I was searching for symbols for sz, and for the color of the sz awareness ribbon. I didn’t really find an symbols, and the color I found is silver. I was working on an idea for a tattoo to represent the sz side of my sza, since I already have a tattoo to represent the bipolar stuff (profile pic). That was a couple months ago. My searches for that stuff didn’t really help, since you can’t very well get a shiny silver tattoo, but I’m glad I found the forum. It’s been interesting to chat with people who have issues similar to mine. There are things I can’t discuss with the people I know in real life, for fear of coming across as being terribly weird. I am terribly weird, but that’s beside the point.
I’ve worked out a tattoo design nonetheless, though it’s not necessarily specific to sz, just have to wait for my tax return.
I was having visual anomalies that my ophthalmologist couldn’t find any cause for - vortices and black holes ringed with blue fire and lightning bolts and shadows. I was trying to figure out what they were and here was the place where I found people describing similar things.
I was looking for info on Sz because I wanted to prove to my mom that I didn’t have it. And I did! lol… It took 3 doctors saying I had Sza, before my mom was convinced I didn’t have Sz.
I only visited a Christian forum and a poetry forum, because those were my interests. but when I got the boot from both forums, I started to find forums more centered on my background. since I was paranoid schizophrenic, I felt that I should be in a community where there are other paranoid schizophrenics. I did a google search like “schizophrenia online community,” and here I am.
I had finally been definitively diagnosed with sz after so many years of suffering, keeping secrets, and being alone with my experiences. I went on sz.com looking for information and found the forum. When I looked at what people were posting, it was like discovering “my people” from whatever planet we’re all from, speaking a language I understood…
the first time i can remember these forums was back in 2011, when i was an undergrad at the university. I had transferred there after about a 2 or 3 stint in crisis psych wards and in intensive outpatient therapy “daycare” or something that required me to sit through endless groups and socializing activities.
So anyways, I was sitting in anthropology class, all recovered, just googling away and I thought to type in some key phrase about college and sz. This forum popped up. I remember reading it in my corner all paranoid that somebody would walk by and see my screen. I just read posts before class but never joined the forum until I had gotten into graduate school. I l remember reading about some guy who lost his job because he thought his coworker was going to kill him and I was like, ohhh this is a common thing COMMON! I’m NOT alone!
this was the one place where people seemed honest about their sz and people seemed to genuinely try to throw out some good answers. It was like a safe haven!
Graduated and as my present, I started an account here, since I was fairly certain that it didn’t affect my standing at the university (was paranoid about sabateurs before graduation).
I’m so proud of you! I wish I had been able to finish college! My delusions and hallucinations and hypomania caused me to get kicked out of two colleges We need more people like you though
I came across the forum googling after finally coming to grips and accepting my dx. Glad i found it though, been extremely helpful talking to people with similar issues and symptoms. Been a member for about 6 mo. and the forum has helped immensely since. Made a few friends, had some questions answered, found that im not alone or as bad as i first thought. Lots of good people on here and im thankful to have them and their support when i need it. Thanks all!!!
I remember that much but I remember that I was looking for information on my mental illness because I knew nothing about it going up. After I was first hospitalized I went back because I knew nothing about pdoc and how to get medications. So I fronted the cost. I guess where I’m from almost no one talks about schizophrenia. When I started hearing voices I called myself schizophrenic without knowing anything about it. So I underestimated the disease until it blindsided me.
Thank you very much!! The undergrad and graduate degrees were all AFTER my diagnosis. Just goes to show, you never know what a sz can accomplish until you give em free meds and some hope!
It’s never too late for you, either. Sometimes, the right medicine is all you need for those lingering symptoms…
You can petition to be reinstated as a student due to extenuating circumstances from your disability…
Here’s a sample university and their webpage for being a special admit (or readmit). Basically, there’s a form to fill out and a little essay to write on why you were kicked out and the underlying reasons behind it (hypnomania, for example). A doctor’s note and some record indicating you were ill at the time of the semester, you can get your grades wiped for that semester and a re-admit
. I was kicked out of community college for failing out when I was stuck in hospital. I also got kicked out of a Master’s program for failing out (meaning less than a 3.0 for 2 semesters)…I just submitted doctor’s note, proof of illness, proof of disability and recited the Americans with Disability Act from the 1980’s and they let me back in! If they don’t take your disability into consideration, it’s technically violating a protected population listed under the united states constitution and they might be liable in court so they’re likely to hear you out!
For the future, I found this handy list of accommodations that psych patient students can request from their colleges:
from article:
Preferential seating, especially near the door to allow leaving class for breaks.
Assigned classmate as volunteer assistant.
Beverages permitted in class.
Prearranged or frequent breaks.
Tape recorder use.
Notetaker or photocopy of another student’s notes.
Early availability of syllabus and textbooks.
Availability of course materials (lectures, handouts) on disk.
Private feedback on academic performance.
This site is a newer version of an old site. The old site was crashing about once every 1 1/2 months and it could be unavailable for as long as two weeks which as you cam imagine, was very frustrating. The problem was the software but this site rarely has problems as serious as that. But both the old one and the new one were similar but this current site is better.
Anyways, I simply was browsing sites for schizophrenia information one day about 7 years ago and I stumbled upon the old site. I read a few threads about people asking questions about working while being schizophrenic and i thought, “Wow, this is right up my alley” since I’ve worked for many years. So I answered some posts about what I know about working and got a favorable response so I just kept posting.
At one point before i even really knew i was schizoaffective. I was always researching schizophrenia. It fascinated me for some reason. Then i learned fascination turned into actual experience and that i was actively psychotic while doing my research. Then i found this place. And u all have been so good to me. I can’t thank any of u enough. If im grateful for anything in this awful year it would be the support i was given by u all
My last site went to the dogs when they removed chat (dailystrength). Someone post this sites chat link. So came for the chat one late lonely night. When I came back sometime later the chat had been removed so I joined the forum anyway. Still can’t find the damn exit though this place is like a friggin maze.
I wanted a community where I can share the things I read in the bible. But I only found Christian sites, even though I don’t necessarily consider myself a Christian. and some Christian communities don’t really connect with non-Christian newcomers, even though they allow non-Christians to register.
I’ve found a more openly religious community where I can share my thoughts on the bible though.
I haven’t really posted in that new community yet, because sz.com is quite cool.
I think I came to this site by typing schizophrenia.com. It was quite common for me to test whether a corporate name or common name exist or not. For example, if I am not mistaken, gooogle.com would still bring you to google.com.
We need more people like you though