Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Thanks for the heads-up 👍 .
It’s definitely worth looking into. It is honestly fascinating how one specific medication can be a total lifesaver for one person struggling with schizophrenia, yet for someone else, that exact same prescription is either completely useless or even makes things worse. It’s much like how a certain engine might run flawlessly in a Ford but stalls out immediately if you try to drop it into a Chevy.

Noah Garcia4 said:Thanks for the heads-up 👍 .
It’s definitely worth looking into. It is honestly fascinating how one specific medication can be a total lifesaver for one person struggling with schizophrenia, yet for someone else, that exact same prescription is either completely useless or even makes things worse. It’s much like how a certain engine might run flawlessly in a Ford but stalls out immediately if you try to drop it into a Chevy.

I mean, I guess it’s possible that ketamine withdrawal is actually what jolted that catatonic patient awake... if I remember the article correctly, they didn't wake up during the actual treatment, but later on

Anyway, ketamine isn't really recommended for schizophrenia. I suppose the whole point is finding something that works in the complete opposite way ketamine does to help manage it...

But then again, it looks like ketamine is currently doing wonders for severe bipolar depression and those intense suicidal thoughts...

I took a deep dive into Wikipedia, and honestly, it’s all a bit of a blur to me because I deal with a messy mix of schizophrenia and bipolar symptoms—essentially schizoaffective disorder—though there are days when it feels like pure schizophrenia.
In my experience, there isn't really a better way forward than forcing yourself into every possible activity you can find; staying busy is pretty much the only thing that actually helps.
The whole situation is incredibly convoluted since antipsychotics don't touch the negative symptoms, then you layer an antidepressant on top of that, and you're left with the realization that if you just sit around smoking, you aren't getting anywhere—it has to be constant motion.
And as for this idea that being someone with schizophrenia makes me some kind of societal outcast, I'm not sure if any antidepressant will ever fix that reality; they used to help, but lately, they haven't done a thing.

It just crossed my mind that I might have unintentionally offended someone here with my previous post; I’ve been stuck in the headspace of this article for two days now, and I’m feeling a bit guilty about it.

http://www.nytimes.com/article/economic-trends-analysis/271679/

I mean, honestly, where is the silver lining in any of this? 🤔 🤷☕

Noah Garcia4 said:It just crossed my mind that I might have unintentionally offended someone here with my previous post; I’ve been stuck in the headspace of this article for two days now, and I’m feeling a bit guilty about it.

http://www.nytimes.com/article/economic-trends-analysis/271679/

I mean, honestly, where is the silver lining in any of this? 🤔 🤷☕

The guy beat schizophrenia, sure, but he's still stuck on the meds. 🙄

David Vaughn75 said:The guy beat schizophrenia, sure, but he's still stuck on the meds. 🙄

daaa...🙄
By the way, if anyone here actually has the guts—maybe you’re healthy and living with someone struggling with schizophrenia, or perhaps there's a family member in that boat—to speak up, tell us just how much of a mental grind it really is for everyone involved.🍿

Noah Garcia4 said:daaa...🙄
By the way, if anyone here actually has the guts—maybe you’re healthy and living with someone struggling with schizophrenia, or perhaps there's a family member in that boat—to speak up, tell us just how much of a mental grind it really is for everyone involved.🍿

Look, I'm not "difficult"... 🥳 except maybe when it comes to my actual weight.🤣

David Vaughn75 said:Look, I'm not "difficult"... 🥳 except maybe when it comes to my actual weight.🤣

I'd say I'm more middleweight 🥳

But honestly, wouldn't someone want to potužiti about how exhausting it is to deal with a total schizo? 🥳

Noah Garcia4 said:I'd say I'm more middleweight 🥳

But honestly, wouldn't someone want to potužiti about how exhausting it is to deal with a total schizo? 🥳

Honestly, you’re either just a difficult person by nature or you aren't—I don't think it has anything to do with having an illness. 🤷

David Vaughn75 said:Honestly, you’re either just a difficult person by nature or you aren't—I don't think it has anything to do with having an illness. 🤷

