Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Nathan Robinson8 said:My family has this theory that she isn't meant to be around others. They think she invents things, like claiming her husband assaulted her or that she's four months pregnant. Just stuff like that, I suppose.

The poor woman is clearly in a fragile mental state—it's obvious to anyone paying attention—and she needs support
as much as humanly possible.

Unfortunately, I don't live near her, but I make sure to call her husband every single day. I actually suggested to him that maybe they should look into adjusting her treatment plan, since she just doesn't seem settled anymore; she used to be much more calm. I visited her once, but ever since then, I guess I've been dealing with panic attacks almost every day.

Nathan Robinson8 said:I'm not quite sure where to begin. My aunt was diagnosed with schizophrenia 22 years ago, and until about 2004, she was seeing her psychiatrist at least twice a year without issue. She got married in 2005 and everything seemed fine, at least until menopause hit. It has completely devastated her; in just the last two months, she’s already been hospitalized twice. She’s become hyperactive and even aggressive—she actually struck her husband a few times. It feels like a total downward spiral in such a short window. I guess I'm wondering if there is any hope left for her, because it seems like everyone is starting to give up on her.

So, she’s managed to stay in remission for 22 years and now all this behavior is resurfacing? That’s tough. Why do you think there’s no hope left? How old is she now? Personally, I think they should definitely get a referral for an EEG just to rule things out, and they really ought to get a second opinion from a neuropsychiatrist.

Laura Castillo6 said:So, she’s managed to stay in remission for 22 years and now all this behavior is resurfacing? That’s tough. Why do you think there’s no hope left? How old is she now? Personally, I think they should definitely get a referral for an EEG just to rule things out, and they really ought to get a second opinion from a neuropsychiatrist.

She is 48. It isn't that she just started acting this way; she was actually doing quite well for the last 10 years. Once she hit menopause, things seemed to unravel. I don't think all hope is lost, but I suppose my family is slowly distancing themselves from her, even though she probably needs our help more than ever right now.

It’s strange that she’s been acting out for the last decade even though she stays on top of all her doctor appointments. If everything checks out medically, then we have to look at the bigger picture—it sounds like she might be dealing with some unfair judgment or social stigma from those around her. Could you tell me more about what this "strange behavior" actually looks like?

For instance, does she jump wildly from one topic to another or start making these bizarre drawings? Is she struggling with things like paranoia or delusions that just don't align with reality—you know, like thinking people are following her? Also, how is she holding up with work and just managing her day-to-day life in general?

Laura Castillo6 said:It’s strange that she’s been acting out for the last decade even though she stays on top of all her doctor appointments. If everything checks out medically, then we have to look at the bigger picture—it sounds like she might be dealing with some unfair judgment or social stigma from those around her. Could you tell me more about what this "strange behavior" actually looks like?

For instance, does she jump wildly from one topic to another or start making these bizarre drawings? Is she struggling with things like paranoia or delusions that just don't align with reality—you know, like thinking people are following her? Also, how is she holding up with work and just managing her day-to-day life in general?

She claims she’s pregnant and that her husband beats her every day, or that he’s raping her, or that he wants to kill her. She jumps between topics every minute. She doesn't draw anything... and she doesn't want to cook or take care of her hygiene anymore.
She just smokes and watches TV all day.

Nathan Robinson8 said:She claims she’s pregnant and that her husband beats her every day, or that he’s raping her, or that he wants to kill her. She jumps between topics every minute. She doesn't draw anything... and she doesn't want to cook or take care of her hygiene anymore.
She just smokes and watches TV all day.

Honestly, sounds like schizoaffective disorder to me.

So, what’s the doctor saying about it?

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

So, what’s the doctor saying about it?

