Schizophrenia - General Discussion

For all you lunatics out there—listen up, because this is actually happening...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDdeOncpD5E

Do you hear voices too?

Robert Gomez26 said:Do you hear voices too?

Who? Me? No—thank God I don't. Why on earth are you so obsessed with these voices anyway?🙂

Well, I tend to get quite stuck when there's something truly interesting on my mind 🙄
...

Robert Gomez26 said:Well, I tend to get quite stuck when there's something truly interesting on my mind 🙄
...

So why don't you go ask your buddy about the voting situation instead?

Hi everyone
Is there anyone here who is a 23.2? I'd love to have a quick chat if you are. Thanks!

Thomas Jackson7 said:Hi everyone
Is there anyone here who is a 23.2? I'd love to have a quick chat if you are. Thanks!

What on earth do you mean by a "light" diagnosis? Honestly, I can't wrap my head around that—aside from F20, I don't recognize any such thing!🙂

Thomas Jackson7 said:Hi everyone
Is there anyone here who is a 23.2? I'd love to have a quick chat if you are. Thanks!

Look, just don't let yourself spiral into thinking you're destined to develop schizophrenia—if you stay on top of your meds and live a balanced life, things should stabilize. And for heaven's sake, keep the alcohol and drugs out of the equation entirely; they'll only make matters worse.

The report mentioned "voluntary driving mechanisms in decline"—that was one of the clinical terms used
for someone suffering from schizophrenia. I can’t recall all the specific medical jargon, but it noted how she keeps accusing her father of withholding money, and she’s constantly rambling about her innocence and Jesus. I happened to read some posts by Out of Blue, and even though she struggles with schizophrenia too, you can tell she's sharper—more articulate, comes from a more stable background, and actually manages to lead a relatively functional life. It's a world apart from this poor soul I know personally, who just isn't very bright, lives in a low-income household with a depressed mother and an eccentric father, and frankly, doesn't seem to have any chance at a normal existence. She spends her entire life cooped up in her parents' house, where they absolutely loathe each other. She doesn't own a computer, doesn't care about TV, doesn't read books or magazines, and has zero social life—nothing interests her. She just spends her days rotting away in that apartment, trapped in these delusions about Jesus and other nonsense. Most importantly, she refuses to help herself because she won't take her medication.

coppermason38 said:The report mentioned "voluntary driving mechanisms in decline"—that was one of the clinical terms used
for someone suffering from schizophrenia. I can’t recall all the specific medical jargon, but it noted how she keeps accusing her father of withholding money, and she’s constantly rambling about her innocence and Jesus. I happened to read some posts by Out of Blue, and even though she struggles with schizophrenia too, you can tell she's sharper—more articulate, comes from a more stable background, and actually manages to lead a relatively functional life. It's a world apart from this poor soul I know personally, who just isn't very bright, lives in a low-income household with a depressed mother and an eccentric father, and frankly, doesn't seem to have any chance at a normal existence. She spends her entire life cooped up in her parents' house, where they absolutely loathe each other. She doesn't own a computer, doesn't care about TV, doesn't read books or magazines, and has zero social life—nothing interests her. She just spends her days rotting away in that apartment, trapped in these delusions about Jesus and other nonsense. Most importantly, she refuses to help herself because she won't take her medication.

It’s a grim situation when you're sick and isolated. In my estimation, she'll likely end up hospitalized very soon—which, frankly, would be for the best.

And frankly, I’m not even sure what you were trying to accomplish with that post—to me, it just sounds like pure, unadulterated gossip.😢

Larry Lewis said:It’s a grim situation when you're sick and isolated. In my estimation, she'll likely end up hospitalized very soon—which, frankly, would be for the best.

Hospitalization didn't do a damn thing for me. For me, the real progress came from working with my psychiatrist, leaning on my mom, and finding my own strength.
If there isn't any actual will to get better, then none of this matters... it's all just wasted effort.

Kimberly Cook5 said:Hospitalization didn't do a damn thing for me. For me, the real progress came from working with my psychiatrist, leaning on my mom, and finding my own strength.
If there isn't any actual will to get better, then none of this matters... it's all just wasted effort.

