Schizophrenia - General Discussion

So, is she actually overspending and burning through cash at an unreasonable rate?

Noah Garcia4 said:So, is she actually overspending and burning through cash at an unreasonable rate?

Yeah. She buys absolute junk—her closet is overflowing with clothes she never even touches—and then she’s out there hitting up charity drives for stuff she doesn't need, which is ridiculous because she actually has money coming in. She’ll literally rip her own clothes apart with scissors just to justify buying something new. It's wild. Plus, she's gained weight, eats nothing but greasy junk, smokes constantly, and just completely ignores her health. I don't know if it's tied to her schizophrenia, but ever since that last stay at the psychiatric ward, she hasn't been herself. What's your take?

To sounds like straight-up schizophrenia to me. I honestly don't see how you can pull that off when you're spending your cash on clothes, a few essentials, or basically nothing at all. 🤷☕

Rebecca James3 said:Yeah. She buys absolute junk—her closet is overflowing with clothes she never even touches—and then she’s out there hitting up charity drives for stuff she doesn't need, which is ridiculous because she actually has money coming in. She’ll literally rip her own clothes apart with scissors just to justify buying something new. It's wild. Plus, she's gained weight, eats nothing but greasy junk, smokes constantly, and just completely ignores her health. I don't know if it's tied to her schizophrenia, but ever since that last stay at the psychiatric ward, she hasn't been herself. What's your take?

It can't be schizophrenia—it's too late for that onset. It sounds more like depression or some kind of psycho-organic condition to me.

casualangler12 said:It can't be schizophrenia—it's too late for that onset. It sounds more like depression or some kind of psycho-organic condition to me.

Look, she's had schizophrenia forever—since she was a kid. I just can't tell if this is just another phase of her condition or something else entirely. (If you actually care, check the previous pages for the backstory.)

Rebecca James3 said:Look, she's had schizophrenia forever—since she was a kid. I just can't tell if this is just another phase of her condition or something else entirely. (If you actually care, check the previous pages for the backstory.)

Sorry, I haven't been following the thread closely—my bad. You seem pretty concerned about her, though... are you her legal guardian or something? Or is it more personal? Like, is she your aunt, your mother, or what?

Larry Lewis said:Sorry, I haven't been following the thread closely—my bad. You seem pretty concerned about her, though... are you her legal guardian or something? Or is it more personal? Like, is she your aunt, your mother, or what?

No, I'm not her guardian. She's my mother. I was just answering a few questions about schizophrenia (based on my own experience), and then things spiraled into a debate. This is what they were asking:

Alexiss says: Check out this post
What do you think about people with schizophrenia having kids?
Do you have any?

How would the parent's illness affect the child?
Do you think there could be consequences?

Do you support people with schizophrenia having children?

My response:

Plenty of people have them. Of course. Though some might develop mental health issues years after being born. For instance, my mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia 20 years before I was even born. It affects every child differently depending on the type of illness—and sometimes just knowing a parent is one of "them" causes issues (shame, anger, fear). If it’s managed properly with medication, someone can go their whole life without major consequences. In my case, there were periods where things were fine, but other times—man—I was terrified to be alone in the house with her (death threats, physical threats, broken glass, suicide attempts...). But honestly, I think as long as they're lucid and under control, you can actually connect with them much more deeply—spiritually and otherwise. There's more trust; they're great at keeping secrets, and they tend to trust you more (they can be naive). I don't know how much you can take from my specific story, but you have to understand that during bad episodes, they aren't aware of themselves or their surroundings—so you shouldn't take things personally, no matter how much it hurts. There are consequences, unfortunately—fear of your own parent, running away, cooling off the relationship, and the fallout for the "healthy" one (instability, social distrust, shutting down). But that varies wildly depending on how extreme the person's situation is throughout their life. Personally, I think they can have kids because, in some cases, children actually calm them down—they get this protective instinct since they can't show that kind of care toward themselves. But the key is seeing a psychiatrist or psychologist whenever necessary and sticking to the therapy. That's my take on it.