We don't live in the same city, but I stay updated on her situation. They started her on the medication I mentioned in my previous posts, though they say we just have to wait for it to kick in. Unfortunately, her husband is being quite stubborn about all this; he’s from a small rural town and is very hesitant to ask too many questions. I am worried things might get worse for her.

it’s basically psychotic—like, she’s in full-blown psychosis

Is there any way to improve this? I would have preferred to take her along, but she has become aggressive and even attacked her husband

It’ll level out eventually; things just take time to stabilize. She’s going through menopause right now, which means her estrogen levels are dropping. If you look at the dopamine hypothesis regarding behavioral and perception disorders, there’s a direct link between estrogen and how dopamine functions. When estrogen dips, dopamine can spike, and that’s often what triggers a psychotic episode.

Plus, if she’s been dealing with high stress and a lack of sleep on top of all that, it’s honestly no wonder she’s having these episodes. Statistically speaking, women tend to respond much better to antipsychotics, so I’m hopeful she’ll pull through. That said, she really needs to see a specialist—if the current meds aren't cutting it, they'll need to adjust the prescription or try something else. I also wonder if lifestyle stuff like diet and regular exercise might help bridge the gap?

Laura Castillo6 said:It’ll level out eventually; things just take time to stabilize. She’s going through menopause right now, which means her estrogen levels are dropping. If you look at the dopamine hypothesis regarding behavioral and perception disorders, there’s a direct link between estrogen and how dopamine functions. When estrogen dips, dopamine can spike, and that’s often what triggers a psychotic episode.

Plus, if she’s been dealing with high stress and a lack of sleep on top of all that, it’s honestly no wonder she’s having these episodes. Statistically speaking, women tend to respond much better to antipsychotics, so I’m hopeful she’ll pull through. That said, she really needs to see a specialist—if the current meds aren't cutting it, they'll need to adjust the prescription or try something else. I also wonder if lifestyle stuff like diet and regular exercise might help bridge the gap?

She’s currently at a psychiatric facility in San Francisco, but I get the feeling the doctors aren't particularly eager to focus on her case. Her husband is going to speak with the doctor today about potentially adjusting her medication, since she is incredibly hyperactive and can't sit still for a moment. Thank you for these helpful suggestions.
She seems very checked out and isn't really looking after herself; she just wants coffee, cigarettes, and TV.

If you’ve got a little extra cash to spare, maybe grab her some flaxseeds. They’re packed with more Omega-3s, which should really help her out. It might also be a good idea to get her some nuts—things like walnuts, peanuts, or almonds. I know from my own experience that whenever I snack on a handful of almonds, I feel a lot more level-headed; they honestly do wonders for your headspace.

Nathan Robinson8 said:She’s currently at a psychiatric facility in San Francisco, but I get the feeling the doctors aren't particularly eager to focus on her case. Her husband is going to speak with the doctor today about potentially adjusting her medication, since she is incredibly hyperactive and can't sit still for a moment. Thank you for these helpful suggestions.
She seems very checked out and isn't really looking after herself; she just wants coffee, cigarettes, and TV.

That’s pretty textbook for that kind of disorder once someone just hits their breaking point. Tell her husband to start mixing some flaxseeds into her food every day.

Psychiatrists aren't always the most proactive when it comes to mental health patients. You’d think they were immune to everything, but clearly, that's not the case...

Anyway, she really has to fight her own battles. These days, doctors act more like bus drivers: they’re just waiting for that end-of-the-month paycheck to roll in, and that’s about it. The whole of society feels so narrow-minded and obsessed with money that everything else seems to have lost its purpose.

Laura Castillo6 said:That’s pretty textbook for that kind of disorder once someone just hits their breaking point. Tell her husband to start mixing some flaxseeds into her food every day.

Psychiatrists aren't always the most proactive when it comes to mental health patients. You’d think they were immune to everything, but clearly, that's not the case...

Anyway, she really has to fight her own battles. These days, doctors act more like bus drivers: they’re just waiting for that end-of-the-month paycheck to roll in, and that’s about it. The whole of society feels so narrow-minded and obsessed with money that everything else seems to have lost its purpose.

That’s why I mentioned it feels like everyone wants to wash their hands of her since there's no progress, yet being home without supervision is a disaster. I deal with panic attacks myself, and when she was home, she used to call me wanting to end it all; after those calls, I'd feel so terrible that I'd be stuck taking Xanax all day dealing with my own episodes...

