Not sure where else to ask - early psychosis symptoms?

Hi, I’m Luke, a computer science student from North Wales. Over the last couple of months I’ve been having bizarre experiences. It started with vivid images randomly popping into my head. The most memorable example was a trapped bird thrashing about amongst the branches in a vegetation bin I was filling. I checked back and saw nothing. I attributed this to what I was told is an anxiety disorder. This happened a few times more and then suddenly stopped. Three weeks ago I started just feeling wrong, every person on the street seemed to be referring to me in their passing conversations. I started hearing whispering in quiet rooms which I decided was just my brain playing tricks on me. Then something scary happened last night, the unintelligible whispering turned into very loud and clear words. I saw bug like shapes in the corners of my eyes and a periodic flashing light like being caught off guard by a very bright camera flash. This continued until I finally went to sleep 3 hours later. I should clarify, I was no where near a state of sleep and very much terrified. I still hear quiet whispering now but nothing like last night. Does this sound like anything more than a severe anxiety attack? Should I be worried? Thanks very much for your time.

sounds like the skizzle
sorry bro

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We’re not doctors here, so can’t diagnose you unfortunately. But the advice I’d give you is get yourself to your regular doctor and explain it to them. It might be the beginnings of schizophrenia.

He will hopefully hook you up with a psychiatrist.

It’s better to get it treated sooner rather than later.

And welcome to the forum!

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Welcome! I think you should report this to whoever diagnosed you with anxiety, so he can be as informed as possible. It is true that it could just be anxiety, but it could also be more. Only your doctor would be able to tell for sure. Lots of otherwise healthy people have hallucinations occasionally. Have you been sleeping well? Lack of sleep is one of a number of things that can cause hallucinations.

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The best place to ask is in your doctor’s office. SZ isn’t a condition that can be diagnosed by anonymous strangers in a Web forum.

Good luck.

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Hi everyone, thanks for your replies. I’m going to contact the university’s mental health team to arrange an appointment as I’m out of contact with my original therapist. Is schizophrenia known to be episodic like this? Regarding sleep I get 6 to 9 hours sleep normally and I tend to not feel under-rested. I understand that it is not any of your duties to provide a diagnosis but your advice is very valuable to me right now. On another note, did any of you exhibit any quirky behaviour as a child that looking back you would link to your diagnosis?
Again, thanks very much everyone.

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As a child, I thought the scar on the back of my hand was an identification marker from the government, and that they were using toll booths and passing cars to scan for me. Not sure if it was just a child’s imagination or the prodromal stage of sz. I was around six or seven when I started thinking that. I actually got the scar from a broken bottle when I was three. I remember it clearly now.

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That’s very interesting. If you don’t mind my asking, at what age were you diagnosed?

I was 24. But I started hearing voices when I was 14. My brothers hear voices too, so I thought it was a perfectly normal thing for many years.

This gave me a really strong chuckle for some reason. God could you imagine a doctor giving you the news this way? The skizzle omg

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Lol he’s got the skizzle oh lawd…

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I think this should be the official term used on the forum from now on! I gots a bad case of the skizzle!

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Skizzle me timbers…double your dose and add Valium…call me in three weeks…lol that’s my doc…

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“Hey Martin, is Barry alright? I haven’t seen him around.”
“Oh Barry’s come down with a bad case of the skizzle.”
“Christ I hope it’s not contagious” XD

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i seem to have been skizzled

i hate it when that happens

Watch the matrix NEO is the one scene, for a simple clarification…

Lots of things can cause psychotic symptoms.

Some of which temporary.

Go and make a appointment with your university’s mental health support services. Uni councilors etc.

Also make a appointment to see your gp! Within 3 days of my first psychotic break I saw mine and she was really helpful.

These things are best caught early and have better outcomes when they are :wink:

Its hard to tell - but it would be a good idea to go to an early psychosis evaluation center and get a full evaluation. I’d recommend calling this group below and seeing if they can refer you to a center where you can get this evaluation.

National Centre for Mental Health
Cardiff University
Hadyn Ellis Building
Maindy Road
Cathays
Cardiff
CF24 4HQ
Tel: +44 (0)29 2068 8401

You can read more about early psychosis centers here:

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Hi Luke and welcome to the forum. It sounds like you’ve been going through some really scary stuff.

I think there’s something positive to take away from this, you’re aware what you’re experiencing is bizarre which means you have some insight. Full blown psychosis leaves insight in the dust.

I think it’s really important you talk to your doctor about what is going on. They need to rule out other possibilities, which, frighteningly, includes brain tumors. You’ll have an MRI to check for that. It’s not as scary as it seems being stuck in a tube. And it’s over pretty quickly.

I’d love to visit Nothern Wales. My grandfather was from Wales although I don’t know where. I’d love to visit Snowdonia and see it in every season.

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For shizzle my skizzle!