Question: Has believing you are not sick made you more sick?

Unusual Beliefs
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Once in a while my father will try to tell me the schizophrenia is all in my head and if I keep believing I have it then I will certainly have it. I find that when I take his advice and start thinking i am “okay” I almost immediately go back to my old ways. I start noticing “signs” in my environment that propel me further and further into old and new delusions that I feel like I know are delusions but I can’t stop my belief in them. Does this happen to anyone else? Like right away? Like the minute I start thinking, “Hey, I’m a healthy gal. Nothings wrong with me.” all this crap immediately enters my head.

Usually I just admit defeat and just start taking my meds again after a short while. Sorry if this is a weird question. I’m just wondering if this is normal or not. Btw I was diagnosed with Schizophrenia almost ten years ago and I know my dads perspective on my illness isn’t really supportive.Lol.

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It’s pretty common to go off meds and have to get back on them so yes. It happens.

The real problem is sometimes you have to get back on meds and because you’ve stopped them: the ones that used to work well take way more to get the same or less effect. It really is a lottery if you stop and doing it really does cause problems in the long run.

If your multiepisodic or relapse it really means meds for life for most of us. It’s just our current technology.

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I don’t want to add fuel to the fire, will just say I had those same thoughts, and also a dad who said I didn’t have schizophrenia. It did ultimately lead me off medication.

A lot of people have the same sort of thoughts, I know that not everyone is able to come off though, just seems to be a common theme.

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Comeing off meds makes me sleep less.
Staying on meds, makes me eat more.
Thinking i have no sz, like my father said, makes me feel aware of my past experiences.
Thinking I have sz makes me be aware of future experiences. But makes me feel weak.

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I don’t believe I have schizophrenia. I know I have something though so I stay on meds.

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Nicely said @anon25873142 . I know there’s something I don’t and doctors don’t understand either.

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If you don’t mind me asking, how are you doing now that you’ve been off the meds? Do you still experience any of the symptoms?

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Schizophrenia is all in your head, gee as a mental illness I wouldn’t suspect it be in my toes!

You have to accept your illness without over identifying , it’s hard for a lot of people to find the balance

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I know I have it. Accepting it gives me a sense of empowerment and control over my life. Doctors may not fully understand exactly what it is but whatever it is I am grateful for the medication because it does relieve some of the symptoms.

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@Shimmy I’m not good with symptoms. Basically though, so far it’s not really been any different then being on medication. Things are maybe even a little more challenging because I don’t have those powerful meds numbing me out to the world.

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Maybe I could be over-identifying with it and that’s why I feel symptoms like immediately after I start thinking I’m normal. Finding a balance is probably going to be tough but it has to be done. I just can’t help the way I feel.

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I guess part the reason why I don’t accept it is I didn’t have psychosis for a long time but when I came off meds it ended in disaster. So I know I have psychosis I just don’t accept sza.

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@Shimmy @anon95464738 Does your father have a weird amount of influence on how you think? Did his denial of your illness, make you deny it, also?

My mom is in denial about my SZ, and has been for years, even though we live together, and I have tried to talk to her about symptoms. I have never doubted that I had this illness, because she isn’t that influential, regarding how I think.

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My father and I have always been very close so I’d say yes he does have a lot of influence on how I think. When it comes to this though I try not to think too much about how he feels about it because if I did I would probably be in the hospital.

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How are you able to stay close to someone that questions your actual lived experience to this extent?

I used to be close to mom, but I am far less so, now, in response to her mistreatment of me. She doesn’t live in reality about my SZ.

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I love him dearly and I sort of respect his opinion on schizophrenia even though I disagree. A lot of my family feel like I am faking it but I try to stay away from those individuals but it’s my dad so… I just let it slide. A part of me probably feels like maybe he’s right in a way. If only I was mentally stronger. Idk. A lot of my family is messed up but they are all I have.

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My dad thinks I’m lazy and that I need to find a job.

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There is no reason to respect an opinion which is so harmful, and wrong, regardless of your affection for your father, and other family members.

They are abusive. This is gaslighting.

Be fair to yourself, because they aren’t being fair to you.

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19

Are you afflicted by anxiety or avolition, which makes it hard for you to look for work, presently?

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20

Its Classic Denial, as mentioned on here many times before.

People take their meds - and then because they are feeling so well, they stop them - failing to realise it was the drugs keeping them stable in the first place.

Alot of people quit them as well, because they are not willing to put up with the side effects.

Hence, the inevitable relapse occurs. Take your drugs people.

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