Nathan Robinson8 said:That’s why I mentioned it feels like everyone wants to wash their hands of her since there's no progress, yet being home without supervision is a disaster. I deal with panic attacks myself, and when she was home, she used to call me wanting to end it all; after those calls, I'd feel so terrible that I'd be stuck taking Xanax all day dealing with my own episodes...

In most cases, people who threaten suicide don't actually go through with it—instead, it happens spontaneously without anyone else knowing. Once the staff at the ward decides she's "stable," they'll probably just send her home again, which means she's going to need serious support all over again. 😉

Laura Castillo6 said:If you’ve got a little extra cash to spare, maybe grab her some flaxseeds. They’re packed with more Omega-3s, which should really help her out. It might also be a good idea to get her some nuts—things like walnuts, peanuts, or almonds. I know from my own experience that whenever I snack on a handful of almonds, I feel a lot more level-headed; they honestly do wonders for your headspace.

However, we must consider that the only Omega-3 fatty acid found in flax is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), whereas the brain fundamentally requires complex EPA/DHA to function at its peak. While ALA can be converted into EPA/DHA, isn't it true that the conversion rate is incredibly minuscule? Furthermore, one might worry that flax contains high levels of Omega-6 fatty acids, which could potentially exacerbate menopause symptoms by triggering the production of unfavorable estrogen or pro-inflammatory eicosanoids.

In addition to those considerations, wouldn't it be beneficial to include 1 to 3 grams of niacin along with several hundred milligrams of vitamins B1, B2, B5, and B6? And perhaps even 1 to 3 grams of Vitamin C?

Nicole Barrett76 said:However, we must consider that the only Omega-3 fatty acid found in flax is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), whereas the brain fundamentally requires complex EPA/DHA to function at its peak. While ALA can be converted into EPA/DHA, isn't it true that the conversion rate is incredibly minuscule? Furthermore, one might worry that flax contains high levels of Omega-6 fatty acids, which could potentially exacerbate menopause symptoms by triggering the production of unfavorable estrogen or pro-inflammatory eicosanoids.

In addition to those considerations, wouldn't it be beneficial to include 1 to 3 grams of niacin along with several hundred milligrams of vitamins B1, B2, B5, and B6? And perhaps even 1 to 3 grams of Vitamin C?

Flax: 38,325mg omega 3, 9,931mg omega 6http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/...roducts/3163/2

In my opinion, flax definitely bumps up estrogen levels.

Laura Castillo6 said:Flax: 38,325mg omega 3, 9,931mg omega 6http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/...roducts/3163/2

In my opinion, flax definitely bumps up estrogen levels.

In light of this, I must retract my previous statement regarding the Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio. It appears that flaxseed indeed raises beneficial estrogen levels because it naturally contains certain flavonoids that mimic estrogenic activity.

However, we are still left to wonder: what is the actual conversion rate of ALA into EPA and DHA? To properly utilize flaxseed, one ought to consume plenty of cheese, as it provides the Δ5 and Δ6 desaturase enzymes necessary to extend the ALA chain and facilitate its transformation into long-chain EPA and DHA acids.

Is it not a profound tragedy that such a vital discovery remains inaccessible to the common American people at an affordable price? In an economy where jobs are scarce, shouldn't people be able to scavenge for algae to obtain these essential nutrients, much like how fish absorb EPA/DHA from algae, and larger fish subsequently acquire them from smaller fish?

And why is it that we cannot simply establish our own algae farms to produce these specific acids?

It truly infuriates me to witness the sheer negligence with which our nation is being managed.

Consider how simple it would be to manufacture Vitamin C paired with a mineral, or even B-vitamins; surely, any individual could afford to dissolve a few teaspoons of these vitamins into their water or juice daily.

The actual production costs represent a mere ten percent of the final price. The overwhelming majority of the cost is swallowed up by wholesalers, local retailers, customs, transaction fees, and sales tax.

Laura Castillo6 said:it’s basically psychotic—like, she’s in full-blown psychosis

Personally? I’m leaning more towards some seriously heavy-duty personality disorder rather than just a temporary illness