Rebecca James3 said:Yeah. She buys absolute junk—her closet is overflowing with clothes she never even touches—and then she’s out there hitting up charity drives for stuff she doesn't need, which is ridiculous because she actually has money coming in. She’ll literally rip her own clothes apart with scissors just to justify buying something new. It's wild. Plus, she's gained weight, eats nothing but greasy junk, smokes constantly, and just completely ignores her health. I don't know if it's tied to her schizophrenia, but ever since that last stay at the psychiatric ward, she hasn't been herself. What's your take?

Honestly, sounds like bipolar disorder to me.

Maničar types have this massive urge to go on total shopping sprees.

David Vaughn75 said:Honestly, sounds like bipolar disorder to me.

Maničar types have this massive urge to go on total shopping sprees.

Honestly, who knows. Combine that with schizophrenia and you've got a real mess on your hands. Whatever.😢

Rebecca James3 said:Honestly, who knows. Combine that with schizophrenia and you've got a real mess on your hands. Whatever.😢

Look, labels don't mean squat—what actually matters is finally getting a handle on the damn problem. 😉

But how are you supposed to fix a problem that’s fundamentally unfixable? Schizophrenia—it stays with you for life. Period.

Rebecca James3 said:But how are you supposed to fix a problem that’s fundamentally unfixable? Schizophrenia—it stays with you for life. Period.

I haven't caught up on all the previous posts—there are quite a few, aren't there?—but when was the diagnosis actually made, and what were the criteria used?
Was she treated at a specific facility, perhaps somewhere like the Mayo Clinic, and for how long?
Well, if there is a distorted perception of reality, that is typically a hallmark of schizophrenia-psychosis.
Does the illness manifest in distinct episodes, or does it surface intermittently and then linger for a while?
Schizophrenia is far from simple to treat, nor is it easy to diagnose. Usually, it is accompanied by depression, anxiety, and fear. There is aggression, self-loathing... so suicide becomes a significant concern. They are rarely aggressive toward others, though.
I don't know what your specific situation looks like, but such patients often experience an entirely different version of reality—sounds that simply aren't there, hallucinations, they might even find the taste of food changes.
The expression of emotions? It is completely incomprehensible. They might laugh or cry when there is absolutely no reason to do so.
One of the most daunting challenges is that, in most cases, these patients aren't even aware they are ill.
With antipsychotics, regular medication, and consistent check-ups, schizophrenia can be managed well enough that patients can handle daily life reasonably effectively.😉So, we are talking about treating psychosis.
A "cure" for schizophrenia doesn't exist. Sadly, it doesn't.🙄
And now, what could the causes be? No one knows for certain. Not a single definitive cause has been uncovered.
There are theories regarding genetic inheritance, biochemical exchanges in the brain, stress, family dynamics, environmental factors, and a mountain of assumptions, but the actual root cause remains a question mark.🤷
By the way, depression and psychosis tend to alternate in schizophrenia—one follows the other, and vice versa.
It is a heavy burden, both for the patient and for the people surrounding them.

Rebecca James3 said:But how are you supposed to fix a problem that’s fundamentally unfixable? Schizophrenia—it stays with you for life. Period.

