So here’s my idea, based on experience and contemplation:
Schizophrenia is a chemical disorder, largely (or entirely) based in an alteration of dopamine levels. The result of this chemical state is an amplification of underlying personality traits, both conscious and subconscious, resulting in symptoms which are exaggerated manifestations of these traits.
For example, delusions of grandeur are based on underlying arrogance- a person with absolutely no arrogance (if that’s possible) would not experience delusions of grandeur. Delusions of persecution/persecutory hallucinations are based on underlying fears and/or guilt. Erotomania is rooted in underlying lust and arrogance… and so on, I think you get the picture.
Basically, my idea is that the symptoms are not “out of the blue”, so to speak, but that they are based in one’s core character- which is why there are both common experiences (common traits) and very unique symptoms (more complex, unique traits and tendencies). I see schizophrenia as a form of “intoxication” or “being high” that can result in good or bad trips, based upon what character traits manifest themselves- much like the way in which when someone is drunk, depending on their preceding mental state, they either become more joyous, more depressed, etc. In that way, I don’t think SZ is all bad, I think it can bring out some good characteristics under certain circumstances, although much of it can be a bad trip.
So a chemical change that amplifies certain traits, rather than inducing random symptoms- that’s my idea.
In terms of treating SZ, in line with this theory, I would suggest that medication always be a part of one’s regiment (in order to stop the chemical exacerbation of negative traits), but also that one could reduce or alter the nature of certain symptoms through the systematic cultivation of character, so that even when one does have a dopaminergic “flare up”, the type/quality of symptoms is changed for the better (imagine going from critical voices to complimentary voices- there are still voices, but now they would only be positive).
Lol. Only you really know. However, I purposely said “conscious and subconscious” when describing the traits to account for the possibility that symptoms may be manifestations of traits we don’t realize we have or consciously acknowledge.
I should’ve included this in the last post, but it is interesting to note that until the 1960’s (I think), homosexuality was classed as a mental illness in itself in the DSM.
I’d hypothesize they follow about the same pattern. Scary hallucinations are manifestations of fears, voices of criticism perhaps guilt (and maybe fear too), complimentary hallucinatory people could be manifestations of pride (or self esteem), violent hallucinations manifestations of aggression… I suppose the way to analyze this would be to pick a specific symptom, find the theme involved (content wise or how it makes you feel), and then match the theme to a personality trait.
I think Schizophrenia is always severe but if your other genetics are good enough and if you don’t carry other genetic risks then you may have advantages and individuality benefits and nature-vs-nurture benefits and medication+health-supplements+nootropics that may make you feel as if you don’t have severe disorder.
Yes, Schizophrenia is always severe.
After using nootropics my cognition improved.
These five nootropics improve cognition
Semax
Sunifram+Unifram
Fasoracetam+coluracetam [ These five are the big five in cognition or permanent base line brain upgrade factor ]
I only used Fasoracetam+coluracetam+noopept.
Schizophrenia is severe and it is amplified when we have other problems mentioned in this post.
I think I understand what you mean and I definitely think there is a truth in this. I feel it’s not only personality traits, but also experiences that are amplified.
Before being diagnosed with PTSD and psychotic disorder NOS I was a really happy person with a good life. I did have some euphoric states sometimes, where I felt really connected and had some spiritual experiences. I think this is connected to a sensitivity for psychosis, but it expressed itself in a positive and good way.
Then I went through trauma and medication withdrawal and developped psychoses. The fears and guilt and delusions in my psychoses were not random… they were amplified and metaphorical expressions of what was really going on.
Some examples of “traits” that showed itself in the extreme in my psychosis:
I have always been perfectionistic and afraid of failure. During my psychoses I experienced extreme religious guilt about past mistakes, feeling like the worst person in the world. I think that’s something that has always been in my personality, but in a milder way.
I have always been a gentle and slightly insecure person. In my deeper psychoses I am never angry or agressive or overly confident…more the opposite.
Some examples of “experiences” that showed itself in the extreme in my psychosis:
I felt great fear of my psychopathic ex-partner and him traumatizing or harming my son. I felt I couldn’t escape and couldn’t protect myself and my son. In my psychosis I was super
scared that the devil was coming after me and my son and I couldn’t protect the both of us. It’s just a metaphorical expression of what was real.
My ex was continuously scaring me of certain foods, telling me this was bad for my son and that we shouldn’t eat and this was toxic. In my psychosis I always refuse to eat and drink, because I am scared it is bad for me or toxic or from the devil.
