I’ve been reading through this site for a few days. I do not have schizophrenia myself and my mental health is generally ok, except I get anxiety at times. My uncle I believe has it, an old friend has been diagnosed and I believe my mother in law has it also. My uncle believes that the government is watching him, planting cameras and listening devices in his house and even thinks they came and scratched all the pain off his roof (really it happened because the house is so old and neglected) he refuses to get help and his wife has become his carer. My mother in law believes that her husbands sister is doing black magic to jinx her family. She is living in Saudi Arabia at the moment and there are no programs in place to seek help.
Anyway, I just want to commend you all on being so articulate, creative, thoughtful and intelligent! Reading through everything you all have gone through has been inspirational to me! That you can go through so much in your lives and with your symptoms and still be such amazing people full of so much life and hope! I must admit that if I had to choose between sitting at a table with you guys or a table of “normal” people, I would sit with you guys, no question!
I have had fears of developing this condition in the past because my uncle has it and because I occasionally get auditory hallucinations upon falling asleep (hear someone talking just as I’ve fallen asleep, sometimes it’s a dog barking etc) but I’ve been told many do this. I also once heard someone scream but this was after I had a baby and hadn’t slept in 4 days. Anyway I don’t even care anymore or have the fear because you guys have all helped me see that it’s not a death sentence. It’s a condition that many people love with and live successfully with. And you guys are all Heroes in my eyes
Yeah absolutely I have always had a deep respect for people with mental health issues and whenever someone mentions something about someone who has mental illness I’m the first one to try to make them see things from a different perspective. I hate seeing things on the news about “dangerous schizophrenics”. In reality I haven’t really seen that in those people with schizophrenia. I’ve only ever met and heard from very kind ones who wouldn’t hurt a fly! In fact their thoughts and voices scare them! They would never act upon anything! Anyway I think that “normal” people have done a lot worse… George bush probably killed hundreds of thousands in his time as president and then look at hitler (he was considered “normal”)… He may not hear voices or see things but I don’t believe seeing or hearing things makes you crazy or insane… Your actions are what tells of the person you are! And I don’t believe in schizophrenics… I believe in living breathing people who have their own goals and dreams and lives who have the very interesting and unique disease of schizophrenia and I see that better now in my uncle and mother in law. They are not their illness makes it much easier to understand and put yourself in their shoes
Thank you for your kind words. I am not working, but I am going to school with schizophrenia. School actually gives me something positive to focus on and I believe it helps with my symptoms.
I think you should be fine…schizophrenia usually strikes men before in their late teens and women in their mid twenties. If you make it to thirty, you can rest assured that it is statistically improbable that you will become schizophrenic. Here’s a lecture that is very imformative
well its unlikely, but it still happens. It’s just statistics, it’s not a guarantee…i think your case would fall into some 2% or something like that. Late onset is pretty rare
