Thank you for your support
- Ethan Thomas
Hi Ethan by ur face it’s hard to predict U even have A SZ …!!! How are u buddy …!!!
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Good job once again Ethan.
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Thanks mate, I appreciate that. Tired but hanging in there! How are you man??
I’m not to sure if people get diagnosed by how they look @far_cry0. You might be thinking of the over medicated look.
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Good video.
1515151515
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Thank you very much
Nice job on the 3rd video @thomas 
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Well done, well said.
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Great video @thomas 
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Nice video on this difficult phase of schizophrenia… What helped me immensely towards accepting the schizophrenia diagnosis was to think myself as having a say in this. What I mean is: suppose I could choose whether I had schizophrenia or whether I had [insert delusion here]. After some reflection, I came to think I would much prefer all of the things I was experiencing were schizophrenia rather than, in my case, telepathic harassment, surveillance, control etc. This has made my experience of being diagnosed fairly easy - in fact it was a big relief to hear this confirmation. It all hinges on whether you think you are entitled to this kind of freedom though, I suspect.
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Thanks flybottle. it was a relief for me to finally accept the diagnosis of schizophrenia as well.
Awesome work man. Keep it up!
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Great job, Ethan.
When I received a diagnosis of schizophrenia I went into denial. I had read a little about schizophrenia, but I still believed the psychiatrist made a mistake. Eventually I did come to accept that I had schizophrenia, but I felt so alone. I didn’t know anyone who had schizophrenia. Furthermore, I had no role models. Actually, the only people who I thought may have had schizophrenia were in movies and on television, and they were usually depicted as either serial killers or demonically possessed.
I did not have family support. When my parents heard that I had been diagnosed with schizophrenia they acted as if I had died. All of their hopes and dreams and aspirations for me vanished in the blink of an eye. Hindsight is 20/20, so it must have been extremely stressful for my parents when they heard I had a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
I have reached the point of accepting the fact that I have schizophrenia. I’m not a serial killer nor demonically possessed, but a person with a brain-based disorder. Medication stabilizes my symptoms, and my psychologist helps me put tools in my toolbox to cope with life. And I’m not alone.
If you don’t mind, I’d like to paraphrase you: I’ve come to accept that schizophrenia is a part of my life, but I refuse to let it define my life.
Thank you, Ethan
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You are an amazing young man, Ethan. I really mean that. In the first 3 minute tears welled up, because what you speak about relates to my son too, and I feel sad that SZ is such a horrible illness. Thank you for your honest and frank assessment of where you’re at, and your willingness to share. Intellectually, I agree that not letting it define your life requires diagnosis and acceptance of the illness, however here in Australia the stigma of SZ (added to a diagnosis of mental illness) means sufferers often remain without a formal diagnosis or clear understanding of what their illness is, which is another struggle.
@kindness and @flybottle thank you both for your insight and sharing them too. I very much value the greater understanding I gain from your comments. I’d not understood that believing (or hoping) you are entitled to freedom could be difficult, but had taken for granted that thinking would just exist… I must find a way to encourage that belief.
If I could find a way to bring my son to even look at this forum I am certain it would be a support and bring some relief to him and perhaps help him move from being a victim of his symptoms to having greater hope that they are symptoms.
Well done - much appreciated!
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@Qantify, I’d like to encourage you to join our forum for Family and Caregivers that can be found at:
While this is a peer support forum for people with schizophrenia and other closely related psychotic disorders, the Family forum is specifically for people like yourself, who have a loved one they are concerned about.
Also, please let your loved one know about this forum as they may find it helpful.
Best of luck,
Ninjastar
Volunteer Moderator
thanks for the heads-up Ninjastar.
Hope I’ve not offended or upset anyone.
Told my son about the site soon after I found it a year or so ago but he’s
not been willing to look so far.
All the best.
What the caterpillar calls the end the rest of the world calls a butterfly.
(Lao Tzu)
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