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insightfullyblind
Starting Member
17 Posts Gratitude: 9
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Posted - 01/06/2011 : 15:32:54
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I am a young lady on the east coast who has a family member suffering from possible schizophrenia (he is my younger brother so they havent been able to fully diagnose him quite yet) and i feel awful for him... i know hes not happy in the situation hes in with living with my mother and being ignored. i would have him stay with me if i could but i currently am rooming with someone, and can not accomodate him. he has told me many times im the only one who can attempt to hit the tip of the iceburg when understanding him, but i still feel like there is something more i could be doing for him. he has no friends and is a very quiet and gentle person. i just want him to be okay and i know that he wont for a while given his current situation... my overall post here is i would like to hear from those who are suffering (no judgements will be made by me on those who are willing to help) so i can better understand him, or better yet just help him along his struggles with this.. he is a teenager (i wont give out details) and has some identity issues (no pun intended) aside of his illness. if there is anyone out there who is willing to just chat with me for a bit about what its like to have this illness, and what helped and is helping them cope... please please please reply! thankyou - insightfully blind |
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lowlyworm
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
2755 Posts Gratitude: 147
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Posted - 01/06/2011 : 17:32:54
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Hi insightful, I have schizophrenia and would be happy to discuss it with you. Any questions just ask. For me when I'm in an episode of psychosis I usually have several delusions (fixed ideas that are not true such as thinking that people can read my mind). I have severe paranoia and my anxiety is much increased. I have had a few hallucinations but they are not a regular fixture of my psychosis for me. (Many schizophrenics hear voices, that has only happened to me once). I've taken several different medications over time with varying levels of success. The trick is to find a medication that gets rid of symptoms with side effects that you can deal with. It's hard to say what the best thing for him would be. The best thing you can do I think is to show him that you care and are there for him in whatever way he needs. Having someone that is there to support you is very helpful to recovery in my opinion. The first time I got sick I was in a relationship and my boyfriend was really the only thing that got me through it. Just having him there saying he still loved me and encouraging me every step of my recovery I think helped me to get better. Best of luck, if you have any questions just ask, I'm not shy about talking about my illness. Lowly
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insightfullyblind
Starting Member
17 Posts Gratitude: 9
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Posted - 01/06/2011 : 22:50:14
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thankyou for further explaining what it is like from a personal aspect my brother has very similar symptoms, i just have a few questions about them.
1 when hearing voices (which is my brothers most prodominate symptom) what usually runs through your mind, or how does it make you feel?
2 the hallucinations (also another symptom of my brothers) when you experience these.. do they differ or is it usually bad hallucinations? or is it dependant on who you are and what youve experienced?
3 were you scared when this started to occur (im sure you probably were) and how did you open up to the people who cared about such things? |
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khaz
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
8301 Posts Gratitude: 471
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Posted - 01/06/2011 : 22:58:06
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Hi
I have heard 2 types of voices.
1 unfamiliar...freaked out
2 my deceased mother....not so scary
Footsteps...they sounded familiar....
Hallucinations....always scary
The first time I had an alien thought and heard an unfamiliar voice I was too scared to even tell anyone.
Is your brother doing drugs??? If he is he MUST stop....it truly makes it worse.
Khaz |
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insightfullyblind
Starting Member
17 Posts Gratitude: 9
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Posted - 01/06/2011 : 23:02:40
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hes not actually, he tried smoking marijuana and he ddnt like it (now i know why) and since then hes been to afraid to try anything else... what hallucinations (if i can ask) do you see? are they based on things youve experienced or just random manifestations? |
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lowlyworm
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
2755 Posts Gratitude: 147
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Posted - 01/06/2011 : 23:08:54
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I'm not really the best person to write about voices as I've only once heard a voice (it freaked me out and I believed what it said). I've had other audio halucinations of sounds and those didn't freak me out as much. The visual hallucinations I've had wern't very significant either. When I was in the hospital I saw beings made of light sneaking across the hallway. I thought that they were aliens come to take over the world. I've also had halucinations of shadows those wern't as bad. So yeah, I guess it really depends what the halucinations are as to how upsetting they might be. I know that most people that hear voices find them extremely upsetting and distracting as the voices are often insulting and negative. (Although I'm not speaking from experience just from what I've heard). When these things started to happen I was really scared as I thought everyone was trying to harm me. I didn't really open up to anybody about what I was feeling until I was hospitalized and talked to the doctors. To this day I've only talked a little bit about my experiences to friends and family. It's hard to explain to someone that doesn't know what it's like. |
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khaz
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
8301 Posts Gratitude: 471
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Posted - 01/06/2011 : 23:22:05
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Random manifestations...Lowly sees aliens...I see shadows that I perceive as ghosts...I also see little children....I also see deceased relatives.
