I have two adult sons, the first borne with chronic depression and the 2nd borne diagnosed with schizophrenia. The one with schizophrenia has had the diagnosis for probably >15 years. In his early years, he demonstrated his intelligence by maintaining a 3.0+ grade point average! However, as he aged, he got into the drug scene in a heavy way starting off with heavy marijuana use and graduating into chronic meth and heroin usage. He even dabbled in whatever drugs could be purchased on the internet via China. I strongly believe that the drug use is what pushed him over the edge into his current psychotic state. He has been in hospitals and treatment programs more times than I can count and is currently in a group home. He has anosognosia in the worst way and is I am sure very scared and frustrated. He gets a daily dose of methadone for his drug addiction issues, anti anxiety meds, and other psychoactive meds for his negative symptoms. He  Persistently wants to talk about his delusions and almost nothing else. He becomes confrontational when I try to switch subjects.  I would like to be able to communicate with him, but, am unable to at nearly any level. Have viewed countless hours of Youtube videos “living well with schizophrenia” which I recommend to others. Have just finished reading “I am not sick I don’t need help”. Have viewed many other Youtube videos dealing with mental illness as well to become more informed and knowledgeable. Like others who are dealing with this situation am becoming exasperated! I still have just a tinge of hope! and have become and am becoming a stronger believer in the fact that there is a higher power that is in control and that all of this has a reason which has not been revealed to me yet!

Ten years old is supposed to be an age when children begin to develop their personalities and the skills needed to live an independent life. For my sister,  this was the age when she was diagnosed with Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia. Childhood-Onset Schizophrenia  has all the symptoms of  Adult-Onset-Schizophrenia, but it manifests  at an early age and often with a higher degree of severity.  While struggling with this illness, it appeared as if my sister’s childhood was rudely snatched away, as she was occupied with her hallucinations and delusions instead of friends and school. 

Yes, Schizophrenia sucks. My sister may never have the opportunity to graduate from college, establish a career, or marry. The good news is, she doesn’t see it that way. With medication, she is perfectly stable, and as she likes to say, “I’m normal, just with some issues, like everyone else.” And  perhaps because she was not given a chance to mature emotionally, she does not have the normal worries of a (now) eighteen-year-old. Every day is a new opportunity, and there’s always something to look forward to, no matter how mundane. In a sense, the childhood that was taken away was given back, for eternity.

I have learned a lot from my sister, and one of those things is to let yourself be a kid again. There are times when you have to face reality, but there are also times when you have to escape reality to live fully.  Let your inhibitions fly away, and live in the moment, for the moment.

This is my personal story of living with schizophrenia:

I used to tell people “I have a bad brain.”

I am not going to say I suffer from schizophrenia but rather I endure and cope with it.

My name is Amy Kay and I have schizophrenia. I do not want to hurt others or myself. Neither do I hear voices and I no longer live in a delusional world.

In 2008 during my initial psychiatric breakdown I did live in a delusional world. In this world I believed I was Mother Earth. I felt I was responsible for taking all souls to heaven with me. I was afraid that my family and friends were trying poison me. I ran away from them. They called the cops and that is how I ended up in the psychiatric ward.

Keep reading

Hi, I am a young adult with schizophrenia. It started when I had not been doing good with reality and personal hygiene, it was really bad. Not everyone noticed me because I was not the same outgoing person. 

Keep reading

My journey with a mental illness began the summer of 2016. I had recently moved to Ohio, after graduating high school. It was in June that I started showing symptoms of schizophrenia, though at the time I was unaware of what was going on. I had the usual symptoms. So my grandparents took me to the hospital, and it was there that I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Then the hospital staff transferred me over to the state hospital in Athens. I remember some memories of the state hospital. But I didn’t know, wasn’t aware of what was going on. I had fantasies of what was going on, from what was really happening. One of the patients there thought that I was deaf, because I didn’t speak and thought I knew Sign Language. I didn’t talk to people the beginning of the six weeks that I “lived” at the state hospital. I did end up talking to people though and made a few friends. It’s funny now that I recall this, but the patients would protect me from the staff if they thought that I would get hurt. And I remember that I thought that I would find my mom at the state hospital. I saw one person that kinda looked like my mom. But my mind was messed up because of my illness. I knew my mom died of breast cancer when I was 10. My mom’s family visited me everyday, during my stay in Athens. I remember they had art groups and other activities at the state hospital. I have an art piece that I did at the state hospital. Someone also gave me a painting they did for me. I stayed at the state hospital for six weeks. After I got out, I was referred to another facility. I was assigned a Counselor and psychiatrist and a case manager. Through therapy and medicine I have gotten better. I am now able to make decisions and do things that I enjoy.