I’ve always had a bit of a prickly disposition, and if I’m being honest, there’s a fair amount of malice baked into my nature. I have these sudden, sharp outbursts that can be pretty cutting, and when they happen, people tend to rush in with that patronizing "Oh, you're just going through something" or "It's just your temperament" kind of attitude. But it isn't some psychological ailment or a phase I need to get over; I truly meant every word of those outbursts exactly as they came out.
I can be quite lovely when I want to be—sweet as a homemade peach cobbler, at least when I’m actually awake. Though, admittedly, that charm tends to take a backseat once I drift off to sleep. And as for everything in between... well, let's just leave that to the imagination.

I’m genuinely asking if anyone out there can give me a realistic, unfiltered breakdown of what it’s actually like to live with someone struggling with schizophrenia. I want the unvarnished truth about how heavy that weight really is. 😛

Noah Garcia4 said:I’ve always had a bit of a prickly disposition, and if I’m being honest, there’s a fair amount of malice baked into my nature. I have these sudden, sharp outbursts that can be pretty cutting, and when they happen, people tend to rush in with that patronizing "Oh, you're just going through something" or "It's just your temperament" kind of attitude. But it isn't some psychological ailment or a phase I need to get over; I truly meant every word of those outbursts exactly as they came out.
I can be quite lovely when I want to be—sweet as a homemade peach cobbler, at least when I’m actually awake. Though, admittedly, that charm tends to take a backseat once I drift off to sleep. And as for everything in between... well, let's just leave that to the imagination.

I’m genuinely asking if anyone out there can give me a realistic, unfiltered breakdown of what it’s actually like to live with someone struggling with schizophrenia. I want the unvarnished truth about how heavy that weight really is. 😛

if that’s not going too far, I actually think it's kind of sexy😍

David Vaughn75 said:if that’s not going too far, I actually think it's kind of sexy😍

😍 isn't an exaggeration😍 when you consider how most average women in a small Midwestern town🤣😂

For crying out loud, just go ahead and potužiti to Žuža 😉 Honestly, how much more intense can these schizophrenic types get? 🍿

So, I had this random thought pop into my head—it’s probably not super useful or anything, but it felt kind of interesting to me..

You know, when you’re just a kid, lying there in bed, unable to drift off... maybe you were watching Twilight Zone or some old spooky show, and the streetlights outside are casting this weird glow through the lace curtains. You start looking around... and pretty soon, you begin to notice faces in the patterns of the lace... even in the shadow the curtain casts on the dresser across from the window.. just these random faces.. that Twilight Zone episode was actually about how people see faces in patterns, and how those faces might come to life and things would go south... and that's exactly what happens to you, these little faces start appearing... the longer you stare, the more you feel like they're alive, like they're about to move, like they're evil, and like they're staring at you with malice... so you hide under the covers... the fear is just overwhelming... and you spend the whole night like that, or well, until you eventually pass out... trying to convince yourself that if the faces haven't done anything yet, they won't do anything, and somehow you calm down enough to fall asleep after a while...

What am I even trying to say? I guess paranoia and hallucinations are actually sort of built into all of us.. I think a lot of people can't quite wrap their heads around it, but they've actually experienced that process where the brain sees something that isn't really there... one example is exactly what I just described—that tendency to "notice" faces in all sorts of different patterns and textures... I don't know what I'm even gaining by posting this, but, yeah... I just had to get it out of my system 🙂

Anyway, regarding treatments, here's another article/study that looks at how NMDA receptors and glutamate play a role
http://www.psychointegrator.com/2008...nia-treatment/

And one more

http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/8/3/189.full

Look, I’m speaking strictly for myself here. I have NEVER actually seen or heard things that weren't physically there.
I spent a long time spinning elaborate webs of nonsense in my head—things that had zero connection to the truth, common sense, or reality.
Once the fog finally lifted, I realized the whole thing was pure bullshit. Yet, some of those thoughts from the peak of my illness still linger today; I honestly don't know how "healthy" I'd need to be before someone could convince me that I hadn't actually noticed something real.
It isn't a simple black-and-white issue, not by a long shot. But this pervasive assumption people hold—that anyone living with schizophrenia is completely detached from awareness—is just incredibly patronizing.

