Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Noah Garcia4 said:Hey everyone,
William Evans10, thanks for asking. I’m doing about as well as can be expected, I suppose.
It’s been a bit of a struggle lately, honestly, given the mess my life has turned into.
My doctor mentioned that feeling this level of difficulty is actually a sign that I'm grounded in reality,
since the hallucinations haven't made an appearance yet—thank God for small mercies.
After a long stretch of chaos, I’m finally living alone in my apartment; I actually find the peace quite refreshing. Plus, my doctor has significantly scaled back my medication dosage.😲
Right now, I’m on 50mg of Seroquel and 1mg of Risperdal; I’ve cut out the Xanax entirely, though I still take 20mg of Lexapro in the morning.
The antipsychotics are at a bare minimum now, while the Lexapro—my antidepressant—remains at a standard, higher dose.
Still, I make sure to treat myself occasionally, whether it's getting my nails done or other little luxuries.😬
I’m keeping up with all my responsibilities, too. Some days it’s a massive uphill battle to get moving, but then I just force myself to do it—and let's be real, isn't that what "normal" people do anyway?😉
(Essentially, the guy ended up in exile, so I’ve managed to "survive" without chatting with him, and now there's a divorce looming on the horizon.)
I'm also being mindful of my diet; we're entering the third month now, and I have absolutely no intention of outgrowing my favorite pair of jeans.
I've picked up a few new hobbies around town—not that I want to get into the weeds with the details—so we'll just see how things play out.
I’ve spent some time catching up on all the movies that were nominated for an Oscar, and... yeah, that's about it.

As for your mother-in-law, I really don't know. But if she could just open up a little and try to communicate—even just through the small stuff—she might find that her own family knows how to help her. That's the only thing that comes to mind.

It’s tough for you... just as it would be tough for anyone else in your shoes.
You need time... it is all still so fresh. It will pass eventually.

The important thing is to keep your mind occupied... and to find happiness in the little things to fill your day.🙂 Honestly, from what you're telling me... you're actually enjoying yourself, dear.🙂 My life is just house, lunch, kids, husband, mother-in-law... and when I finally get a moment to myself (to fix my nails or color my hair), I just collapse onto the couch.🙂

But then again, there are days when I truly can't face anything... days when I just want to lounge around.🙂

To make a long story short (so I don't get scolded 🙂), I am glad to hear you are doing okay.😉

As for the mother-in-law, she is doing as well as can be expected... just do what I told you to do.
The two of us talk, and she is aware that she is ill, but she doesn't know how someone could help her. She doesn't even know how to help herself, to find any spark of will or enjoyment in the small things. For now, the only solution I see, which might actually motivate her, is to ensure she isn't just lying around all day and to constantly come up with little activities or tasks for her to do... so, that is essentially it.

Don't worry too much about her; she does everything I tell her, but I have to use a very firm tone, otherwise she won't budge.
She's become somewhat "stale" and cold, listless... but we will see. The main thing is that she stays active.

Check in with me every once in a while so I can hear how you are doing.
🙂

driftinggull21 said:There is no cure in the sense of a total recovery, unfortunately. She takes medication that manages the symptoms just enough to prevent them from spiraling further. As for hope, there is always hope. 🙂
I know it's difficult, but this is a chronic, lifelong condition. Even residual symptoms mean the schizophrenia remains.😢
The priority is using therapy to prevent worsening and hallucinations.
If she has enough work history, apply for her Social Security disability benefits; with an F-22 diagnosis, she will certainly meet the medical criteria.

It doesn't bother me, really. Let her be ill; I'm not expecting some miraculous recovery, but I truly hope for some improvement... that she won't stay stuck like this, or heaven forbid, get even worse. I just hope she finds a little bit of willpower, or some spark of life again...

She has 28 years of work experience... I assume that should be enough?

fadedlynx96 said:I find myself compelled to comment on this bolded section; it represents just one episode from my past that I can laugh about endlessly today, though at the time, it felt exactly as I am about to describe.

After spending a few days at the Los Angeles facility while they kept me under observation for absolutely no reason—even though I was perfectly fine, if you can believe the irony—a male nurse approached me to tell me I needed to take a shower. I felt a momentary flash of pride because I understood exactly what he was asking for, though I kept my mouth shut just to avoid giving him any more ammunition to label me as unstable, since anyone would grasp such a basic instruction. I sat there weighing my response before the realization hit me that there aren't actually any showers here. I could hear the sound of running water coming from the bathroom, but I knew instinctively it was nothing more than a recording playing through a speaker, a hollow imitation of reality. There were moments when I questioned my own sanity, wondering if the lack of showers was merely a trick of my mind, but I refused to ask him if the plumbing was real or if it was just audio, simply because I didn't want to confirm his worst suspicions about me.

