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Schizophrenia - General Discussion

Started by briskgull27 · · 👁 244 views · 7.5K replies

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David Kern14 David Kern14 Active Member
102 messages
joined Aug 2007
#1681 ·
World Mental Health Day

Date: October 10, 2007
Location: Everywhere

Every single year on October 10th, we observe World Mental Health Day to help get the word out and boost awareness about mental health struggles. This year’s World Mental Health Day theme is focusing on "Mental health in a changing world: the impact of culture and diversity."

Since we’re living in such a massive melting pot here in the States, where millions of people move across borders every year, we see so many different languages, faiths, and traditions all rubbing shoulders in the same neighborhoods. That kind of cultural diversity in mental health can change pretty much everything—from how someone actually describes what they're feeling and how they cope, to the way their family supports them and whether they even feel comfortable reaching out for professional help.

When it comes down to the actual cultural impact on mental health care, it really shapes how people:

* put a name to their pain and talk about it;
* figure out what's actually causing their mental health issues;
* view doctors and therapists; and
* actually follow through with treatment.

This whole 2007 campaign is being run by the World Federation for Mental Health, and it’s all about shining a light on the need for mental health services that actually respect and understand different cultural backgrounds.
Mental health resources
- Learn more about World Mental Health Day 2007
- Check out the World Federation for Mental Health website
- Deep dive into the topic: mental health

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/event.../en/index.html
David Kern14 David Kern14 Active Member
102 messages
joined Aug 2007
#1682 ·
Stigma is what happens when a close friend walks away from you, leaving you behind in a cloud of judgment or pure disgust just because you’re dealing with a mental health struggle—and they never come back.
It’s also there in those nasty labels people throw around, using words like "psycho," "nutcase," or "crazy" to tear you down.
You feel it when a job application gets tossed out, when people act weird about you being around their kids, or when you get the cold shoulder at a party because folks are scared of your diagnosis. That’s stigma, plain and simple.
Honestly, almost everyone living with mental illness knows this feeling deep down; even if you keep your struggle a total secret, that internal shame is just another version of stigma.
If you've ever had someone you trusted pull a disappearing act because they couldn't handle your mental health journey, you know exactly what stigma feels like.
.......
Whether it's outward judgment or that quiet, heavy weight you carry inside by keeping your diagnosis a secret, people with mental illness everywhere in America deal with this sense of stigma.
David Kern14 David Kern14 Active Member
102 messages
joined Aug 2007
#1683 ·
David Kern14 said:Stigma is what happens when a close friend walks away from you, leaving you behind in a cloud of judgment or pure disgust just because you’re dealing with a mental health struggle—and they never come back.
It’s also there in those nasty labels people throw around, using words like "psycho," "nutcase," or "crazy" to tear you down.
You feel it when a job application gets tossed out, when people act weird about you being around their kids, or when you get the cold shoulder at a party because folks are scared of your diagnosis. That’s stigma, plain and simple.
Honestly, almost everyone living with mental illness knows this feeling deep down; even if you keep your struggle a total secret, that internal shame is just another version of stigma.
If you've ever had someone you trusted pull a disappearing act because they couldn't handle your mental health journey, you know exactly what stigma feels like.
.......
Whether it's outward judgment or that quiet, heavy weight you carry inside by keeping your diagnosis a secret, people with mental illness everywhere in America deal with this sense of stigma.

Here’s where I’m at right now.
I’ve got the official paperwork saying I’m "not okay," stamped and filed.
I used to have way more friends—or at least, that’s how it felt back then.
Now, some of them won't even give me a nod when we pass.
And honestly? Even though I have a clinical diagnosis, there are times I think maybe they’re the ones who are actually off.

Because I still have some friends who’ll tell me straight up, "Man, you were impossible when you hit your breaking point."
I just try my best to explain things to them, and hey, it’s fine.

