Is being sz part of our identity?

I’m thinking it can be and if I were to leave and start fresh somewhere where no one knew I was sz, I wonder if I could pass as a normie or if I’d start acting just a little weird and sooner or later, everyone would guess it.

It’s part of my identity, and I’d probably tell people quickly, so I wouldn’t have to act. But that’s just me.

I admit its part of who I am, but yet not. There are times when it feels like its controlling me hallucinating or anxiety but other times when it feels like I have a grip on my sanity its just there .

I allowed it to define me for quite w while until it hit me. Who cares. It’s just a label.

Yeah, ish, but sz has a definition.

yes it is part of my identity

It’s part of me yes but it’s not me completely there is more to me than sz

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Yes, we can take that as part of the healing process. Like what % of the day are we sz? How long could I fool people? They’d soon notice that I like to be secluded.

100% part of the day I’m sz. But can people see? I’m sure that people see someone who talks differently, acts awkwardly, and is friendly but has no lasting interest in interacting with them… I don’t think anyone thinks “sz”, because I’m not the homeless person stumbling along arguing with my imaginary friend, but there’s no doubt they know I’m different and that I make them vaguely nervous.

I’d say definitely. There’s a disorder called schizotypal personality disorder, which is defined as a personality disorder but is generally thought to be a milder version of schizophrenia. I think most people would say a personality disorder would be a part of your identity, and if this milder disease is part of one’s personality, then surely full-on schizophrenia is!

That’s not to say that all of my symptoms are part of my identity. My delusions are a sickness, and are not me. But all the things that make me so quirky and different from other people are probably not separable from the fact that my brain is not like everyone else’s in having this disease.

To look at it another way: A lot of people believe that schizophrenia is neurodevelopmental, like autism. There is of course a major difference between autism and schizophrenia: Autism is not something objectively bad, while schizophrenia is a disease that I’d never wish on anybody else. But the fact that my brain developed like someone with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder has undoubtedly caused me to develop into the person I am today, and I refuse to be embarrassed about that (though I sure as heck wish it didn’t come with the symptoms).

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Yes it is one of the more identifiable traits…and due to mis information and lack of understanding a persons judgement will in nature be harsher due to it…now finding the ones who will look past it and gives us more wiggle room these people make it worth dealing with the rest…

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Part of that identity is that I feel unwanted. So I want to be alone, a non-participant. Then, alone I find no reason to feel joyful and participate so it’s a vicious cycle.

For me my psychosis is completely intertwined with my identity, but that’s because it’s always been in my life since as far back as I can remember. I’ve never not dealt with paranoia, delusions…that was one reason why starting antipsychotics was so scary for me, because I don’t know who I am without the disorder.

Its part of my identity but as @anon80629714 said its not all me. There is so much more to me then just some illness i have. Like i like music for example and biking and hiking. And video games. Sz is just a little part it might influence some of the things that i do but im still me.

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Not Anymore.i m fastly healing and i could understand normal visions of people with the help of my drugs.i don t have any dark vision of disease anymore.i m nearly normal.i just have suicidal ideas which is side effect of my drugs and i m handle it with ativan.

I’m glad to hear from you and that you are doing so well. I had no idea that suicidal ideas can be a side effect. Just another good reason to dismiss them.

its not something that i wanted to be, its something that i happen to acquire growing up, if it was part of my identity i would think it would have came from my parents or from my social circle at school and peers, i think its a faulty part of my natural identity, i think sz is unnatural in that sense like some sort of evil i have been inflicted with that seems to cling to me like glue and the only way i can control it is with medication and a good support network.

so i would say that sz is a faulty and unnatural evil part of my identity and if it was up to me i would not have it.

It is definately a part of my identity. I often wonder where I end and my sz starts, but I realize there is no edge and it is a part of me. It is not me, but it is a part of the make up of who I am, and I cannot deny this, because if I did I would be in denial of who I am, and I like myself.

It’s definitely part of my identity. It is the central fact of my life.