While it’s true that schizophrenia is a lifelong struggle in about 80% of cases, the reality is that most people can lead incredibly fulfilling lives if they have access to the right medication. There is such a wide range of antipsychotics available today that allows individuals to work, maintain relationships, and just live normally. Of course, having psychotherapy in the mix makes a world of difference too.
The real issue is that none of these tools really work if a person isn't proactive about their own health—if they stop taking their meds or skip their doctor appointments. When someone refuses to manage their condition, they end up causing a lot of unnecessary pain, mostly to themselves, but also to the people around them who care about them.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:I haven't caught up on all the previous posts—there are quite a few, aren't there?—but when was the diagnosis actually made, and what were the criteria used?
Was she treated at a specific facility, perhaps somewhere like the Mayo Clinic, and for how long?
Well, if there is a distorted perception of reality, that is typically a hallmark of schizophrenia-psychosis.
Does the illness manifest in distinct episodes, or does it surface intermittently and then linger for a while?
Schizophrenia is far from simple to treat, nor is it easy to diagnose. Usually, it is accompanied by depression, anxiety, and fear. There is aggression, self-loathing... so suicide becomes a significant concern. They are rarely aggressive toward others, though.
I don't know what your specific situation looks like, but such patients often experience an entirely different version of reality—sounds that simply aren't there, hallucinations, they might even find the taste of food changes.
The expression of emotions? It is completely incomprehensible. They might laugh or cry when there is absolutely no reason to do so.
One of the most daunting challenges is that, in most cases, these patients aren't even aware they are ill.
With antipsychotics, regular medication, and consistent check-ups, schizophrenia can be managed well enough that patients can handle daily life reasonably effectively.😉So, we are talking about treating psychosis.
A "cure" for schizophrenia doesn't exist. Sadly, it doesn't.🙄
And now, what could the causes be? No one knows for certain. Not a single definitive cause has been uncovered.
There are theories regarding genetic inheritance, biochemical exchanges in the brain, stress, family dynamics, environmental factors, and a mountain of assumptions, but the actual root cause remains a question mark.🤷
By the way, depression and psychosis tend to alternate in schizophrenia—one follows the other, and vice versa.
It is a heavy burden, both for the patient and for the people surrounding them.

A few posts above yours describe my situation perfectly. She was diagnosed early—back in her teens. That's all I know for sure. I don't think she realizes exactly what she has, but she definitely feels like something is wrong. She goes through periods where she becomes suicidal and talks to herself—these "ghosts," voices in her head that she "fights." She describes them as people telling her how she’s going to hurt herself or her family. She'll burst into tears for no reason while sitting in a silent room, staring blankly at the floor. She's also broken things—she once smashed a glass door—and what hit me hardest was when she threatened to kill me, or just started tearing her clothes apart... We talked quite a bit about this a couple of pages back, so it's not like it's impossible to find the details. 🙂 She went to a residential treatment center in Manhattan (basically a campus with multiple facilities for rehab, alcoholics, psychiatric patients, etc.). After staying there for several months, she came back feeling completely "renewed," but that didn't last. She didn't come back aggressive; instead, she just completely checked out from herself and everyone around her. She takes her prescribed meds, but she won't go to the counseling sessions or group support she really needs. I think she's just denying her own state. I know the medication keeps things under control, and she seems happy now that she's doing better, but I'm terrified she'll slide back into her old ways. I don't want that to happen because she's older now—not ancient, but getting to that age where recovery becomes much harder. If she relapses, there might be no coming back.

Harold Anderson3 said:While it’s true that schizophrenia is a lifelong struggle in about 80% of cases, the reality is that most people can lead incredibly fulfilling lives if they have access to the right medication. There is such a wide range of antipsychotics available today that allows individuals to work, maintain relationships, and just live normally. Of course, having psychotherapy in the mix makes a world of difference too.
The real issue is that none of these tools really work if a person isn't proactive about their own health—if they stop taking their meds or skip their doctor appointments. When someone refuses to manage their condition, they end up causing a lot of unnecessary pain, mostly to themselves, but also to the people around them who care about them.

Yeah, I get that a high-quality life is possible 🙂 but here’s the kicker—she keeps stopping her meds. She’s basically an adult child. She lives in this fantasy world that occasionally bumps into reality. Everything is some alien conspiracy or witches or whatever... hehe 🙂 honestly, I don't think she could survive on her own without support—she'd just fall apart. By the way, is that psychotherapy covered by insurance or is it out-of-pocket?

