Are you taking the secret of having sz and being on a med to the grave?

Are you? A part of me wants to be more honest like its nothing

I wish we could be more honest. I don’t like not telling people and it doesn’t make things easier. However you must think, there may be a 50/50 split of people who will be more accommodating, or will think you’re useless and incapable and not give you a chance. Unfortunately that example is blunt, but the world is full of people who don’t understand, and watch and read news that always uses SZ almost like a justification for why someone did something bad.

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Perhaps I feel comfortable just telling people what I take rather than explicitly say I have sz

Maybe I’ll just keep my mouth shut

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I only say something depending on the person. If I am comfortable with them and I have an idea how they might react then I will say something. I came across quite negatively there, sorry about that.

My Psychiatrist warned me not to tell anyone about Sz.

Ignore that. So far, I have told all my friends, my family and my employer. I posted it on Facebook to get it out in the open and to explain why I’d been so quiet recently. I also talked about the stigma attached to it, just to prove it was false.

I got a very positive response. People have since been telling me (in person) that it was a very brave and mature thing to do. Only one person was negative, but it shows they are not worth caring about.

Writing a short update every six months and posting it online has actually played a very important role in my recovery story. It makes me feel like people are backing me up. It makes you stronger.

Its all about how you sell it. Always explain it in a neutral way, don’t be too emotional. Unfortunately, that can appear self-centred.

Also, if people know you, they will see you for who you are and not your illness. I probably wouldn’t go around telling people at work though, unless they open up to you about something related… I recently found out someone at work was bipolar and we bonded.

I live in Britain, mental illness stigma is still strong here, but getting better… From what I have heard it may be worse in the US (due to Hollywood etc). But to be honest, the sooner we all make it clear that this is an illness just like any other, and the stereotypes are challenged, the easier our lives will become.

I was terrified of telling people, but actually its worked out for the better.

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I don’t want to keep it a secret from whoever I marry (if I ever marry…) in the future. I can’t be with someone seriously and hide such a huge part of my life from them.

The only issue is finding someone who’s willing to be with me despite it all :cold_sweat:

Everyone else can be left in the dark. Would be better that way.

I’ll hide it as long as I can.

I know that I don’t have the strong type of personality that can handle telling everyone. I hate to be challenged on things, and I don’t have the quickness of mind to fight back usually. All of it slows me down a bit.

Maybe I’ll share with more people once I go back to school. I’ll be able to show that I’m doing something that only a stable person could do.

Don’t ever feel down on yourself because of this diagnosis. Welcome to the road less traveled. You are already stronger than most people.

It’s pretty obvious with me. I appreciate the people I meet on the sidewalk who smile at me, whether it’s because I’m schizo or not.

I understand the need to be careful, but I end up blabbing it. My family… my girlfriend… my boss… my school… they all know.

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I used to think it was some big hidden secret.
But then when I used to admit it, to explain my behavior at times, I think normals don’t care.

They don’t want to hear excuses.
So I don’t tell them. Its a secret that rarely helps, unless you’re going for disability.

So you have a choice. Blend in with normals, or embrace sz.
I go for the route of denial when I can.

I try to keep it a secret until there is a hospitalization.
With a long run employers usually give you a pass.
Then its best they just forget all about it and never bring it up again.

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