Do you tell people you have schizophrenia?

DX'd - Other
1

Do you tell people you have schizophrenia? I told my parents, brother, sister and kids after I was newly diagnosed (November 2020). Of course, my husband picked me up from the hospital and I told him right away. I went to the hospital for a diagnosis because I had been hearing voices for six years and my symptoms were getting worse. I was too paranoid to make an appointment with a psychiatrist and wait two weeks or more for an appointment. I had to go be diagnosed as soon as I felt brave enough to go tell tell a professional. So, I went to the hospital. I had my husband drive me.

Anyway, I asked my husband if I should tell friends. He said no. I think I would be judged. While I have friends, I don’t have close friends or lifelong friends that someone would normally disclose sensitive information to. So, it feels like a big secret I’m keeping. My primary care doctor said it’s like anything else. You take a medication for it. Like, no big deal. I guess I’m afraid if people knew I had schizophrenia they would reject me/judge me/gossip about me/anything I did would be subject to “it must be her schizophrenia,” etc.

So, who have you told?

5 Likes
2

Only a my nuclear and immediate family know I have schizophrenia. I do not have any friends of any type whether those friends be close, distant or acquaintances. I suspect some of my co-workers know as well as my superiors but that is an assumption.

2 Likes
3

Basically everyone in my personal life knows.

1 Like
4

I’m very open about it. I was worried at first, but then i realized that stigma has to be changed somewhere by someone.

People are always shocked when they learn I am schizo. They’re always always like “You seem normal. I never would have guessed” and I’m always saying"I AM normal. Spicy normal. "

10 Likes
5

My friends and family know except for some distant family and old friends that I rarely see. They don’t mind I have sz. Some of them don’t believe I have sz as they never saw me during psychosis.

2 Likes
6

Two formerly close friends were present while I was psychotic and no longer speak to me. I am afraid to tell people and face further stigma. My mother and brother know.

3 Likes
7

I don’t really tell anyone. But family obviously knows. Of course the first six years I didn’t think I was sick. So it kind of snuck up on me.

2 Likes
8

My best friend visited me in mental hospital but later I stopped my meds and got in a fight with him because he told me I need to get back on my meds. I stopped talking to him since then but I made a new best friend later when I got back on meds again.

2 Likes
9

Glad you were able to make a newer friend who accepts you :blue_heart: We were friends for 10+ years, I’ve been very depressed over it. Hope to make better friends in the future too.

2 Likes
10

Almost everyone I know in real life knows I have it, I’m pretty open about it. I put it in my Bumble profile and still ended up meeting 4 people that don’t care.

I recently removed it from my Bumble profile because people recommended I should. I’ve met another woman since then, we went out for dinner on Saturday, we had a great time and agreed to go out again. She has no clue, I’m going to tell her eventually, I have no idea what her reaction will be. It’s a bit of an experiment, I want her to get to know the real me, then maybe she’ll see past the label. If not I’m used to rejection because if it. Nobody knows I have it unless I tell them but I usually tell people because I have an open personality and dont give a f*ck if people judge me because of it. That philosophy had led to me having people in my life that I know accept me, even with a schizophrenia diagnosis, and I don’t have to worry about what they might think or do or say if they found out.

The only people I haven’t told is my employer. I don’t want special treatment or to be treated differently at work.

4 Likes
11

Good luck with the date @Headspark

1 Like
12

Same for me when I used to work. I never told anyone at work that I have sz. I think its a bad idea.

2 Likes
13

I have told practically everyone, though I don’t know that many people.

2 Likes
14

Ive never told anyone except medical, everyone else found out the hard way.

2 Likes
15

I just made a story post on instagram about it. So 38 people may now know.

2 Likes
16

I’ve been making more friends lately who I tell about my dx and therefore been feeling more confident to share with more people

2 Likes
17

I don’t generally bring it up in conversation like with the neighbors or anything, but everyone in my family knows, as well as a few people who are not family.

Also, I occasionally wear my “F___ schizphrenia” shirt about town and on dog walks and such, so it might be a giveaway :stuck_out_tongue: .

5 Likes
18

everyone I know knows…I even wrote a book about it haha

1 Like
19

Yes but it’s a bad idea due to scam mentality

20

I’m selective about it, but I tell people when I think it will help with stigma or when I feel that non-disclosure would be unethical. My employer knows about it as I disclosed during the job interview. Got the job anyhow.

2 Likes