How do you cope with the label of schizophrenic?

DX'd - Other
21

I am sorry I don’t understand what you mean. I am not that fluent with English phrases…

22

I have deepened so much into my illness, that I have put my illness first and then myself, it’s like myself is the illness, since I’ve been having it since I was very young. We get self-stigmatized unfortunately since we know we are different and we know we are not acceptable by most so we don’t accept ourselves either.

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23

wrong I meant is sin and wrong, I paid for all my wrongs in life, each sin I paided for

24

As for me, I’ve been very tired with stigma, since I 've been facing it for decades… :frowning: As I said, I also get self-stigmatized and that’s very sad.

25

I’m ok with it. It’s a blessing in disguise.

26

I told my current employer that I am suffering from depression (although I am having schizoaffective disorder).

And I told my work pals that I have mood disorder and thought disturbance (in an indirect way, referring to my original diagnosis),

My local community is of more acceptance of depression than schizophrenia.

I didn’t tell lies but I told half truth. What a shame.

27

I admire us who tell them our gift

28

I cope with it fine because it’s finally a word to describe why I’ve been the way I have been the past nineteen or so years. I don’t think of it as a bad thing, just an extra thing that adds to me even though it causes issues sometimes…but that’s just me

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29

i’m not that open about my diagnosis but my partner is. she tells her nurse friends. one particular who said she understands what TD is when i was at my partner’s work christmas party. but i hate people i don’t know knowing my diagnosis. my partner told her parents about it before i had a chance to meet them and the first question they asked was, “is she dangerous?”

30

That’s not good. But I hope they would slowly understand. It is a common myth for labeling schizophrenic as violent person.

31

call me any label u desire

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32

I am glad you have found some peace with your diagnosis.

33

they don’t understand mental illness and how much it affects me during normal everyday life. they think i’m just making excuses. but i hope someday they will read or watch something about schizoaffective disorder but that isn’t likely to happen.

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34

Actions speak louder than words. Impress them with your good deeds.

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35

i try to keep the apartment clean but its not to their standards, i try and try to do things for them but its not enough.

36

The only people who know my label are my close family and the health service. I don’t tell anyone I am sz. People just think I am weird and socially awkward, but they thought that before anyway so makes no difference to me.

37

Thanks for sharing, and your advice @Hedgehog. It helps, and though I’m still terrified to tell a professional some of the messed-up-ness going on in my head, I’m starting to realise it might be needed. I joined this forum because I’m not very good at admitting I need help, but over the past few months I’ve really come to wonder if something’s wrong with me. The support from all of you has been (and I’m sure will continue to be) much appreciated.

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38

It is my secret, my burden, my only tangible identity.
some people don’t think of themselves as a schizophrenic, more as a person who has schizophrenia, but I am too integrated with my psychosis, too burnt by it, too traumatized by it, that I feel I am schizophrenic.

It is something that will always be a close part of me; that thing seared into my mind with a branding iron. But I don’t tell anyone unless I’ve known you for over 5 plus years and even then there’s no guarantee that I will tell you. I can count the number of people that are alive and that know on my hands. I work part time and have had multiple jobs, been to school full-time, nobody knew. It was a solitary experience. That is why I need the label of schizophrenic. To understand me, you must understand what schizophrenia does to a person. It has caused me to trust nothing. It has caused a deep insecurity in the world. It has caused a divide between myself and all of humanity, yet has built a connection of equal rights for all so deep that nothing can uproot it. I took the horrible way the system treated me and decided nobody should be treated that way, I found meaning in there; to fight for equality and human rights.

Also, i am glad that you reconsidering getting help. If only we could, we’d all go back in time and get attention asap, not through police custody or suicide attempts or just bizarre behavior that lands us in either the hospital or jail (trespassing was a common crime for schizophrenics at my outpatient clinic for mostly those in the criminal justice system. So, they’d go psychotic and wander out somewhere then get arrested for “trespassing.” But I am running off on tangents…

I understand, neither am I. It is good that are you taking steps to, though.

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39

I think,

I have skits, and they’re for any of ya!

character roles and drama and etc.

40

I very much relate to what you’ve written here, @HQuinn. I am schizophrenic because that’s been my dominant experience for the vast majority of my life. I don’t even want my hallucinations taken away because I don’t know who I am without them… I just want to improve in my function.

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