Some of the first thoughts or reactions my daughter has gotten when telling an adult woman, typically a teacher, but sometimes a friend, that her mom has mental illness:
-Oh we all have problems
-I’m sorry, Beth
-Won’t she come out it?
-I suppose there’s help for that
-Did she have her brain checked?
-A neurotic woman make us all look bad
-Is she out of control?
-I’ve heard Cannabis will work
-Does she hate life and want to die?
I told my daughter not to tell anyone because of the stigma. It’s too much to bear.
I still get supposedly switched on people at the cricket club making jokes about my other personalities. Seriously. It is so painful trying to educate the masses.
Why does she have to share that? People are really cruel about it.
She doesn’t share it very often. I think only when I’ve been in-patient.
Phil has shared it with a few people though,
maybe more than I know of.
I was not told the exact reaction.
I hope my future kid doesn’t share it with anyone. It is just like inviting criticism.
but even my own mother:
“What’s sz.com? I didn’t know you were on a website, or that there was one.”
“Oh, I didn’t know if you were still taking meds.”
We have to hide this disorder, can’t talk about it with normal people. They are so judgmental. SZ life is hard enough.
If people ask why you’re acting off say you have social anxiety or something less stigmatized.
I just say I have a chronic migraine. It is true though but I don’t talk about the hallucinations.
I usually have said that to an employer or an employee,
I have to keep my Medicaid, or, health insurance.
Sometimes I’ve been brave though if I talk about being a published author, if they ask what the book is about. Point blank. My schizophrenia.
I don’t know what to say. Obviously you are proud of your SZ book but talking about it causes trouble.
Maybe you can be brave and become a public SZ advocate?
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