After he spent some time badgering me, the guy finally convinced me to go take a look, and I followed him along, fully certain there was nothing to see since showers apparently don't exist in this place. We stepped into the bathroom where I could hear the sound of running water—which, in my mind, served only as proof that the showers weren't actually there—but then we rounded the corner and discovered actual, functional showers that you could genuinely use.

I have finally come to the realization that this entire situation is orchestrated against me, especially since no sane person would go so far as to hide the showers from view just to ensure honest people can't find them.

I wouldn't have even bothered showering on that trip if two more hospital staff hadn't shown up to bolster the team.

I never really had the heart to shower in hospitals, mostly because I found certain issues within those bathrooms that weighed heavily on me, though whether that was due to my own declining health or the facilities themselves remains a matter of some debate.

I can't speak to any kind of cure or the possibility of hope, but generally speaking, if you can manage to resolve everything during that first and only hospital stay, you might stand a chance, because anything beyond that point tends to become significantly more complicated.

My prognoses varied wildly, ranging from the absolute worst-case scenarios to slightly less grim outlooks, yet none of them offered much genuine hope. Then my primary psychiatrist told me, after three or four years of this, that it had all been a relatively minor case, almost nothing at all. It caught me completely off guard; I was bracing myself for some heavy warnings or dire precautions, but there was nothing. He simply said I was as healthy as anyone else and that I could finally walk out those doors without giving them a second thought. So I walked out, and this time, the victory felt final. I felt no urge to prove anything to anyone, no need to slam the doors until they shattered, and no craving for praise, apologies, or that submissive fear that used to be the telltale sign of my illness every time I passed through those doors before. That last time, I left knowing I wouldn't be coming back—and even if I did return, it wouldn't be because it was my first time leaving. I never told him how incredibly sorry I felt about not seeing him again, feeling like the chapter was closed, though given that one of my main struggles was severely disrupted emotions, I'm not entirely sure why I felt that way when all I had wanted for months was to get outside and slam those double glass doors so hard they’d break on both sides.

Haha... sorry, but this shower story is just too funny to me...(REALLY, SORRY 🙂 )

It is fascinating... how "you" can imagine all of that... where does all that imagination come from? All that energy spent and all those thoughts and theories surrounding a single shower... (in your specific case, at least).

A friend of mine has a father who is very old now... he deals with geriatric paranoia. They have similar situations with him... except they actually have to restrain him just to get him to shower, and he thinks they are trying to poison him... and so much more.

It’s not even an issue of capability with my mother-in-law; it’s just that she simply lacks the will. She’s completely indifferent to everything... and honestly, if she starts smelling because she refuses to shower, she doesn't care one bit. It’s all just so trivial to her. She is truly the type of person who could just sit there or lie in bed starving, yet refuse to eat a single bite...

But what can you say? That's just how she is... she's family, and I love her exactly as she is...
Truthfully, my blood pressure spikes to 150 just dealing with her, so I often have to step outside for a quick walk just to clear my head...
But what am I supposed to do? She just doesn't grasp any of it... I could tell her a hundred times that certain things she does bother me...
Sometimes, when I'm feeling down or just in a bad mood... she senses it, and she'll give my head a little pat...
It isn't that she understands nothing... it's just that she understands far less than she really should.

Anyone still around? Or did everyone just magically "get better" overnight?.......... I don't even know how to summarize this situation briefly so you guys have something to read about, but here goes nothing. Basically, this Person X—who doesn't even know me or my brother, just my current ex—decided to trash my brother yesterday. As I mentioned before, he's been stuck in the hospital for almost three weeks now. This person was actually doing us a favor by dropping stuff off for him at our house a few times. But while they were there, they jumped to these conclusions (of course, they have no clue he's dealing with schizophrenia): That he’s totally uninterested, not masculine enough, way too withdrawn, looks scared, and acts like he's not the "alpha" type he should be (like, the snow outside was obviously cleared by a woman—which pissed him off because he knew he didn't do it).
Okay, so that's the quick version. What that person doesn't realize is that my brother is mentally ill. He isn't "scared," his hands have been shaking since he was five years old. He's nervous, he struggles to hold a conversation, and he gets anxious trying not to misinterpret things. Also, if he could be the "alpha" guy, he would, but he just can't right now. And yeah, I was the one clearing the snow as much as I could because he was doing so poorly; he couldn't even get out of bed due to the psychosis.
What am I really getting at here?....................It's just crazy how arrogant people act these days just because they do you a small favor. They think they have the right to stick their noses into your business and, even worse, feel entitled to judge you!--it's awful!!!
Then I started wondering, how is my brother ever supposed to find friends, or even just one friend, when people jump to conclusions immediately? I mean, he's not your "typical" guy—he's not outgoing, bubbly, or super active, etc., etc. The second someone sees him, they're just like, "what's wrong with this guy... better stay far away."
It's honestly so sad.............it's like being that kid in elementary school who gets teased by everyone just because you're different.
I'm just so disappointed.....................