I think what you are saying really makes sense, and psychiatrists should have more atttention for it.
Thank you for your very insightful response! I will integrate the idea of experiences being amplified, and especially the idea of some of these symptoms being metaphorical, symbolic expressions of real things. I think there’s much to be said about the symbolism underlying many symptoms in schizophrenia.
I had already put some thought into this ideia that it amplifies underlying stuff… I mean, the psychosis don’t come out of the blue, they feed out of something, I don’t think the delusions, hallucinations and such arise from some neurons in quarantine. This thing breeds in our core perceptions.
I think I read somewhere that this psychosis biz was like an access to the subconscious, where the forces that move us pull the strings, behind the eyes of the “regular person” and traumatically present in a schizophrenic mind. Subconscious being here the word for “all the stuff that goes in our minds without us noticing, the meta of our thoughts”. Don’t really know the validity of this.
I’ve read something similar, that essentially schizophrenia was an emergence of the subconscious mind into one’s awareness. I used to think sometimes that my SZ was due to practicing lucid dreaming too much- that because I had ventured into the subconscious with attention, it was emerging into my conscious mind. Thanks for your input.
I think something like this can be helpful to interpret psychosic symptoms like this, to sort out some coherent story about their meaning. Some people feel like this is needed to find closure or something like that - others are all too happy to discard everything as noise and move on. Both are fine strategies I suppose, depending on what troubles you.
I do think it is worth to pay attention to some perhaps easily overlooked aspects of the experiences you are interpreting. Like you say, contents of hallucinations and perhaps thought insertions too - these can be thought of as relating to the subconscious. But that’s not the whole story it seems to me.
Let me take my own thought insertions as an example, these were all very extreme on taboo topics: indeed, sexuality, violence, etc. Now some may propose interpreting these thought insertions as expressions of unresolved conflict, or perhaps even the surfacing of my ‘true’ subconscious personality. I would say such an interpretation sorely fails to capture what is special about thought insertion: such inserted thoughts present themselves as alien as not mine. Taking seriously the form of such experiences may lead one to an entirely different interpretation of them. It is a much more comforting interpretation to me to see these intrusive thoughts as underscoring the person I always took myself to be, rather than it turning out (if taking my intrusive thoughts at face value) that I am in almost every significant aspect of identity completely the opposite of how I always thought about myself, and acted too, for that matter. Thus yes, thought contents come to mind, and they are explicit and extreme, which is scary, but they do present themselves as alien. I see it now as compulsive reflection on the kind of person I take myself to be.
To be honest, I don’t agree. None of my delusions or hallucinations had anything really to do with my personality or character.
Also, if this was the case, wouldn’t the thousands of intellectuals and psychiatrists in the world have come up with this? It’s kind of the first thing friends ask me, like why did you think you were god? And why do you think you were abducted by aliens?
Freudian and Jungian subscribers would have asked this question a million times.
I’m not picking on your idea, just stating that it’s almost too obvious an answer and that many would have entertained the same thought.
That idea of yours is based on the premisse that delusions are based on negative traits of a personality, and that is a very descriminatory thing to say.
Arrogance comes from insecurity, I never met a person who doesn’t have insecurities. If you had said insecurities it would make some sense, arrogance is not a trait, it’s a consequence.
Guilt behind paranoia I don’t get, can you explain?
My brother once said to me, “Mental illness doesn’t change who I am, it just makes my true self harder to hide.” I think there is some truth to this, but I don’t agree that the symptoms come from negative personality traits. It has been proven that schizophrenia presents in different ways throughout the world. In eastern countries, patients report being spiritually connected, and guided by spirits. Paranoia is very uncommon there. In western countries, you’ll see more delusions about gang stalking, or being hunted by the government.
I think it is not our inner personalities that shape our symptoms, but our experiences. For example, I never used to have sexually violent intrusive thoughts until I was sexually assaulted. My voices were very friendly until I got my head bashed into a brick wall, and then they turned violent too. Now that I am starting to heal from my traumas, those symptoms are going away, and my friendly voices are returning.
I do think that the way we respond to our symptoms shows our true personalities. My brother has schizophrenia too, and his response has been to buy a house in the woods and fortify it to use as a stronghold in the upcoming war he thinks we are going to have. He is a warrior type, with violent tendencies. When I was psychotic, my response was to buy a burner phone, microwave my license plates (to destroy the tracking device inside), and wander the country. I am more of a runner, and I could never really hurt someone, even in self-defense.