But what if she doesn't have that drive? And her parents aren't exactly providing a safety net here. Where is she supposed to find a doctor if she can't afford a private practice in a city like Chicago or Seattle? If you're broke, the hospital is basically your only option.

Greetings everyone... I decided to finally go through the trouble of registering on this forum, hoping that someone might be able to shed some light on a situation I'm dealing with... My brother is 50 years old now, and back when he was 26, he was diagnosed with sociopathic personality disorder (301.7), which is why he never served in the military. However, given how much time has passed and the fact that he's hit his fifties, I'm wondering if anyone can explain whether this is considered a severe clinical condition... His mental state seems significantly worse lately, if anything... Also, does he have any right to social security benefits or perhaps some kind of assisted care due to this diagnosis? He currently has absolutely no means of supporting himself... I would truly appreciate an answer from someone who actually knows how these things work... Thanks in advance...

bluehound81 said:Greetings everyone... I decided to finally go through the trouble of registering on this forum, hoping that someone might be able to shed some light on a situation I'm dealing with... My brother is 50 years old now, and back when he was 26, he was diagnosed with sociopathic personality disorder (301.7), which is why he never served in the military. However, given how much time has passed and the fact that he's hit his fifties, I'm wondering if anyone can explain whether this is considered a severe clinical condition... His mental state seems significantly worse lately, if anything... Also, does he have any right to social security benefits or perhaps some kind of assisted care due to this diagnosis? He currently has absolutely no means of supporting himself... I would truly appreciate an answer from someone who actually knows how these things work... Thanks in advance...

If he lacks the means to live, he should contact NASA based on his place of residence. If his mental condition has deteriorated, he needs medical treatment.

Larry Lewis said:But what if she doesn't have that drive? And her parents aren't exactly providing a safety net here. Where is she supposed to find a doctor if she can't afford a private practice in a city like Chicago or Seattle? If you're broke, the hospital is basically your only option.

Look, you can pull yourself out of that hole using the psychiatric services at the county hospital if you have to. It all comes down to whether or not you actually have the will to fight...

I’m on an F-22 Raptor and currently in remission, taking Seroquel.
I posted extensively on this forum during my acute episodes.
I can recall about 30% of the hallucinations in my posts, but the other 70% feel like I'm reading someone else's words for the first time.
Reading them now, I can hardly believe what I managed to churn out.
It is difficult to face...
Currently, my brain seems incapable of generating that level of hallucination; it's as if the connection to the part of my mind that wrote those erratic posts has been severed. Which is likely for the best.
My point is—I remember the chaos of being on the forum, but I don't remember the content of what I wrote.
So, please accept my apologies to everyone mentioned, if that even matters to you. I suffer from gaps in my memory, which, in my case, is probably a blessing.

I used to think amnesia was just something for trashy Hollywood movies, but it turns out to be quite real.

This might sound like an excuse, and of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
I am simply stating my perspective.
I feel better since my doctor told me—it isn't your fault that you are ill.
However, I still feel responsible for the nonsensical posts on this forum; reading them makes me sick, and there are consequences regarding how people perceive me after reading such things...

I will strive to remain in remission, hopefully for a long period.

I have a few questions for those who are currently living with this, because I would truly love to hear from someone firsthand about how everything first started for them...

As the title suggests, I am terrified that I might be heading toward schizophrenia...

For quite some time now, I’ve had this nagging sense that something isn't right with me; I initially assumed I was just depressed (and for a long while, I certainly was), but now I don't know anymore... I just feel this pervasive sense of wrongness...😢

Regarding the symptoms often mentioned, I don't experience hallucinations or delusional thoughts, though I'm honestly not entirely sure what "formal thought disorder" entails—could someone perhaps explain that to me? And what exactly constitutes a "word salad"? Regardless, I feel like there is a significant disconnect occurring lately...