As for those first ones who walked away, I just have to accept that there’s nothing I can do.
Morning, everyone.☕
David Nelson74 David Nelson74 Active Member
85 messages
joined Apr 2007
#1684 ·
David Kern14 said:Stigma is what happens when a close friend walks away from you, leaving you behind in a cloud of judgment or pure disgust just because you’re dealing with a mental health struggle—and they never come back.
It’s also there in those nasty labels people throw around, using words like "psycho," "nutcase," or "crazy" to tear you down.
You feel it when a job application gets tossed out, when people act weird about you being around their kids, or when you get the cold shoulder at a party because folks are scared of your diagnosis. That’s stigma, plain and simple.
Honestly, almost everyone living with mental illness knows this feeling deep down; even if you keep your struggle a total secret, that internal shame is just another version of stigma.
If you've ever had someone you trusted pull a disappearing act because they couldn't handle your mental health journey, you know exactly what stigma feels like.
.......
Whether it's outward judgment or that quiet, heavy weight you carry inside by keeping your diagnosis a secret, people with mental illness everywhere in America deal with this sense of stigma.

But hold on, have you actually seen A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe? It follows the life of John Nash, who struggled with schizophrenia, and there's this one heavy scene where he's left alone with his child, and the kid nearly drowns in the bathtub while his wife steps away for just a second.
David Kern14 David Kern14 Active Member
102 messages
joined Aug 2007
#1685 ·
David Nelson74 said:But hold on, have you actually seen A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe? It follows the life of John Nash, who struggled with schizophrenia, and there's this one heavy scene where he's left alone with his child, and the kid nearly drowns in the bathtub while his wife steps away for just a second.

Oh, totally.
I've actually been at a psych ward with a woman who might finally get permission to live with her son once he turns 18. She was never really the one looking after him, though. She gets incredibly aggressive, even if she clearly loves the kid to death.
It’s possible they’ll never actually live together.
Then there was this other woman who was pregnant, and when she went into labor, Catholic Charities took the baby.
That's just how it goes sometimes. Honestly, it’s probably better for those kids that way.
David Kern14 David Kern14 Active Member
102 messages
joined Aug 2007
#1686 ·
David Nelson74 said:But hold on, have you actually seen A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe? It follows the life of John Nash, who struggled with schizophrenia, and there's this one heavy scene where he's left alone with his child, and the kid nearly drowns in the bathtub while his wife steps away for just a second.

Man, you really put me in a tough spot here. You’ve got me facing a massive moral and ethical dilemma... is it actually okay for me to go through with having this kid?
David Nelson74 David Nelson74 Active Member
85 messages
joined Apr 2007
#1687 ·
David Kern14 said:Man, you really put me in a tough spot here. You’ve got me facing a massive moral and ethical dilemma... is it actually okay for me to go through with having this kid?

You aren't alone in this; you have the support of your family and those close to you.

Are you religious? I remember once at a Franciscan church in a small town, a man suffering from schizophrenia started shouting mid-Mass and lunged aggressively toward the altar. Everyone in the church just froze, totally stunned, with no idea how to react or what he might do next. When he reached the altar in his frenzy, John McCain stepped forward, pulled him into a hug, and simply said, "Come here, take a rest; I can see you're exhausted."
The paramedics couldn't calm him down, and neither could physical restraints or heavy sedatives. It was just that one warm sentence from John McCain that transformed him from an aggressor into a peaceful man in a matter of seconds.
I don't know how much weight that carries for you. You might find it silly or even ridiculous, but I’d suggest looking into someone like John McCain; I know he’s helped many people—not by prescribing medicine, but by offering a bit of humanity when they needed it most.
David Kern14 David Kern14 Active Member
102 messages
joined Aug 2007
#1688 ·
Am I going blind or deaf? Because I definitely didn't see anything on ABC News about mental health patients hanging out in front of the Brooklyn facility.

My buddies actually suggested I transfer over to Brooklyn, but honestly, things are totally fine for me over in Queens.
I think it’s called Saint John now, right?
And I even had a buddy move from Rib over to Queens once.

