Schizophrenia - General Discussion

briskgull27 said:It all started just before my 18th birthday.
I had always been the type to live for the music, the parties, being out on the town—a total dancer at heart.
But suddenly, I felt this overwhelming urge to change everything, almost like I wanted to turn back the clock.
For about a month, I practically lived in one spot, just staring blankly at books for hours on end.
Then, at my 18th birthday bash, I had my first martini. Ugh, looking back, yuck.

Ever since then... It sounds strange, though maybe it doesn't after everything that's happened.
Now, when I wake up, I don't have those calm, easygoing thoughts like my dad used to have, such as: "What a beautiful sunny day."
Instead, it's more like: "Alright, let's get moving, no excuses!"

Anonymous said:My son went through the exact same thing when he turned 18, at least I think that's when it hit him. I realized how sick he actually was when he attempted suicide by jumping from a building. Thank God it didn't end worse, but he's in the hospital now. I just don't know how to convince him that what he's seeing and feeling isn't reality; that it's just hallucinations that will either pass or fade away once the medication kicks in. Will he ever be the person he was before? He truly was such a wonderful kid.🙂

Anonymous said:My son went through the exact same thing when he turned 18, at least I think that's when it hit him. I realized how sick he actually was when he attempted suicide by jumping from a building. Thank God it didn't end worse, but he's in the hospital now. I just don't know how to convince him that what he's seeing and feeling isn't reality; that it's just hallucinations that will either pass or fade away once the medication kicks in. Will he ever be the person he was before? He truly was such a wonderful kid.🙂

neonmarlin56 said:So, I’m looking back at the start of this thread and that very first post. Man, my poor old mom—she was a hard-working, honest soul, totally part of the old-school working class. After everything life threw at her—losing her job, then the absolute nightmare of the war, losing both her parents, and then having to actually witness their exhumation... well, seeing those remains just broke her. She had this massive breakdown and ended up in a mental health facility near Chicago for about two months. It happened again
right when I moved to the States and we hit some rough patches financially. Even though I stepped up and managed to sort things out, it didn't seem to help much.

That’s how I met Dr. Culav and the rest of the staff working those busy hospital hallways. I gave them heaps of tips—and even some actual cash—just to make sure they looked after her. It’s been about five years now, and she’s doing okay, as long as she keeps taking her meds. I should mention that I personally order some of her supplies from Switzerland, which costs me about $500 every month, on top of what the government covers. Those imported ones come in two little boxes.

From what I’ve gathered listening to the doctors, people suffer the most when they stop taking their damn pills. Being "unstable" doesn't mean someone is a coward or anything like that—it’s just that they simply don't have the strength to process everything they're feeling inside.

Anyway, just watching people around Washington, D.C., I’ve noticed quite a few folks talking to themselves, yelling, arguing, or crying in the streets. If they're walking around like that so openly, they clearly don't have anyone looking out for them. I don't know if anyone here has ever seen the wards where people stay at the psychiatric facility near Chicago, but I think it's pretty horrific. And honestly, the way "normal" people treat those individuals is awful too. Nowadays, anyone can label you crazy, or people claim it themselves just to get ahead somehow.

Regarding schizophrenia, some say it's hereditary, others say it's triggered by stress and stuff like that. Modern medicine still can't say for certain exactly how it starts or who is at risk. I personally know a public figure who—during a Red Bull and vodka phase—confessed to having been schizophrenic, but hey, she successfully finished college and built a real career.

I feel like times are getting pretty dark in that regard—people are withdrawing more and more, grinding away at jobs that pay peanuts, eating junk under massive stress, and doubting everything around them. I can't even go out for a decent meal without feeling like every cool spot is either packed or reserved for the preppy crowd.

I’m worried that when the "sobering up" period comes—when people realize they haven't achieved the things they dreamed of—there's going to be even more patients in the system. Looking at the folks close to us, like those hardworking farmers out in the Midwest—they have their struggles, but they keep pushing through, even though the whole thing feels like we're just working our entire lives just to die in the end.

It makes me wonder sometimes: what's the point of all the stress, the nerves, and the drama? Because one day, we might all just be sitting there, old and frail, asking ourselves the same question over and over: "Man, if only I could have just five more minutes of that life, those friends, and those moments I truly enjoyed."

