Schizophrenia - General Discussion

briskgull27 said:A EE
I honestly feel like they’re walking away with a total win while I’m just breaking even at best.
But hey, it doesn't really matter.
I heard that over in China, they actually have these therapy sessions where you just smash clay pottery.
That sounds like exactly what I need right now 😢 😉

They don't have anything, really. It's more like you're just feeling all that pain way more intensely now because it was always lurking there in the background, you know? Like a low hum you finally noticed.
It's like you smashed your own favorite coffee mug,
even though this idea of a "you" is kind of just a mental construct anyway.
But hey, don't go crying over illusions—that's exactly why they call them illusions!

Does schizophrenia tend to get worse as time goes on?

I feel like I hear so many different opinions about this out there...

In my humble opinion—and I'm certainly no doctor here—it tends to escalate when left alone, but if you follow a proper treatment plan, it should stay under control... The real issue is that most people just don't seek help in the first place.

Harold Anderson3 said:Does schizophrenia tend to get worse as time goes on?

I feel like I hear so many different opinions about this out there...

Personally, I feel like things have been getting tougher since I finally realized what being "mentally ill" actually entails. It’s a strange realization, knowing I don't experience the world quite the same way someone without these struggles does. But hey, we'll see how it goes, right?
I've also found myself exercising more independence lately, simply because, as a patient, I believe I have that right.😁 😁

Taylor Campbell4 said:In my humble opinion—and I'm certainly no doctor here—it tends to escalate when left alone, but if you follow a proper treatment plan, it should stay under control... The real issue is that most people just don't seek help in the first place.

True cures simply don't exist.
There are only medications that suppress the symptoms.
Ultimately, the underlying genetic cause remains present 🤣 😁 😍

Regarding the decline in health... I have a family member living with schizophrenia. It doesn't necessarily feel like the illness is worsening in terms of physical crisis—they aren't ending up in the hospital nearly as often as they used to. But rather, there's this growing sense of listlessness, an ever-increasing lack of will. When I look at them now compared to how they were seven or eight years ago, they seem like a completely different person, even though the diagnosis remains exactly the same.😢

Harold Anderson3 said:Regarding the decline in health... I have a family member living with schizophrenia. It doesn't necessarily feel like the illness is worsening in terms of physical crisis—they aren't ending up in the hospital nearly as often as they used to. But rather, there's this growing sense of listlessness, an ever-increasing lack of will. When I look at them now compared to how they were seven or eight years ago, they seem like a completely different person, even though the diagnosis remains exactly the same.😢

Aha. Once you finally get a diagnosis and realize exactly what you're dealing with, you start looking at everything around you through a different lens. You begin to see all those moments and opportunities you missed out on because you weren't truly present. In that light, isn't depression actually a logical response?

And now this... honestly, it’s one of those situations that really gets to me. I don't even get the chance to show my brother what a normal, steady life looks like, simply because I'm his sister. Isn't it funny how those family roles can sometimes feel like such a barrier?

When I hang out with my friends, we make a point of tapping into those healthy, well-preserved parts of our personalities, and honestly? It works wonders. Doesn't it feel much better when you focus on what's actually functioning well within yourself?
I've come to realize that it isn't always just about a lack of willpower.
When I'm in a good mood, I make sure to commit to my plans. Once I say I'll be there at a certain time, I show up—no backing out and no excuses. Isn't it better to just stick to your word?

I suppose I'll never truly be seen the same way by everyone else, and honestly, I can understand why. But at the end of the day, I know who I am.👍 😁 😍 😍 😬

Today I picked up some chicken, whipped up a mushroom soup, made a batch of rice, and paired it all with a fresh green salad. A classic Sunday roast. Honestly, who wouldn't want me around the house? ☕ 🙂 🥳 🎉 🙂 🙂 🙂

I have a question for you all: am I just kidding myself thinking this deviant lifestyle actually suits me?

The truth is, I've fully adapted to living on the edge of psychosis.
Every now and then, I try to do something "normal," almost like I'm pinching myself to stay grounded.
But honestly, with these medications, I just can't be as active as everyone else.

