Should I go in to get tested for schizophrenia?

On a side not, how confident are you as a person? If you do have confidence issues then there are numerous techniques that are easy to do and may help to dispel any doubt you may have.

reply to post by Jamjar


Confident. I don't have confidence, or social problems. I'd rather just be alone then with people.

Originally posted by thedeadwalkk
It hasn't caused any problems in my life. Other then messing around with my emotions sometimes, but thats manageable.

I think you resumed it right there.
I also have a "voice" constantly there but I know it's me. You are not crazy from what I see in your post.

Originally posted by thedeadwalkk
Ok, well ever since I was a little kid ( as long as I could remember ) I've always felt different, and I never felt I fit in with anyone around me, so I just made it look like I do ( I still do this now. I just can't find people I fit in with, so I make do with the friends I have. No matter how many different people I meet, I never meet someone I fit/connect with. It will seem like I do for awhile, but after a few months I come to realization that I've just been making it look like it I do, to me, and everyone around me).

I used to talk to myself in the mirror, sometimes in made up languages, sometimes in gibberish, sometimes in english ( I did this until I was 14 or 15. I'm 17 now. ) Now I shifted this into my head. I'll talk and talk and talk, as if theres another person present, but they aren't really there. Its about anything really, no specific topic. What ever comes up. I find my self comparing things alot in my head, and carrying on conversations with my self ). Often when I'm on the bus I feel like people are reading my thoughts, if someone laughs I think they laughed because of what I've thought. I used to think my friends were plotting to get me. But that stopped.

Im currently in a psychology class, and my teacher has told me stories about people who are Schizophrenic, or mentally Ill basically getting their rights taken away, and being forced to live a life thats apart from everyone else. This is the main reason why I don't want to go get tested ( even though I basically already know the answer ). I don't want to be labelled "Schizophrenic" or "Mentally Ill" because once you are, that never goes away. And people look down upon people like that.

I have some wierd beliefs ( about aliens. I've posted my numerous experiences on here. People call me crazy for believing in this stuff, and what has happened to me. People routinely make jokes. Heck I can't really blame them, its some funky stuff lol. ) that could be called delusions, but I don't call them that, because they aren't. I know when I'm hallucinating, I know how to distuingish reality from non-reality.

It hasn't caused any problems in my life. Other then messing around with my emotions sometimes, but thats manageable.

Well friend, nothing any of us here tell you really counts, we don't know you, we can't look at your mannerisms or your eyes while we talk to you and most everyone here is unqualified to diagnose you. I understand your fear of being labeled but it does not have to even be that way.

You can see a professional confidentially and without fear of others knowing you inquired into your own health - it is your right. If you are concerned and are dealing with issues that may or may not be paranoid schizophrenia, get it checked out. I understand that many people still feel a mental illness should carry some sort of a social stigma with it but that's just getting a bit old in this modern society.

If you broke your leg, you wouldn't think twice about getting it into a cast. Bottom line, if you think a professional visit will ease your mind or even get you on the road to a happier and fuller life, then you should definitely do so.

Good luck to you friend,

Khar

reply to post by Kharron


It shouldn't have a social stigma, but it does, not as much as before though.

When you break a leg, you break a leg.

When you have a mental illness, to the outside world you may be "impaired" because of your illness.

reply to post by thedeadwalkk


Okay so, there's alot of speculatin' going on. It doesn't seem to be Schizophrenia, just from what you described there isn't much sign of the clinical Borderline behavior that goes with it. (Are you easy to anger? manipulative, or crisis-like confused much of the time?)

Social anxiety mixed with depression and increasing paranoia sounds more likely. BUT it's a good idea to be checked. Schizophrenia has ages that it likes to present itself, 8 years, 28 years etc. For you to have a concern could be a sign of it presenting later.

If you are feeling very strange and are upset by this then by all means it's good to speak to a professional someone.If you keep something bottled up and it gains ground, it can start to become a delusion or a psychosis, when your mind accepts and believes what it's thinking.

Don't be afraid to be checked out. They aren't going to lock you up or deprive you of your rights unless you are dangerous or can't take of yourself. Try to make your mind healthy again. Good luck.

Originally posted by BobbyShaftoe
RE subject line: Sounds like your in two minds about it ......
2nd line

edit on 44/6/11 by BobbyShaftoe because: (no reason given)

I was about to quip...Maybe you should discuss it amongst yourselves.


but seriously and with a little more empathy...
I would say that unless you are experiencing a real problem no. They will just drug you until you loose all your self or selves as the case may be and become a boring, faceless, drone. I say this because chances of you actually being schizophrenic are minute.

reply to post by thedeadwalkk


Lol! I think that is fine to let yourself go sometimes. I am in my forties now and I still do some stuff similar to that. For my own entertainment and just because I plain enjoy it.

I make music and record all my own songs. I often "toast" to the track. I don't write anything down, just conscious stream. Amazing what kind of stuff comes out.

I think you could put your gifts to creative work if you want to experiment big time. Painting, music, sculpture, anything goes.

Art is very good because being an artist you get away with a lot more, haha!

I love it when people are not afraid of being individuals and on their own vibe. It is very refreshing.

And yes, as another reply said, it is strong to be by yourself. I love my own company and am very reclusive because I find it difficult sociably these days because most people I know are just thinking on one level that I cannot stick to for too long; I do it just to be polite to them and it is hard work.

On my own I can be me, the person I have chosen to be and the person I want to be.

Bless you.

Originally posted by thedeadwalkk
reply to post by Kharron

 

It shouldn't have a social stigma, but it does, not as much as before though.

When you break a leg, you break a leg.

When you have a mental illness, to the outside world you may be "impaired" because of your illness.

edit on 4-6-2011 by thedeadwalkk because: (no reason given)

Only if you choose to make it public. If you're a private person, keep it private.