Paul Jones4 said:I haven't the slightest clue
edit: no comment

bluecobra142 said:Yeah, I figured. You aren't exactly helping me out here.😬

Paul Jones4;8456928 said:Look, I’m no doctor. I just meant I’m a schizophrenic, my name is Dubravka, and I’m a real person (a woman).[/QUOT
Even if you talk to a doctor, you aren't going to get much out of them anyway. Honestly, all of this still feels so surreal to me that I don't even know where to start, but I want to know everything.
I've been reading about this stuff all day long, and I've spiraled so hard I actually feel sick.
How do you manage things with your family?
Is there anyone you're especially close to?

Harold Anderson3 said:I thought I’d pivot to something a little more on-topic for a change...
I just spent the last three weeks checked into the psychiatric ward over at Johns Hopkins. Now, I can already hear some of you regulars wondering why on earth I'm bringing this up, but here’s the deal:
While I was there, I met all sorts of people dealing with mental health struggles, including several folks living with schizophrenia. And honestly? Not one single person I met views their condition the way our dear Dubravka does. Everyone else uses every trick in the book—all possible ways, really—to distract themselves from anything else just so they don't have to confront the heavy reality of what they're going through. But Dubravka? You're a total outlier (and maybe a bit of a deviant phenomenon) 🙏

bluecobra142 said:Hey everyone, I’ve recently been dealing with a case of schizophrenia within my own family, so I started digging around online to learn more and stumbled upon this group. I see you guys talk about this stuff pretty openly here (which I appreciate), so if you don't mind, I'd love to hear some firsthand perspectives to help me make sense of things.
From what I’ve gathered, most people seem to hit schizophrenia around 18 or 19, but that wasn't the case for my sister. For her, it didn't start until she was twenty-three. She’s always been incredibly sharp—honestly, one of the smartest, most grounded people I've ever known. Her advice was always spot on. Then, she started hanging out with this friend who convinced her that strangers on the subway were reading her thoughts, and that she could hear theirs too. They’d spend time hypnotizing each other to try and uncover past lives, diving deep into numerology... just all that weird stuff. Eventually, they stopped being friends, and that breakup seemed to trigger everything. My sister started spiraling while the friend actually thrived—found a boyfriend and moved on with her life... hm... right around the time I moved out of the house myself.
Everything just went downhill from there. It started with voices criticizing her, smells or stenches that only she could detect, and even delusions about her physical appearance changing. Everyone else just refused to admit anything was wrong.
Growing up, we had a very religious mother and a dad who wasn't really into faith (back when we were kids, he didn't believe in God), so honestly, an explanation involving spiritual possession or witchcraft actually makes sense to me.
As time went on, she just withdrew into herself, retreating to her room and almost merging with the illness. In the middle of all this, she actually had a boyfriend who seemed totally normal to me; he really liked her, and I think he genuinely cared.
I actually started thinking that maybe she functioned perfectly fine in public and this whole thing was just a performance meant to send a message to us at home.
I kept hoping it was just a phase, but it only got worse. She broke up with him, started sleeping all day, and would wander the streets alone at night—who knows where. She became increasingly aggressive toward everyone at home, blaming our elderly relatives for everything, talking nonsense, and obsessing over useless "scientific" facts.
It all came to a head recently when the police found her wandering alone at 3 AM near a local park and took her to the psychiatric ward after she told them she wanted to end it all. That’s the "short version." She’s under medical care now, but frankly, I’m skeptical. Dr. Gruden, a highly respected psychiatrist, doesn't agree with the mainstream view on schizophrenia; he believes it's a sickness of the spirit, likely stemming from something occult, and personally, I'm inclined to agree with him. I don't know much about schizophrenia, and it's devastating to feel like my sister is just a shell of her former self. It makes me wonder—where did her soul go? I know people here are curious and ask questions because this disease is so mysterious, but believe me, this isn't entertainment for me. This is just my way of trying to reach her and understand her better, with your help.