Rebecca James3 said:A few posts above yours describe my situation perfectly. She was diagnosed early—back in her teens. That's all I know for sure. I don't think she realizes exactly what she has, but she definitely feels like something is wrong. She goes through periods where she becomes suicidal and talks to herself—these "ghosts," voices in her head that she "fights." She describes them as people telling her how she’s going to hurt herself or her family. She'll burst into tears for no reason while sitting in a silent room, staring blankly at the floor. She's also broken things—she once smashed a glass door—and what hit me hardest was when she threatened to kill me, or just started tearing her clothes apart... We talked quite a bit about this a couple of pages back, so it's not like it's impossible to find the details. 🙂 She went to a residential treatment center in Manhattan (basically a campus with multiple facilities for rehab, alcoholics, psychiatric patients, etc.). After staying there for several months, she came back feeling completely "renewed," but that didn't last. She didn't come back aggressive; instead, she just completely checked out from herself and everyone around her. She takes her prescribed meds, but she won't go to the counseling sessions or group support she really needs. I think she's just denying her own state. I know the medication keeps things under control, and she seems happy now that she's doing better, but I'm terrified she'll slide back into her old ways. I don't want that to happen because she's older now—not ancient, but getting to that age where recovery becomes much harder. If she relapses, there might be no coming back.

