Schizophrenia - General Discussion

I don't bother with horror movies anymore, nor do I waste my time reading any of those mindless books—instead, I just find some movie of my own to put on. Before everything went downhill with this illness, I actually used to enjoy all that stuff...

Right now, I’m on Risset 2 x 2 mg, Lexapro 50mg, and Prozac—though after a few days on the Prozac, I’ve just been taking it in the evening to help me sleep. My doctor is currently transitioning me onto a new regimen... I had some issues when I was on Risset 3 x 2mg, and honestly, the Zyprexa used to knock me out completely.

Ever since I stepped off the Zyprexa, I’ve started questioning everything—basically overanalyzing things and pulling them way out of context—but as far as I'm concerned, my psychiatrist will get my head straight. He's the best! 🙂

Kimberly Cook5 said:I don't bother with horror movies anymore, nor do I waste my time reading any of those mindless books—instead, I just find some movie of my own to put on. Before everything went downhill with this illness, I actually used to enjoy all that stuff...

Ahh... well, to be perfectly honest with you, I haven't sat through one in quite a while either... But you know, looking at things now, I feel like I could actually handle one. Honestly, I truly enjoy that feeling when I get scared... what else is there? 🙂

God, what an absolutely wretched day yesterday was... honestly, this illness is such a bizarre, unpredictable thing. I really don't even know what else to say or think about it at this point—it's exhausting. The absolute worst part, though—the part that really gets to you—is that you just can't convey to people how much you're actually suffering on the inside.

I think I’ve asked this before, but I’m not sure if anyone actually got back to me.
How do you all manage to tell what’s actually real from what isn't?
I struggle with it quite a bit. It’s hard to know how to act when those moments hit—that fuzzy feeling where I can't quite tell if something is really happening or if my mind is just playing tricks on me.
It’s such a weird thing to try and put into words, too.
I just get this heavy sense that I don't really belong in the place where I am right now.

Eric Mitchell55 said:I think I’ve asked this before, but I’m not sure if anyone actually got back to me.
How do you all manage to tell what’s actually real from what isn't?
I struggle with it quite a bit. It’s hard to know how to act when those moments hit—that fuzzy feeling where I can't quite tell if something is really happening or if my mind is just playing tricks on me.
It’s such a weird thing to try and put into words, too.
I just get this heavy sense that I don't really belong in the place where I am right now.

That sounds like Joe Rogan territory—when you find yourself trying to convince your own mind that a paranoid delusion is actually the objective truth. In those moments, the difficulty lies in the discernment itself.

Brian Hayes43 said:That sounds like Joe Rogan territory—when you find yourself trying to convince your own mind that a paranoid delusion is actually the objective truth. In those moments, the difficulty lies in the discernment itself.

Psychosis is basically when you're physically incapable of entertaining any idea that contradicts the one currently breaking your brain.

Take, say, thinking someone is following you—in that moment, you can't even wrap your head around the possibility that it's just nonsense, because your own mind won't let that door even crack open.

That’s my point. You can’t simply shake off those thoughts because they always seem to carry some sort of deep, abstract significance.

Greetings, everyone... a bit late to the party here, but I wanted to wish a happy Easter to all my fellow Catholics out there. 🙂 How is everyone doing? Has this gloomy weather been getting to you at all?
As for me, I’m feeling completely stuck... everything just feels sort of pointless lately..

Greetings to everyone here. I’m looking for some guidance on how to actually interact with someone living with schizophrenia. A serious illness has hit our family—it's been devastating—and frankly, I’m at a loss regarding how to talk to them. They tell me things that I know for a fact aren't real, and I have no idea how to respond. Should I play along and validate their delusions? Or should I try to convince them that what they're saying isn't true—that nobody is following them or plotting against them to destroy them? I’ve noticed that when I don't go along with their version of reality, they get angry. To make matters worse, I can't even be sure if they're taking the medication they were prescribed; they stubbornly insist they aren't sick and that everyone is conspiring against them. I just want to help, but I am completely lost!!!! In the meantime, this person ended up hospitalized and hasn't wanted to contact anyone since—not even me. It’s incredibly difficult, and I’m asking for your advice on how to proceed. Should I just wait for some time to pass while they recover? I really don't want to disturb them or cause more stress... please, any advice would be appreciated.

