Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Harold Harris20 said:So, this GP who handles his prescriptions tells him one day, "Hey, this antipsychotic is super pricey, so you probably shouldn't take it every day—maybe just every other day instead." Like, seriously? What kind of absolute idiot tells a patient with an F25 diagnosis that? And get this—it wasn't even the first time! She actually told another patient they were "too expensive" once, too. I wasn't there to film her or yell at her in the face, but man... what is going on with these primary care doctors lately?! If I could fire her or report her to the medical board or the IRS, I totally would, but honestly, where do you even go to file a complaint these days?

The healthcare system in America has deteriorated so terribly over the last couple of years. I truly empathize with your situation, and having worked closely alongside people dealing with schizophrenia for quite some time, I know all too well the devastating consequences that occur when they are left without their medication—or when doses are intentionally skipped.

Eric Mitchell55 said:The doctors over at my clinic in Smalltown, USA just changed my diagnosis while I was laying there in bed.
It’s not schizophrenia anymore; they've switched it to borderline and organic psychotic disorder.

But honestly, deep down, I think I'll always feel like it's schizophrenia.

At the end of the day, what other people think doesn't matter—all that matters is how you feel inside.😂

Larry Lewis said:At the end of the day, what other people think doesn't matter—all that matters is how you feel inside.😂

Exactly.
Honestly, we’re all just a little bit fractured inside, aren't we? 🙂

Eric Mitchell55 said:Exactly.
Honestly, we’re all just a little bit fractured inside, aren't we? 🙂

The bottom line is staying positive—whatever the hell that actually means.

Look, speaking as someone living with schizophrenia—I've truly been through the ringer, everything a person in my position is supposed to endure—it's been messy. It was, quite frankly, a total disaster. I won't sit here and lie to you and say my psyche isn't permanently scarred, but... well, I'm making peace with myself and the chaos. It isn't easy—not by a long shot—but hey, at least I didn't kick the bucket in an incubator.

Back when I was going through a particularly dark period, I actually went out and bought myself a surgical kit for operations. I spent a significant amount of money on it, and I even bought a specialized case because he told me I needed everything organized for the procedures. I still have all of it at my house. Every time I head home for the weekend from the hospital, I get this sudden chill run down my spine, and I hear this single voice whispering, "It isn't finished." It makes me shudder, and I find myself putting everything back where it belongs. I honestly don't know what it means, but the voices haven't left. Now, I've been prescribed a new medication called Olanzapine—it's an orally disintegrating tablet—but the thing is, whether I am at home or at the hospital, those voices just keep coming back.

I want to know if schizophrenia can go undiagnosed for an entire lifetime. I’m asking because my ex is hurting the kids, claiming he isn't even aware he's doing it. Thanks in advance.

steeleagle36 said:I want to know if schizophrenia can go undiagnosed for an entire lifetime. I’m asking because my ex is hurting the kids, claiming he isn't even aware he's doing it. Thanks in advance.

Of course it is possible.
A patient often lacks any actual awareness that they are ill at all.
And frankly, the people surrounding them are often part of the reason why it stays hidden for so long.
Why haven't you reported him?

I filed the report. He was convicted, yet he still denies everything. We split up after the assault, and in that moment, I realized he’s a man with at least two different faces... then he had the nerve to claim it wasn't even him who attacked me.

My biggest concern is the risk of him doing it again since he refuses to get any help.

steeleagle36 said:I filed the report. He was convicted, yet he still denies everything. We split up after the assault, and in that moment, I realized he’s a man with at least two different faces... then he had the nerve to claim it wasn't even him who attacked me.

My biggest concern is the risk of him doing it again since he refuses to get any help.

Relapses are a completely standard occurrence, especially when someone refuses to undergo any kind of medical care or therapy.
Why does that concern you?

Scold me all you want, but I’m doing this because I care about my kids' future.

steeleagle36 said:Scold me all you want, but I’m doing this because I care about my kids' future.

I actually realized that even before you had children.🙂
Nothing makes sense to me here.
What on earth are the kids doing with him if he has a "criminal record"?
Has a judge actually barred him from seeing you or the children? Or even being near you?
If not... then why?!
Why hasn't the court mandated rehab or some kind of treatment for him?

Kevin Nguyen3 said:I actually realized that even before you had children.🙂
Nothing makes sense to me here.
What on earth are the kids doing with him if he has a "criminal record"?
Has a judge actually barred him from seeing you or the children? Or even being near you?
If not... then why?!
Why hasn't the court mandated rehab or some kind of treatment for him?

That’s exactly what I’ve been wondering. All I know is that an agreement has been reached.
He’s used his connections to bribe enough people to keep this under wraps.

I won't get into the specifics, but the truth is I warned everyone from the start that he was physically and mentally abusive toward the children.

steeleagle36 said:That’s exactly what I’ve been wondering. All I know is that an agreement has been reached.
He’s used his connections to bribe enough people to keep this under wraps.

I won't get into the specifics, but the truth is I warned everyone from the start that he was physically and mentally abusive toward the children.

You really should have started a new thread for this topic on a different forum, because clearly, this isn't just about a simple misunderstanding; we are dealing with a much deeper issue here.
The man needs professional help, plain and simple.
Honestly, how else are you going to handle this? The best move would be to report him to the authorities.

Honestly, that’s just my take—the guy is aggressive, totally unhinged, and we all know what the diagnosis is going to be... schizophrenia or some other flavor of that.

