When I was younger and up until about a year ago(even though I still had sz/a) I wanted to go through medical school or some graduate program.
I could see myself as an oral surgeon or specialized Maxillofacial doctor of sorts. For some weird reason, I like that sorta stuff and have studied it. I do believe I can get into a college with a program just don’t know if sz/a will get in the way.
Same goes for engineering school. I just want to know if anyone knows someone who has done it. I feel sort of hit by reality realizing this.
Take care and thank you.
Quick update: what if the person is high functioning and has made it though a ton of testing and school with symptoms.
I don’t know about engineering. Can you imagine a car designed by someone who is has schizophrenia? It would probably look like a Batmobile with horns on the front and a vagaina for an exhaust.
Both are incredibly difficult even if you don’t have a mental illness. My biggest regret is that I didn’t get my engineering degree. Engineering is just difficult maths at the end of the day.
Edit : to answer your question, no I don’t think someone with sz/a could make it through engineering.
I will put that in my “to do” list. I have actually made some freaky stuff with pnuematics and capacitors. My favorite is the taser glove. It is tested to have the ability to knock a person to the ground. He was a volunteer I swear!
when I was first getting sick I was in engineering school. At first I coped but it go to be too much and I had to drop out four classes short of graduating.
In my opinion it would take a very exceptional person to do either of those two things. I think it would be out of the question for the majority of people with schizophrenia, but not impossible for a very few, select people.
I actually remember you telling us about the taser glove. I’m no good at making things out of nothing. I usually take problems and turn them on their head and form a solution. So maybe I’m just a manager.
Elyn saks wrote her autobiography called The Center Cannot Hold. She wrote about her experiences having schizophrenia and becoming a tenured professor at USC. It’s inspiring and motivating because it shows that it’s not impossible…
I was a high-functioning network engineer. The subject matter didn’t do me in, but the pressure of the position and the people issues did. Very possible you can become a doctor or engineer, but how well you survive it…
Don’t want to discourage you, but it is best to be aware of the issues you will be faced with.
here is the thing schizo tends to have remissions so you could try it and then when you are older you won’t say I wish I had tried it, when I could have…
I had my first big episode when I was about 21 (i never really knew the diagnosis thou. when I was 27 I started a career that I excelled at and did well but it came at me again at 45 yrs old and I have been on disability since. But i had those good years and I feel like I am approaching a time of good years again.
You never know what you might achieve if you try, take it slow a couple classes at a time.
I’m thinking of going back to school for environmental sciences. I have to upgrade my math a little and do physics and Chem . My mindset in terms of learning is much more mature than when I was in high school. So I think I’ll be more focused.
I’m 28 I don’t think it’s too late for me to go back. Got a lot of years ahead
I’m going to try. I’ve taken a ton of AP classes(they’re like college credit classes in HS) in physics,calc, chem etc and the ap scores should transfer. This way, I will not half to retake those classes and can start off with a lighter load and see how it goes.
I really want this. I will get it or die trying/working for it.
My understanding is that the hard thing about getting a lengthy college degree with severe mental illness is actually the $$$. If you have to pay for everything through student loans, you have to be able to keep up. The alternative is to go right into the work force, save up very slowly and pay for one class at a time out of pocket, but trying to juggle classes with a job while barely making ends meet is too much for most people, which is why it’s hard to get back into college once you have dropped out.
But if someone had more than enough money to pay their way through college and could go at their own pace (take classes when doing well, take breaks from college when not doing well), then I think most could make it, even if it took them longer than average. The problem is that the system is not set up to allow that approach unless you are rich.
Give me a second name. Well, actually John Nash wasn’t schizophrenic I think when he went to engineering school. That was earlier in his life than we know of him? But maybe that wouldn’t have made a difference. He was a genius I think.
I don’t know about engineering school. I know a little about medical school. It puts a lot of pressure on you in several ways, that intimidates normal people. In med school I know, there’s reading - numerous tomes - scientific stuff , journals to decipher, studying, memorizing all of your time. Demanding classes that push your limits to act on your own and with self confidence. Dealing with people - professors, Drs. other students, patients with whom you begin to hone your skills, their relatives. Working with little sleep. Hey- showing up the first day of class always throws me off with any school or even a class.
The one person I’ve come across here who I think maybe could make it through/ maybe already has is Brooke - shaka 3 I think is the name she goes by. I haven’t heard from her in a long time.
I have this weird thing with voices. They repeat what others say constantly. This includes…lecture or stressed facts. I used to hate this, but now I find it causes information (some that I wish I could forget) to get ingrained in my head. This has been beneficial for taking exams and performing well in classes. Sadly, it can drive me absolutely mad when it will not stop.
The other day, I literally heard the same, boring lecture about aggregate demand again with a different voice.
It can back fire though…I’m going to try it. I am.