bluecobra142 said:Hey everyone, I’ve recently been dealing with a case of schizophrenia within my own family, so I started digging around online to learn more and stumbled upon this group. I see you guys talk about this stuff pretty openly here (which I appreciate), so if you don't mind, I'd love to hear some firsthand perspectives to help me make sense of things.
From what I’ve gathered, most people seem to hit schizophrenia around 18 or 19, but that wasn't the case for my sister. For her, it didn't start until she was twenty-three. She’s always been incredibly sharp—honestly, one of the smartest, most grounded people I've ever known. Her advice was always spot on. Then, she started hanging out with this friend who convinced her that strangers on the subway were reading her thoughts, and that she could hear theirs too. They’d spend time hypnotizing each other to try and uncover past lives, diving deep into numerology... just all that weird stuff. Eventually, they stopped being friends, and that breakup seemed to trigger everything. My sister started spiraling while the friend actually thrived—found a boyfriend and moved on with her life... hm... right around the time I moved out of the house myself.
Everything just went downhill from there. It started with voices criticizing her, smells or stenches that only she could detect, and even delusions about her physical appearance changing. Everyone else just refused to admit anything was wrong.
Growing up, we had a very religious mother and a dad who wasn't really into faith (back when we were kids, he didn't believe in God), so honestly, an explanation involving spiritual possession or witchcraft actually makes sense to me.
As time went on, she just withdrew into herself, retreating to her room and almost merging with the illness. In the middle of all this, she actually had a boyfriend who seemed totally normal to me; he really liked her, and I think he genuinely cared.
I actually started thinking that maybe she functioned perfectly fine in public and this whole thing was just a performance meant to send a message to us at home.
I kept hoping it was just a phase, but it only got worse. She broke up with him, started sleeping all day, and would wander the streets alone at night—who knows where. She became increasingly aggressive toward everyone at home, blaming our elderly relatives for everything, talking nonsense, and obsessing over useless "scientific" facts.
It all came to a head recently when the police found her wandering alone at 3 AM near a local park and took her to the psychiatric ward after she told them she wanted to end it all. That’s the "short version." She’s under medical care now, but frankly, I’m skeptical. Dr. Gruden, a highly respected psychiatrist, doesn't agree with the mainstream view on schizophrenia; he believes it's a sickness of the spirit, likely stemming from something occult, and personally, I'm inclined to agree with him. I don't know much about schizophrenia, and it's devastating to feel like my sister is just a shell of her former self. It makes me wonder—where did her soul go? I know people here are curious and ask questions because this disease is so mysterious, but believe me, this isn't entertainment for me. This is just my way of trying to reach her and understand her better, with your help.

stormycyclist432 said:I’ll jump in here; I stumbled upon this thread by accident. Just to be clear, I’m not schizophrenic myself, but my husband is. It hit him about two years after we got married—he was only 29 at the time. He lost both of his parents within a single year, and he had to sell the house he grew up in just so we could try to start over somewhere else. That was eight years ago. Fast forward to now: I gave birth to a beautiful son ten months ago, and I just pray he stays healthy. My husband was first hospitalized when he was diagnosed six years ago; he spent three months in the ward and another six on medical leave. Since then, he’s been back in the hospital once more, just for a couple of weeks for preventative care. These days, he takes N/A, once in the morning and once at night, which he’s been doing for about three years now. Honestly, I don't know what I would do without his crying fits, because mine are nothing compared to his. Does anyone ever stop to ask what it’s actually like to live with someone struggling with schizophrenia? There are moments when I genuinely want a divorce. He can be so incredibly immature, snapping at me with these horrible things, and then acting as if everything is perfectly fine. I’m expected to just swallow it and move on, but I refuse to do that, so we end up fighting. If anyone out there is going through something similar, please reach out. I really need to know how anyone else handles a situation like mine.😕

Harold Anderson3 said:You are truly going through a difficult time, especially since your husband fell ill so shortly after you tied the knot. I think it’s important to remember that you have to view him as both a person and as someone dealing with a serious illness. If you find that you simply can't accept his condition or who he is because of it, then divorce might eventually become an option. I can tell you’re also worried about your son and whether he will be healthy; that really depends on the environment you provide, so please try to focus all your energy on him right now. Just remember: those first three years are absolutely vital. Hang in there.👋