Do you think schizophrenia is a tremendous burden to bear?

is it a grizzly or polar bear?

Iā€™ve recovered from positive symptoms after having two episodes of psychosis, one in 2011 and one in 2013 that lasted 6 months. I can tell you id rather live with bearable moderate positive symptoms at the worst and no negative symptoms than have fairly severe negative symptoms and no positive symptoms (which I have had now for the past 2 years). Negative symptoms make me lethargic, mess up my sleeping pattern, affect my motivation and ability to concentrate or carry out heavy cognitive tasks. I can sleep from 8am until 8pm if I donā€™t have anything on, Iā€™m basically an owl, and never used to (or been brought up to) live that sort of life. My mum and dad have put so much effort into bringing me up to be a decent adult (which I am) however I can go a week without showering because it is too much effort and I tend to sleep until early evening, which they hate seeing. So yes, obviously it depends on the individual, but being schizophrenic is a massive burden to bear especially if it is moderate or severe and especially for the family supporting that individual.

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Iā€™ve recovered from most of the positive symptoms and Iā€™m not suffering unduly from sza anymore so, no, I donā€™t think that sza is a tremendous burden to bear anymore. Unless you consider the medication regimen a tremendous burden. I take an awful lot of meds.

Great minds think alike!!
I also struggle with strong negative and would rather deal with some delusions of grandeur or mild voices, as long as I can be more functionalā€¦

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It is a big burden but bearable - unless Iā€™m in a lot of stress or not taking my meds.

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It was not bearable when I had voices and could not sleep well and had other severe symptoms.

It is so much better now .

I still have symptoms such as delusions and paranoia ,not feeling like myself,someone else in my body who hates me and one who loves me and social difficulties etc and last time I was off medication got hysteria ,anxiety etc that is unbearable .

But I feel more like myself now really.
As a child I was empty in a way as I was ā€œnot homeā€.

Medication is wonderful that it exists and that is usually does help.

Other helpful tools,people etc are also great as well as this forum.

I do not feel I can ā€œgo out thereā€ nor do I want to because I feel I have enough with my daily chores.

So I want to get the pension and if Iā€™m feeling better and stable then maybe volunteer work.