I’m curious what your experience on stigma from friends is. As if having this illness wasn’t hard enough now we have to deal with what others think of us. Have people who have known you from before illness treated you differently (after you’ve disclosed you illness)? I feel like people don’t reach out to me, have delayed responses to texts, or straight up ignore my online communication. I wonder if some people don’t want to associate with me because I’m public about disclosing my illness.
3 Likes
Im lucky. I feel like most people don’t have my experience. My friends from school are all still in touch with each other and most of them are very understanding and kind. Helps they are educated. I don’t really talk about my illness with the majority of them. But I share a bit to a few of them and two of them in particular are very supportive.
That said a couple of them were definitely much worse off after they knew I had MH issues. Nothing super obvious or hostile just I don’t feel like they are as friendly or chatty and see me differently. Like they are guarded to me.
I’ve also seen it with people new to me too where there just a slight hesitation and caution to interact with me compared to how they treat my other friends.
3 Likes
I dont have friends so
3 Likes
That is good to hear you’ve had good experiences 
. I only talk in detail with a few people as well. I posted that I have schizophrenia on my social media bio and I wonder if my friends don’t want to associate with me because of it. My reason for posting that was to explain to the people I went to college with why I’m a ■■■■ up (with no career for example). I guess it’s kinda bold but idk if I should keep it up.
1 Like
Sorry man. Is it by choice? Do you have family?
I have definitely dealt with stigma from friends and had to decide when was my breaking point for it a lot. None of my current friends make me feel this way. Im more selective of who i let in my circle
4 Likes
My friends never stigmatized me for my mental health they were always understanding of that
But when my physical health started failing they stopped hanging out with me
2 Likes
2 out of my four friends know and don’t judge me. But my other 2 friends have said really nasty things about people with sz. So I never told them. I just consider them acquaintances that I see with my other friends once in a while.
3 Likes
It is by choice. I live with my mom alone.
1 Like
I live with my mom as well.
1 Like
I think my old uni friend feels guilty to hang out with me. She encouraged me to take mdma and then the psychosis started soon after. Maybe she feels guilty cos she avoids me. Idk. Or maybe we are too different now. But idk if she stigmatise me thou.
2 Likes
I actually have one friend who I almost got magic mushrooms for but didn’t get them, he never did drugs in his life and still hasn’t apart from alcohol. I sometimes think about what would’ve happened if he got psychotic.
2 Likes
Yes. People i know stigmatise me. Id even go as far to say, they ostracise me
3 Likes
Wow that was wise that you somehow avoided doing that. Imagine how you’d feel yea if it got bad. 
1 Like
@Moon That is good. Keep the good ones around.
@Noise Dang, sorry. What physical ailments do you have?
@LilyoftheValley Sorry they said negative things. Unfortunately we get a bad rap at times. A mutual friend of mine was saying he didn’t want to go to a concert with me because he was afraid I’d stab him in his sleep.
@Zoe That is interesting. Did you do a lot of MDMA or was it just once?
@anon19606225
I tried magic mushrooms during the first year after getting schizophrenia cause I was miserable. It didn’t do much but cause some anxiety. Probably the ap blocked out the effects.
.
3 Likes
There’s been a lot going on but the main problem is I lost my ability to walk for a while
I’m recovering and now I’m typically able to walk with a cane but I still need a wheelchair for longer outings
And my friends never really checked on me
Then I got some scary news about possible organ failure and my friends cared for like a day and then never really checked in on me
It was a lot to deal with
I think we’re still friends but idk I just feel like they don’t care
1 Like
No, everyone I know has been supportive. Only reason I don’t have many friends on the area is because they moved away for college or work. One of my friends got out of the army and is moving back. We used to go to the shooting range but I got rid of my gun when I got diagnosed. So we’ll have to find something else to do. I got a canoe that can fit 3 people so probably that.
1 Like
I dunno… If your “friends” stigmatize you, they’re probably not your real friends.
Just one of the many reasons I prefer to be by myself.
4 Likes
Well, I could always use another photographer friend if you’re hurting in that department.
Just sayin’.
2 Likes
I don’t know what was going on with me but I wanted to try them again even after recovering from my psychotic episode. The guy who hunted for them doesn’t use them anymore and refused to give more to me.
1 Like