The way I see it, mental illness is just like cancer: some people get eaten alive by it, some beat it, and for others, it just keeps coming back.

edit: I'm doing alright right now, but I know there'll be more ups and downs until the end.
That's just how it is, and I've made my peace with it.
Donna Sullivan7 Donna Sullivan7 Active Member
112 messages
joined Aug 2007
#1689 ·
Just my two cents here, but I really think you gotta step up and take action. In my book, you need someone who actually knows their stuff—like a psychiatrist or a therapist. It makes sense to start with an initial interview with a div>
David Nelson74 David Nelson74 Active Member
85 messages
joined Apr 2007
#1690 ·
Hey Dubravka. A few years back, everyone started obsessing over destigmatizing people with mental health issues, which is fine, I get it. But what about the psychiatrists? How much stigma do they actually deal with? Just imagine how exhausting that is for them. They spend years grinding through medical school just to help people, only to have half the population resent them. Every time someone mentions psychotherapy or suggests seeing a specialist, you see the same reaction: "A psychiatrist? What is he going to tell me, that he knows better? Who does he think he is?" People act like they're just going to take $67 and pretend to listen to you for an hour. Honestly, forget psychiatrists...
In a weird way, the doctors end up being the ones stigmatized!
Let's actually try helping the psychiatrists for once, so they don't have to face all this judgment from the public.!!!

I remember a friend telling me once that psych doctors pull in $10 $0.00 a month just by selling snake oil and blowing smoke. I told him straight up: look, Dr. Ivan Šain actually saved my life when he wouldn't let me rot in the asylum for a month and kept giving me shots because I was hell-bent on ending it all. So, people can cry all they want about the cost—it doesn't mean anything to me.
David Kern14 David Kern14 Active Member
102 messages
joined Aug 2007
#1691 ·
David Nelson74 said:Hey Dubravka. A few years back, everyone started obsessing over destigmatizing people with mental health issues, which is fine, I get it. But what about the psychiatrists? How much stigma do they actually deal with? Just imagine how exhausting that is for them. They spend years grinding through medical school just to help people, only to have half the population resent them. Every time someone mentions psychotherapy or suggests seeing a specialist, you see the same reaction: "A psychiatrist? What is he going to tell me, that he knows better? Who does he think he is?" People act like they're just going to take $67 and pretend to listen to you for an hour. Honestly, forget psychiatrists...
In a weird way, the doctors end up being the ones stigmatized!
Let's actually try helping the psychiatrists for once, so they don't have to face all this judgment from the public.!!!

I remember a friend telling me once that psych doctors pull in $10 $0.00 a month just by selling snake oil and blowing smoke. I told him straight up: look, Dr. Ivan Šain actually saved my life when he wouldn't let me rot in the asylum for a month and kept giving me shots because I was hell-bent on ending it all. So, people can cry all they want about the cost—it doesn't mean anything to me.

I mean, they've got other psychiatrists to lean on for support 😵 ☕
David Kern14 David Kern14 Active Member
102 messages
joined Aug 2007
#1692 ·
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and the Center for Retirement Research teamed up to host a public rally called Pride 2007 to mark World Mental Health Day on October 10th. The whole goal was to push for better rights and social standing for folks living with mental health challenges. The organizers made it clear they wanted to shine a light on how people with mental illness often get stripped of their basic human rights within the state care system and end up pushed right to the fringes of society. source: CNN

Man... major props to them

Honestly, my favorite part is when people try to play it off with "Oh, you're not really crazy"
or even better: "We know you're just super wise and love stirring up trouble."

At the end of the day, we guys dealing with mental illness hurt just as much as anyone else.

Like I mentioned earlier in this thread, if you really want to secure your future, you'd head over to Sweden—they actually take care of people there. But hey, look where we are now.
stormyseal4 stormyseal4 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Oct 2007
#1693 ·
I’m looking for some advice—how do I actually get a person living with schizophrenia into a hospital when they are completely refusing treatment?

It’s my dad, and he lives all by himself now, totally lost in this world of delusions, paranoia, and conspiracies about people spying on him or trying to kill him. To make matters worse, he’s dealing with another serious physical illness right now that could be fatal if left untreated, but he won't see any doctors because he’s convinced "all doctors are just killers and spies." He basically stays shut inside his house all day long...

He was already diagnosed with schizophrenia and used to take his medication, but he stopped everything, and since then, he's just been sinking deeper and deeper into this state.