🙂
Only you can truly answer that question. Take some time to observe yourself—your feelings and your thoughts—but try to do it without any bias or interference. If you can manage that, I hope you find the answer you're looking for.
goodness me 👋

Everything people do stems from the belief that it serves their best interests. It’s a simple concept—take someone who smokes, for instance; they do it because they truly believe it will make them feel better in that moment.
Furthermore, I believe everything that happens to a person in life is intended to serve them in some capacity.
However, it can happen—and indeed does happen—that there comes a point where something simply stops being useful. Depending on one's perspective, or perhaps how much one reflects on it, a person might realize this sooner rather than later (usually the latter)—and it's rarely a black-and-white process, or a clean break where something is needed one day and discarded the next; more often, it's a messy, interactive transition.

Taylor Campbell4 said:Everything people do stems from the belief that it serves their best interests. It’s a simple concept—take someone who smokes, for instance; they do it because they truly believe it will make them feel better in that moment.
Furthermore, I believe everything that happens to a person in life is intended to serve them in some capacity.
However, it can happen—and indeed does happen—that there comes a point where something simply stops being useful. Depending on one's perspective, or perhaps how much one reflects on it, a person might realize this sooner rather than later (usually the latter)—and it's rarely a black-and-white process, or a clean break where something is needed one day and discarded the next; more often, it's a messy, interactive transition.

I don't get it.

Taylor Campbell4 said:Everything people do stems from the belief that it serves their best interests. It’s a simple concept—take someone who smokes, for instance; they do it because they truly believe it will make them feel better in that moment.
Furthermore, I believe everything that happens to a person in life is intended to serve them in some capacity.
However, it can happen—and indeed does happen—that there comes a point where something simply stops being useful. Depending on one's perspective, or perhaps how much one reflects on it, a person might realize this sooner rather than later (usually the latter)—and it's rarely a black-and-white process, or a clean break where something is needed one day and discarded the next; more often, it's a messy, interactive transition.

That all makes sense, but where did I get this nagging feeling that I'm living in some foreign country where I should be acting more "normal"? Where does that idea even come from?

Could you please try to write clearly and legibly? It started out as a joke, but now it's just getting frustrating.
Cut back on the smoking!

Richard Murphy6, I’m not quite sure what part you're struggling with... help me out here. We actually had a fascinating debate about this in my philosophy seminar—it was explained much more clearly there. (I’ll dig up the links for you when I find them, maybe later today or tomorrow. It’s better handled through Taoist principles anyway, and I don't want to overcomplicate things here.)

Everything makes sense, but why do I have this nagging feeling that if I were in another country, I’d act more normally? Where does that thought even come from?

I honestly don't know. Probably just like any other idea we have. Not that it would matter much to you—as if knowing the exact origin of your thoughts would change anything at all.

Why do you feel this specific idea is so significant? Perhaps you could try to argue it out—test whether it's actually grounded in reality. A little self-reflection might help.
Ideas aren't always pure logic; they often consist of a lot of raw emotion and intuition, I think. They're rarely just clinical, abstract concepts.

Taylor Campbell4 said:Richard Murphy6, I’m not quite sure what part you're struggling with... help me out here. We actually had a fascinating debate about this in my philosophy seminar—it was explained much more clearly there. (I’ll dig up the links for you when I find them, maybe later today or tomorrow. It’s better handled through Taoist principles anyway, and I don't want to overcomplicate things here.)

Everything makes sense, but why do I have this nagging feeling that if I were in another country, I’d act more normally? Where does that thought even come from?

I honestly don't know. Probably just like any other idea we have. Not that it would matter much to you—as if knowing the exact origin of your thoughts would change anything at all.

Why do you feel this specific idea is so significant? Perhaps you could try to argue it out—test whether it's actually grounded in reality. A little self-reflection might help.
Ideas aren't always pure logic; they often consist of a lot of raw emotion and intuition, I think. They're rarely just clinical, abstract concepts.

If I had the chance to just escape,
if I were somewhere else doing things I wouldn't dream of doing here.
Actually, I think I love myself more than I love my surroundings or even my own country,
so being somewhere on neutral ground might allow me to truly be neutral.
And I'd feel so much better!!!! 😳 😕 🙂

My apologies, briskgull27—I’m not exactly familiar with the verb "to out-drink."

I mean, what can I even say? What good would it do if I—or anyone else here—tried to do the thinking for you?

