here in australia saying you have a mental illness like schizophrenia isnt really a big deal.well thats what i noticed…when i was around 8 years old i was seeing psychiatrists.one would send me to the other…i had this one psychiatrist who i hated with a passion…i never got to say my side of the story because my mum would be telling him everything on what she thought was wrong with me.he wasnt interested in what i had to say at all…i sat in silence or crying because he made me feel like an absolute piece of crap…remember i was 8…i have a great psychiatrist nowadays…going back to what i said about mental illness being more accepted…back when i was a child i felt so depressed and not "normal"i guess you can say i had a hard childhood…i even attempted suicide…BUT!! there is always light at the end of the tunnel and suicide is not the answer for anything…things do get better 
…before i was hospitalized when i was 18 i would have never let anyone know that ive seen psychiatrists…but as i opened up about my diagnosis people usually start opening up about theirs…it seems no one is "normal"anymore lol…everyone that i know or met has some sort of thing they are battling with mental illness.well this is australia…all us australians are pretty much bonkers lol,are you open with your diagnosis?i read somewhere that schizophrenics try to normalise or decrease stigma about talking about their illness to "normies"and that we do not realise how we are really being seen…but where i live mental illness seems to be everywhere…how did the person you were talking with take it
Living in the USA, I’m sure I’d get a lot of weird looks like no one can trust me or that I might snap and hurt everyone. As sad as it is, media has made us out to be like we’re completely lost and we have zero morality.
I can’t say if it’s getting better or not, I live in a place of the US that’s still slowly progressing to becoming better about such things but I still don’t feel safe.
Once at the gym before I knew about stigma when I was still in "I’m the messiah and I just came to terms with my diagnosis mode ". I say to this guy who was very understanding actually. Really loud "so…I’m a paranoid schizophrenic " and this other guy gave me the dirtiest look I have ever seen. The guy didn’t like me at first (the one who I told I was sz) but then he saw the stigma I faced and he actually gained a respect for me and realized how rough i had it based on the look I got when I said that… turns out later I found out that guy had been in a coma for a few weeks at one point. So I think he was humbled and we had struggles in common.
I find it really really hard to talk to people about my mental health disorders, even with my close family.
I only really talk to people about my mental health disorders on here, because I know you understand.
i have a mate called robbo who is a fellow schizophrenic and he says he is open about his diagnosis aswell…and people in society like the guy at the chemist or friends you have made tend to ask "how are you doing today?"and they talk to us like we are human beings…no filthy looks or stuff…i also have a mate who is definatley schizophrenic but doesnt take medication…he thinks he is a god…the true god…and that he will rule the world wearing a cape…and believe it or not he has had very normal intimate relationships with very sound mind intelligent beautiful women…australian women do seem to be very less judgemental…im not mr lady man or anything…but i know aussie girls are tops…
and im only open about my illness when the time is right
I’m so glad to hear that things have improved for you since then! I’m open about my diagnosis only with my family and very close friends. Other than that no, because other people don’t need to know because people can be ignorant. Also if I was public about it it could later end up hurting my job prospects so that’s an issue too. But same as you I hardly know anyone that isn’t struggling with something nowadays.
It depends, but I still don’t have a real diagnosis. None of their labels nicely fits me and once in a while they think of a new one to put on me. I’m too normally functioning inbetween psychotic episodes (especially without meds) and have too little deficit symptoms, they say, to be schizophrenic.
What story I tell depends on whom I am talking to. Friends and family know I have psychoses and trauma. Acquaintances, dates, my sons teacher, etcetera who somehow need to know something mostly hear from me that I have trauma… being “hurt” is less scary to talk about than being “crazy”. Some mums in the schoolyard think I have a “burn out”, which has even less stigma over here than trauma. I don’t want my son to be the boy with the crazy mum at school, but I have to explain sometimes why he doesn’t live with me.
thankyou anna, things are getting better,yes your right…when the time is right
sorry to hear this.i hope your psychoses heals and you start to feel better.
I keep it private outside my treatment team and one or two family members. I’m keenly aware of the stigma and have even known other schizophrenics who felt that way about others with the condition. So it’s not exclusive to normies.
I am not open about my diagnosis.
Only certain family members know.
There is way too much misinformation about any of the Schiz disorders.
I don’t need more stigmatization in my life.
Only my wife knows. Stigma stay away
its okay if alot of people want to not be open about it…i understand…im at a point in my life where i dont give a damn what some person who thinks they are "normal"make me feel less of a human being…no way…im open about it…of course i dont go around blurting it out…but ive been there…feeling inadequate…its okay
im open in a way when the time is right…when people want to know more about me
It’s not about “feeling inadequate.” It’s about dealing with other people’s ignorance and descrimination. Those of us who are capable of working would be excluded and woefully abused in the workplace/society. 