Look, how this plays out depends entirely on your own perspective and how you choose to grasp the nature of such an illness. If you view it as a total life catastrophe, then naturally, living with it is going to feel impossible. But! On the other hand, if you can just accept it for what it is, perhaps some pieces of the puzzle will finally fall into place.
She is going to lapse into these "irrational states" from time to time, even with the medication. It happens. Because during certain stretches of time, she simply sees the world through a completely different lens than we do.
Some people suggest that those living with schizophrenia actually have a much higher capacity for absorbing information than the average person. The problem is, they can't process that massive influx of data, so it manifests as aggression—directed inward at themselves—or as specific actions taken just to force the world to pay attention to them. They don't possess that healthy sense of narcissism most people do; instead, their behaviors spiral into these totally unpredictable patterns.
If you can learn to accept those behavioral shifts over time, there is a real hope that she will gradually diminish that sense of "isolation" from reality.
She isn't "crazy," nor is she emotionally deficient. Quite the opposite, really! She reacts with her own unique personality based on how her perception of her surroundings allows her to. Sometimes, she is incredibly intelligent.
Every unusual action is essentially a signal that something in your relationship isn't quite clicking—perhaps it's your own refusal to accept it, or maybe you're staring too hard at the illness itself. Plus, there's the disease itself, obviously. We all live by these societal clichés, conforming to widely accepted attitudes regardless of how little foundation they actually have. We act this way because that's how we're taught, and we rarely deviate from those conventional ways of viewing people and things.
She isn't stuck in that old version of herself anymore; her character has shifted entirely. Her ego fights against what she feels and sees, yet her intelligence tells her that everything is, in fact, exactly as you see it. That rift—that split in how she perceives reality—creates these internal movies, sounds, and often very painful emotional states within her.
Delusions aren't just illusions; they are her reality. When she’s in a bad episode, she spends the entire day dreaming, viewing reality through these illusions where everything is actually something else entirely—something almost tangible.
This isn't "cognitive dissonance" in the sense of holding two acceptable conflicting views. She isn't a double person. Most of the time, I believe she resonates with events and circumstances in a perfectly rational way.
Regressions are expected. They are normal. There is nothing you can do to stop them. Perhaps all you can do is try to accept, with common sense, that this is something that will periodically happen. It might help you to try to understand her by realizing that her perception of life is fundamentally different from yours. She is capable of visualizing things you couldn't even imagine, creating mental imagery, hearing sounds, and warping reality to infinity.
Knowing you, there will unfortunately be consequences—because the root causes are buried deep within her from long ago—but there is a possibility that it might become easier for you, and you might feel less "guilt," even though you can't actually help her. No one can, unfortunately.
Pay attention to her somewhat predictable patterns of behavior: the repetitions, her motivation for certain chores around the house, her interest in specific people or events. Just... live.
For her, life stopped in time at one moment, and she is fighting to keep moving forward, while for you, life is still steadily gliding along. I know you have to think about her, but please, remember to think about yourself too.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Look, how this plays out depends entirely on your own perspective and how you choose to grasp the nature of such an illness. If you view it as a total life catastrophe, then naturally, living with it is going to feel impossible. But! On the other hand, if you can just accept it for what it is, perhaps some pieces of the puzzle will finally fall into place.
She is going to lapse into these "irrational states" from time to time, even with the medication. It happens. Because during certain stretches of time, she simply sees the world through a completely different lens than we do.
Some people suggest that those living with schizophrenia actually have a much higher capacity for absorbing information than the average person. The problem is, they can't process that massive influx of data, so it manifests as aggression—directed inward at themselves—or as specific actions taken just to force the world to pay attention to them. They don't possess that healthy sense of narcissism most people do; instead, their behaviors spiral into these totally unpredictable patterns.
If you can learn to accept those behavioral shifts over time, there is a real hope that she will gradually diminish that sense of "isolation" from reality.
She isn't "crazy," nor is she emotionally deficient. Quite the opposite, really! She reacts with her own unique personality based on how her perception of her surroundings allows her to. Sometimes, she is incredibly intelligent.
Every unusual action is essentially a signal that something in your relationship isn't quite clicking—perhaps it's your own refusal to accept it, or maybe you're staring too hard at the illness itself. Plus, there's the disease itself, obviously. We all live by these societal clichés, conforming to widely accepted attitudes regardless of how little foundation they actually have. We act this way because that's how we're taught, and we rarely deviate from those conventional ways of viewing people and things.
She isn't stuck in that old version of herself anymore; her character has shifted entirely. Her ego fights against what she feels and sees, yet her intelligence tells her that everything is, in fact, exactly as you see it. That rift—that split in how she perceives reality—creates these internal movies, sounds, and often very painful emotional states within her.
Delusions aren't just illusions; they are her reality. When she’s in a bad episode, she spends the entire day dreaming, viewing reality through these illusions where everything is actually something else entirely—something almost tangible.
This isn't "cognitive dissonance" in the sense of holding two acceptable conflicting views. She isn't a double person. Most of the time, I believe she resonates with events and circumstances in a perfectly rational way.
Regressions are expected. They are normal. There is nothing you can do to stop them. Perhaps all you can do is try to accept, with common sense, that this is something that will periodically happen. It might help you to try to understand her by realizing that her perception of life is fundamentally different from yours. She is capable of visualizing things you couldn't even imagine, creating mental imagery, hearing sounds, and warping reality to infinity.
Knowing you, there will unfortunately be consequences—because the root causes are buried deep within her from long ago—but there is a possibility that it might become easier for you, and you might feel less "guilt," even though you can't actually help her. No one can, unfortunately.
Pay attention to her somewhat predictable patterns of behavior: the repetitions, her motivation for certain chores around the house, her interest in specific people or events. Just... live.
For her, life stopped in time at one moment, and she is fighting to keep moving forward, while for you, life is still steadily gliding along. I know you have to think about her, but please, remember to think about yourself too.