@Jeremy Sullivan59,

If someone is currently hospitalized, they're likely under intensive treatment, and if visits are causing irritation, you shouldn't force them... Patients in a clinical setting often start seeing improvement fairly quickly due to the medication, which helps them gain insight into their condition and makes visitors less bothersome. It seems like right now she might be feeling defensive, perhaps even blaming those close to her for her hospitalization...
Regardless of whether she’s accepting visitors at this moment, it would be wise to speak with her attending physician. They can provide updates on her recovery and offer guidance on how to support her and manage her symptoms once she's discharged. Having a supportive family environment is vital, especially when it comes to medication adherence...
If a patient is uncooperative or struggles to stay consistent with their daily meds, there are long-acting injectable options available. Depending on the psychiatrist's recommendation, these can sometimes be administered through community health services... It might be worth asking the doctor about such options.

When someone is in an acute state, such as during psychosis, it isn't helpful to argue or insist that their perception of reality is wrong. To them, it feels just as real as yours does, and pushing back can cause them to withdraw and lose trust... On the other hand, you shouldn't validate the delusions either. The best course of action is getting them to psychiatric emergency services. Once the symptoms begin to subside, you can gently challenge those perceptions. It’s highly individual, though, so please consult with her medical team...

Someone close to me has dealt with two psychotic breaks in a really short window—the first back in May 2012, then another one in January 2013. Even though they’re strictly following their medication regimen, they've become completely dependent on others since that second episode. They can't keep track of what day it is, where they've been, or what they were doing just thirty minutes ago. Simple things like clipping nails or sending a text are impossible now. Their thoughts are a total mess; they jump from one topic to another, making it incredibly difficult to hold a conversation... it's just exhausting. The doctor seems happy because there aren't any hallucinations or voices, but everyone else is struggling because we don't have a functional adult anymore, just a giant, helpless child. On top of that, their entire personality has shifted; they're scattered and constantly crying. Does anyone here know if this level of decline is temporary or if it's permanent? I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone with similar experiences. Diagnosis is unknown. Best regards.

wearyscout12 said:Someone close to me has dealt with two psychotic breaks in a really short window—the first back in May 2012, then another one in January 2013. Even though they’re strictly following their medication regimen, they've become completely dependent on others since that second episode. They can't keep track of what day it is, where they've been, or what they were doing just thirty minutes ago. Simple things like clipping nails or sending a text are impossible now. Their thoughts are a total mess; they jump from one topic to another, making it incredibly difficult to hold a conversation... it's just exhausting. The doctor seems happy because there aren't any hallucinations or voices, but everyone else is struggling because we don't have a functional adult anymore, just a giant, helpless child. On top of that, their entire personality has shifted; they're scattered and constantly crying. Does anyone here know if this level of decline is temporary or if it's permanent? I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone with similar experiences. Diagnosis is unknown. Best regards.

They might still be a little "unhinged," but I suspect this specific fog might pass—most people coming out of psychosis eventually drift back toward some semblance of normalcy—but I fear that this kid will never, ever be the same person again.

Well, here we go. A slightly different flavor of madness today... Since I was spiraling through that deep depression and just feeling completely over everything, I decided to actually do something about it in the real world and booked a last-minute trip to Egypt for myself and a friend. We spent eight days there, checking off everything from the pyramids to whatever else you can do in that part of the world. It was honestly fantastic—warm, beautiful, and I’m so incredibly glad I went, because usually, if I don't get away every once in a while, things start falling apart. My symptoms didn't really flare up during the trip; I kept taking my unknown while traveling, but since getting back, I haven't been taking it on my own whim—I'm following my doctor's orders now. What else is there to say? Honestly, amidst that massive crowd of people, nobody even suspected for a second that I was struggling with anything mental, which felt pretty damn good. ☕

