I come from a very conservative and religious family, the doctors have tried to make it clear to them that I have mental illnesses, like schizophrenia, but they keep to their belief that I have a demonic spirit in me. As my dad puts it, “i can see demons in your eyes.” I believe very strongly that I am not demon possessed but idk how to make them see that. Any tips guys?
I was a devout Judeo-Christian up until I broke out with SZ. I saw a figure that I could have sworn was Jesus tell me to forfeit believing in it because it’d make me stronger.
I told my mother, a liberal Christian, to stop calling them “demons” for instance. The hard “d” and vowel sounds that follow are simply too strong, too powerful of a word. These were no “demons”. When I fought with them, I found that their intellect was weak, they were not as intelligent, and they were nowhere near as emotionally powerful as they pretended to be. It was all a stupid act.
If anything, these are just people who survived death from our world and are able to interact. They are not demons, but silly spirits - they look like human sprites in my imagination and are not scary one bit.
Bottom line - don’t fall prey to overestimating them. They are not strong, no “demon” like Samael or Baphomet or anything like that. Believing in the myth of “demons” gives those whack voices/visions too much power.
wow…i have no words !?!
sorry you have to put up with that… !?!
get them written information on sz…mental illness.
get them to talk to a shrink about your illness…
you can watch videos on sz talking on the internet…about how they feel.
take care
Maybe see what they say about depression… PTSD… bipolar… if they can accept those as the illnesses they are… then you can start introducing Sz.
Or you can bring up the brain imaging and other science that shows the difference between an Sz brain vs. a healthy brain.
I’m so sorry your family does this… I really don’t understand saying that illness isn’t illness…
There was a lot of useful material for me (coming from extreme Pentecostalism in my childhood) on this at this web page, as well as in these books:
http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=5
Arterburn, S.; Felton, J.: Toxic Faith: Understanding and Overcoming Religious Addiction, Nashville: Oliver-Nelson, 1991.
Deikman, A.: The Wrong Way Home: Uncovering the Patterns of Cult Behavior in American Society, Boston: Beacon Press, 1990.
Galanter, M.: Cults: Faith, Healing and Coercion, New York: Guilford Press, 1989.
Kramer, J.; Alstad, D.: The Guru Papers: Masks of Authoritarian Power, Berkeley, CA: Frog, Ltd., 1993.
Martin, J.: The Kingdom of the Cults, Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1985.
Singer, M. T.: Cults in Our Midst, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1995.
Miller, A.: For Your Own Good: Hidden Cruelty in Child Rearing and the Roots of Violence, London: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1979, 1983.
Miller, A.: Prisoners of Childhood / The Drama of the Gifted Child, New York: Basic Books, 1979, 1996.
Miller, A.: Thou Shalt Not Be Aware: Society’s Betrayal of the Child, London: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1981, 1984, 1998.
Perry, B.; Szalavitz, M.: The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog…, New York: Basic Books, 2007.
Forward, S.: Toxic Parents: Overcoming their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming Your Life, New York: Bantam Books, 1989.
Bateson, G., Jackson, D., Haley, J.; et al: Perceval’s Narrative: A Patient’s Account of his Psychosis, Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press, 1961.
Esterson, A.: The Leaves of Spring: Schizophrenia, Family and Sacrifice, London: Tavistock, 1972.
Henry, J.: Pathways to Madness, New York: Random House, 1965.
Jackson, D. (ed.): The Etiology of Schizophrenia: Genetics / Physiology / Psychology / Sociology, London: Basic Books, 1960.
Laing, R. D.; Esterson, A.: Sanity, Madness and the Family, London: Tavistock, 1964.
Lidz, T.: The Origin and Treatment of Schizophrenic Disorders, New York: Basic Books, 1973.
Lidz, T.; Fleck, S., Cornelison, A.: Schizophrenia and the Family, 2nd Ed.; New York: International Universities Press, 1985.
Payson, E.: The Wizard of Oz and other Narcissists: Coping with One-Way Relationships in Work, Love andFamily, Royal Oak, MI: Julian Day, 2002.
Have them read about schizophrenia online to show that you have the symptoms described in any article on schizophrenia. Or sit them down with the doctor that treats you and discuss it. You’re kind of cute by the way.
If they’re anything like my mom, convincing or educating them is not going to work. To them, the bible is the word of God. You’re best bet is to recover enough and move out. If you get SSI, you could afford a place. Luckily, my mom hasn’t told me I’m possessed by the devil or demons yet. That would be very ignorant on her part. But I have to put up with her crazy and obsessive views on God and the bible. It turns me, a mild believer, into someone that can’t stand it. Like I said for you, me, and everyone else, it’s best we move on and go our own ways. Your family can still be there and support you, but all that demon talk can’t be good for your psyche and health.
I’m hoping to move out soon but my parents take the majority of my money so I can’t even save enough to get on my feet.,
I know it sucks. I get 889 and I have to give my mom 700 of it.
i honestly don’t know what to say, my mother in law believed i was possessed by a demon. i convinced her with a lot of patience that its a mental illness. Don’t ask me how i did it.
**I agree with Nick-get your doctor to talk with them…maybe he can offer some advice on how to cope when you are around them.
Dealing with that negativity isn`t healthy for you.
Wishing you luck **