Hello everyone , I have been seeing some of the symptoms that are present in the prodromal phase of schizophrenia in me and i’m starting to question my sanity because of this. I don’t believe that i have had any delusions or hallucinations up until now but every now and then i think that I’ve seen something at the corner of my eye (Could this be my mind playing tricks because i’m paranoid about becoming schizophrenic?) . My mood also varies greatly , as on one day i can feel good for most of the day but the next day i would just feel demotivated and sad for no reason . Whenever i don’t feel that i’m loved or approved of (feeling that my friends are against me or not supporting me) i tend to feel depressed.and demotivated .
Whenever i’m outside i sometimes feel like people are looking at me (I read that a symptom in the prodromal phase is the feeling that you’re being watched) but this could be because i’m not that social and i always have been kind of socially awkward. Some times when I’m speaking with others i speak really fast and sometimes i don’t speak clearly or i have to repeat what i said (But then again this could be because i’m not very confident) , is this considered a form of disorganized speech? I also have trouble focusing which i think is one of the causes why i occasionally don’t make sense when i’m trying to get a point through.
I’m also starting to get ringing in my ear every now and then (especially when it’s quiet around me) and i heard that tinnitus is one of the things many people reported having before they went into psychosis.
From what I’ve read online some of the things i’m experiencing match other conditions like OCD , bipolar disorder or major depression but for some reason i have a feeling that i’m becoming a schizophrenic.I’m not genetically predisposed to the disease since neither of my parents have the condition but i was bullied badly back when i was in high school so maybe this could be one of the reasons that this is happening to me . Sorry for the really long post , any advice on what i should do would be really appreciated!
Is get yourself to a psychiatric doctor. Chat with a pro. They can get you an antipsychotic at a low dose and you can see if it’ll help. Might at least give you comfort or peace.
Or you could change your life positively by eating clean excersising reading books and using apps to improve your concentration become part of a community group of like minded people talk to a therapist as sometimes letting it all out is all some people need to feel normal again .
Do that stuff first and if you still have symptoms THEN get medicated.
Hey man thanks for the response , what i actually forgot to mention is that in the summer when i went back to my home country I started going to the gym again , socializing and thinking positive i felt a lot better but when i went back to uni i think all the stress and studying made me feel much worse and started to get those symptoms back . Do you think if the symptoms i think i’m having go away or occur less frequently when i try to improve my life, i should be Ok? Thanks a lot for answering !
Dude at 19 not only are you dealing with new things in your life that can be overwhelming but you are also not fully emotionally, intellectually, or spiritually mature.
So its perfectly normal for you to have a period where your brain is kinda thrown off balance.
As long as you keep to a positive structered life you should make out great.
But if you start developing symptoms like irrational anger or depression as a result of everything being TOO overwhelming then you should definitely tell a doc as you may benefit from medication.
Im all for medication when its necessary but it seems a lot of people get on it when its not necessary and later they could regret it as they can be addictive.
Always talk to a professional if its too much for you because by virtue of them being professionals they will be the ones to properly assess your individual situation and it really does come down to you as a individual I mean a lot of people may be similar to you in circumstance but especially with medication it comes down to how your brain is dealing with your individual circumstance.
It can, some moodiness and so on is common in teenagers and young adults. That said, it’s also the time that you might be prodromal, so it’s sometimes a tough call. The question is, is it causing you to pull away from society more than usual and upsetting you or affecting your studies.
There might be some therapy resources at your uni. I know I would have saved myself a lot of grief, if I’d talked to someone from the counsellors at mine.
Above all when you think you are in a prodrome, don’t go it alone. The sooner you talk to someone, or go on medication if needed, the better outcome you are likely to have.
Hey thanks for responding , I think what i’m experiencing isn’t just moodiness it’s more like terrible mood swings , do you think what i have could be something like major depression or bipolar disorder , also do you have any knowledge about when people go into their first psychosis?
Hey thanks for the tip that’s actually what i was doing just before i started university again which is when things got worse for a while. Now i’m trying to get my life back on track.
I go against the grain with this issue especially here but for me personally anything short of voices I cant ignore and delusion that im seriously thinking about acting on I can temporarily alleviate with excersise and some activity like reading,video games, or visiting this forum basically anything that will take my mind away from the delusion.
But you seem to be really set on meds so you should definitely see a professional. I mean strangers in a forum are not the best to trust your mental well being with no matter how good their intentions.
As of yet I don’t think any of those symptoms are indicative of a psychotic disorder. Many people think they see things out of the corner of their eye when nervous, (and everyone experiences the phenomenon from time to time) in addition anyone with any amount of social anxiety will feel like everyone is looking at them when they’re out. You don’t necessarily have to have sz. Now if you believed those people were say, reading your mind or plotting to kill you, that would be problematic.
Tinnitus is also actually a fairly common issue with a large amount of the population and also not indicative of oncoming psychosis. Anyone who listens to loud music is susceptible to getting tinnitus pretty much.
However all of this is just my opinion. If you’re really concerned you should definitely go see a professional, they will let you know what’s what.
Terrible mood swings is EXACTLY what started it all for me.I started getting angry with my family for no rational reason like somebody talking louder than I felt comfortable with would throw me into a rage wher I was thinking violent thought.
Bipolar has severe mood swings with some symptoms of sz from what I understand.
There is also schizoaffective. Mix of sz with bipolar symptoms. Really diagnosis doesnt matter so much anymore. Its all about symptoms.
Cant speak for the others, but for me psychosis set in slow. I was delusional before I started to get symptoms. If you have a normal mindset about things then youll probably be alright. I was having symptoms here and there for a few months before things got really bad. I did the wrong thing and believed it was real the whole time. Dont ever be afraid of professional help or going to the hospital if you need to. These are things everyone should know. If you want to be mental healthy just keep trying to learn about the brain and how it is affected by lifestyle and diet. There are also forms of therapy to look into. This can help manage stress and mood changes and stuff alone.
We’re not professionals so really take out advice like its coming from a friend. You’re doing the best thing you can for yourself, you’re starting to pay attention. Keep learning. This site is a good resource and I’m sure there are others on the net.
Good luck man, be vigilant. Spread the word, people need to have an understanding of mental health. It will enrich your life.
And stay away from alcohol. Even if you aren’t predisposed to alcoholism through genetics it can get out of hand because it will temporarily alleviate the symptoms but I will prolly make them worse later in life.
Thats where im at now.The only time I feel kinda normal I when I have at least a six pack in me.Fter 20 yrs ive developed cirrhosis.
Hey , You said if i believed that people were reading my mind that would definitely be an issue , but what if i keep thinking about what others think about me too much or how they want me to act , is this just part of being a socially anxious person or could it be related to sz? Thanks!
That sounds normal, but Ill tell you that you should probably stop doing that and just be who you want to be. I used to be like that. It kind of subsides with age. People’s opinions can change. Its not really worth worrying about. Just work on being the best person you can. It might help to reduce any social anxiety you have. It sounds pretty common and normal.
that’s actually what i was doing just before i started university again which is when things got worse for a while. Now i’m trying to get my life back on track.