Harold Harris20, why act surprised? People love to gossip, and honestly, things are probably going to get even messier before they settle down.
Polite folks will just shrug and say he’s unwell. But personally, I feel like people who barely know my name—people I only see in passing—already have their own little theories about my issues, and let me tell you, they aren't exactly glowing reviews.🤷 That's just how it works. The very same people you grab a coffee with for casual small talk are nowhere to be found when life actually gets heavy; instead, they just sit back and judge. It reminds me of those types who spend all their time mocking people with mental struggles, only to end up losing their own minds in the process.😬 What kind of opinion could they possibly have...
Think about it this way: imagine everyone in your house is perfectly fine, but your next-door neighbor is struggling with schizophrenia. How would you react? You'd probably think, "That's too bad," and then immediately go back to your business because you couldn't care less about what's happening next door. Isn't that right?☕

Eric Mitchell55 said:How do you tell the difference between what's actually happening and everything we're going through?
Do you ever realize when you're starting to hallucinate?

I'm no expert, and I can't be bothered to look it up on Google, but isn't a hallucination just being certain about something that isn't there? You see or hear something that doesn't exist, yet because you're seeing or hearing it, you're convinced it's real. There's no room for doubt in that moment; it simply works that way.

Personally, I have never been able to distinguish whether I was experiencing reality or a hallucination. Even today, there are certain things I'm still unsure about. They feel real enough to me, but I won't argue the point since there's no sense in doing so, only trouble. There is always that slim, tiny possibility that it was just an illusion, maybe caused by being drunk or taking the wrong medication, who knows.

William Evans10 said:Haha... sorry, but this shower story is just too funny to me...(REALLY, SORRY 🙂 )

It is fascinating... how "you" can imagine all of that... where does all that imagination come from? All that energy spent and all those thoughts and theories surrounding a single shower... (in your specific case, at least).

A friend of mine has a father who is very old now... he deals with geriatric paranoia. They have similar situations with him... except they actually have to restrain him just to get him to shower, and he thinks they are trying to poison him... and so much more.

It’s not even an issue of capability with my mother-in-law; it’s just that she simply lacks the will. She’s completely indifferent to everything... and honestly, if she starts smelling because she refuses to shower, she doesn't care one bit. It’s all just so trivial to her. She is truly the type of person who could just sit there or lie in bed starving, yet refuse to eat a single bite...

But what can you say? That's just how she is... she's family, and I love her exactly as she is...
Truthfully, my blood pressure spikes to 150 just dealing with her, so I often have to step outside for a quick walk just to clear my head...
But what am I supposed to do? She just doesn't grasp any of it... I could tell her a hundred times that certain things she does bother me...
Sometimes, when I'm feeling down or just in a bad mood... she senses it, and she'll give my head a little pat...
It isn't that she understands nothing... it's just that she understands far less than she really should.

I’m glad the shower story gave you a laugh; looking back on those moments and similar episodes always brings a bit of dark humor to my day.

The only difference was that back when I was staying in the psychiatric wards, there was a new story every single day. I would take something completely mundane and unrelated to myself and spin it into a conspiracy where people were threatening my life or trying to kill me. It ranged from claiming TV programs were actually using hypnosis on patients—which I tried to explain to friends visiting me, noting that the broadcasts were perfectly standard—to believing the military was planning to round up all the patients for suicide missions, or even that they wanted to dump me at the local zoo, perhaps as feed for the lions. Every day brought a new delusion, each one more irrational than the last. Fortunately, the doctors didn't catch onto most of them since they were effectively on the enemy's side, so there was no point in risking my safety by explaining where the perceived danger was coming from. Once, they accidentally stumbled upon the zoo story, but I avoided explaining the actual logic, offering instead these disjointed justifications that ended up sounding even more nonsensical than the truth.