Look, I get it. I’ve accepted her condition from day one—I'm not some judgmental person running away from mental illness. I deal with it. But this thing about her "absorbing information"? It's not like she’s collecting fun facts just to have something interesting to talk about at dinner. It’s way more toxic than that. Everything she told me about herself turned out to be a total fabrication, so yeah, trust is non-existent. And here’s the kicker: she’s actually weaponized her illness. She’s learned how to manipulate everyone in the family and beyond. I can spot it a mile away—that shift when things aren't right and the aggression starts bubbling up. I guess I’ve just developed a sixth sense for it, unlike the rest of the family. They all try to snap her out of it by yelling, while I’m the only one actually standing up for her and trying to handle things calmly. But guess what? That always backfires on me—suddenly *I'm* the bad guy. It feels like she’s evolved to a point where she knows exactly how to pull the strings to get her way. I don't know if there's a clinical term for it, but she’s like a conscious schizophrenic—she might not grasp the medical specifics, but she definitely understands the consequences and uses them to her advantage. Call me harsh if you want, but I refuse to fall for her traps, whether she’s doing it on purpose or not.

Rebecca James3 said:Look, I get it. I’ve accepted her condition from day one—I'm not some judgmental person running away from mental illness. I deal with it. But this thing about her "absorbing information"? It's not like she’s collecting fun facts just to have something interesting to talk about at dinner. It’s way more toxic than that. Everything she told me about herself turned out to be a total fabrication, so yeah, trust is non-existent. And here’s the kicker: she’s actually weaponized her illness. She’s learned how to manipulate everyone in the family and beyond. I can spot it a mile away—that shift when things aren't right and the aggression starts bubbling up. I guess I’ve just developed a sixth sense for it, unlike the rest of the family. They all try to snap her out of it by yelling, while I’m the only one actually standing up for her and trying to handle things calmly. But guess what? That always backfires on me—suddenly *I'm* the bad guy. It feels like she’s evolved to a point where she knows exactly how to pull the strings to get her way. I don't know if there's a clinical term for it, but she’s like a conscious schizophrenic—she might not grasp the medical specifics, but she definitely understands the consequences and uses them to her advantage. Call me harsh if you want, but I refuse to fall for her traps, whether she’s doing it on purpose or not.

I won't quote the entire thing—there’s really no need, right? We get each other. You know perfectly well that empathy is essentially a reward for one's own struggle and effort; it's a profound sign of self-assurance. Ultimately, isn't our goal simply to become people who can truly grasp the pain felt by another human being?
I know you understand her condition because you live it every single day. Sadly, I have had opportunities in my own life to be intimate with people facing similar struggles, perhaps within certain medical institutions or facilities.
Not a single one of them presented symptoms even remotely similar to hers. They were so vastly different that at one point, I actually wondered if they were just acting! But they weren't. They truly weren't.
She doesn't process information the way we do—you know, how we absorb data, later analyze it in our minds, filter out what is necessary for specific circumstances, and either retain or discard the rest as useless... eventually settling it deep in the subconscious.
But she? She doesn't. Every piece of information she receives isn't analyzed that way; she can't separate what is vital for the "here and now" from what isn't. So, it often drifts back into the subconscious, and she ends up using certain perceptions when there isn't any real necessity for them. In all that chaos, a sort of "perceptual prison" is formed.
Every post here might help you in one way or another, because someone out there has lived through it or is currently navigating similar hurdles. Therefore, there is no such thing as criticism here; every sentence is written with good intentions and the hope that you might remember certain points to use for your collective well-being down the road.
Manipulation is actually an inherent part of intelligence, don't you think? It should be accepted as such; viewed through the lens of reason, she is fully aware of what she is gaining or losing.
If she is conscious of her illness, then she uses secondary regressions—she exploits her condition (whenever possible) to make the illness feel comfortable. Honestly, you shouldn't dwell on it too much; even healthy people do things like that every single day.
The key is to notice her patterns—those actions that repeat themselves over time—so you can prevent unexpected reactions and unpredictability.
Look, everything I am saying here is written in plain human language. I could have stood here playing the philosopher, throwing around technical jargon that you could find on any medical website in the US.
Observe. Remember those moments where her behavior shifts from the norm. Prevent stressful situations (alcohol, smoking, tea—get it all out of the house!). Try to maintain the family status quo as much as possible, and you will reduce your own troubles; it won't solve everything, but it will certainly make things easier for you.
You should read about the cognitive levels in schizophrenic patients; it is truly incredible how much they can apply to everyday life. Sometimes, I found myself in awe of how they could synthesize various pieces of information in certain situations. I actually learned a lot from them.
Even today, I have a friend—unfortunately, she is in a hospital facility for the rest of her life (according to the doctors, it was postpartum depression)—and I go visit her, though not frequently. Sometimes she recognizes me, but sometimes, she has no idea who I am at all.
I understand this, and I hold no prejudice. This illness... it simply does not allow for it.

