studies are diving deep into the biochemical and genetic drivers within brain neurobiology.

Is the classification of schizophrenia ever in question? Some experts suggest there might be a lack of objectivity during the diagnostic process. Since there currently isn't an objective biological test for schizophrenia, a diagnosis relies heavily on the patient's own account combined with the observations of a psychiatrist or another responsible caregiver.

Despite what the name might imply, schizophrenia does not involve dissociative identity disorder (which is frequently sensationalized in Hollywood movies). It’s also important to note that schizophrenia is not linked to aggressive behavior.

Source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schizophrenia"

category : article | Psychiatry

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1027 · Jan 26, 2007

The Evolution of Psychiatry

How we approach mental health has always mirrored how our society evolves alongside psychiatry as a medical science. In the earliest days, treatments were rooted in magical rituals, primarily because almost all illnesses were blamed on the influence of demonic forces.

Ancient medicine eventually introduced much needed perspectives. Around the 4th century B.C., Hippocrates proposed the idea that mental disorders actually stem from brain dysfunction—essentially suggesting that a "madman" was simply a sick individual.

However, during the Middle Ages, there was a regressive shift back toward demonomania. During this era, those struggling with mental illness were subjected to exorcisms, locked away in dungeons, shackled, or even kept in cages outside of town limits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychiatry

Taylor Campbell4 Regular

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#1028 · Jan 26, 2007

So, how did you end up voting in the poll above—or rather, how would you vote if you hadn't already? I'm curious what you consider to be the most principled stance here. Also, how do you personally prefer being treated by others? 🙂

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1029 · Jan 26, 2007

Schizoaffective Disorder
What exactly defines Schizoaffective Disorder? Essentially, it involves experiencing both mood symptoms—either depressive or manic—alongside schizophrenic symptoms during the same continuous periods of illness.

When looking at the depressive type of Schizoaffective Disorder, individuals often deal with symptoms like insomnia, a drop in energy, changes in appetite or weight, a loss of interest in daily activities, difficulty concentrating, intense guilt, feelings of hopelessness, or even suicidal ideation. During these same intervals, schizophrenic symptoms emerge, such as feeling like one's thoughts are being broadcasted or interfered with, believing an outside force is controlling them, or suffering from paranoid delusions about being watched or plotted against. It can also involve auditory hallucinations, like hearing voices making disparaging remarks or threatening the person. Generally speaking, the depressive type tends to be a bit less dramatic or alarming than the manic version.

On the other hand, the manic type of Schizoaffective Disorder typically presents as extreme elation, characterized by inflated self-esteem and grandiosity. At times, this might manifest as heightened excitement or irritability, which can lead to aggressive behavior or persecutory thoughts. You might also notice surges in energy, hyperactivity, trouble focusing, and a noticeable lack of social inhibitions. The accompanying schizophrenic symptoms might include delusions of grandeur, being the subject of reference, or persecution, as well as thought broadcasting, thought insertion, the sensation of being controlled by external forces, or hearing voices. Because of its sudden onset and significantly disrupted behavior, the manic type is usually much more intense and visible.

This information was sourced from page 380, Volume 2.

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1030 · Jan 26, 2007

Taylor Campbell4 said:So, how did you end up voting in the poll above—or rather, how would you vote if you hadn't already? I'm curious what you consider to be the most principled stance here. Also, how do you personally prefer being treated by others? 🙂

I voted exactly how I felt was right, ever since I realized there isn't some magic cure just for me—everything starts from within.

How about you? How did you vote?😛

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1031 · Jan 26, 2007

Taylor Campbell4 said:The comment above is actually repeating itself!

That sounds like me, though I deal with both mania and depression too.🙄

Taylor Campbell4 Regular

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#1032 · Jan 26, 2007

briskgull27 said:I voted exactly how I felt was right, ever since I realized there isn't some magic cure just for me—everything starts from within.

