I was only using him as a set up to a joke. A second name could be me though. Also a friend of mine has Disassociative Identity Disorder (DID) and she is almost done with her schooling, though she has failed a lot, but she’s still almost there. She is one of those people who are so sick that people detest being around her. Poor girl, but at least she has goals for herself and trying to get out of the gutter. I’m proud of her.
A woman named Eleanor longden she’s schizophrenic and she did a Ted Talk in 2013 about her experience and I think she became either a psychiatrist or psychologist but she did get her Ph.D. I also believe john Nash’s youngest son got his Ph.D as well and he’s schizophrenic.
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I think I’ve seen her Ted talks.
No one can tell if you’ll have an episode due to stress, or if you’ll be able to practice at all. Only by doing it you’ll know.
I think the pros are that you can do it, it’s not impossible, if you take it one day at a time and study everyday. If you like the subjects its easier.
The cons are that if you do pursue and like jimbob you become stuck in the end it’s a lot of time and money down the drain. Plus, those are extremelly stressful careers you’re thinking of and only you know how well you deal with stress.
I would put your mental health first, your ideals second.
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If you enjoy studying it can be a good occupation to lift your spirits as well… My own experiences with studying are that it is of great benefit for my mental health. Especially taking classes.
First and foremost, obviously, you will be spending time learning what you find interesting, and this is rewarding in itself.
Second, at set times you will have exams, naturally, and while these can be stressful, they are also opportunites to do well and feel good about yourself. That feeling of having passsed an exam you studied hard for, that will keep you going for a couple of weeks no matter what comes your way. We will not feel good about achieving goals if we avoid challenges and do not set ourselves goals to begin with.
Thirdly, there’s almost automatic social interaction with other students, or at least it lowers the bar to interact with others significantly cause they’re sitting just next to you already. Besides plain fun, I see frequent social interaction as a sort of maintenance treatment for my mental health. I have an inclination to isolate, and this doesn’t do me much good, so in this sense taking classes has been greatly beneficial for my mood.
Fourth, for me the routine of studying spills over into other areas of my life. That is to say, for all kinds of reasons I would just go to class and do what was expected from me, and this gave me energy an motivation when I came home to do other chores as well. Also, if I am expected to show up at class at 9 in the morning, I will automatically take a shower, brush my teeth etc. If I have nothing to do I neglect things like that quite easily for days in a row.
That said, I am dealing with negative symptoms only, and am not very prone to (positive) stress of the kind that occurs with many expectations/impulses etc. Many of us are prone to such kind of stress and may have their positive symptoms flare up when experiencing it. In the above I tried to highlight how studying in general positively affected my mental health, but I can see how there is a tradeoff if you are prone to such stress. So that may be a first thing to assess about yourself.
I am not too familiar with the particular degrees you are interested in, but I don’t see these particular degrees posing particular problems for a SZ/A that others do not. Medical school might be a bit heavy on memorizing stuff…
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I even know one young woman, psychiatrist, who diagnosed with schizophrenia, in Russia. (But she was diagnosed after receiving your education.) Also I know a girl who graduated from medical institute and became a psychiatrist-narcologist, in Belarus, and she received her medical specialty after she was diagnosed.
Sharp, do not be discouraged. Good luck! 
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I read a book by Carol North, who became a psychiatrist after diagnosed. But she never writes anything about negative symptoms and cognitive symptoms. She seems to have no problems in memorizing things.
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I have to disagree in this. I made it through both a Bsc and Msc in theoretical physics and currently studying for an Msc in software engineering.
Students with disabilities also receive help from the government. That’s how it works in England at least. Extra time in exams. More lenient deadlines if needed, just to name a couple.
So, bottom line, believe in it and love what you are doing and you can achieve it.
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Yes its possible @Sharp - You can do it - maybe with some Accomodations if necessary, but it is possible.
Do not allow schizophrenia to get in the way of your dreams!
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As Elyn Saks sayd: “…I think there are a lot of myths about schizophrenia. What I most wish the public knew is that, at bottom, we are really just like you: we want, in the words of Sigmund Freud, “to love and to work.” There are myths out there that we can’t do this, but they are just that: myths. Mental health professionals should stop immediately telling patient to drastically lower their expectations.”