Kevin Nguyen3 said:Look, how this plays out depends entirely on your own perspective and how you choose to grasp the nature of such an illness. If you view it as a total life catastrophe, then naturally, living with it is going to feel impossible. But! On the other hand, if you can just accept it for what it is, perhaps some pieces of the puzzle will finally fall into place.
She is going to lapse into these "irrational states" from time to time, even with the medication. It happens. Because during certain stretches of time, she simply sees the world through a completely different lens than we do.
Some people suggest that those living with schizophrenia actually have a much higher capacity for absorbing information than the average person. The problem is, they can't process that massive influx of data, so it manifests as aggression—directed inward at themselves—or as specific actions taken just to force the world to pay attention to them. They don't possess that healthy sense of narcissism most people do; instead, their behaviors spiral into these totally unpredictable patterns.
If you can learn to accept those behavioral shifts over time, there is a real hope that she will gradually diminish that sense of "isolation" from reality.
She isn't "crazy," nor is she emotionally deficient. Quite the opposite, really! She reacts with her own unique personality based on how her perception of her surroundings allows her to. Sometimes, she is incredibly intelligent.
Every unusual action is essentially a signal that something in your relationship isn't quite clicking—perhaps it's your own refusal to accept it, or maybe you're staring too hard at the illness itself. Plus, there's the disease itself, obviously. We all live by these societal clichés, conforming to widely accepted attitudes regardless of how little foundation they actually have. We act this way because that's how we're taught, and we rarely deviate from those conventional ways of viewing people and things.
She isn't stuck in that old version of herself anymore; her character has shifted entirely. Her ego fights against what she feels and sees, yet her intelligence tells her that everything is, in fact, exactly as you see it. That rift—that split in how she perceives reality—creates these internal movies, sounds, and often very painful emotional states within her.
Delusions aren't just illusions; they are her reality. When she’s in a bad episode, she spends the entire day dreaming, viewing reality through these illusions where everything is actually something else entirely—something almost tangible.
This isn't "cognitive dissonance" in the sense of holding two acceptable conflicting views. She isn't a double person. Most of the time, I believe she resonates with events and circumstances in a perfectly rational way.
Regressions are expected. They are normal. There is nothing you can do to stop them. Perhaps all you can do is try to accept, with common sense, that this is something that will periodically happen. It might help you to try to understand her by realizing that her perception of life is fundamentally different from yours. She is capable of visualizing things you couldn't even imagine, creating mental imagery, hearing sounds, and warping reality to infinity.
Knowing you, there will unfortunately be consequences—because the root causes are buried deep within her from long ago—but there is a possibility that it might become easier for you, and you might feel less "guilt," even though you can't actually help her. No one can, unfortunately.
Pay attention to her somewhat predictable patterns of behavior: the repetitions, her motivation for certain chores around the house, her interest in specific people or events. Just... live.
For her, life stopped in time at one moment, and she is fighting to keep moving forward, while for you, life is still steadily gliding along. I know you have to think about her, but please, remember to think about yourself too.