So, I'll ask again—is there a way to get him admitted? Should I just call 911? I don't think he's at a total crisis point quite yet, so I'm worried the paramedics might just drop him off at a psych ward and send me home. Or should I reach out to his primary physician or contact a psychiatric facility directly? I'm honestly terrified of making the wrong move, because if I push too hard and it goes badly, he might just shut me out entirely, and then I'll have nothing left to help him with.
David Kern14 David Kern14 Active Member
102 messages
joined Aug 2007
#1694 ·
emergency services, doctors, paramedics, and the police get called 👍
my dad always used to call them, and once I did too
I love my dad
stormyseal4 stormyseal4 Newcomer
3 messages
joined Oct 2007
#1695 ·
Are you serious? Everything...
David Kern14 David Kern14 Active Member
102 messages
joined Aug 2007
#1696 ·
stormyseal4 said:Are you serious? Everything...

Yeah, it’s pretty straightforward
When I called the cops, they actually gave me a cigarette to light up while waiting for the ambulance to show up
Once you get checked into a psych ward, you get treated and then the doctors decide how long you have to stay there
thatz oll

Man, just imagine how it is for people with severe disabilities or those in wheelchairs
Just call 911 and they'll take care of you!
Jesse Brown5 Jesse Brown5 Newcomer
4 messages
joined Oct 2007
#1697 ·
Hi everyone!

I guess—well, it feels like (and it’s not just me, my whole family feels it too)—that one family member might have schizophrenia... the issue is, they would never agree to see a doctor or even think anything is wrong. It makes life incredibly difficult for the rest of us!
It's pretty contradictory; they're convinced they're someone special and that they're the only ones who deserve anything... they create all sorts of issues and look for problems where none exist. They can take some tiny little thing and turn it into a massive crisis in their own head, making it feel like the worst thing in the world. It can honestly ruin the mood for days while they stay furious...
What are the symptoms of schizophrenia? What is typical or always present? Is there any way to help someone who refuses treatment?? Has anyone dealt with something similar?? How did you realize you were struggling, or how did you notice a family member, friend, or even a partner had schizophrenia??
help!🤷
David Kern14 David Kern14 Active Member
102 messages
joined Aug 2007
#1698 ·
omg wow

Even though the term "schizophrenia" hasn't even been around for a full century, the condition has likely been riding shotgun with humanity since the dawn of time. Schizophrenia can be traced in written documents to Ancient Egypt, dating all the way back to the era of the Egyptian Mummies. You can find detailed accounts of depression, dementia, and those specific thought patterns seen in schizophrenia inside The Book of Hearts. This book is part of the Ebers Papyrus, named after the German Egyptologist Georg Ebers, who bought and published the papyrus in the 19th century. Back then, Heart and mind were synonymous in Ancient Egypt. People thought mental struggles were tied to the heart or the uterus, often blaming things like blood vessels, infection, waste, toxins, or even demons. Basically, Egyptians viewed mental diseases as physical illnesses.

source:http://www.hubin.org/facts/history/h...hrenia_en.html

Temple sleep therapy

Treatment usually involved "temple sleep," or what people called incubation. Basically, if you were sick, you’d spend the night in a sacred space. Before drifting off, people would be given certain suggestions, all in the hopes of triggering dreams sent directly by the gods. Priests and priestesses would then interpret those dreams to figure out how to handle the illness. Incantations and prayers were used to invoke the healing powers of the gods, and these rituals often incorporated herbal remedies and other medicinal substances as part of the whole process.

Pyramids in Egypt; the tradition of temple sleep dates back to Imhotep, a legendary Egyptian vizier, architect, and super respected doctor from around 2600 BC. Imhotep actually built the first step pyramid! He was eventually worshipped, and people practiced sleep therapy in the temples dedicated to him. Later on, in Greece, the god of healing, Asclepius, took over that role. Sleep therapy survived in the temples of Asclepius, which were put up by the Greeks in the 5th and 4th centuries BC.

Brain science of ancient times

The word brain is used in the Edwin Smith Papyrus, which was written around 1700 BC but pulls from much older texts dating back to roughly 3000 BC. As far as we know, the Smith Papyrus is the first medical document in human history. It gets its name from Edwin Smith, an American Egyptologist who bought the papyrus in the 19th century. Within the Smith Papyrus, the brain anatomy, the meninges, the bone marrow, and the cerebrospinal fluid are all documented for the very first time. The papyrus covers 48 different cases recorded by an Egyptian surgeon thousands of years ago—most likely patients who had been injured in battles or by falls. One description indicates the surgeon may have known the brain controls movement. There's even a case involving a patient who couldn't speak due to a fractured temporal bone, describing aphasia thousands of years before Paul Broca identified the link between brain injury and speech loss in 1861. What's cool is that the Smith Papyrus is written with a really logical, scientific vibe, and most of the diagnoses and treatments are actually pretty free of magic and superstition.