Unfortunately one smoke of marijuana can set off scz if you are prone to it....they thought that was what my problem was but then they found a physical fault with my brain.
Letting your brother know he is safe...is the most important thing that was done for me. |
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insightfullyblind
Starting Member
17 Posts Gratitude: 9
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Posted - 01/07/2011 : 14:37:51
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i can understand where it would be hard to explain. thankyou guys soo much for your information and i appreciate your honesty tremendously. just one last question. hes young and has his whole life ahead of him but is determined theres nothing out there for him.
is there anything i can do or say to show him otherwise... i want him to know that i care for him and want him to stay with me sometime in the future, because im really the only one hes comfortable with in the family... and not paranoid that im trying to harm him. what can i do? |
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lowlyworm
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
2755 Posts Gratitude: 147
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Posted - 01/07/2011 : 16:22:32
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Believing that you have a future when you have schizophrenia is hard. I'm having a hard time with that myself. As he gets better hopefully he will find hope again. That's the best I can say. Best of luck. |
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khaz
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
8301 Posts Gratitude: 471
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Posted - 01/07/2011 : 17:43:05
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When I was dx with scz I felt my world had ended.
They still pay me but don't want me at work.....I am still a loose cannon....even medicated.
Is he interested in art/music?
They tried to send me to a day centre once a week I hated that.
Make sure he has routine and some interests.
Don't get yourself in to a situation where he is your responsibility and then you fall in love and your partner does'nt see it that way.
See if you can set him up independently....a converted garage...caravan...own flat...I have no idea what your circumstances are but change is hell for many of us.
Many days I struggle just to get through the day...there is little left for me to acheive but keeping out of hospital and not having episodes.
What is really important is settling his 5 senses.
sight...I need lights on in winter temperature....I need to be comfortable smell...I burn oils touch...he needs to feel comfortable noise...loud noisy places send me off....
So comfort is really vital in helping his mental stability.
Currently my children are leaving home and the change is hell.
Your a good person caring so much.
Love khaz |
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insightfullyblind
Starting Member
17 Posts Gratitude: 9
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Posted - 01/07/2011 : 18:43:02
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he is interested in music and games a lot... hes a total gamer and he gets soo focused, i always told him he could design video games for a living and make bank. and thankyou soo much for the 5 senses advice, that is really a big help im sure and ill pass on the advice to him (anonymously of course). WOW you guys! thankkyou soo much, you have answered questions for me that i ddnt think any one could. Khaz, im sorry to hear your children are leaving. that must be hard to let people youre so close to go... if you ever wanna talk about it, im used to people i love having to leave or passing on so i can totally talk ya through it if it helps any. lowly worm, im sure there is a future for you just like my brother, you seem like a very very sweet person and im positive you have many great qualities (one of them being considerate and unashamed and confident (thats three haha)) but thankyou both soo much. it makes me feel better knowing that i can go into this with more insight... haha play on words, no? but as for him moving in and an insignificant other being upset about it, im not really into guys right now (girls either haha iddnt mean it sound like that) because of me trying to focus on myself so much. he does have a routine he goes to day treatment everyday from 8 to as late as 6 if thats what he needs (of course he hates it andi hate it for him because im sure they treat him like hes unimportant and just another quote phsyco unquote( which is disturbing to me because he shouldnt be treated like that( we're all a little phsyco anyways so i say ****em))) but i dont even have my own place and am not old enough so it was more of a future thing him moving in. anywho as i was saying thankyou and you both are really really fantastic for answering these questions for me :) hope to hear from you two soon:D <3 <3 <3 |
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warbird
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
100629 Posts |
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warbird
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
100629 Posts |
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warbird
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
100629 Posts |
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warbird
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
100629 Posts |
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warbird
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
100629 Posts |
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