First off, Bluzar, I’m not attacking you—though it’s honestly a bit surreal that I even have to clarify that. 😵
Here I am, just another person dealing with my own brand of psychological chaos. 😉 I’m having an incredibly difficult time coming to terms with my schizophrenia.
Of course, I’m looking at things through that lens—trying to accept the situation and doing whatever healthy work I can to make it right. I won't sit here and offer some deep, philosophical lecture on the nature of reality, because for me, the truth is actually quite straightforward: I try my best not to get in anyone's way. I learned that lesson the hard way after my own rough patches, where I ended up driving everyone crazy, so now I find myself navigating this life feeling genuinely alone.
I can pretty much apply these predictable patterns of behavior to my own life, and honestly, looking back, this might be the most solid piece of advice anyone has shared here. Now, when people start talking about hearing voices, I’m completely out of my element. 🤷
But once you accept that living with schizophrenia makes you feel like a societal outcast—and believe me, I know the feeling firsthand—you realize that maintaining a purely positive outlook isn't exactly a realistic expectation.
I’m well aware of the terrible things I’ve done in the past, and if there's any solace to be found, it's simply that I'm not doing them anymore.
To be honest, I have no idea when a relapse might hit or when the symptoms will come crawling back, despite the fact that I am incredibly disciplined about taking my medication.
The internet is absolutely flooded with these stereotypical descriptions of schizophrenia. When I read them through the lens of someone actually living with the condition, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
It's hard to put into words, but from sunrise to sunset, I don't hear any voices, I don't imagine things, and I don't experience those intense physical sensations like feeling something crawling under my skin. Even after a year of dealing with this illness and everything it forced me to go through, the consequences remain.
Those repercussions are very real, and they aren't even tied to depression. My antidepressant actually helped extend 😬
It isn't entirely clear whether I am the one responsible for everything that happened or everything that is yet to come... In some ways, yes, I bear the blame, but in others, it was just the illness. Besides, even perfectly healthy people find ways to absolutely wreck their lives. Etc., etc.
And let's be real: I know my family would prefer it if I were healthy. Don't take that the wrong way, but it's just the truth—and that’s not even accounting for how "everyone else" views me. ☕

Noah Garcia4, there are actually a few different types of schizophrenia (specifically regarding those voices you can't make sense of)

Paranoid Schizophrenia
- The main thing with this type—the defining feature—is the presence of blatant delusions. Auditory hallucinations happen too, though maybe less frequently. Interestingly, cognitive functions and emotions usually stay relatively intact here. You’ll also see symptoms like anxiety, anger, being super guarded, and just being argumentative.

Premorbid Personality
(That's basically who they were before the illness kicked in) It’s often pretty predictable: we're talking about people who are emotionally cold, perpetually dissatisfied, resentful toward others, sarcastic, and confrontational.

Hebephrenic Schizophrenia
- This is essentially the disorganized type. Key markers are bizarre or silly behavior, totally incoherent speech, and either emotional flatness or showing completely inappropriate emotions. It usually hits during puberty or early adolescence—which is where the name comes from (hebeos meaning boy, phrenos meaning mind). The prognosis is usually garbage because it progresses fast, leading to rapid disintegration and personality breakdown.

Catatonic Schizophrenia
- The big indicators here are intense psychomotor disturbances. We're talking motor immobility (catatonic stupor) or extreme hyperactivity, plus heavy negativity, mutism, weird voluntary movements, echolalia, and echopraxia. The course of the illness is typically intermittent—lots of good remissions followed by relapses—so the prognosis is actually relatively decent.

Post-schizophrenic Depression
- This is a depressive episode that can drag on quite a while. It’s basically a continuation of the illness that happens once the actual schizophrenic symptoms have weakened or vanished.

Residual Schizophrenia
- This is the state where the overt psychotic, productive, or disorganized symptoms—like the delusions, hallucinations, rambling speech, or messy behavior—are gone, provided they've already had at least one full episode of schizophrenia.

Schizophreniform Disorder
- This disorder sits right in the middle between brief psychotic disorder (where symptoms last at least a day but less than a month) and schizophrenia (which requires symptoms to persist for at least 6 months for a diagnosis).

But honestly? I have no clue which one my mom has.