Human brain: Even early on, Greek natural philosophers were obsessed with the human brain and nervous system. A physicist named Alcmaion, living in the early 5th century BC, believed the brain was the true hub for thoughts and perceptions. Over the next two hundred years, doctors like Herophilus and Erasistratus performed human dissections, making huge strides in understanding how brain nerves work. Herophilus believed the brain was the center of intelligence, and alongside Erasistratus, he basically helped found neuroscience.


A long period of stagnation

Back in the day, Herophilus and Erasistratus were pretty much the only Greeks doing human dissections. It’s wild to think that nearly 1,800 years went by before guys like Leonardo da Vinci and Andreas Vesalius actually picked up where they left off with studying human anatomy. A few things probably caused such a massive stall in progress. You've got wars, rough economic times, and a general vibe of hostility toward the intellectuals in Alexandria following the era of Herophilus and Erasistratus. Plus, there's a good chance the writings from those two doctors were lost forever when the Library of Alexandria burned down in 391 AD.
Amanda Morris3 Amanda Morris3 Member
25 messages
joined Nov 2008
#1699 ·
David Kern14 said:Am I going blind or deaf? Because I definitely didn't see anything on ABC News about mental health patients hanging out in front of the Brooklyn facility.

My buddies actually suggested I transfer over to Brooklyn, but honestly, things are totally fine for me over in Queens.
I think it’s called Saint John now, right?
And I even had a buddy move from Rib over to Queens once.

The way I see it, mental illness is just like cancer: some people get eaten alive by it, some beat it, and for others, it just keeps coming back.

edit: I'm doing alright right now, but I know there'll be more ups and downs until the end.
That's just how it is, and I've made my peace with it.

True, though I really think having a strong sense of character and practicing a little autosuggestion can make a huge difference too.
I honestly think some people just let their illnesses linger because they secretly love having someone there to look after them. 😲
I’ve actually just recently managed to pull myself out of a really heavy depressive episode, though thankfully I didn't have to deal with any psychotic symptoms this time around.
Even without any antidepressants, I’ve somehow managed to block out the source of my depression by finally leaning into the things I actually love doing.
Honestly, once you've navigated through two or three heavy depressive episodes, you almost develop this strange kind of immunity, and when the darkness eventually rolls back in, you just find a way to pull yourself out on your own.
Antidepressants just kind of numb you out, but hey, at least they help you find a little bit of that positive headspace, right?
Amanda Morris3 Amanda Morris3 Member
25 messages
joined Nov 2008
#1700 ·
David Nelson74 said:Hey Dubravka. A few years back, everyone started obsessing over destigmatizing people with mental health issues, which is fine, I get it. But what about the psychiatrists? How much stigma do they actually deal with? Just imagine how exhausting that is for them. They spend years grinding through medical school just to help people, only to have half the population resent them. Every time someone mentions psychotherapy or suggests seeing a specialist, you see the same reaction: "A psychiatrist? What is he going to tell me, that he knows better? Who does he think he is?" People act like they're just going to take $67 and pretend to listen to you for an hour. Honestly, forget psychiatrists...
In a weird way, the doctors end up being the ones stigmatized!
Let's actually try helping the psychiatrists for once, so they don't have to face all this judgment from the public.!!!

I remember a friend telling me once that psych doctors pull in $10 $0.00 a month just by selling snake oil and blowing smoke. I told him straight up: look, Dr. Ivan Šain actually saved my life when he wouldn't let me rot in the asylum for a month and kept giving me shots because I was hell-bent on ending it all. So, people can cry all they want about the cost—it doesn't mean anything to me.


You're right, people act like there's a huge shame in seeing a psychiatrist, and then when things get really heavy, they end up committing suicide 🤷 😕 as if having depression or any other psychological condition or illness is somehow embarrassing? 😕

And honestly, we live in such an uneducated society that you really can't expect anything else... 😕
Laypeople don't have a clue what they're talking about; for example, they call people in a manic state schizophrenic 😂 which is like me calling a cabbage a type of fruit 🙄

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