Actually, Anthony de Mello wrote about something similar—he was one of those authors everyone seemed to obsess over—suggesting that once you realize you harbor hatred for your parents, or whoever, that might actually be the true starting point for love. I haven't actually read his work myself, though.
If you find yourself hating who you are, your surroundings, or even your own country, believe me, you aren't alone in that feeling. It’s nothing new.
The same goes for carrying your baggage around the world; I assume you realize you can't just run away from yourself, but honestly, that sentiment has been recycled so many times it feels like a cliché at this point.

Now, while we are all the architects of our own lives—at least in theory—we are also the creators of our environment. If there is something in your immediate circle you can change, then do it. Or, if you think it's worth the effort, try to make peace with it.

Truthfully, I don't know anything.

briskgull27 said: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 wrap my head around what exactly makes my experience so "abnormal," and truthfully, I don't even want to find out since it's a lifelong journey.
I've been dealing with this for ten years now.
People often compare managing it to living with diabetes.
It’s such a heavy burden that you'll occasionally run into someone offering "alternative" cures just to get their foot in the door.
A doctor friend of mine once explained that it's sometimes referred to as "cancer of the soul."
As for me, I don't really have any desire to fully embrace that "reality."
That's all for now! 👏
Would you actually want to have a close friend or a family member living with schizophrenia?

Hey... I have an H&M diagnosis. Manic depression, basically bipolar disorder. I'm 20, and it was diagnosed a few months ago. After my manic phase, I was popping tons of meds—Zyprexa, Zoloft, Rivotril... nothing worked. I crashed hard, and now I've been stuck in depression for about three months. Currently taking Prozac and Lithium, but I don't feel great. There's this constant fear and this swirling thought in my head, a feeling that maybe it's something else... maybe some kind of schizophrenia... I haven't left my bed in three months. I only go outside at night to walk the dog so no one sees me. I'm supposed to be two years into college, but I completely blew the whole semester because I just didn't show up... I have no will to live, nothing brings me joy... nothing makes sense... I just can't do anything... the fear of living like this is growing. I wasn't hospitalized, but I spent one night in observation late August/early September 2006 while I was manic... I caused a scene there too. I wouldn't sleep at all and wanted to smoke, but they wouldn't let me, so they restrained me... I bit through the ropes and tried to get out, but they caught me in the hallway and tried to tie me back up. I was screaming for a doctor, curling up so they couldn't tie me, threatening everyone with a lawsuit, and finally, they gave me an injection in the hip that knocked me out until morning...
This illness is all new to me. I don't tell people; only my family and two best friends know... I have no one else to talk to about any of this... I see my psychiatrist and she's truly wonderful, but the second I step out of her office, the cruel, ugly real world swallows me whole, and I just shut down and run away again... I run back to my bed and the dreams where I'm actually safe... I'm glad you're writing about your illness; I wish more people would speak up about similar experiences... cheers. 😉

By the way, there are plenty of people who have actually reversed their diabetes—it’s something that hasn't been discussed or compared much around here.

briskgull27, if you really want, I could head over to my psychiatrist to get a hypnosis prescription written up, then come back and leave you with someone else on this thread dealing with schizoaffective disorder 😬 just so you aren't lonely. I'm always happy to help. 😛

(And please, stop pointing out my typos! It's getting pretty irritating! 😍 )

Taylor Campbell4 said:By the way, there are plenty of people who have actually reversed their diabetes—it’s something that hasn't been discussed or compared much around here.

briskgull27, if you really want, I could head over to my psychiatrist to get a hypnosis prescription written up, then come back and leave you with someone else on this thread dealing with schizoaffective disorder 😬 just so you aren't lonely. I'm always happy to help. 😛

(And please, stop pointing out my typos! It's getting pretty irritating! 😍 )

Well, don't point out mine either; that's just as annoying.😍
My goal is simply for someone to learn about schizophrenia, because Americans can be quite subtle and sensitive about almost any illness—except when it comes to a schizophrenia diagnosis. You remind me of my boyfriend, who didn't want to marry me because I take medication. His entire family wanted me with a "healthy brain" or not at all. Why don't you go get a proper diagnosis? It might just be some personality disorder.

What’s happening with your boyfriend and what’s going on with me—those are two completely different stories. I happen to belong to a circle that accepts things like taking medication or checking into a hospital.
But then again, a woman is expected to meet all these intense demands from a patriarchal society, which is a whole other headache entirely.