Noah Garcia4 said:Well, here we go. A slightly different flavor of madness today... Since I was spiraling through that deep depression and just feeling completely over everything, I decided to actually do something about it in the real world and booked a last-minute trip to Egypt for myself and a friend. We spent eight days there, checking off everything from the pyramids to whatever else you can do in that part of the world. It was honestly fantastic—warm, beautiful, and I’m so incredibly glad I went, because usually, if I don't get away every once in a while, things start falling apart. My symptoms didn't really flare up during the trip; I kept taking my unknown while traveling, but since getting back, I haven't been taking it on my own whim—I'm following my doctor's orders now. What else is there to say? Honestly, amidst that massive crowd of people, nobody even suspected for a second that I was struggling with anything mental, which felt pretty damn good. ☕

Good for you; that's exactly how you have to handle it. If you ever make it to the USA, I can show you some interesting spots down South all the way up to Washington, DC. And I'm certain nobody would suspect you're crazy either, because nobody has suspected me for twenty years now.

fadedlynx96 said:Good for you; that's exactly how you have to handle it. If you ever make it to the USA, I can show you some interesting spots down South all the way up to Washington, DC. And I'm certain nobody would suspect you're crazy either, because nobody has suspected me for twenty years now.

I’m fairly certain I’ll make it to the US one of these days. When I do, I'll definitely reach out. We can compare notes right here 👍 🙂

Just checking in to say hi—I finally made it to my follow-up appointment with the psychiatrist. He asked if I’ve been staying on top of my unknown, and I had to admit I’m hit or miss with it, though honestly, I’m really hoping to phase it out soon. Last time he prescribed it and noted F29 on my chart, but now looking at the paperwork, there's also F32.1 mentioned, along with F20. On top of everything, he added Haldol 5mg and Cogentin, one pill each. I haven't actually started the Haldol yet, and to be truthful, I'm having second thoughts about whether I'll even pick it up. Right now, I'm still taking Effexor, plus some unknown and Clonazepam whenever things get rough. If anyone here has experience with Haldol—or has been on it before—could you let me know how it actually feels? ☕

wiredmason56 said:Just checking in to say hi—I finally made it to my follow-up appointment with the psychiatrist. He asked if I’ve been staying on top of my unknown, and I had to admit I’m hit or miss with it, though honestly, I’m really hoping to phase it out soon. Last time he prescribed it and noted F29 on my chart, but now looking at the paperwork, there's also F32.1 mentioned, along with F20. On top of everything, he added Haldol 5mg and Cogentin, one pill each. I haven't actually started the Haldol yet, and to be truthful, I'm having second thoughts about whether I'll even pick it up. Right now, I'm still taking Effexor, plus some unknown and Clonazepam whenever things get rough. If anyone here has experience with Haldol—or has been on it before—could you let me know how it actually feels? ☕

Haldol likely has its benefits and probably works quite well for some people. I’ve heard about the negative experiences myself, but I don't have the time to get into it right now. It involved one particular patient, though that might just be an outlier.

I'm currently stuck with a bill for Haldol. If anyone else has dealt with something similar, please reach out via DM or just reply here.

My grandmother recently started taking Haldol. She’s 92 and was doing reasonably well until she did. About a month or two after she started the medication, her condition took a sudden, sharp turn for the worse. It started with her walking more tentatively, and eventually, she couldn't walk at all. Her movements became sluggish, her speech grew difficult, and she lost the ability to eat on her own. She eventually stopped speaking entirely, which led to a hospital visit where they couldn't find any clear cause for what was happening.

She stopped taking the Haldol. Now, her condition is slowly improving, though she still can't walk like she used to. Everything else seems to be returning to how it was before.

It goes without saying that this whole situation is far from comforting, and it feels like a massive oversight.

To make matters worse, there is a glaring lack of consensus regarding Haldol among different medical professionals. Psychiatrists generally support its use, while non-psychiatrists often point to cases exactly like my grandmother's. There are likely many more people who feel this way, though I don't personally know any others.

There are also strange rumors circulating through nursing homes about Haldol—whispers that it essentially destroys brain function. Even some doctors seem to back these claims, making it difficult to discern the actual truth.

As for my grandmother's symptoms? They are largely the same as they were before she ever touched Haldol, and they remain the same now that she's off it. The only lingering issue is that she can no longer walk. 🙂

Usually, doctors throw Haldol at patients who are spiraling out of control or use it on seniors when nothing else seems to touch their agitation

But honestly? In most other scenarios, that stuff is just straight-up evil—it comes with a massive, nasty list of side effects that’ll make you regret ever taking it