How can I stop self doubting my illness? I was diagnosed as having bipolar and schizophrenia but at times doubt my illness. I don’t feel like I’m a textbook example of someone with these mental illnesses.
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I think it just takes time. As far as depression, and later bipolar, I knew I had those things before a dr told me. When it came to psychosis, though, I at first refused to believe that. That’s mainly because I was still psychotic and still convinced that a lot of crazy stuff had really happened. Likewise I rejected schizoaffective when that term first was thrown out there. I didn’t want to be schizo-anything, preferred bipolar with psychotic features. It took years for me to accept what the drs told me.
How long have you been diagnosed?
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Many illness, but schizoptenia especially, present in very diverse ways. You may not be a textbook example, but the truth is, most schizophrenics probably aren’t. Our delusions can be very similar, but also very different. And, mostly importantly, you should trust your doctor who spent years in school to learn how to diagnose properly. And there’s no shame about having a mental illness, I still struggle with that sometimes.
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I still don’t believe it either. I really think I have a great imagination that’s all.
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Me too, a terrible imagination and speculation plus dread and panic.
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I have never questioned why I have the illness and just go about my day like I do not even have anything wrong.
very luxurious for you
My family kept me under a microscope all the time, except my Mom would treat me like I did not have any illness. You just have to accept that you have an illness and then it will be easier to cope with it. You will not have to try and change yourself.
It’s a common thing with schizophrenia. If the medications are helping then you probably are. Often the first thing to go is your lack of personal reason. You blame anything but the obvious and it’s really quite common.
These days it’s about medication. If it’s working keep at it. We all exhibit traits that label us one way or the other and it’s really quite noticeable the commonality of experience.
Take the pills. Learn what you can about your personal symptoms and the medications you need and move from there. It’s a sentance to psychiatry like cancer is to medicine. It’s treatable but not cureable.
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@rogueone I want to drink beer with you !! you are awesome and wise !!
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It would be a pleasure and we’d have some fun! I’m soon to give up the booze for a bit…except for those special days to have some with friends! Peace matey…keep on keeping on!
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I’d feel like I was in the dwarven household drinking beer with you…haha…I’ve known you a long time @rogueone and I have agreed with you 100% on every piece of helpful advice I’ve ever read from you…good talking with you…yes, give up the drink if it’s overcoming you.
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Don’t really need to give up drinking but need to lose some weight!
Beer is carbs…oh how I love your sweet embrace oh beerage…but after this Sunday its a man on the lamb!
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I think some of the things to help in accepting your illness is to take your meds every day, and I mean every day. You skip one day and you can have a relapse. You go off you medicine and it will take about 10 years to feel good again. Always keep you appointments with your doctor and your therapist. Always. One other thing I have found is do not go around telling everybody that you have a mental illness. You get treated differently. Especially at work. I like to earn things out of my own merit. I also found one other thing that makes a person feel better is try to learn how to play a musical instrument and try to take lessons. It is so rewarding. I am sorry this is so long, except have hope.
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would it not be better too define the odds by beating the illness one once had?
as in top psychairists diagnosing one with a life time term of serve mental illness, but one beating it by having no syptoms for 7 years straight
i want a reward for beating it…
Your reward for beating the mental illness feeling better. You can reward yourself.