For instance, I’ll begin recounting an experience and then simply lose my way—I start speaking at light speed, watching my listeners' faces as they try to follow me, only to realize that the point of my story has vanished somewhere along the line and what is coming out makes no sense... I can actually hear myself talking and think to myself, "For heaven's sake, slow down," but it ends with people staring at me blankly because there is clearly no connection between my excitement while telling a story—say, something genuinely interesting—and the actual "nonsense" that escapes my lips...🤷... what could this be?
It doesn't happen all the time, of course; I am perfectly capable of communicating normally... but it has happened several times now, and the feeling is just wretched... I listen to myself speak and I simply cannot believe what is happening to me... and this occurs even with people I have known for decades...
It isn't just being confused; it feels something much more unsettling than that...😕

On top of this, I've realized that I can't remember half of the events I've actually participated in; for example, my friends will reminisce about our high school days, yet it all feels completely foreign to me, even though it turns out I was indeed present... I just have no memory of it...
I also find myself forgetting things people tell me; I'll even ask follow-up questions about something they just said, only to have no idea what they were discussing a few minutes later... and I was listening, or at least I thought I was...😢 (I'm not sure if that's related to anything, but I figured I should mention it since we are discussing cognitive processes)

And then there are these negative symptoms (though I wonder if they are just symptoms of depression)

Please, could someone share how things began for you, and based on what I've described, is my fear justified?

copperpuma16 said:I have a few questions for those who are currently living with this, because I would truly love to hear from someone firsthand about how everything first started for them...

As the title suggests, I am terrified that I might be heading toward schizophrenia...

For quite some time now, I’ve had this nagging sense that something isn't right with me; I initially assumed I was just depressed (and for a long while, I certainly was), but now I don't know anymore... I just feel this pervasive sense of wrongness...😢

Regarding the symptoms often mentioned, I don't experience hallucinations or delusional thoughts, though I'm honestly not entirely sure what "formal thought disorder" entails—could someone perhaps explain that to me? And what exactly constitutes a "word salad"? Regardless, I feel like there is a significant disconnect occurring lately...

For instance, I’ll begin recounting an experience and then simply lose my way—I start speaking at light speed, watching my listeners' faces as they try to follow me, only to realize that the point of my story has vanished somewhere along the line and what is coming out makes no sense... I can actually hear myself talking and think to myself, "For heaven's sake, slow down," but it ends with people staring at me blankly because there is clearly no connection between my excitement while telling a story—say, something genuinely interesting—and the actual "nonsense" that escapes my lips...🤷... what could this be?
It doesn't happen all the time, of course; I am perfectly capable of communicating normally... but it has happened several times now, and the feeling is just wretched... I listen to myself speak and I simply cannot believe what is happening to me... and this occurs even with people I have known for decades...
It isn't just being confused; it feels something much more unsettling than that...😕

On top of this, I've realized that I can't remember half of the events I've actually participated in; for example, my friends will reminisce about our high school days, yet it all feels completely foreign to me, even though it turns out I was indeed present... I just have no memory of it...
I also find myself forgetting things people tell me; I'll even ask follow-up questions about something they just said, only to have no idea what they were discussing a few minutes later... and I was listening, or at least I thought I was...😢 (I'm not sure if that's related to anything, but I figured I should mention it since we are discussing cognitive processes)

And then there are these negative symptoms (though I wonder if they are just symptoms of depression)

Please, could someone share how things began for you, and based on what I've described, is my fear justified?

A formal thought disorder refers to the way someone speaks. For instance, you might experience slowed or racing thoughts, thought blocking, or disorganized thinking—which includes word salad, an extreme version where someone just throws words together without any logical order. There are other types too, but I can't recall them all right now. 🤔

You really should see your primary care physician and tell them exactly what you've shared here. They’ll guide you on the next steps, which wouldn't necessarily have to be a psychiatrist. Some of the things you mentioned could potentially be neurological... It's best to reach out to a doctor rather than waiting. Forum speculation doesn't change the fact that you're dealing with actual health concerns.

Best of luck!

Larry Lewis said:And frankly, I’m not even sure what you were trying to accomplish with that post—to me, it just sounds like pure, unadulterated gossip.😢

I was just describing the one person I actually know who lives with schizophrenia—and it really makes me wonder if everyone else dealing with this condition looks or functions the same way. It seems to me like there are massive differences between people with the diagnosis, especially when it comes to how they manage to adapt to everyday life.
Altec—she’s already been hospitalized three times. She refuses to follow any kind of treatment plan because, according to her, she’s perfectly fine—but then, whenever it suits her, suddenly she’s "sick." Basically, she won't take her medication, or if she does, it’s completely inconsistent. And since she isn't willing to help herself, she doesn't seem to care if anyone else tries to help her, either.