It’s funny though, if you take enough clozapine you most definantly will not appear normal anymore.
At which point he will give you all of the clozapine you want.
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I appear normal until I get angry, hungry, or talk.
Sometime though, it’s when I’m quiet you gotta look out.
I appear normal to myself, on the outside at least. However, from the way I am constantly looking around at other people, it must be obvious to anyone that something is wrong.
I appear fairly normal when I’m on meds. But my social skills are very poor since I became unwell, I can’t read facial expressions and I don’t make eye contact, I can’t read sarcasm or emotion in voices in fact I just think everyone talks to me very angrily so I may appear fearful or hesitant or just smile awkwardly. I can talk very matter of factly about my illness which like you has a negative impact and because meds only work temporarily I get feared I’m labeled as faking it.
I’m glad you are getting a second opinion. Keep fighting for what you want.
What the heezie is normal anyway? I’ve learned to be a good faker, taking numerous ‘normie’ jobs. I feel like a con man when it comes to work hiding the fact that I am not normal by any stretch. I’ve learned to adapt.
I went to a private psychiatrist once. He told me I appear too normal to have schizophrenia and then proceeded to diagnose me with schizoaffective which I thought was schizophrenia with bipolar but apparently it is NOT the same as schizophrenia. But my NHS pdoc disagreed and indeed it is paranoid schizophrenia. Yes I appear normal. You wouldn’t guess. I haven’t had symptoms in 4 years since my initial episode so I haven’t had it long.
In fact at work I was talking to my colleague who was talking about our other colleague calling her mad but he doesn’t have a clue what mad even means. I sit right opposite him for 37.5 hours a week and he still doesn’t know. I don’t plan to tell him either.
Yeah man, I appear extremely normal, I dont seem to fit the stereotype or the stigma in peoples minds;
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I don’t know if I appear normal. I have two arms, two legs and my nose is in the mid of my face. I’m pretty tall and gangly so I know people will give me a look when I walk into a room They start at my feet and their eyes move up to the top of my head. all 6’ 3.5" of me. Plus I look like a burnt out surfer. Long hair and a passive look on my face.
So when I do talk and seem a bit odd… people probably think… “Oh… it’s a surfer… poor guy”
I suspect that the typical person who is here using the forums is on the high end of the functionality scale (or what you have called “appearing normal”.
If you look at the broad array of people around the world who have schizophrenia - most are probably not ( I suspect) using computers and resolving problems in discussions forums like people here are doing. So - just be careful when you think that the forum participants might be representative of the rest of the world in terms of people who have schizophrenia.
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So true.
I’ve seen so many people call themselves “low functioning” on the Internet. Low functioning schizophrenics aren’t on the Internet. If you’re capable of using a computer and accessing a forum or chat then you aren’t low functioning.
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I go to a psychiatrist that is specially trained in psychosis. It took a year before I was diagnosed and I appear to be very normal. I have a very thick mask that I wear. I guess I’ve adapted to be able to hide my mental state after I was very openly psychotic and got shut out from all of my friends. I think you need to find a better pdoc!! Guy sounds ignorant and hopefully the proffesor has better judgement.
I always find it strange when people say they wear a mask that let’s them hide their mental illness. Being mentally ill doesn’t mean you just think differently, it means that you think differently in such a way that it disrupts your behavior and life. If you can act normally, are you really mentally ill?
I’m not talking about anyone in particular and I’m not saying anyone here is not mentally ill.
I’m not schizophrenic but i don’t think i appear normal. I am sure i exhibit odd mannerisms that people pick up on. Sometimes i see people smirking,laughing, and i feel like it’s directed at me.
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yes i appear normal unless i’ve lost it completely then i’m just a jibbering wreck but that hasn;t happened for about 3 years now. i had a mini episode of erotomania lead by voices last year that made me smile a lot but it only lasted about 10 weeks and then the voices wereback to their usual evil selves. or if im on ahigh dose of meds i appear zombie like or a bit flat in my personality but for the most part i appear normal i guess.
One of my closest colleagues when I used to work described me as “In his own little world.” I appear as anything but normal to people, though I don’t think I appear MI. For years, people kept telling me things like “You know, weed is bad for you.” Despite the fact that I’ve never smoked weed in my life, I seem to have the working memory and mannerisms of a stoner.
As far as a social ‘mask’ goes, I try to hide things to fit in, but over time it fails for the most part. I know not to tell ppl about the cameras and other discoveries etc… I know people would think I’m crazy if I tell them. I guess that’s called social insight or something.
Either way the best way to appear ‘normal’ is to keep as quiet as possible and only leave the apartment when I absolutely have to.
I’m normal looking I suppose. I don’t have any outward signs of schizophrenia that I know of for a long time now. BuT, ive been called a little off (which I think is mean) more than once.
I have a feeling the same goes for the guys and galls in my SZ group as well. The people who get out of their homes and drive to the library where the group is held, and take a breath and face the room of 7-10 people are probably not representative either. That is an eye opening perception that I have taken for granted.
No. I have had people tell me I have bulging eyes like Adam Lanza.
In the old days when meds didn’t work very well that was usually true. But this is year 2013 and your Dr. is an idiot. Or maybe he was trying to save New Zealand money. Or lots of people have voices due to stress and just need a good nights sleep. You should tell him about the conversations you have with the voices and how long they have been going on.
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