(Diary of a High-Functioning Person with Schizophrenia - «Scientific American», Dec. 29, 2009)
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Never mind what I said about stress. You can do it, I’m sure you can. And if you can’t at least you tried.
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People have done that. It would be a challenge for anyone, but as long as your symptoms are under control I know you can do it.
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Why not? Don’t die wondering. If it gets too much, at least you gave it a shot.
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I think it’s definitely doable, but that – depending on one’s illness – there are pressures faced by SZs that neurotypicals won’t have to cope with. Also a bit of a bugger to invest seven years and how many $$$ into an education only to discover that the job itself makes you ill despite having passed your schooling with honours.
I guess what I’m saying is to go into it with eyes wide open. Not meaning to be a downer.
Pixel.
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Hey @Sharp. As you know I spent some time at med school but eventually dropped out.
But a thing to remember was I had been suffering from psychosis UNTREATED for three years before I left. This was too much for me at that time. I have now found good meds and if I had the opportunity I think I would be able to do a lot better at the course.
I left mainly due to running out of funds.
I have no doubt that someone suffering from sz/a/psychosis could complete a med degree given the right meds and support.
I wish you all the best for your academic career.
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A friend of mine from high school also has sz and he is in medical school right now. I bet you could make it too!
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Hello!hw r u?i hope well…I was in my final year of medical school too, I couldn’t cope because of my cognitive impairment. I had to defer the session 3 times before finally changing course. I’m still trying to stabilize and I’m doing better on a higher dose of Abilify. I just hope I can cope n finish school. I hope you feel better too
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Depends on your mindset. If you’re ready to do anything to achieve your goals I could see this being a possibility. I am currently following a Game Design course and I’m in my second semester. I have thoughts of dropping out but I know from past experience that I will deeply regret it down the road. My main issue at school is concerning group projects. I am paired with slackers and there’s some difficulties agreeing on how to do things, I wish I could just do my own homework and be done with it, I have a habit of doing everything early on to avoid being overloaded with tasks.
That’s one thing I would change about my course, no more group projects. Although my grades are okay I often have feelings of “what’s the point” and “I’ll never be able to finish”. And then you have to find a job or in my case build your own company and project. It just seems daunting. At the same time I’m telling myself that if I attend every day and do not give up there’s little chance of me failing, we’ll see how it goes. And if you don’t try, you’ll never know.
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Everyone is different - but if you can do it at your own pace and not get too stressed about things - then yes, I think so.
The important thing would be to have a therapist and doctor that can work with you and help you keep you stress levels low.
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Hi, yeah it is in my interest to promote education and work. I need to work, to learn, to share and apply what I learn, and even generate my own science to feel happy.
That being said, Saks is right about her notion to Freud. I like Freud and Saks. I do think we need to love and work. I recently had a change of plans, I am pursuing a Psy D, a practitioner doctorate in clinical psychology, instead of a PhD, a researcher degree in psychology. I have been accepted and I said yes immediately. I will be receiving the department award for science in psychology this semester for having the highest GPA in my graduating psychology class. I am also very into martial arts and fitness, and I am in formal training as well as exercising on my own.
This may sound like “what the hell mouse is a smartass fighter he doesn’t count” well there are plenty of smart people with what we have. We deserve to be incorporated into society. I fit in as a scholar-practitioner and I do some research, a scientist on the side. I also fit in the classes of martial arts. In fact, I am really good at them. I’m 22 and male and am in very good shape. This is because I am inclined towards psychology and also physical activities. It’s just my cup of tea, yo. Sort of like how I like goth/emo/dark girls, it’s just my cup of tea. Sort of how I myself usually wear all black and maybe a Jack Skellington hat. It’s just me.
You be you. If you want to become a professional, if you want to go to school, if you want to dig ditches, if you want to be an accountant, go do what you want to do, as long as it’s legal and if you do hurt people, make sure they signed up to get hurt. Like boxing or something.
I myself embraced academia a long time ago. I ran into naysayers. Let them say “dammit” when you do what you dreamt of doing.
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