it isn’t an excuse. but i would never rule it out as a factor.
there was a very sharp turn in my life when my psychosis started when i was 14, 15 or so. before that, i was a straight A, honor-roll student at the top of my class with lots of friends and big dreams. it got bad at 16. instantly go to D’s and C’s, some F’s that were later scrubbed. i was bullied immensely at my second high school by classmates and teachers because of my odd behavior, so i was lonely and unmotivated. i wasn’t supposed to graduate because i had those failing grades, but my calculus teacher fixed them for me because she felt bad for bullying me.
i don’t say my SzA (which i didn’t get properly diagnosed until i was 19) is my EXCUSE for my life falling apart. but i do say it is a major factor, if not THE major factor. if it never happened i would have gotten scholarships and made tons of friends and i’d probably be a major jackass, lol.
The other day I was thinking that when I die I might decide that this was the way my life was supposed to go, in spite of some of the questionable decisions I made throughout my life. I sometimes wonder where I would be if I hadn’t joined the army. I went into the army when it was at a low ebb in its existence. In 1980 I voted for Ronald Reagan solely for his defense program. But I could see myself as some type of lawyer, making good money and being totally miserable.
I think its an excuse as schizophrenia needs psychointerventional treatment which is a big set back following a career. The medication too, makes our perception different to the majority of guys and girls. Post traumatic stress, substance abuse and just coping to just be, not included work,selfcare or feeding oneself in an acute state of schizophrenia. I don’t know how many schizophrenic get shot by police breaking the law in insanity. Yes, its certainly an excuse.