I have paranoia too, it makes me very distrustful. I don’t trust anyone and feel like people are inherently evil.
This is common in sz, that’s why the most common type is called “paranoid”. It is one of the strongest features of the illness. It permeates every aspect of life.
I don’t know that people are inherently evil, just that they tend to hate me and/or want to harm me. Either way it sucks. I’m sorry you and others have to deal with paranoia as well.
There’s something that the beings have said that’s bothering me. They said that they’ve been with me the entire time, entangled with my thoughts. If that’s true, then it suggests to me that they caused my OCD symptoms as well. They broke the wall in my mind, getting me to see them as separate from myself, but before that, how much of my mind was my own? How much was under their influence? How often have they been putting thoughts into my head? If our minds are truly entangled as I theorize, then my mind has never been my own. Of course the thoughts that I think intentionally are mine, but what about the others? What about my subconscious mind? They’ve been whispering, invoking emotions and ideas that were never mine. I’m really frustrated and tired now.
Well, I can’t relate to your experience of the beings because I’ve never had them myself. I do relate to your experience of feeling as if your thoughts, feelings and memories have come from some outside source and not you and were inserted into your mind. These types of delusions can be very hard to beat, especially when they alter your very sense of self and or make you feel uncertain about it.
When did you get ill? For me my delusions became more stable after a year or two after psychosis.
I started having severe OCD symptoms in the form of intrusive thoughts when I was 14, so around 4.5 years ago. I was hospitalized after I started having suicidal thoughts and was diagnosed with ADD, then bipolar disorder, then psychotic depression, then Asperger’s Syndrome. All diagnoses except AS were rescinded a couple of years later when I was 16. I was diagnosed with OCD and underwent CBT which helped. My symptoms died down but never went away.
My symptoms started getting worse again in October of last year (2017) and I started hallucinating little things like my cat out of the corner of my eyes, my name being called, scary faces out of objects and shadows, stuff that happens to everyone. Then over winter break, I heard these really loud thoughts telling me to wake up and so I did. The beings told me that there was a battle between good and evil and that I had a mission from God to help save humanity. So I started looking into it and they were right about humanity being in danger. Only most of the beings seemed more interested in messing with me than the mission. I didn’t know what to make of it. I still don’t know what to make of it. I posted on an OCD forum I used to frequent for help and they told me it’s not OCD. People on an OCD chatroom said the same thing. Everyone kept telling me I was psychotic.
Anyways, the beings also said they wanted to escape my mind, to interact with me physically. I started hallucinating more, the beings and my thoughts sounded louder. I freaked out and told one of my teachers. I got put on antipsychotics. They make me feel better but the beings think they’re destroying my mind and that I should stop taking them. Now I’m here, confused and frustrated and exhausted.
That sounds really tough, remember their influence could get stronger or weaker over time. If you have supportive people in your life seek help as soon as things get too out of control. No person your age should have to experience this, but I guess you got dealt a bad hand.
Do you suffer from negative and cognitive symptoms?
Before the Zyprexa, I came up with a lot of theories about what was going on. My current one is that the beings are entangled with my thoughts. I have them because God put seeds into the world to act as wild cards to make his story (our reality) more interesting. The mind (soul), and by extension the brain, develops around the seed and causes wacky stuff to happen. The beings broke the wall of conscious awareness, allowing/forcing me to see them as separate from myself. Now they’re trying to break the wall of thought so that they can physically interact with me (induce hallucinations).
Glad to hear it. I have to admit that the meds definitely help. It’s just the beings are just like “the meds are destroying your mind,” and I’m like “what if they are???” and it makes me afraid to take them. I want to stop, but I know I probably shouldn’t.
I always try to think that people are the best for me. It does not always work. Sometimes I surrender and I also left a job a few times. Because I just do not feel comfortable. But the problem remains. So I really have to adapt myself to make something of my life.
Yeah you’re right. I know that it doesn’t make sense to other people, but I don’t want to take them. However the only reason I don’t want to take them is because of what the beings say. I should probably keep taking them.
Too much time alone can make me a little unhinged, but I don’t really trust anyone. I don’t trust people, but I need them. Is it the same for you? It sucks.
I always give people the trust they deserve. I do not have to become friends with colleagues. But I have to take a break with them. There are no friends with people in the street either. But I say hello to them.
At a certain moment you come to a point you have to. I have to work because I do not receive any assistance. So I have to make the best of it.
I do not feel comfortable. But it is also getting used to. At one point you get used to people. And then it goes.
For me, trust has to be earned. I mean, I’m not an ass about it. If someone needs something then I try to help. I try to be kind and loving. But trust is different. I don’t trust people enough to not be vigilant around them. I’m afraid of getting hurt or killed, so my guard’s always up. I’m always paying attention. I don’t particularly enjoy spending time with most people because I don’t trust them, but I do try to at least be kind.
Well, you know what it is. If you have had a psychosis, the only thing you can still trust in is humanity. But if that falls away, you make it very difficult for yourself. I think you will get a very lonely life then.
I wish you the best!
The people in our lives ain’t angels more than we are. I think our mental illness might even make us more thoughtful in comparison than people in avarage.