 I   AM SCHIZOPHRENIC. I HAVE T O TAKE MEDICINE.THERE IS NO  CURE FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA,THE SAME  WAY THERE IS NO CURE FOR CANCER.BUT THEY ARE DOING MORE AND MORE RESEARCH ON SCHIZOPHRENIA, WHO GETS AND WHY IT HAPPENS I SEE AND PYSCHIATRISTS, I ALSO ATTEND A CLUBHOUSE WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE DEALING WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA,BIPOLAR,ADHD ,OCD.AND MANIC DEPRSSION.

I Live with my Great Uncle / Foster Guardian and my Cousin Who has Dimentia and had a stroke and I have Schizophrenia right now im in my 20’s and am worried what im going to do when I am not with my father anymore. I started hearing voices years ago. But they have recently came back now after being stuck inside due to corona virus. Before my Schizophrenia came back I was very active in playing basketball at the rec center near where I live sometimes I would play twice a day, It changed my life being able to exercise and get out then come back home. The voices can be very real. The Voices can be very negative. Most people would say when they saw me that they dont see I have a mental disability like I don’t seem like a person who has it. I have heard voices through many different ways. In the Cieling, Through the Fan, Through the Computer, In Video games, Music, in my own voice, in my art, in any sound, and outside. Sometimes I think im hearing people mad at me from outside then I go out to find out no one is there. I have recently been thinking there are people near me like ghosts I cannot see. The voices have alot of control over me and they tend to make alot of mean statements and they are hard to ignore. The Voices can be very hateful. For 10 years I have felt my family changing, Iv even had a type of capgras delusion in the past. Luckily I am in a great family where people are understandable. Alot of times I have a hard time talking with people for long periods of time and I am not so good socially but im sure ill get past that.

Keep reading

My name is martina i am a 27 year old female who is diagnosed with schizophrenia. I would hear and see things that noone would be able to hear or see. Living with schizophrenia is different because i now have to take antipsychotic medication everyday and night which im not use to. I go to a psychiatric program where i meet and greet nice people. I also go to a therapist where i can explain my experiences with schizophrenia. I would love to be sponsored my nami because mental health is so important because everything you do in life is 90% mental whether it be a decision on a job, at school or even driving. Mental health is important. Thank you for the opportunity for me to express myself, hope you guys have a great day!

Good evening
I have been doing some research over the past few weeks about schizophrenia….

I’m thankful for finding this particular website to help me understand schizophrenia…

I have noticed some alarming changes in my sister and I’m very concerned for her …..

Upon doing my research, my sister is showing signs and symptoms of schizophrenia….

I feel badly for her, I’m not sure how to help although I want the best for her…I’m not in the medical profession .

However I will call NAMI tomorrow morning to talk to somebody …

I am the daughter of a father and the sister of a brother with schizophrenia. Growing up I never knew my dad had any mental illness until my parents separated. I was 8 years old and was too young to understand truly the reason behind it. My dad was fully diagnosed with schizophrenia at 30, I’ve always been scared of this happening to me since I’m only 29. My brother has always had symptoms of schizophrenia. i always knew there was something different about him but I accepted it and made sure he knew he could confine to me about his illness. He’s currently in prison and 34 years old. He has no chance of getting out for a horrible crime he did, and I wish there was something I could have done for him to prevent it. I guess my message is to people with schizophrenia is to make sure to always take your medicine and dont be afraid to ask for help.