Can schizophrenics aim high in life?

Well you’ve heard of the 1/3rd rule haven’t you where 1 out of 3 make it, 1 out of 3 don’t, and 1 out of 3 are somewhere in between? Of course if your illness is too severe for you to be a Fortune 500 CEO you can be the best janitor out there. But if you can’t achieve a damn thing don’t hang your head. You are up against significant odds.

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I voted yes.

A schizophrenic can aim high and succeed indeed.

But not for me.
My symptoms are as they are.

I get overwhelmed by things like someone scraped their keys on my car and I can’t talk to insurance because I don’t understand their jargon so family has to do it for me.

I can’t work in aged care cause I’m socially awkward and my body twitches uncomfortably sometimes when I try to work it’s so I can’t stand it it feels so awful.

I am realistic and understanding with my self.

I am on the pension.

I am bad at driving and can only drive to easy places.

I do a little volunteer work but do t know if I can continue because of the power crazed pregnant woman and the man who makes me wait so my body twitches while I’m waiting and I don’t want to be made waiting like that when it makes me feel so bad.

Many schizophrenics have succeeded but it’s different for the individuals and success can be taking a shower and going for a walk for someone…

I aim little realistic goals I think.

I don’t aim to high because I tried my best and couldn’t do it.

My mum thinks I don’t aim high enough and she thinks I can do things I can’t do but she also denies I have schizophrenia.

I live doing pretty simple activities and like it that way.

I do have goals but they are not aimed so high.

I even believe I can find n have a partner and friends.:open_mouth::stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

I have certificate three in aged care but can’t work with it unfortunately.
I really wanted to but I couldn’t do it.

I have no academic goals now.
Possibly a short simple cheap course online without real grades just to learn a bit in my own pace.

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If you read the book and not watch the movie John Nash’s achievements happened before he got sick. I’m glad Elyn spoke up and gave us a real hero.

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Other than raising my kids right, I don’t believe I will succeed at anything else in life.
I do believe others will.

Some janitors/custodians make good money. I thought about it before. Perfect work. Depends where and what kind of benefits and stuff. Gotta find a good company.

Maybe just focus on finding someone awesome?

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I believe that if you pay the effort of getting what you want, you get it some day.

I was a high school drop out. Even after searching for other high schools to accept me, none of them did because I was not a local in where I live and because of other circumstances.

I started to work part time for a few years. I was also unlucky to find an employer who didn’t give me any benefits a normal worker should get and even refused to pay me my salary. I brought this up to a government labour department and finally got my salary. After switching job, I was isolated and bullied by co-workers at work but I continued to work there for two years because I needed to pay for night school to get my high school degree. Things have gotten better after I switched to another job again, without the bullies. I finally got my high school degree, but I will take the examination again to get better grades next year, which means one more year of part time work and night school life. I do aim at getting at least a higher diploma. If I can get my grades passing the university requirement, I plan to work full time for some years to save money and study it when I’m older. Talking about like mid-30s to 40. I believe it’s never late to want to be educated.

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Like you said, it’s a cushy job if you find the right company.
I certainly found the right company; I’ve been working for my current company for three years and before they took over, I was with my old company for two years at this site. I posted more than usual about my job lately. I’ll just list the basic advantages.

Great hours: 10:00 am–4:00 pm.

The company hires disabled people and veterans so they know my diagnosis so I don’t have to have extra stress trying to hide it.

Good pay (considering what we do on a typical day, nothing too physical) The city I work in raised it’s minimum wage up to $15.65 and hour. I always feel guilty on paydays because it feels like they’re overpaying us.

I work alone for the majority of the day. I get there in the morning and my boss gives me a task and then I’m off on my own most of the day. I mingle with office workers but no big social situations, it’s just telling jokes and making silly comments.

When my supervisor is in a good mood she gives us extra 15 minute breaks.

My co-workers piss me off sometimes but they’re OK people and I piss them off sometimes too.

I get paid vacation and paid sick leave. We also get occasional mental health days as long as we don’t abuse the privilege.

I get to eat lunch alone in my car when I feel like it.

I’m on my feet all day but I prefer that to doing desk work.

We have paid holiday’s off.

Etc.

I’m not saying anyone can find a job like this, I just got lucky and stumbled onto it. But I’ve done janitorial work many years ago at department stores and they are pretty similar.

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Well, when it comes to jobs, realistically, there are many jobs that we honestly can’t do. I know reality isn’t our strong point but even though Elyn Sachs is a lawyer, 90% of us couldn’t do that. There are obvious jobs we could never do. We will never be surgeons, I doubt there are many professional athletes who are schizophrenic. We won’t be cops or heads of large companies. Having goals is all well and good but as Clint Eastwood said in “The Outlaw Josie Wales” : “A man has got to know his limitations”.

Everybody would love to hear about some schizophrenics getting professional jobs but the reality is that for most of us, we work unskilled jobs (with exceptions). We can still be proud of our jobs and work hard and get satisfaction for a job well done.

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My mum knows a surgeon who was schizophrenic in his youth

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Oh, I remember my pdoc talked to me about a woman who was diagnosed with sza and now she’s a psychiatrist. As I said, many successful people keep their diagnoses to themselves.

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a lotto win would be nice

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No one is the same as such we all have our own problems and get better to different levels. Many people with sz are famous and it’s in my opinion because their brains work differently from the normies our brains are so different and so amazing and a lot of us have special talents.

I think people with sz can aim high. You just ha e to be smart about it and very on top of your symptoms. Honestly though there is a sz spectrum and some people won’t be able to do much

I make sza look cool

A mistake that I see a lot is people trying to improve on their weaknesses. You don’t want to be good at a lot of things, you want to be great at one thing. Play to your strengths.

Not being college material (high school graduate or high school dropout) doesn’t mean you can’t make a lot of money. Go to Walmart and buy a few buckets, sponges, car soap, car wax and chamois (clothes to dry cars).

Knock on doors. Ask homeowners if they would like you to wash their car. Tell them it’s free, but if they want they can pay you based on how good of a job you do.

You’ll get customers, some will be repeat customers. Buy some fancy business cards. Save your money and buy a used pickup truck. Spend money on detailing the truck. After a while you can hire someone to help you meet demand. A website after that.

You will have to work your ass off. You will have to be the best car washer. No job is finished until the customer is happy.

This is an example of how it doesn’t take a lot of money ($200-$300) to possibly make a lot of money even if you’re not college material.

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That’s my brother essentially. He’s an entrepreneur with drive. In his circle of friends, he’s above average. He has good friends.

I’m more a jack of all trades, master of none. I cannot seem to make it in life repeatedly due to schizophrenia and psychosis. Maybe someday.

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Polite disagreement. I wasn’t good at public speaking and I had a tremendous fear of it. I’ve pushed hard in this area and now I do well speaking and presenting. The ability to communicate well is important for professional advancement.

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I voted Yes because automation and AI will hopefully usher in a new era of peace, prosperity, and redundancy for the human being. With AI’s help and guidance, anyone can conceivably accomplish whatever they want and satisfy whatever they need.

In the meantime, we should read and educate ourselves as much as we want and to be on guard for abuses of AI and counter measures should they be needed if possible.

Life goals, I’ve already accomplished so much before my illness was diagnosed… but I have much more to try to do :smiley:

Yeah, but can she empty wastebaskets and vacuum as good as me?