William Evans10 said:Haha... sorry, but this shower story is just too funny to me...(REALLY, SORRY 🙂 )

It is fascinating... how "you" can imagine all of that... where does all that imagination come from? All that energy spent and all those thoughts and theories surrounding a single shower... (in your specific case, at least).

A friend of mine has a father who is very old now... he deals with geriatric paranoia. They have similar situations with him... except they actually have to restrain him just to get him to shower, and he thinks they are trying to poison him... and so much more.

It’s not even an issue of capability with my mother-in-law; it’s just that she simply lacks the will. She’s completely indifferent to everything... and honestly, if she starts smelling because she refuses to shower, she doesn't care one bit. It’s all just so trivial to her. She is truly the type of person who could just sit there or lie in bed starving, yet refuse to eat a single bite...

But what can you say? That's just how she is... she's family, and I love her exactly as she is...
Truthfully, my blood pressure spikes to 150 just dealing with her, so I often have to step outside for a quick walk just to clear my head...
But what am I supposed to do? She just doesn't grasp any of it... I could tell her a hundred times that certain things she does bother me...
Sometimes, when I'm feeling down or just in a bad mood... she senses it, and she'll give my head a little pat...
It isn't that she understands nothing... it's just that she understands far less than she really should.

That right there? That's that razor-thin line where intuition turns into pure delusion. Once a stupid idea pops into your head, that little voice inside starts whispering that it’s actually the absolute truth.

A brain stuck in a psychotic loop refuses to believe in coincidences. It’s like if someone walks into a 7-Eleven, turns around, and sees the same guy walking behind them. Then they go back the next day, and boom—there he is again. Suddenly, the whole thing spirals into this insane mental construction: "Oh, he's definitely a CIA agent tailing me." Why? Probably because he wants to kidnap me for some lab experiment. Maybe even my own mother is part of the conspiracy.... and before you know it, the rabbit hole just keeps going deeper and deeper.

Harold Harris20 said:Thank you so much... Honestly, I'd trade places with her in a heartbeat if it meant he could feel better. I just can't wrap my head around why he's barely reacting at all to such a massive dose of meds. At the end of the day, I just pray to God that he's okay, regardless of what happens to me.

First off, antipsychotics don't just kick in overnight—it takes weeks for them to even start working, and recovering from a full-blown psychotic episode is a marathon that lasts months.

And second, there's always the chance the doctors totally missed the mark with the treatment plan, which, let's be real, happens way more often than people want to admit.

fadedlynx96 said:I’m glad the shower story gave you a laugh; looking back on those moments and similar episodes always brings a bit of dark humor to my day.

The only difference was that back when I was staying in the psychiatric wards, there was a new story every single day. I would take something completely mundane and unrelated to myself and spin it into a conspiracy where people were threatening my life or trying to kill me. It ranged from claiming TV programs were actually using hypnosis on patients—which I tried to explain to friends visiting me, noting that the broadcasts were perfectly standard—to believing the military was planning to round up all the patients for suicide missions, or even that they wanted to dump me at the local zoo, perhaps as feed for the lions. Every day brought a new delusion, each one more irrational than the last. Fortunately, the doctors didn't catch onto most of them since they were effectively on the enemy's side, so there was no point in risking my safety by explaining where the perceived danger was coming from. Once, they accidentally stumbled upon the zoo story, but I avoided explaining the actual logic, offering instead these disjointed justifications that ended up sounding even more nonsensical than the truth.

It might seem funny now... but reading through the rest of it, and there is certainly a lot to read... I believe that in the exact moment it is happening, it is terrifying and frightening, truly terrifying..

Thank God that is all behind you now... and seriously, kudos to you for making it through!🙂

But living like that... I imagine it is a total catastrophe. Constant fear, worries, theories, conspiracies... just awful. Omg, I would never want to go through that.

And when was the last time something like that happened?
Why is everyone an "enemy" or "evil"?
Isn't it a bit strange in situations like that (psychosis), that it feels like absolutely everyone is against you?
I'm not talking specifically about you right now, just in general...
Isn't it odd that it feels like everyone has conspired together to cause harm?

David Vaughn75 said:That right there? That's that razor-thin line where intuition turns into pure delusion. Once a stupid idea pops into your head, that little voice inside starts whispering that it’s actually the absolute truth.

