How is it that some of you seem high functioning

I practicallt haven’t left the house fro the past 8 months dure to stress brought on by voices. I cant do a damn thing. I need help. The meds wont work, and now IM trying cbt which I find difficlut to implememtn. as the voices have control over me.

I am sorry you are struggling. I hope something works for you soon . I think terms like high functioning/low functioning very much depend on who you are making a comparison with.
For example compared to a person who is in a home for the severely mentally ill I could be seen as quite high functioning. Compared to someone like Elyn Saks I could be seen as quite low functioning.
I think outliers like Saks taken out of the equation most of us here would be seen as moderate or high functioning in the context of our illness, as opposed to necessarily moderate or high functioning compared to people with mild or no mental illness.

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Hi karl
Sorry you are still bothered. Have you told your doctor? It can take a long time to find the right med and it can be very frustrating.

Track the little steps. At one time I tried to be happy that I read 1 page in a magazine or could concentrate on a half hour TV show.

Until the symptoms die down it can be hard to talk in therapy. I think therapy is just learning to deal with reality. And if they call it CBT or whatever I don’t care.

I’m old enough from the days they tried to bring up my parents who were OK in my book. I think sz is chemical so unlike normals that may have hang ups with their parents they need to hash out. I think we just need help dealing with life.

I think dwelling too much in the past is harmful. I try to be positive and although sz can be like a roller coaster meds do eventually tend to help make you feel better.

I hop you find the one that helps you.

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Well Ive had to deal with this schizophrenia for about 10 years. Over time, I’ve learned CBT and coping techniques, Ive taken my medication regularly for the better of 10 years so that also contributed to a lessening of symptoms over time, and an almost reversal of symptoms into remission. Prayer helped but is not necessary because of course, Churches and stuff can prey on people with severe illness as if medication is a drug or evil, its not. Medication for mental illness like schizophrenia is MEDICINE, not a drug or evil. I have gone through a lot of things, developed a lot of personal inner willpower.

Here are my suggestions: write out your thoughts, fears and hopes every day. Read a light book or engage in reading and writing activities. Join a support group or local NAMI group. Stay educated on your specific disorder. Get a therapist or have someone close to talk to have a relapse plan written out, and also have a suicide prevention plan.

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I am rather low functioning for someone diagnosed with bipolar disorder - this is why some doctors are placing me in the schizoaffective category.

If you categorize me as bipolar, I am low functioning - If you categorize me as schizoaffective, I am moderate to high functioning - it all depends

@karl
I 'm sorry to hear that your going through such a struggle. I do hope CBT works out for you.
The fact that your trying to fight this and willing to try the CBT is a great step.

As far as high and low functioning… I have a feeling we’re all in the middle somewhere. Better then some… not as good as others.

I have a lot of help getting through my day. If I didn’t have the help I do… I wouldn’t make it.

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I have a husband that I’m depending on. It’s no fun but a way to survive. I can’t do bills, can’t watch tv, can’t read books because of memory problems. I don’t remember what I have told my kids or other people. I have no social anxiety, this means I can work 75%. I have help at work. I get a list of tasks that has to be done. I don’t make that list myself.

I’m higher functioning than I used to be, but not as high functioning as I want to be. It’s a journey. Don’t get hung up on this particular place in your travels – much better places waiting for you down the road. You’re on the right path, so just keep doing what you’re doing. :smile:

10-96

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Its all relative and cirumstational really. I was placed in a group with emphasis one life skill and socialization. The results were disasters. It nearly destroyed me. It was so bad that I was given my own place. They just wanted me gone. Now I have a great case manager with the same clinic and she actually seeing thru 8 years of this crap my real disability. Fact is I could probably do ok off my meds as far as going on peoples good graces. Trouble is I’m so flippening discriminated against cause I do strange ticks and stuff. I mean clearly I’m in a different dimension but I have so much more energy. Also being terrorized by bad things suck. But I hate being medicated. I just keep hearing words is she med compliant in my head. Plus three month of in voluntary commitment in a hospital that would make a Viking pee his pants is “motivation”.

Functionality varies with sz and sza in my family. My aunt is considered high functioning even though she has gotten worse the last few years. My dad and I are considered middle functioning. My dad’s cousin was low functioning. We all share some form of sz or sza. My brother is considered low functioning for his bipolar disorder he can’t get a job and he doesn’t believe in meds so it just gets worse for him.

I might seem high-functioning from reading my posts. I will say that my writing is better than my talking, my talking is better than my thinking and my thinking sucks. I take 5 meds and have gotten them adjusted so that I’m usually comfortable by myself, as long as I avoid stressful situations.

I socialize only with a few people that know me really well - mostly close family. I force myself to shower _ clean my teeth part of the time, I manage to have food to eat…this is hard. And I get my apartment straightened up and in order.every 2 weeks. A whirlwind the day before. This is about all I seem to get done other than computer things, which are easier for me.

