I’m not open with everyone about having sz, or even anxiety and depression and eating disorder… But especially sz. I have wanted to tell everyone, but have withdrawn because I do fear misunderstanding and stigma.
However, I am not ashamed. I am not a bad person, and I don’t do bad things. I suffer mental illness, and that doesn’t make me dangerous or risky (except to myself).
I want to express how unashamed I am. But so far I haven’t found the words in the right order that won’t get people caught up in their preconceived notions and fears. I’m thinking about it…
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the people I am around knew before me, so when I admitted it, there were no issues it was just “yeah we knew”. But then I have a very small circle.
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This might be totally unrelated @Hedgehog but every time I see your posts I picture your photo in the photo thread and think “She is such a beautiful woman.”
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@anon84763962, that is just so sweet of you! Thank you! Made my day 
️
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That’s a lovely attitude. I get paranoid people see me as not with it. As a result my experiences also set me apart from others… it’s isolating sadly…
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I have nothing to lose. After telling a group of people or a single person that I have SZ, I maybe suffer discrimination and get stigmatized, but it is hard to tell WHAT is going on.
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I guess one of the reasons I want to tell everyone is because I am odd anyway. I’m worried about fear and stigma, but most people would probably think “oh, that explains a lot!” I joke, but I know all about being different and isolated as a result. I’ve learned (am learning) to appreciate the few I do have in my life.
No need to ashamed. We are both creature of nature.
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Accept the disease yourself. It’s what we’ve got.
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i gotta warn you – as much as i read about stigma and prejudice nothing prepared me for the hostilities i faced when people at work found out i was with sz.
at my synagogue it happened too and when i go to the kosher market i often get the hostile routine from shoppers there.
this isn’t paranoia on my part. it’s the way it is.
it is just the way it is.
judy
I live with other sz’s, and we don’t really judge each other for our mistakes and transgressions. Everybody figures that just goes with the territory of being sz.
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I’m sorry, Judy. ️ I know that people think I’m weird and awkward already. But, they smile politely and just look mildly uncomfortable if I walk over to them, you know? I am concerned about that reaction to me turning to something more serious, like fear or unfounded hatred. And then I think, that’s on them. They’re actually gonna go through their lives in ignorance. How sad for them.
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