A brain stuck in a psychotic loop refuses to believe in coincidences. It’s like if someone walks into a 7-Eleven, turns around, and sees the same guy walking behind them. Then they go back the next day, and boom—there he is again. Suddenly, the whole thing spirals into this insane mental construction: "Oh, he's definitely a CIA agent tailing me." Why? Probably because he wants to kidnap me for some lab experiment. Maybe even my own mother is part of the conspiracy.... and before you know it, the rabbit hole just keeps going deeper and deeper.

I actually asked this exact same thing in my previous post.
Are they all bad people?
Isn't it strange to think that absolutely everyone has conspired together just to do harm?
Especially if this is the second or third time it's happened, and you already know from past experiences that you might have just "imagined" it all?
If you've been through a similar situation before, only to find out later that nothing was wrong and nobody was following you?

The whole thing is just terrifying...

And completely incomprehensible... though I imagine it feels truly horrific in that moment.

William Evans10 said:I actually asked this exact same thing in my previous post.
Are they all bad people?
Isn't it strange to think that absolutely everyone has conspired together just to do harm?
Especially if this is the second or third time it's happened, and you already know from past experiences that you might have just "imagined" it all?
If you've been through a similar situation before, only to find out later that nothing was wrong and nobody was following you?

The whole thing is just terrifying...

And completely incomprehensible... though I imagine it feels truly horrific in that moment.

Look, it's hard to put into words... we're talking about a physiological imbalance in neurotransmitters here.

It's tough, yeah, but with the right medication and actual psychotherapy, everything can be managed.

William Evans10 said:It might seem funny now... but reading through the rest of it, and there is certainly a lot to read... I believe that in the exact moment it is happening, it is terrifying and frightening, truly terrifying..

Thank God that is all behind you now... and seriously, kudos to you for making it through!🙂

But living like that... I imagine it is a total catastrophe. Constant fear, worries, theories, conspiracies... just awful. Omg, I would never want to go through that.

And when was the last time something like that happened?
Why is everyone an "enemy" or "evil"?
Isn't it a bit strange in situations like that (psychosis), that it feels like absolutely everyone is against you?
I'm not talking specifically about you right now, just in general...
Isn't it odd that it feels like everyone has conspired together to cause harm?

The last time was twenty years ago during a psychotic episode, and it was a single occurrence.

As for why everyone seems malicious, I don't know; that is simply how the illness functions. Someone else might experience a different type of psychosis where things manifest differently. My case was characterized by hebephrenia toward the end, following paranoia.

There is nothing unusual about psychosis; I didn't just think everything was that way, I knew it as an absolute fact. There are no limits to madness, and you can become convinced of anything, and no one, absolutely no one, will be able to talk you out of it—which is perhaps why they officially call it a "severe psychotic episode."

To be fair, there were a few people I actually trusted, but they weren't around during the critical moments, which of course served as further proof that they had been eliminated, imprisoned, or whatever else happened.

Even looking back, I wasn't satisfied with the treatment I received. I believe it could have been handled much more effectively and in a far shorter timeframe, starting with the basic symptoms that could have been explained early on instead of waiting months for medications that failed to work while the condition continued to spiral.

One of the primary struggles was the constant expectation that someone would come for me, either to take me away or to kill me. You start checking the locks just to ensure no one can get in, or rather, to make sure no one can slip in while you are trying to leave. Some of those irrational ideas were direct consequences of being confined to a closed space. I know there have been studies on lab animals that showed similar results, though the research hasn't been formally recognized, and when I cited that, it was treated as just more evidence of my psychosis. I heard recently that there is scientific evidence showing that solitary confinement is devastating for mental health, which is why it is supposed to be avoided today.

William Evans10 said:It might seem funny now... but reading through the rest of it, and there is certainly a lot to read... I believe that in the exact moment it is happening, it is terrifying and frightening, truly terrifying..

Thank God that is all behind you now... and seriously, kudos to you for making it through!🙂

But living like that... I imagine it is a total catastrophe. Constant fear, worries, theories, conspiracies... just awful. Omg, I would never want to go through that.

And when was the last time something like that happened?
Why is everyone an "enemy" or "evil"?
Isn't it a bit strange in situations like that (psychosis), that it feels like absolutely everyone is against you?
I'm not talking specifically about you right now, just in general...
Isn't it odd that it feels like everyone has conspired together to cause harm?