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I am relatively high functioning. I am still haunted by intrusive images but I have learned to ignore them. Having my girlfriend around really helps me because she is my “sounding board” to try whatever deluded ideas that hit me she erases them right off…Just work on getting your meds where they can help with the voices? work closely with your pdoc…you will get better, it just takes time…I know that’s easy to say. but I used to be a lot worse off years ago. Progress is possible, you just have to work for it.

I would say I’m high functioning in certain areas. Luckily I can work, drive, and live on my own and a few other things. I’ve had co-workers and even neighbors invite me out to coffee or other things but I have declined so I haven’t had a friend in more than a year and a half. I socialize with my family and a little at work and I’m in a weekly depression group and exchange small talk infrequently with neighbors but right now that’s the extent of my socializing. Hopefully that will change and I’ll meet someone to hang around. I still suffer from symptoms, mainly paranoia.

You need to find the right cocktail of meds, that and you have a different cluster of symptoms than I (and others) have. I have low negative symptoms and very strong positive symptoms. I’m assuming you know what that means.

I also have a really nice set of balls. They’ve gotten me in trouble but they are useful. I don’t give up on life easily at all.

I appear more high functioning than I really am on a forum like this because of my high verbal ability. However the reality is in real life I struggle with manual/practical tasks and organising/planning.

I think seeking out this site is by definition meaning that you at least have some insight, which I’d say is pretty key to high functioning. Pre-diagnosis I had no idea what was wrong with me, and had no control over anything. Now I understand the illness, I am always mindful about things and try not to put myself in situations where I am going to suffer more than needed. The only negative side is that I am really self conscious about my symptoms, and it bothers me quite a lot. However I don’t see SZ as something that’s separate that will go away. It’s a fundamental part of who I am and I have learnt to live with it. I was untreated for so long, as they thought my original psychosis was drug-induced, then they thought PTSD, so I have gotten used to dealing with it without the right help. I’d also echo what others have said, I can come across really well writing, as I have time to think about things more when doing it and read it through to make sure I am saying what I mean. My working memory is pretty terrible, so I don’t have the ability to speak like I do when I type. I almost never say what I need to and people are always completely misunderstanding some really simple things I try to say.

I’d also say that some are going through stable times, whilst yourself and others are having a hard time of it. I hope you find meds that will stop the voices for you. There are a lot out there and I hope they can find you something sooner rather than later. I found when I was like that staying in was not helping - I barely left the house for over a year. The best way I found to cope was to focus on other things as much as possible to distract myself from my own mind. It works well much of the time. Good luck to you and I hope you find solutions that will help you function better.

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mental disorder is relative to the individual, after spending 20 yrs avoiding ANY social contact I have a job that I go to everyday so I don’t know if im high or low functioning but im functioning and that’s what matters.

For most people it’s a combination of therapy and the right meds.

For me it’s called a lifetime of coping mechanisms I’ve developed, a whole team of positive voices that help me when I get overwhelmed, serious self-discipline (almost every little activity I do in my life causes me painful amounts of anxiety, it would be easier to just stop doing anything but I realize that is not beneficial to me so I PUSH myself, which causes me a great deal of pain but keeps me from succumbing to the anxiety) careful routine involving the same amount of sleep every night and exercise every day, therapy, a lot of love from family and friends, and an ability to spring back from anything and still maintain a positive attitude.

It’s a lot of factors in my case really. Maintaining functioning ability without medication is both unpleasant and highly exhausting. I put what minimal energy I have into my schoolwork and can’t really do much else. I hope to be on at least anti-anxiety meds soon.

I’ve been through several lengthy periods when my ability to focus sufficiently to do much more than the most basic ADLs was Just Not There. Usually, I’d come flying out of The Tank (on anti-depressant over-dosage) (I didn’t know any better) into mania or hypomania and be Able to Do Anything & Everything for a while… then… crash again.

I kept changing docs (and not always by choice) and meds. I finally wound up with a female, southern Asian med school grad who got me on a med that works – in conjunction with meditation and awareness-building – and doesn’t suck me under the waves in a fog of confusion.

Once I got up out of the worst of the bipolar / psychotic whipsaw, I got real serious about psychotherapy and plowed through workbook after workbook, as well as building up a library of both professional and high-q mass market books, as well as digging into several of the more “advanced” 12 Step programs (like ACA/DF and CoDA). I can still get thrown off the horse, but it’s rare now.

The single biggest thing I had to do was accept how much I’d bought into the “vocal victimhood,” see that it was all just a bunch of “mental noise,” no matter how real it sounded at the time, put the saddle back on my horse, get back on it, and ride.

One of my closer friends in CoDA is on a pile of meds for her psychotic issues, but she functions pretty well most of the time now because she, too, gets therapy (mostly DBT, which is great stuff), uses mindfulness meditation, and reads voraciously. A year and a half ago, I didn’t give her much of a chance. I was wrong.

the voices don’t have control over you…it is rubbish.
i know it feels that way…but is not the truth.
we are menatlly ill…the voices are a figment of your subconscious

try baby steps…

  1. open the front door…without going outside
  2. open the front door the next day and try one step outside.
  3. open the front door and eventually walk around the house just once.
    gradually build up to walking around the block etc…
    take care :alien:
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