Chisa's Schizophrenia Thread

Anyone else can post obviously, but I figured that I'd create a place for whatever I happen to be reading and inspired to post on the topic of schitzophrenia. Rather than starting a million threads for every new article or thought, there will just be one thread.

I'm also playing around with idea of making the book I want to write something about this stuff, so it will be helpful to me to have all of this in one place. I'll probably also have a specific journal for all the more personal stuff on the topic.

The first is a diary of a schizo over two years, just sort of chronicalling his day, his meds, and his symptoms. Rather interesting, in my own biased opinion.

Diary of a Schizo

Reading that, it sounds like a confusion between dream state and 'waking' state. Like trying to watch two TV channels at once.

I know, I don't have to post but I just want to say that what you're doing is FANTASTIC.

It will not only help you to deal with it better and getting things off your mind but it may help many people that have or know someone that has schizophrenia.

Great educational opportunity for everyone that takes advantage of the research you are doing and can apply it to their lives.

A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thread!

Causes and Prevention

I like this link. A lot of it is rather widely known information about schizophrenia, but the person's perspective on prevention appeals to me. And there are tons of links for further reading, more than enough to study up on for quite a while, assuming they don't all contain that generic sort of information.

"On Weed and Schizo"

Something I've done a bunch of reading on, but needs to addressed more than just skimming and denial. There is a lot of discord on the topic, but in general the medical sites confirm a link, while it's only blogs and pro-pot sites where you'll find disagreement.

The general concensus between the two is that smoking pot as a teen while your brain is still developing is a no-no if you're at risk for schizophrenia. (My own risk would have been good to know back then, though I'm not sure it would have made a difference.) However, the risk does go down significantly the older you are when you start, which makes me hopeful.

And this is mostly where the discord lies. The medical sites say it's never a good idea. The blogs say the risk is minimal once your brain is fully developed.

I have a bit more reading to do to fully understand the chemical reactions of pot, and of schizophrenia, before I can really know for myself rather than just accepting what others say on the topic, but it seems (holy s***; you'd better prepare yourself for a shock) that weed is bad for those who are high-risk for schizophrenia.

This one is the more credible, but also the one that scares me more.

This one makes me more optimistic, but is far less credible for all its length.

Hey Chisa, there's a huge wealth of information on this over in the forums at link [www.schizophrenia.com]

I'm over there as 'Charlie' and you'll find a wealth of very caring and supportive sz's over there.

Just let them know that you're in there for your brother and that you're not a young psychiatrist in training and they'll be more than happy to share with you.

I've been sz for close to sixteen years now and have a VERY good understanding of all the ins and outs.

And one thing I should make clear right here is that, if anything, Schizophrenia has been a mind strengthening process that I have learned A LOT from.

I do very well and happy most days because I've learned empathy for others and strong positive cognition abilities.

In order for your brother to start getting better he is going to have to make a massive leap of faith by just going under the base logic that no one is truly out to get him and to look to ways that people are good as opposed to trying to find a nemesis in everyone and everything.

There's a practical logic and science behind everything and also a logical science behind what he's experiencing.

You're also free to PM any time you like. Although not really in the open forum anymore, I still check in a few times a day to write to a friend. =)

It is a good site. I've actually perused it a bit before, and it is a good link to be included here. I was particularily intrigued by their artical on smoking and schizophrenia.



It's interesting that such a harmful habit can actually be helpful for retaining your cognitive capabilities. As far as I'm concerned, that loss of ability is worse than any of the more dramatic symptoms of schizophrenia, and lung cancer is a small price to pay for retaining your ability to think throughout your shortened lifespan. (Though healthier forms of nicotine would be the best of both worlds.)

By the way, between the ages of 18 and 25 the mind is starting to evolve and sz is a pit that it can trip and fall into if something hinders that evolution.

You're brother and everyone else around this age should avoid any substance that alters the mind.

Beer and coffee are fine if used in moderation.

Anyone around this age should also avoid situations that could lead to severe heartache because hurtful breaks ups can also dump the individual into that pit.

There's a way out of the pit but there's a whole lot of arse kicking along the path out so it's best not to fall in the first place if it can helped.

Chisa, I take a anti psychotics and antidepressants but cigarettes have been the drug that works the best for me.

A reason for everything in existence I guess.

Schizo and Creative Thinkers

Apparently both the highly creative and schizophrenics share the similarity of having a low density of dopamine receptors. It's obviously not the whole story of the brain chemistry as creative doesn't equal crazy, but it seems the low dopamine receptors are responsible for the divergence from reality; healthy, creative people simply retain their knowledge of that diversion.

Coping with Schitzophrenia

I'm only a little bit into this one right now, but it's a good read. It's written by a psychologist that actually is schizophrenic; it's a speech he gives on coping mechanisms.

None of it's exactly new and surprising information, but it's a good read nonetheless.

I've thought about doing that myself with my experiences with my father. He was diagnosed when I was 11, but it was evident something was way 'wrong' way before that.

My childhood was quite an 'adventure'. The movie "Beautiful Mind" hit home to me hard. Even though it was a hollywood depiction of the illness, there were some very surreal likenesses to my own life when I watched it. I cried like a baby thru most of it.

A Daughter\'s Story

A personal account that I found to be well written that rang a few bells.

A Sister\'s Story

Another good personal account.

I can't express enough thanks to what you're doing, I greatly appreciate it. This opens my otherwise closed eyes to schizophrenia, and for that I thank you. Please continue as long as you're able to.

One major question that I have not yet been able to answer is if it is possible for a schizophrenic to recognize what is happening to their mind in the early stages of the disease. I mean, one of the general rules of being crazy is that you can't recognize that you're crazy; if you do, then you are in fact sane.

Do you think a schizophrenic can recognize the degredation of their thought processes early on if they know what to look for? Do you think they could then hold onto that recognition throughout the course of the illness?

I haven't quite been able to decide what my thoughts are on that but I have read some accounts, such as the very first link in this thread, which make me hopeful of that. He had a few entries actually stating that he was hallucinating and needed to take his meds.

But then other things I have read make me question that possibility. Perhaps it's only after intense mental training and incredible medical control that a person becomes sane enough to recognize that they are crazy.