That's exactly what makes it a psychosis... 🙂

Respect to the community. I’m in a bad spot right now and I’m looking for some answers, so I hope someone can help me out with what I’m about to say. I grew up in the foster care system my entire life; I never had parents, I was always on my own, and I’ve been forced to witness things no one should ever have to see. Now, living alone, I’m dealing with a laundry list of mental and physical issues. Insomnia, depression, constant headaches, neurodermatitis, and stomach ulcers—all at just 21 years old. Cannabis proved to be an incredibly effective remedy for all my ailments. Using cannabis oil actually brought me relief, healing both my spirit and my body. Recently, I ran into trouble with the police, and because of that, I’ve been stripped of my natural medicine. Now I'm spiraling back into all my old problems. I don't have a job, I have a disability in my right arm, I have no apartment, no house, and no family to turn to. I'm under massive amounts of stress, and my hair has even started turning gray. I’ve been researching schizophrenia, and since I exhibit every single symptom, I’m terrified that I might actually have it. I’m having hallucinations, talking to myself, feeling lethargic, lacking any willpower, and thinking about suicide every single day. My faith has been shattered, and that faith was centered on cannabis, which was my lifeline and helped me in countless ways. Now it's gone. I am a victim of police brutality; I’m facing court and will likely end up in prison just for using marijuana, even though science shows it isn't harmful in any aspect. It treats everything from basic pain to cancer. I studied it personally and gained a whole new perspective on the botanical and astral worlds; I experience trips daily, whether with it or without it. Since my mother has schizophrenia, I read that my risk of developing it is between 9% and 16%, and I am increasingly afraid that my mind and soul are broken beyond repair. I don't possess any cannabis anymore; I was never a dealer, I only used it for medicinal purposes, and I have extensive knowledge about it. I know it is the only cure for my illnesses. Back when I was in the system, I saw a psychiatrist, but he didn't tell me much other than suggesting my mental state might stem from having meningitis as an infant. I haven't had a full checkup because I also have heart issues, but given my condition, the doctor prescribed things like Norvasc, Paxil, and Prozac, among others. Those drugs turned me into a zombie; I did nothing but sleep until I developed ulcers. When I found cannabis, it felt like my prayers were answered and I finally began to recover. But now it's gone, and in this country, it's illegal. It's only illegal because big pharma would go bankrupt if people realized what cannabis actually is and stopped buying their pills. Think about it: they profit as long as we stay sick! So, my question is: do I have schizophrenia? These are the symptoms I’m experiencing: depression, lack of motivation, insomnia, suicidal ideation, outbursts of anger, mood swings, hallucinations, seeing signs in everything around me, lethargy, hyperactivity, voices in my head, and more. Everything feels like it's getting worse, and I’m terrified of enclosed spaces, which will likely be my reality if the court rules against me. I have panic attacks and paranoia every single day; when I fall asleep, I wake up shaking and drenched in sweat. I’m scared to go to a psychiatrist because I’m terrified they’ll give me a serious diagnosis and lock me away in an institution where they'll just pump me full of pills, which I can't handle anymore. I’d love to just grow my own and heal the way I know works, and I could even teach anyone interested how to grow and create the most effective medicine, but it’s illegal, and that's what's driving me crazy. Sorry for the long post. I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks in advance.

I feel like I’m seeing the word 'marijuana' for the 50th time today. Are you actually trying to get better, or are you just looking for tips on how to score more? Go see another psychiatrist—yeah, I know they aren't cheap, but it's your health we're talking about. Find a way to get someone to actually listen and figure out what's going on with you.
I haven't personally messed with weed, but I know people who have used it for years, just like you, and they seem totally checked out now. Honestly, there isn't much difference between that and those other pills you mentioned that turn you into a zombie. There is a ton of info out there regarding schizophrenia, so maybe do some reading? People will try to help, but you've gotta show you care about more than just getting high. You're so young; getting real help right now is everything.

I get what you mean. Things seem "better," but every time I check on him, I notice his chest is heaving pretty fast... like his heart is racing. Back when he was hospitalized for the psychosis, his pulse was sitting at 120-160 for weeks straight.
I brought the monitor over today to check him myself, and boom—130! He swears he doesn't feel restless or even notice his breathing is shallow, except maybe when he's lying down. I keep asking if he's feeling tense or if something's bothering him, but he just says no...
Anyway, I’m planning on calling the on-call doctor tonight to let her know I'm worried, since his pulse hasn't really settled down since he got here.

David Vaughn75 said:First off, antipsychotics don't just kick in overnight—it takes weeks for them to even start working, and recovering from a full-blown psychotic episode is a marathon that lasts months.