I mean, look at me—when a damn moth flies into my room, I’ll actually go through the trouble of catching it and letting it back outside so it doesn't die in there—and I’ve got schizophrenia myself.

Arthur Scott5 said:Back when I was going through a particularly dark period, I actually went out and bought myself a surgical kit for operations. I spent a significant amount of money on it, and I even bought a specialized case because he told me I needed everything organized for the procedures. I still have all of it at my house. Every time I head home for the weekend from the hospital, I get this sudden chill run down my spine, and I hear this single voice whispering, "It isn't finished." It makes me shudder, and I find myself putting everything back where it belongs. I honestly don't know what it means, but the voices haven't left. Now, I've been prescribed a new medication called Olanzapine—it's an orally disintegrating tablet—but the thing is, whether I am at home or at the hospital, those voices just keep coming back.

Man, you need to tell your doctor everything—seriously, you are playing with fire here and you don't even realize it. If I were in charge, I wouldn't let you leave for the weekend for six months, if I ever let you go at all!! Just think for a second, man... you are already in such a fragile state that losing control could be catastrophic!!!

Larry Lewis said:Honestly, that’s just my take—the guy is aggressive, totally unhinged, and we all know what the diagnosis is going to be... schizophrenia or some other flavor of that.

I mean, look at me—when a damn moth flies into my room, I’ll actually go through the trouble of catching it and letting it back outside so it doesn't die in there—and I’ve got schizophrenia myself.

So, I was reading this study earlier—and honestly, it’s one of those things that makes you realize how much we all just buy into whatever scary headline pops up on our feeds—and get this: people with schizophrenia are actually only about 3% more violent on average than everyone else. Just 3%. Like, barely a rounding error. It really goes to show how much the media loves to lean into those tired old tropes, right? They paint this picture of someone being a ticking time bomb, when in reality, the math says they're basically no different from the guy sitting next to you on the subway or the dude cutting you off in traffic in Chicago. It’s wild how much fear-mongering goes into shaping what we think "dangerous" looks like, when the actual data is so incredibly close to the baseline. Typical.

Suppose we find ourselves in a small American town where two individuals living with schizophrenia both know each other's diagnosis—perhaps they even attended the same group therapy sessions together.

Now, imagine one of them suffers an acute psychotic episode; his family calls 911 immediately, but in this scenario, neither the paramedics nor the police can arrive in time. In that desperate moment, all they have left is the option to ask the other individual—who is currently stable—to share his antipsychotic medication to help calm the situation.

The complication, however, is that both men are prescribed entirely different types of antipsychotics for their specific needs.

In such a dire crisis, is it more prudent to wait for the emergency responders to arrive with the correct prescription, or is there any wisdom in reaching for the medication held by the other person?

Nicole Barrett76 said:Suppose we find ourselves in a small American town where two individuals living with schizophrenia both know each other's diagnosis—perhaps they even attended the same group therapy sessions together.

Now, imagine one of them suffers an acute psychotic episode; his family calls 911 immediately, but in this scenario, neither the paramedics nor the police can arrive in time. In that desperate moment, all they have left is the option to ask the other individual—who is currently stable—to share his antipsychotic medication to help calm the situation.

The complication, however, is that both men are prescribed entirely different types of antipsychotics for their specific needs.

In such a dire crisis, is it more prudent to wait for the emergency responders to arrive with the correct prescription, or is there any wisdom in reaching for the medication held by the other person?

Wait.
Taking someone else's medication—especially drugs meant for a different condition—can only lead to making the illness worse.

Nicole Barrett76 said:Suppose we find ourselves in a small American town where two individuals living with schizophrenia both know each other's diagnosis—perhaps they even attended the same group therapy sessions together.

Now, imagine one of them suffers an acute psychotic episode; his family calls 911 immediately, but in this scenario, neither the paramedics nor the police can arrive in time. In that desperate moment, all they have left is the option to ask the other individual—who is currently stable—to share his antipsychotic medication to help calm the situation.

The complication, however, is that both men are prescribed entirely different types of antipsychotics for their specific needs.

In such a dire crisis, is it more prudent to wait for the emergency responders to arrive with the correct prescription, or is there any wisdom in reaching for the medication held by the other person?

Look, every psychotic episode is its own beast, so you can't just assume the meds are interchangeable.

I have been two years without any bouts of psychosis now... I am currently on 5mg of olanzapine, though I barely even feel the effects of the medication itself... Perhaps it calms me down slightly in the evening, which I suppose is fine. I have managed to find a job, I am in a relationship, I live on my own, and I handle all my responsibilities; I have also started taking certain supplements that seem to assist me by providing great energy, focus, and a sense of rejuvenation, or so it feels to me. I am not experiencing depression or any cognitive issues—essentially, there are no positive or negative symptoms. A great deal can change in the span of two years, and I believe the worst thing one can do is fail to try or lose faith that things can actually improve. More devastating than anything else is the treatment process for that crisis state known as psychosis. Even the psychosis itself isn't the most terrifying part; rather, it is the way people treat those who are in such a state. I hope I won't experience psychosis again, as my doctor wants to taper me off my medication, but I don't feel quite ready for that step yet. Furthermore, I suspect that the entire "mental illness" sector is somewhat exaggerated; I still maintain the view that mental illnesses aren't true diseases, but rather specific mechanisms for coping with life itself.