We often stigmatize ourselves. You know it’s most likely for people with sz to be the victims of violence than the perpetrators? We’re not violent, that’s an idea the media put in our heads but it’s not the truth. It’s not a symptom of the illness. A lot of times, we get stuck in stigmatizing ourselves with things that aren’t real because we have a mental illness. It takes time to realize we’re not those things.
Good luck with everything, this is a supportive community, you’ll like it here.
Welcome to the forum!
I needed to talk it over with my doctor too before I could accept my diagnosis. I hallucinate all day when off meds but it’s mostly silly meaningless things like vibrating edges, geometrical shapes, moving dots and floating things. I didn’t consider them hallucinations and I was sure my so-called delusions were not delusional. But when I talked with the doctor about it I started to accept that it was really schizophrenia. I think this is pretty common. I hurt nasty bugs that are in my apartment but otherwise I try not to hurt anyone or anything. Most of us are completely non-violent people. Good luck on your journey! Hope you find what you need here.
Well actually you don’t usually have to tell anyone unless they have a Need to know. Or You need to give them an explanation of why you did or said something. So I suggest NOT telling mere friends and coworkers because of the stupid movie industry that causes stigma.
Even family may have a very hard time understanding. Doctors would tell my parents in my presence when I was 18 and they still wouldn’t get it. I think I was 40 years old and my parents came to visit me in the hospital and they said, we don’t understand why this keeps happening. I think I was 53 before they came to visit me after a relapse and they just said nothing and were just there to visit. So after 40 years, I think they get it.
My husband doesn’t understand it really after 25 years. We met and got married during a long clear period.
@raghu, when it first started I was 12-13 and just starting to go church regularly. I thought demons really were tormenting me. But I was ashamed because I thought it was because I was bad…I was naturally introverted and quiet. No one knew I was banging my head against the wall in my closet and I hid my cuts. I asked for help when I was 15, but my mom was shocked and confused and overwhelmed. Anyway, sorry for the long story. I’ve been lucky in a lot of ways. My hallucinations and delusions all have/had to do with my beliefs, so at church I underwent an exorcism, and everyone around me believed I was demon possessed… I have tried and failed a number of things and life has always been so hard, but I’m still here. Now, I paint a lot of my visions and that gives them a constructive outlet.