My brother thinks that because I’m on meds that I should be acting “normal”
He thinks that the meds should be eradicating all of my symptoms.
I tried to explain to him that the meds take care of some of my symptoms like full blown delusions but they don’t completely erase all of my symptoms.
I guess I shouldn’t expect him to fully understand but I’ve made my point.
That’s a frustrating situation, @Vertigo.
When those closest to us have over-the-top expectations of our functioning and such.
Sometimes there’s no use in trying to school people either, as what we say doesn’t always stick.
My mom has high expectations for me, and there’s just days where I feel like a complete let-down.
This illness ebbs and flows and some days are better than others.
Keep your head up and hope all’s well 
Yes thanks @Schztuna
@Vertigo when my mother was alive she used to call and harass me constantly to get out of bed when I was in the middle of major depressive episodes. She would tell me I only needed 8 hours of sleep and I shouldn’t spend any other time in my bed other than that. It didn’t matter how I tried to explain it to her, not that I had the energy to argue, she still would call all the time and not let me sleep. I loved my Mother very much but it really made me angry her lack of compassion.
I’m sorry @Leaf
Yes my brother has high expectations for me.
He just doesn’t understand.
I think he lacks empathy to be honest.
I wouldn’t consider myself the same as before I was struck down with this damn disorder.
But I’ve been on a bunch of different psych meds and I am doing better now that I have in the last 17 years, but there are things I would improve if I could.
I don’t expect my family or the general public to understand because they haven’t experienced it or know much about it, but my mom said she noticed a big difference in me since I switched to Lurasidone a few years ago.
That’s wonderful @Headspark!
Yeah I’ve improved over the years but I still have limitations on what I can do.
I don’t expect my family to fully understand but they can make an attempt and try to understand.
I have never acted normal.
I will never act normal.
Normal bores me.
@#$% normal.
Okay? Okay.
Thanks!
Yeah me too. I can work now, but I only work 2 shifts a week. I don’t feel like I can do much more. But the little bit of extra money has been really nice, it’s motivational. I’ve spent the last 17 years on disability with a personal income well below the poverty line.
Yeah, I don’t think my brother or father really get it, my mom was a nurse so she has a limited understanding, but she wasn’t a psychiatric nurse. But they say they care and support me so that is good enough for me.
What I mean by “normal” is having zero symptoms.
Well you know what I mean @shutterbug
yea zero symptoms is prob not possible i think… i am mostly flat these days because of the meds but i don’t mind it… but acting totally normal won’t work i think.
I love how WE get criticized for not having zero symptoms, but no one craps on diabetics for not being 100% recovered despite daily meds. This is a huge case of mind your own fekkin’ business, tosser.
Thanks @shutterbug and @lekkerhondje
Hate when ppl think true negative symptoms are psychological and then tell me just to change my thoughts. Or same for positive symptoms. My uncle told me to stop my meds and to just fight my sz psychologically instead of using meds. Yeah right.
there’s a noticeable difference between when I get the medicine and when it starts wearing off…I know it doesn’t cure me, but it does provide some relief…the symptoms of confusion. i have gotten so much better though…I never know when they are going to come back.
The problem is I hide it so well…
Thank you! I enjoy my otherness. The normals are dull minded sheep 
CBT allowed me to change how I react to positive symptoms. This really lowered my stress levels overall and in turn helped me function on a lower dose of APs. I will always need meds, but I’m happy to function on as few as possible so that they don’t make my negatives worse.
Hmm.
I’m a type 1 diabetic. I have an insulin pump that infuses insulin 24/7. BUT, my blood sugar still goes high, still goes low, and sometimes it’s in range.
But no matter what, I’m still diabetic. Taking insulin doesn’t cure me.
Maybe you could tell him this example?
Meds/insulin just treat the condition and help you manage it. Meds/insulin don’t make the condition go away.
This concept could be applied to many different conditions. 
just about everytime i start to think my meds are working and i feel normal, a breakthrough episode happens out of the blue and im curled up on the couch with the curtains closed, withdrawing from the world. today is a good day which makes 18 out of 20 of the last days were good days, so 90% of the time are good days, but that 10% really knocks me on my ass and make me think im getting worse not better, even though im on meds.
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