Functional psychosis

Age of onset really determines functioning, but you can totally get used to ignoring the voices if they keep running and meds don’t help. Decent sleep helps 100% to improve functioning. Seroquel at night is good solution. Take 50mg-400mg at bedtime cut into pieces and you will sleep like a baby in 30minutes or 1 hour.

I had onset of symptoms at 30. I worked full-time for 12 years prior including earning Bachelor’s degree. I self supported and lived alone until 40. Ended up in iffy neighborhood that turned too bad and returned to family…Worked still symptomatic at life/death jobs and voices never stopped with meds. Must sleep with pills for best results.Voices run as background noise. Did switch to working at home, no crazy stuff out of coworkers who should be working and can deal with the insomnia better to work on whatever schedule.

You could try to make some female friends with kids so you can have a little relief, maybe share housing or trade off babysitting. I would not discuss my diagnosis unless you share housing…Some of the men are complete predators in some places so can even be helpful to avoid dating/going out and just focus on your family.

Hope it helps. You have a more difficult situation than I. I feel for you…Best thing you can do in my opinion is avoid overloading yourself and say no to anyone wanting anything else from you. Load up lunches, homework, bags and clothing night before so mornings go okay. Keep your look simple, try to exercise, schedule your sleep and hour to yourself her/there…Ask for helpful behavior from the kids and you can avoid the demanding and whiny stuff…I found it really helpful to put together work clothing on Sunday night and iron/organize all the outfits. Can just shower in morning, eat and slide into outfit…

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Thanks @stillperkin. That’s great advice. I’ve had paranoia and delusions since about 11, but the real show got started at 30, like you.

It can be that way. I was pretty functional back when i was 16 and all of my ■■■■ started besides all the drug use I did and then i tried to off myself and started becoming less and less functional

Delusional is such a wide definition. A lot of people don’t act right after you go symptomatic. And wrong people know who you are…I got a lot of crap I have to ignore…Had to totally give up the sales job out in public. Cannot control customers, not normals. This will trash me. Then had trouble with some coworkers, had to give up working in public which is better because the life/death jobs and customers who play you == law suit. I exercise at night a lot or after people went to work, nasty area with middle class kids who don’t have any worries & just mooch the parents, gets nasty to go walking. Some found out where I live and get lots of drivebys now. Local gym starts to mess up psychotic ones like stealing belongings so cannot use it…My community is kind of predictable on some stuff so know if I get a lot of social problems with males, know I need to avoid them as they screw people. Middle class males here went predatorial, not uncommon for single women to get screwed out of good jobs and fired to land someone. Hate fact a lot of local churches made it ethical issue to be on social security after mental care and adds to harassment, even keeping someone away from working even due to the harassment…Meet so many stupid people who are not okay and hiding in churches here. They don’t know what they do to someone…Colleges here discriminate pretty bad toward some psychotic who protest it…Having friend repair car takes away some stress as this place is car killer for some people only.

Some social causes/organizations I just won’t attend…Saw someone else ruined and won’t go near it.

Got screwed at job myself, ruined 2 people before me. Lots of this happens here. Unemployment is always denied. There are actually scams to ensure this. Have to note the hostile stuff or sexual harassment and handle aggressively. Cannot socialize with the office males here, can wreck the women.

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For the vast vast majority of people , I don’t think a person can function if psychotic. But everyone has different qualities , characteristics and also each of us is physically made different.

I think it’s best to explain one more delusion called ‘thought insertion’. Your internal voice can be hijacked. This happens to kids and old people around schizos. They sound possessed like talking about something they shouldn’t know or talking like a parrot on your internal thoughts. It’s bad joke. Ignore it…

Some of the kids are encouraged to do this to others by their family so can happen so they actually hear something to do and follow orders from voices for something more elaborate…Parent is probably a -hit. Better to ignore these IMHO as they get bored with you and quit…

You could keep asking voices why you are hearing it. If told to do something stupid by voices, would ignore it. If you are told to quit talking to someone or avoid someone, that can make your symptoms better. NEVER tell a person off, just quit returning phone calls, avoid them and don’t talk about their dirt much.

Do you get the SSDI family payment? Some people got screwed out of it or did not notify social security they had kids. You will get 50% higher payment if you have kids. Just one payment, not a payment for each kid. Call social security and ask about this.

SS denied me. Got a remand hearing soon. I have enough work credits to get ssdi, but unfortunately I’m stuck with a judge that has an 18% approval rating AND he has dementia. I’m not joking. He has dementia, but ALJ’S can work as long as they want to.

I would consider a disability attorney. They take a portion of back payments. The attorney can file to delay your hearing so he can prepare. They are worth the expense. Attorney may be able to appeal if the judge is impaired.

Thanks for the replies, y’all. Seems I’ve had several episodes of psychosis, but I’m functional and look ‘normal’ on the outside. I’m gonna talk to my doc about it this week.

I’m sorry. But I know the pdoc can give you some relief. I can recommend seroquel if you have trouble sleeping. Works to keep the voices away too. Need to cut it up to get quick relief. Take at bedtime so you don’t zombie out.

I have one and she’s been working her ass off for almost a year, but even she told me, with this judge we will lose. I’ll keep trying, though because I am in no shape emotionally or mentally to hold down a job.

Sometimes attorney can get you SSI, stamps, medicaid for a while at least. You can also use your IRA/401k without the 10% penalty but may have to pay taxes on it if it was old tax-exempt account.

I’ve got latuda and it definitely helps with sleep. Thanks, though.

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I think psychosis could make you think you were functioning even if it was apparent to others that you weren’t.

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Yeah true , no doubt :slight_smile:

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Wha? I’m not paying people to be my friend online.

Or do you mean “dollar or two” for their booklets?