I was Aspergers all my life and I guess quite socially isolated, although i did have a series of one close friends.
Got into stealing, cutting, bulimia and a bit of a fun fling with drugs for a year, then got ill age 17
I lived through my parentsā divorce. My mom had awful boyfriends and the transition to a blended family was hard. I suffered depression in my Jr. High and High School years. I was in an unhealthy relationship through college. Mental decline started in Jr. High and in High School my symptoms crept in, but I lived without a diagnosis until I was 28.
i donāt remember anything but sz.
take care
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I was an honors student at an elite international school. Well they were elitist not everyone was that bright or made Aās, but I graduated with kids who went to some really impressive schools. I was an A student and obsessed with Krav Maga, I worked out about fifteen hours a week and could take punches and kicks to the stomach. I ended up living with my parents while going to college, Iām a junior, still an honors student, majoring in psychology. I became a smoker, pothead, drinker, pre-workout supplement abuser LOL and not all at once, gradually. I was psychotic as hell walking the stage when I graduated from that school.
My life was intense, I made it that way. I wanted to do ROTC and then SEALs, then move on to the FBI or CIA. I was probably cut out for it, I was remarkable. A lot of my life was military style, very structured, hard work from 730 am to 10pm, I was happy. I did my studying and homework at night after training in the gym and Krav Maga dojo, I also ran a few times a week. I would get to school early to do more brushing up. It was challenging academia, but not too hard, just adequate, save for honors physics, that class was ā ā ā ā ā ā ā ā . I could speak french fairly well by the time I graduated, then forgot most of it due to the illness, I relearned it in my first two years of college but still am not nearly as fluent as I was. I mean like I could speak with the french exchange students and even knew slang and profanities.
I would have become a cold blooded killer is what I would have happened, I wanted to kill people for a living, I just wanted to be the one deciding who to kill and how to do it. Now I am aspiring to become a clinical psychologist. LOL life is a strange thing. I was just as ā ā ā ā ā ā up before the illness but I was infallible in that I was a little elite 17 year old who was innocent for the most part and just āa red blooded and patriotic young man.ā Now I am a troubled and psychotic young man. Iām still good at what I do, I just do very different things. Today I went to class, aced a quiz, wrote a paper, then went to another class, now I am here after eating like 80 grams of protein at dinner. Iām actually still very muscular despite smoking cigarettes. I stand out as one of those guys in the gym who obviously takes supplements and knows what he is doing.
My life was literally kickass before schizophrenia and became ā ā ā ā ā ā ā dangerous when the illness struck. I am actually really skilled at Krav Maga, I canāt exactly unlearn it. My body is pretty much a weapon, my cousin called me a walking weapon and thought it was maybe offensive but I was like āNah, thatās correct.ā
I was actually 38 when diagnosed so I was quite successful. Because so old most say itās likely something else but I have all of the symptoms. I miss how I used to be able to feel and function. Over the last 6 years have gotten better but I hope to get much better still. We will see
Same here though I was first introduced to the system around 15.
pray you donāt get violent command everā¦
sorry - you could be dangerous in that situation
I used to be a hunter along with my friends. We would go fishing at this river. We also had hunting guns and slingshots, we shoot birds in the forest.
I became more withdrawn when I was 15. I didnāt know what happened to me. But even then, it didnāt deter me from playing basketball. I would cut classes just to shoot the hoops. I was part of HS varsity even though I was starting to hate attention.
It was my passion until computer programming was introduced to me. I liked it and I didnāt have to deal with people. Then I got a job related to it at 19.
At 24, I had my first episode. Can easily be dismissed though.
Before schizophrenia I was content and satisfied. Now Iām aware and paranoid. Itās ok though. Iām unique, educated, and experienced. Ignorance is bliss though.
My life was not wonderful. I had an unpleasant childhood and became an unpleasant person in my teens. I was drinking and using a lot by the time the illness hit. I donāt think I have a lot to point to or brag about pre-SZ.
10-96
Iām blessed post-SZ. I still have family, an amazing support group of Doctors, and friends. I have this forum. I have my basic needs met, and more. There are some things I may change, but when you try to plan ahead life just throws a curve ball. Iām thankful for the parts of my community that inspire hope, and progressiveness. I can communicate with like minded people through the web, on this computer. My meds havenāt kicked in, but I know they will. Iām thankful that at times like this I can see, understand, and experience the positives that are involved in my journey. It doesnāt matter how we were beforeā¦this is where we are. Good days, bad days, and others. Iām a part of life, and I may be unique but Iām thankful. Overcoming challenges are hard at first, but needed for progress in the end. If I let myself be of use to others after overcoming these circumstances I will gain a sense of self satisfaction, until the next challenge comes. One day at a time, and I hope I keep this mind-set tomorrow 
I read every post on this thread, this is a great topic and I found everyoneās entry interesting.
I was talkative, social and had a wonderfully weird sense of humour. Was in my 4th or 5th year of university, and after writing papers, in class essays, and exams, Iād reward myself every weekend with a night of hitting the bong with friends.
I landed a sweet office internship at a major information technology company. The highly regimented atmopshere of the office, with itās repetitive sounds made me completely lose it, was in and out of hospital several times for the next few years.
Fast forward to now, Iām pretty quiet. Anti social. Trying to get back to the āgood weirdā me but its an uphill climb. Canāt hang out with my friends because their sense of humour is too caustic. Mostly only hang out with family and like 2-3 friends.
Some of the only things that have remained constant before and after my diagnosis are my creative endeavours. More than anything they keep me going, distract me from obsessing over the voices, give me a sense of identity, and personal growth.
My life was pretty good vefore I got schizophrenia. I was 25 and life was going easy. I was planning to emigrate toScotland and then I had my first schizophrenic psychotic break.
My life before I got ill was working and partying. I had a couple good friends I met at jobs I was at and I stopped seeing my childhood friends. My life was no picnic though but I had some fun times.
Itās hard to say the onset of my schizophrenia. Iāve had anxiety and depression since I was 12, which was kind of the onset of my symptoms at 14. I remember at 18 before my schizophrenia was too bad I was smoking tons of weed and it was fun. But not until 19-20 did I really get depressed and anxious. Iād say in a way itās better today. I have way more clarity although itās not fun sometimes my mood. my psychosis is helped pretty well by the abilify.
i was at university and on track to become a professor. iāve always been more the introvert type overall, but i was far more social. after i cracked the first time i barely limped through a doctoral programme and did nothing at all with my degree. i go to day treatment now to have āfriendsā of a sort. iām married though, so that takes considerable social pressure off.
I had a great childhood. Grew up in Eastern Europe till I was 9 years old, then my parents emigrated to Canada. Took a year or two to learn English but then I excelled in school. In highschool my grades were high and I wasnāt even trying. My natural intelligence was pretty high. Went to university and I began to smoke pot, not much, but still, a decent amount. I ended up dropping out and coming to the university near my house. And thatās when it all beganā¦
I havenāt been the same since. Canāt study, canāt work, voices, paranoia, depression. In the psychosis I had every symptom, delusions, hallucinations, the whole 9.