Schizophrenia - General Discussion

How can one even tell? 🙄🐔

Roger Carter9 said:I feel like I’m being haunted by numbers... specifically certain ones. It’s honestly deeply unsettling, and I’ve reached a point where I don't even know what to believe anymore. To be perfectly blunt, I am terrified. 😢 And that isn't even the full extent of it... I struggle with depression, but now I’m paralyzed by the fear that this might actually be schizophrenia.

So what if it is? If you're losing it, then you're losing it—it ain't a lie.😁

Why is everyone acting so defensive over Shizika's friends? 😍

Eric Mitchell55 said:Why is everyone acting so defensive over Shizika's friends? 😍

I mean, you know how it goes in those gritty Hollywood thrillers—when some guy loses his grip on reality and takes out half the cast... 👎

David Vaughn75 said:I mean, you know how it goes in those gritty Hollywood thrillers—when some guy loses his grip on reality and takes out half the cast... 👎

That’s a bit much, isn't it?
Look, I've only ever taken out two people, so there's really no reason to be afraid of me. 🙂

Eric Mitchell55 said:That’s a bit much, isn't it?
Look, I've only ever taken out two people, so there's really no reason to be afraid of me. 🙂

I have only ever taken one life—simply because they forgot to take their medication. Truly, there is no reason to be afraid of me.

David Vaughn75 said:So what if it is? If you're losing it, then you're losing it—it ain't a lie.😁

If you aren't losing your mind, you aren't living. The healthy ones have nothing to fear.

Is there any way to find out if I carry the schizophrenia gene? Can you actually test for that?

I’m perfectly healthy right now—everything is fine—but I’m asking because I plan on experimenting with certain substances down the road, like DMT or maybe LSD. If that gene is present, those could trigger schizophrenia.

analogeagle10 said:Is there any way to find out if I carry the schizophrenia gene? Can you actually test for that?

I’m perfectly healthy right now—everything is fine—but I’m asking because I plan on experimenting with certain substances down the road, like DMT or maybe LSD. If that gene is present, those could trigger schizophrenia.

It isn't just about genetics... Are you absolutely sure you want to go down this path? Just stay away from that stuff... Friendly advice.

I’m perfectly healthy right now

Using those kinds of substances could actually change that status.

analogeagle10 said:Is there any way to find out if I carry the schizophrenia gene? Can you actually test for that?

I’m perfectly healthy right now—everything is fine—but I’m asking because I plan on experimenting with certain substances down the road, like DMT or maybe LSD. If that gene is present, those could trigger schizophrenia.

Do you not find that THC and MDMA offer a far more agreeable experience?

I simply cannot bring myself to even contemplate the possibility, let alone actually attempt, taking LSD, given that it produces such grotesque hallucinations.

According to some recent studies, there’s actually no evidence suggesting psychedelics trigger mental health issues. In fact, if anything, they might be linked to lower rates of them: http://www.iflscience.com/brain/new-...ealth-problems

Here's the link to the full scientific paper: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/art...l.pone.0063972

Just putting it out there... 😉

Thinking about playing around with some drugs, just so I can stay 🤦

David Vaughn75 said:Thinking about playing around with some drugs, just so I can stay 🤦

Because obviously, there are perfectly safe ways to mess with your brain and alter its chemistry 😂 🤦

David Vaughn75 said:Thinking about playing around with some drugs, just so I can stay 🤦

So? What's the big deal?

analogeagle10 said:So? What's the big deal?

I mean, there’s probably an official code in the DSM for wanting to absolutely wreck your own brain function. 😒

William Price16 said:According to some recent studies, there’s actually no evidence suggesting psychedelics trigger mental health issues. In fact, if anything, they might be linked to lower rates of them: http://www.iflscience.com/brain/new-...ealth-problems

Here's the link to the full scientific paper: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/art...l.pone.0063972

Just putting it out there... 😉

If this premise holds true, could we perhaps consider the possibility that mental illnesses arise because the brain fails to effectively process the toxic byproducts naturally generated during glucose metabolism and the constant cellular repair processes? Might it be that because our neural pathways are so densely packed with delicate cells, any significant movement of harmful substances would cause catastrophic damage, leading the brain to simply leave those toxins where they fall if it cannot successfully hand them off to red blood cells to be transported through the digestive tract? What various toxic elements might then be expelled from the system?