Fear of a stigma should not prevent us from seeking help. Our happiness and health is our concern. Once we start aging and getting wiser we also stop caring more and more about what others say or think about us. (I cared so much whether someone saw this or that on me when I was younger and you know what - no one did, only I did and it only bothered me). I don't know about you but I'm not gonna sacrifice 10 years of my life because of what someone may think of me.

And if you start saying - well it can have further repercussions, job security, retaliation and so on. Yes it can, but that's all illegal so let's not get into the criminal behavior of the ignorant and uneducated, let a lawyer deal with it for you.

Khar

reply to post by thedeadwalkk


check your inbox

My background is, a fair amount of education in the mental health field, ex support worker, part trained counsellor, along with problems that on occasion become unbearable. I have also been involved in assessments/diagnosis and treatment of partner and other family members.

You can not be diagnosed with any problem, without a decent assesment conducted by a professionally trained doctor. A previous poster was 100% correct in stating that unless your symptoms cause you distress and affect your functioning in day to day to life, you wouldn't be diagnosed as mental unwell.

Many mental health problems can be medicated, but for a large percentage of people the medication does not help. From my own experience, some meds can infact aggrevate symptoms, or cause new problems. 2 years ago, I was put on a med, that made me physically ill for the first two weeks, then caused me to develop agriphobia.(?) I came off those meds within 6 weeks of starting, but still have symptoms that I have never suffered previously. So please be aware that medication can sometimes make things worse.

A diagnosis seemed important to me, as it meant I could research my problems to find methods of coping, I also felt that perhaps my family would be more supportive if they knew I had an illness, rather than being useless. 5 years later, I am still struggling to accept the opinions of the mental health team, I know they are right, but by god it feels like a death sentence to me. Its a very painful process emotionally.

I would advise you to seek help, if you find you really can not cope, if you experience emotions like despair, or if you find yourself becoming violent, either to yourself or others.

For the time being, if all things are equal, perhaps seeking support on line could be helpful to you? There are various websites with very supportive forums, although personally I find them useful when really struggling, but if I spent too much time on them seeking support, I start to drown in mental health issues and stop focusing on real life.

I too enjoy my own company, If I spend time with friends, I have to ensure I have planned a couple of days immediately afterwards, to give me time to recover and find myself again. I seem to be allergic to company :-).

Please feel free to pm me if you feel I can help you more. Take care x

Honestly... you should wait until you are 25 until getting tested unless it becomes unmanageable. Your brain is still growing and developing. If they put you on meds (which they probably will) it will probably just make things worse. Your brain and chemicals need to learn to compensate (if there is some sort of chemical imbalance going on) and it can't learn to do that while it's suppressed by medication. As long as you don't fall into a depression over it or become violent or angry, you will be fine. The more you worry about it, the more difficult it will be to manage. I have a lot of issues with anxiety and racing thoughts. The more I worry about it or think maybe I should go to the doctor, the worse it becomes.
Start exercising. Take some omega 3 and 6 supplements. Take some magnesium and a vitamin B complex. If you do, make sure to get them from a natural store. The stuff you can buy at regular stores have a lot of synthetic ingredients in them which aren't very good for you. You want to get these vitamins that are made from natural food sources.
Good luck. Brain problems are such a mystery to doctors. A lot of treatment is trial and error. It could be years before they find a medication/therapy combo that works for you. And in the mean time, you're stuck with bad side effects of meds and worsening of your symptoms.

Oh! And stay away from marijuana! Marijuana has a natural anti-inflammatory agent which is great for a lot of people. But there is a link between schizophrenia and marijuana. They don't yet know what comes first... excessive marijuana use CAUSING schizophrenia in people who are already predisposed to it. Or if people with schizophrenia self medicate with it because of it's soothing effects on the brain. Either way, if you do have schizophrenia or the genetic markers for it, it can bring it on or make your symptoms worse. And fyi.. I'm not an anti-marijuana type of person as I obviously believe in natural healing. But it's just not good for people with schizophrenia.

It seems to me that you understand and know yourself right now...and you have found ways of coping that are healthy and work for you.

You like to be alone (at times) and enjoy your own company....that is healthy and many people cannot do that....you say you also have friends and you do spend time with them...that is also healthy.

I think that you are a very sensitive soul who cares about humanity.

I really don't think you have schizophrenia or a specific mental illness at all.

reply to post by thedeadwalkk
I too love being alone, i heave a sigh of relief whenever i get back in and can close my door on the world. I only go out when my dog needs to go walkies, i don't have agoraphobia, i just enjoy being alone. Most humans aren't worth bothering with anyway, i would much rather be with animals. The people on Ats are more my cup of tea, i just wish each area had a meeting place for Ats members to meet up, but even then their are so many diverse subjects on here that people may not get on. Don't worry about it, most friendships are shallow anyway, i was on my own years because i refused to accept shallow people and i eventually met a person with the same anti social ideas as me.
It's a wonder we ever met so i am not going to say to you that the right person will someday come along as our anti socil behaviour does unfortunately make it harder to meet the right person. I would rather still be alone though than to play silly games with shallow friendships.

reply to post by thedeadwalkk


You're 17, in the throes of intense hormonal changes, etc. etc. Strange things happen to people at a time like this. Yes, schizophrenia has often become manifest at this age or shortly thereafter, so do some other psychiatric conditions. But, often the symptoms go away after a few years if you don't let them overwhelm you.

Do go in for a thorough psych test. You are clearly concerned about your mental health and a complete testing will provide at least the comfort of knowing precisely what (if anything) ails you. Then you can get specific treatment, if anything's wrong. And, yes, get the tests sooner rather than later. No point in having your worries/symptoms interfere with your college career.

I wish you luck.