And second, there's always the chance the doctors totally missed the mark with the treatment plan, which, let's be real, happens way more often than people want to admit.

Harold Harris20 said:Anyone still around? Or did everyone just magically "get better" overnight?.......... I don't even know how to summarize this situation briefly so you guys have something to read about, but here goes nothing. Basically, this Person X—who doesn't even know me or my brother, just my current ex—decided to trash my brother yesterday. As I mentioned before, he's been stuck in the hospital for almost three weeks now. This person was actually doing us a favor by dropping stuff off for him at our house a few times. But while they were there, they jumped to these conclusions (of course, they have no clue he's dealing with schizophrenia): That he’s totally uninterested, not masculine enough, way too withdrawn, looks scared, and acts like he's not the "alpha" type he should be (like, the snow outside was obviously cleared by a woman—which pissed him off because he knew he didn't do it).
Okay, so that's the quick version. What that person doesn't realize is that my brother is mentally ill. He isn't "scared," his hands have been shaking since he was five years old. He's nervous, he struggles to hold a conversation, and he gets anxious trying not to misinterpret things. Also, if he could be the "alpha" guy, he would, but he just can't right now. And yeah, I was the one clearing the snow as much as I could because he was doing so poorly; he couldn't even get out of bed due to the psychosis.
What am I really getting at here?....................It's just crazy how arrogant people act these days just because they do you a small favor. They think they have the right to stick their noses into your business and, even worse, feel entitled to judge you!--it's awful!!!
Then I started wondering, how is my brother ever supposed to find friends, or even just one friend, when people jump to conclusions immediately? I mean, he's not your "typical" guy—he's not outgoing, bubbly, or super active, etc., etc. The second someone sees him, they're just like, "what's wrong with this guy... better stay far away."
It's honestly so sad.............it's like being that kid in elementary school who gets teased by everyone just because you're different.
I'm just so disappointed.....................

Once you accept that people are just like that.. it will be easier for you. They love to talk about healthy people, but they won't bother talking about the sick ones. Personally, I don't pay attention to stuff like that anymore.. I have nothing to do with them. I don't justify myself to anyone, and I don't waste my time on things like that. You know how they say, "sweep your own doorstep first..."...

I have a mother-in-law with an illness at home too, and the neighbors have seen all sorts of scenes with her... there are a few who just ignore it (because they know she's sick), but then there are those who lean over the fence to watch the "show" and whisper comments to themselves. Regardless of whether they've seen it a hundred times already, some people just feed on that kind of thing...

I just ignore it... and focus on helping my mother-in-law instead of wasting useless energy on "pity cases" who have nothing better to do than meddle in other people's business and problems.

Just focus on your brother and your family... and screw everyone else...🙂

fadedlynx96 said:The last time was twenty years ago during a psychotic episode, and it was a single occurrence.

As for why everyone seems malicious, I don't know; that is simply how the illness functions. Someone else might experience a different type of psychosis where things manifest differently. My case was characterized by hebephrenia toward the end, following paranoia.

There is nothing unusual about psychosis; I didn't just think everything was that way, I knew it as an absolute fact. There are no limits to madness, and you can become convinced of anything, and no one, absolutely no one, will be able to talk you out of it—which is perhaps why they officially call it a "severe psychotic episode."

To be fair, there were a few people I actually trusted, but they weren't around during the critical moments, which of course served as further proof that they had been eliminated, imprisoned, or whatever else happened.

Even looking back, I wasn't satisfied with the treatment I received. I believe it could have been handled much more effectively and in a far shorter timeframe, starting with the basic symptoms that could have been explained early on instead of waiting months for medications that failed to work while the condition continued to spiral.

One of the primary struggles was the constant expectation that someone would come for me, either to take me away or to kill me. You start checking the locks just to ensure no one can get in, or rather, to make sure no one can slip in while you are trying to leave. Some of those irrational ideas were direct consequences of being confined to a closed space. I know there have been studies on lab animals that showed similar results, though the research hasn't been formally recognized, and when I cited that, it was treated as just more evidence of my psychosis. I heard recently that there is scientific evidence showing that solitary confinement is devastating for mental health, which is why it is supposed to be avoided today.

I don't recall you mentioning that to me...

How long did that "torment"—that psychosis—last before they finally found the right therapy for you?