Could it be that psychedelics actually serve to more efficiently "incinerate" this accumulated debris scattered throughout the mind? If so, could the resulting mental health struggles merely be a side effect of this heightened metabolic combustion? Therefore, is it possible that an individual who uses psychedelics consciously and intentionally is actually attempting to trigger smaller, manageable psychological shifts to prevent the much greater harm of massive, unplanned mental breakdowns later in life?

Consider, for instance, an ammunition depot being breached by an intruder who sets fire to one section; wouldn't the internal defense systems drop heavy barriers to ensure the explosives detonate one by one rather than all at once, preventing a single cataclysmic explosion that could level an entire American city?

Is it not then true that the person using psychedelics is simply regulating the manner and volume in which these toxic substances are "burned" away?

analogeagle10 said:So? What's the big deal?

Nothing's weird if you're twelve years old.

Finally jumping in here myself.

I don't have schizophrenia—just some other, less intense mental health stuff—but that’s not why I’m hanging out here. I’ve always been fascinated by psychology, and even though a degree isn't in the cards for me right now, I've read a ton about it. I've always had this deep urge to help people dealing with these kinds of struggles. Plus, seeing a therapist personally helped me through my own stuff, which only fueled that desire to give back.

I've been lurking in this thread for a few days now, reading every single post from the very first page to the last.

Honestly? You guys have actually changed me for the better in just a few days. I’m looking at the world differently... thinking more, being curious about more things, and being way more empathetic toward people. I find myself pausing to wonder if someone is struggling before I jump to conclusions. I'm telling you this because you all are seriously incredible, and I truly admire how well you handle everything.

I’d especially love to see good old Šiza pop up again—after reading through this, I feel like I know her, and she seems like a total gem.

If anyone ever needs to talk, I'm here—either right here in the thread or via DM. I'll try to chime in more as discussions keep moving along.

Big hugs to everyone. 🙂

I have been reading > by John Modrow, and he provides a rather profound description of what Šiza actually entails. Given that he lived through his own diagnosis and achieved full recovery, his perspective carries weight; he suggests that perhaps as many as 70% of people can successfully recover. I must admit, my jaw nearly hit the floor when I read his thesis that Šiza is essentially triggered by one's environment and the subsequent breakdown of psychological defense mechanisms. He argues that elevated levels of neurochemicals—specifically dopamine, norepinephrine, and adrenaline—are actually physiological responses to the panic we feel when we realize we cannot meet our own expectations, or those imposed upon us by our parents and society. This chemical surge then leads to psychosis, though he posits that psychosis itself is merely a defensive reaction to the overwhelming external pressures that trigger this internal state of panic. In this view, Šiza functions somewhat like a form of self-hypnosis, a way for us to construct a defense against the world. If anyone is interested, I could potentially point you toward where to find this book. He concludes by suggesting that those living with Šiza are, in fact, some of the "most human" individuals one could encounter.

ruggedtinker9 said:I have been reading > by John Modrow, and he provides a rather profound description of what Šiza actually entails. Given that he lived through his own diagnosis and achieved full recovery, his perspective carries weight; he suggests that perhaps as many as 70% of people can successfully recover. I must admit, my jaw nearly hit the floor when I read his thesis that Šiza is essentially triggered by one's environment and the subsequent breakdown of psychological defense mechanisms. He argues that elevated levels of neurochemicals—specifically dopamine, norepinephrine, and adrenaline—are actually physiological responses to the panic we feel when we realize we cannot meet our own expectations, or those imposed upon us by our parents and society. This chemical surge then leads to psychosis, though he posits that psychosis itself is merely a defensive reaction to the overwhelming external pressures that trigger this internal state of panic. In this view, Šiza functions somewhat like a form of self-hypnosis, a way for us to construct a defense against the world. If anyone is interested, I could potentially point you toward where to find this book. He concludes by suggesting that those living with Šiza are, in fact, some of the "most human" individuals one could encounter.

I remember seeing the exact same thing on a medical site I was browsing recently. They said the same thing: environmental factors trigger an uncontrolled surge of dopamine particles, and boom—you're in a psychotic state. Essentially, stress, whatever flavor of stress it happens to be, is the root cause of psychotic symptoms.😲