Jessica Fowler4 said:So, I had this random thought pop into my head—it’s probably not super useful or anything, but it felt kind of interesting to me..

You know, when you’re just a kid, lying there in bed, unable to drift off... maybe you were watching Twilight Zone or some old spooky show, and the streetlights outside are casting this weird glow through the lace curtains. You start looking around... and pretty soon, you begin to notice faces in the patterns of the lace... even in the shadow the curtain casts on the dresser across from the window.. just these random faces.. that Twilight Zone episode was actually about how people see faces in patterns, and how those faces might come to life and things would go south... and that's exactly what happens to you, these little faces start appearing... the longer you stare, the more you feel like they're alive, like they're about to move, like they're evil, and like they're staring at you with malice... so you hide under the covers... the fear is just overwhelming... and you spend the whole night like that, or well, until you eventually pass out... trying to convince yourself that if the faces haven't done anything yet, they won't do anything, and somehow you calm down enough to fall asleep after a while...

What am I even trying to say? I guess paranoia and hallucinations are actually sort of built into all of us.. I think a lot of people can't quite wrap their heads around it, but they've actually experienced that process where the brain sees something that isn't really there... one example is exactly what I just described—that tendency to "notice" faces in all sorts of different patterns and textures... I don't know what I'm even gaining by posting this, but, yeah... I just had to get it out of my system 🙂

Anyway, regarding treatments, here's another article/study that looks at how NMDA receptors and glutamate play a role
http://www.psychointegrator.com/2008...nia-treatment/

And one more

http://apt.rcpsych.org/content/8/3/189.full

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

Plus some basic reading for the newcomers.😉

So, someone’s currently scrolling through my previous post
and thinking to themselves, "Man, she clearly hasn't seen or heard half of what actually went down."
All I can say is that whoever is making those assumptions is essentially spinning a yarn out of thin air. ☕

Eric Mitchell55 said:What are your thoughts on people living with schizophrenia having children?
Do any of you have kids?

How much of an impact do you think a parent's diagnosis might have on their child?
Do you think there could be any long-term consequences?

Where do you all stand on the idea of those dealing with schizophrenia starting families?

Plenty of people do. Obviously. But yeah—some kids might develop mental health issues years after being born. For instance, my mom didn't get diagnosed until twenty years before I was even born. It hits every kid differently depending on the specific diagnosis—and honestly, sometimes just finding out a parent is one of "them" is enough to mess someone up (shame, anger, fear, all that). If the medication is managed properly, someone can go their whole life without major fallout. In my case, things were fine for stretches, but then there were times I was terrified to be home alone with her—death threats, physical violence, smashed glass, suicide attempts... the whole nightmare. But look, if they’re conscious and under control, you can actually connect with them on a deeper level—spiritually, personally, whatever. There's more trust there—they keep secrets and they tend to believe you more (they're naive, let's face it). I don't know how much you can take from my story, but you have to understand that during bad episodes, they aren't themselves or aware of their surroundings—so you can't take what they say or do personally, no matter how much it hurts. There are consequences, though—unavoidable ones. Fear of a parent, running away, relationships cooling off—and for the parent, it leaves the kid or the household dealing with instability, distrust, and total isolation. Of course, it all depends on how extreme the person's episodes are throughout their life. I think they *can* have kids because, in some cases, children actually calm them down—they become protective since they can't be that way with themselves. But the bottom line? You have to see the psychiatrist, talk to the psychologist when needed, and stay on top of therapy. That's my take on it.

Rebecca James3, thanks for being so incredibly candid in your post. 😁

Noah Garcia4 said:Rebecca James3, thanks for being so incredibly candid in your post. 😁

That's it... if you guys have questions, just ask. 😉