And how are your children doing? Your daughter? 🙂

Jamie Rogers2 said:Respect to the community. I’m in a bad spot right now and I’m looking for some answers, so I hope someone can help me out with what I’m about to say. I grew up in the foster care system my entire life; I never had parents, I was always on my own, and I’ve been forced to witness things no one should ever have to see. Now, living alone, I’m dealing with a laundry list of mental and physical issues. Insomnia, depression, constant headaches, neurodermatitis, and stomach ulcers—all at just 21 years old. Cannabis proved to be an incredibly effective remedy for all my ailments. Using cannabis oil actually brought me relief, healing both my spirit and my body. Recently, I ran into trouble with the police, and because of that, I’ve been stripped of my natural medicine. Now I'm spiraling back into all my old problems. I don't have a job, I have a disability in my right arm, I have no apartment, no house, and no family to turn to. I'm under massive amounts of stress, and my hair has even started turning gray. I’ve been researching schizophrenia, and since I exhibit every single symptom, I’m terrified that I might actually have it. I’m having hallucinations, talking to myself, feeling lethargic, lacking any willpower, and thinking about suicide every single day. My faith has been shattered, and that faith was centered on cannabis, which was my lifeline and helped me in countless ways. Now it's gone. I am a victim of police brutality; I’m facing court and will likely end up in prison just for using marijuana, even though science shows it isn't harmful in any aspect. It treats everything from basic pain to cancer. I studied it personally and gained a whole new perspective on the botanical and astral worlds; I experience trips daily, whether with it or without it. Since my mother has schizophrenia, I read that my risk of developing it is between 9% and 16%, and I am increasingly afraid that my mind and soul are broken beyond repair. I don't possess any cannabis anymore; I was never a dealer, I only used it for medicinal purposes, and I have extensive knowledge about it. I know it is the only cure for my illnesses. Back when I was in the system, I saw a psychiatrist, but he didn't tell me much other than suggesting my mental state might stem from having meningitis as an infant. I haven't had a full checkup because I also have heart issues, but given my condition, the doctor prescribed things like Norvasc, Paxil, and Prozac, among others. Those drugs turned me into a zombie; I did nothing but sleep until I developed ulcers. When I found cannabis, it felt like my prayers were answered and I finally began to recover. But now it's gone, and in this country, it's illegal. It's only illegal because big pharma would go bankrupt if people realized what cannabis actually is and stopped buying their pills. Think about it: they profit as long as we stay sick! So, my question is: do I have schizophrenia? These are the symptoms I’m experiencing: depression, lack of motivation, insomnia, suicidal ideation, outbursts of anger, mood swings, hallucinations, seeing signs in everything around me, lethargy, hyperactivity, voices in my head, and more. Everything feels like it's getting worse, and I’m terrified of enclosed spaces, which will likely be my reality if the court rules against me. I have panic attacks and paranoia every single day; when I fall asleep, I wake up shaking and drenched in sweat. I’m scared to go to a psychiatrist because I’m terrified they’ll give me a serious diagnosis and lock me away in an institution where they'll just pump me full of pills, which I can't handle anymore. I’d love to just grow my own and heal the way I know works, and I could even teach anyone interested how to grow and create the most effective medicine, but it’s illegal, and that's what's driving me crazy. Sorry for the long post. I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks in advance.

None of us can actually diagnose what you're going through. You really need to sit down with a professional and have an honest conversation with them to figure out what's actually happening.

My take, just being a layman here... it sounds like you might be dealing with some sort of psychosis.

As for marijuana, in your specific situation, it isn't a cure. It seems like it's actually triggering depression and lethargy for you, especially that second day after you use it.
Also, I'm not sure how much you know about this, but for people dealing with mental health issues—especially those with a genetic predisposition toward schizophrenia or similar conditions—marijuana can actually accelerate the onset or trigger the illness entirely. You've only been looking at the "good" side of weed, like how it helps with cancer (which doesn't actually cure it, it just manages the pain), because that's all you've been searching for. Do a little more digging online and look into the downsides. In your case, you probably shouldn't be smoking at all, especially since there is a history of mental illness in your family.

If you truly want to get better, please, go see a doctor and tell them exactly what's going on.
They aren't going to lock you up for life, and they won't necessarily pump you full of pills that turn you into a zombie (by the way, speaking of marijuana, doesn't that also slow a person down?). There are so many different medications available today that one of them will likely work for you. You don't have to give up hope immediately. Medication can be a huge help, but like I said, you have to see a doctor first. Because none of us here can actually help you with this.

Good luck...