Behind the scenes I have a J preservation team who have helped me get to this day.
I have the kid sis: day and day handling, delusion busting and crisis/emergency management.
The quick acting parents: back up and help in the decision making, also on the crisis team.
The various Uncles and cousins: drop by for a quick check and prevent isolation
The pdoc: meds and check-ups
The Therapist’s: coping tools and a place to scream it out.
The returning friends: help keep me surfing, swimming and grounded.
The very cool boss: has given me a flex schedule so I can work and has been encouraging
I don’t know how many of us do this alone. But if you manage alone… WOW. Because I couldn’t. I was wondering who does do this alone and who has some help? Any help, doesn’t have to be family.
If you do make it through you’re weeks and years alone… how do you do it?
I have too many symptoms, and although I have moved forward in many ways, I have also struggled and continue to struggle in many areas. The big thing with me is increased paranoia when isolated in the house for long periods of time - I start to get real anxious and suspicious, my mind plays tricks on me and my panic increases. I live with my elderly parents and I help them out, they dont help me out so much, but at least Im not isolated. In the future I know I will need a bigger team, maybe I will include a Social Worker to my team. Now I see a psychiatrist ( a very good one) and a very good psychologist/therapist. Im sure my brother will be more involved, and so will my aunt.
I have a pet dog, this helps, but I will probably need more support. As I understand it, some docs make online appointments - who knows
I know I can’t live alone. I tried it for a few months once and I went really out of the realm of lucid. Blinding panic and delusion. The parents had the sis move in to help keep me functional. I totally understand that not liking isolation… having someone around, just there really helped me out.
I have an Uncle who is in my SZ boat and he keeps renting out his spare basement rooms to people just so there is another pulse in the house.
I don’t know where he finds them, but he has found some really good people to rent to. The past two have been guys starting with the fire department. Maybe it’s a rental service. I’m keeping an eye on that one too. My sis just might end up with a family of her own someday and move out.
I have valiantly, stubbornly tried to do it alone all my life. I do have one internet friend and family - two brothers and parents - when they were alive who have kept me from too much isolation.
I have lived alone a quite long time. I typically make one call to my mother each day, and then I have my regular meetings with my psych nurse and then I play some sports with a group of 10 people once a week. I try not to think any loneliness and I listen regularly some positive music.
Its strange the other day,my parents went to a doctors appointment, I was alone, and everything was cool, no real paranoia or anxiety. Later as I went into the kitchen I noticed his (my fathers) cell phone on the counter top. I panicked!! I had a huge panic attack got real paranoid and had to swallow some extra Klonopin, It was a psychological thing that spiraled into a physical event. In the future I will need a wider support system - but will probably manage to my own affairs with some help from my brother and aunt and other relatives and of course doctors and therapy. I am not a social butterfly and at this point want to make a good friend, but I dont think its very important now. My brother was out of town during this freak out - ■■■■ what a day that was!
I hate it when something like that spirals out. I’ve had a few of of those as well. My worst two days of the year are coming up maybe. When the sister’s swim team makes state and they all go away for three days to race.
when she gets back, I’m a mess. Panic attacks, paranoia, kidnappers, bus crashes. head circus galore.
Last year I went to say with the parents during this. I might do that again. But still, checking the phone, calling, freaking out. It just seems like every little thing get too big too quick.
Green fingers is taking swim lessons from me and she’s teaching me how to cook. She is so bad to her plants thought. She really doesn’t know what to do with any of them.
I like being friends… if it grows? That wouldn’t be so bad.
Yes, children are the future of ours and without them the future will not come. Too bad I am already 46 with no children. Here is some music when I feel down somehow.
Right now, I have my parents and my psychiatrist and psychologist, neither of whom is very good. Neither my sister nor my brother talk to me, and they live far away. My brother sometimes emails with my dad and occasionally with my mom. But my sister doesn’t have anything to do with them either, except when my parents went to my brother’s graduation at Cornell University, my sister was there too, and they all had lunch together. My aunts and uncles live far away, and my one aunt hates me because I am such a loser, and she only likes winners. So I’ve always been the outcast of the family. My grandfather, before he died, wouldn’t let me visit his house, because I didn’t have a job. My other grandfather molested me, and I was kind of glad to see him go, though there was no resolution. He didn’t even remember what he had done to me. My cousins don’t really talk to me, though most of them are my facebook friends.
I have a very good psychiatrist. She always tries to help me with the best advice. I have my sister which I visit once a week. My brother lives very far and we seldom talk. We basically phone each other once a year on our birthdays. My father lives about 350 kilometres from me. I phone him every Sunday and visit him every sixth month. He will be moving to my brother soon then I’m probably not going to see him for a long time to come. I have a lady friend who is 60 years old. We have been friends for the past 15 years. On weekends we normally do some fun stuff like dining out,going to the movies or taking a drive in the country. I also have an aunt wich I visit once per month. I live on my own in a type of guest house whereby I get a cooked meal every day. Further than that I do most things on my own. I manage my own finances and schedule my own doctors appointments. I do most things alone . I wish I had more friends but I’m too socially withdrawn. I’m glad that I have discovered this forums as it gives me something else to do apart from just lying in my room most of the time. I would love to get a job but I’m not confident enough that I will cope.
i talk to my parents on the phone everyday and my mum comes over twice a week and i go to hers too. my brother doesn’t really talk to me and i’d probably never see him again if it wasn’t for my parents. he does try and talk when he comes down but it’s sort of stilted small talk which is a shame but there u go. i have friends in my street, one of whom i socialize with once in a while and a friend in another village and lots i talk to on facebook. my mum says i need to make more friends. i think she’s right but i find it a struggle to keep up with just the housework let alone cultivate new relationships, although i’m not socially inept to any degree. i’m good with finances and pay my bills, look after my kids and pets. my life is quite full but i would like it to b fuller. i plan on joining my local leisure centre next week once my concession letter comes through, to go swimming once or twice a week. i also want to learn how to knit again and sew and i’ll do those things in time with a group i joined on facebook that is in my area. i think i would b fine on my own tbh. i don’t have paranoia about the neighbours or strangers so these things don’t bug me. xxx
I don’t have to worry about money as long as I’m careful with it. My brother and mom are bad at talking to me when I have problems. But I do have a close friend that helps. The best thing for me coping is Zyprexa. My mental state spirals down when I talk to the voices. Finally got a job at a pizza place and that has made my mood a lot better. Keeps me from needing to go to the near bye bar for companionship.
lol
