How long can you pretend to be "normal"?

If I’m just a face in the crowd (like at a concert), I can go 24/7.
If I have to engage in a conversation, about 2 minutes max.

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My gait is odd. My late wife mentioned it. My daughter says I walk like I’m drunk. Just based on how I am physically it’s hard to pretend I’m ‘normal’.

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A good typical medication like Geodon might make things easier for you. Think about it.

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I can go for a good amount of time. But the only people I associate with are fellow MI’s in group, mental health workers and my family. Sometimes a couple friends. I’m better in text form. Lol. I do get fatigued by pretending all day. So there are times I just pass out at my family’s house.

Most people wouldn’t guess that anything is wrong by just looking at me and listening for 5 minutes. But in my mind it’s a warzone that I keep concealed.

Like today I have to be around triggers for my HI. But I want to see the rest of my family so I’m gonna work through it. I’m just lucky I can go home to my own place now.

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İ think its impossible to pretend to be normal when your brain chemicals on imbalance.its just impossible.because you are instictly want to speak or think or act weird somehow

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I don’t know I can pass as normal to real people. But to fake ■■■■■■■■ I think they tend to pretend whatever they want about schizophrenics and look down on us.

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I don’t know. It really depends on the day.

I pass as normal 95% of the time, but if with people I am comfortable around, I don’t worry about it.

  • edit- I am home 90% of the time, so I am normal for 95% of 10% of my time.
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I don’t act normal but people do not think I am schizophrenic. I pass as autistic.

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I can only hold a conversation for about 30 minutes. But I can pass as normal most of the time.

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I am anxious out in public so it’s hard for me to act “normal”
Klonopin helps

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See in my opinion it’s important to be true to ourselves, true to others. If we are having to mask in terms of schizophrenia does this perhaps suggest we should be asking ourselves why. In terms of hearing voices, hallucinating etc. I can understand how that might make someone self-conscious etc. In those cases I wonder if finding ways to neutralise the negative impacts they have on us might be a way forward (e.g. discard the negative input allowing focus on what’s more important). As always I welcome thoughts and opinions. :slight_smile:

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I think I pass as normal now that I’m medicated. I’m not paranoid with high anxiety medicated. I’ve been told at my current job and another job that I’m very even-keeled.

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In terms of self-esteem, in my opinion it can be very person specific (just my thoughts, I’m not a health professional etc). What we can do though is share our insecurities on a forum like this, where opinions are respected and perhaps resolved. On a side note with regards to respecting opinions etc. I don’t see a way to report posts which do actually disrespect other posters etc. Perhaps someone could enlighten me. :slight_smile:

That’s what the flagging function is for! If you tap the three dots between the link and reply buttons:

It’ll open up more options, including a flagging button:

And from there you can flag a post as inappropriate/violating community guidelines which would cover any genuinely disrespectful or harmful posts

Hope my explanation doesn’t seem patronizing! I don’t understand a lot of “common sense” stuff so I like to make information clear without assuming how much or how little someone already knows

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I’m not sure I see any disrespect in this thread. What’s going on?

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Maybe he meant in other threads in general

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Not long enough without having to hit the release valve more often than I’d like to

Appreciate you guys here taking some the ■■■■ from my messed up perceptions about stuff

My parents help as well, so do the mental health team

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Yeah that’s what I assumed!

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I hid it for the most part as long as I was working. When I started to admit it some people didn’t believe it. But as I started living in low-income housing, going to the Psych Ward often, gaining a ton of weight, and ending up in a group home there was no way I could pretend to be normal anymore.

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Just want to say thank you all for your replies and reflections I really appreciate hearing from all of you about your experiences :two_hearts:

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