How about you? How did you vote?😛

It doesn't really matter—my opinions tend to shift. 😛

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1033 · Jan 26, 2007

I honestly don't mind being left out sometimes; if I'm being totally real, my three boys are the only ones who truly matter to me.😍 😍 😳

Richard Murphy6 Active Member

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#1034 · Jan 27, 2007

briskgull27 said:Schizoaffective Disorder
What exactly defines Schizoaffective Disorder? Essentially, it involves experiencing both mood symptoms—either depressive or manic—alongside schizophrenic symptoms during the same continuous periods of illness.

When looking at the depressive type of Schizoaffective Disorder, individuals often deal with symptoms like insomnia, a drop in energy, changes in appetite or weight, a loss of interest in daily activities, difficulty concentrating, intense guilt, feelings of hopelessness, or even suicidal ideation. During these same intervals, schizophrenic symptoms emerge, such as feeling like one's thoughts are being broadcasted or interfered with, believing an outside force is controlling them, or suffering from paranoid delusions about being watched or plotted against. It can also involve auditory hallucinations, like hearing voices making disparaging remarks or threatening the person. Generally speaking, the depressive type tends to be a bit less dramatic or alarming than the manic version.

On the other hand, the manic type of Schizoaffective Disorder typically presents as extreme elation, characterized by inflated self-esteem and grandiosity. At times, this might manifest as heightened excitement or irritability, which can lead to aggressive behavior or persecutory thoughts. You might also notice surges in energy, hyperactivity, trouble focusing, and a noticeable lack of social inhibitions. The accompanying schizophrenic symptoms might include delusions of grandeur, being the subject of reference, or persecution, as well as thought broadcasting, thought insertion, the sensation of being controlled by external forces, or hearing voices. Because of its sudden onset and significantly disrupted behavior, the manic type is usually much more intense and visible.

This information was sourced from page 380, Volume 2.

Hold up, hold up—what are we even talking about here?

Wait a second, are you actually claiming you haven't dealt with classic hallucinations? Like, you know, the kind you see in a movie like *The Devil's Advocate*? Is that really where you're at with this?

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1035 · Jan 27, 2007

What exactly constitutes a classic hallucination?

What kind of experiences fall under the umbrella of classic hallucinations?

And who else is talking about this in the Stigma community?

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1036 · Jan 27, 2007

Okay, I didn't actually see anything or hear a thing—I was just spiraling in my own head. I ended up rushing off to check if my brother was even still breathing!
Brija
brija

To be clear, I didn't witness anything tragic, and I didn't hear some ghostly voice telling me he was gone. It wasn't that. My mind just jumped to the absolute worst-case scenario, and I panicked so hard I had to go verify he was okay.

He just rolled over in bed and told me, "Let me sleep."

Richard Murphy6 Active Member

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#1037 · Jan 27, 2007

Alright! I really need to carve out some actual time to sit down and dive into this entire thread. I'll get to it in the next few days.
There’s actually a method to the madness when it comes to "cementing" an idea in someone's head.

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1038 · Jan 27, 2007

Richard Murphy6 said:Alright! I really need to carve out some actual time to sit down and dive into this entire thread. I'll get to it in the next few days.
There’s actually a method to the madness when it comes to "cementing" an idea in someone's head.

I agree there's a reason for it—in fact, I think I might be one of the people doing it myself.😳

Richard Murphy6 Active Member

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#1039 · Jan 27, 2007

briskgull27 said:I agree there's a reason for it—in fact, I think I might be one of the people doing it myself.😳

🙂 😬 😁 😎 😲
Well, maybe, maybe not!
Just teasing you just a little bit, haha!
But seriously, hang tight for a second. I really want to sit down and read through everything you've posted. Plus, we still need to untangle all these messy moral dilemmas (and hey, I'm probably just as bad at figuring them out as anyone else, hehe!)
Catch ya later!

briskgull27 RegularOP

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#1040 · Jan 27, 2007

A really close friend just told me that listening to me talk about my illness is actually depressing for her, and she’d much rather we just chat about makeup instead.
What do you all think about that from a healthy perspective?😁 😁

Schizophrenia - General Discussion

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