How do you explain schizophrenia to other people (friends, family, co-workers, etc.)?
What has been their reaction?
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Most treat schizophrenia as the “s-word”; in my experience, except for a few bohemian friends most avoid using the world altogether offering instead broad support but limited interest. The stigma is massive.
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I would say that in a psychosis i am not myself. I interpret my surroundings in a different way. Its a bit like being intoxicated on alcohol. Living in a fantasy.
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I usually explain sza as hearing voices and having mood swings.
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I don’t. Nobody cares.
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I’ve said that it’s a thought disorder and if I don’t take my meds I could end up harming myself like thinking I could fly and jumping off a building.
But like @SkinnyMe said people are less interested than you might imagine. So long as you can hold a conversation people don’t seem to care. That’s been my experience.
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delusions and mood issues is what I tell them if they want to know what sza is technically and why I’m on disability, but nobody really asks me about it much and I don’t go around talking about it.
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I just try to explain it as
“I see/hear/sense something thats not there. And wholeheartedly believe it exists.”
A lot of people say at that point “but you know its not real right?”
So Then ill point at like a table or something that is actually there and say “Try to convince yourself this table doesnt exist”
Normally they look at me like I’ve grown a second head. But then all elaborate “it looks real you “know” the table exists cause your looking at it and you see no reason to doubt that. Thats why its so hard to convince yourself that it isnt real. That’s what hallucinations can be like”
And sometimes they understand sometimes they don’t.
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Good to see you Saadiqa.
Good to see others around too.
My family pretty much tells me not to tell people and my mum refuses the diagnosis for me.she thinks I’m just autistic.
I don’t tell people.
If/when I start dating I will probably tell them.
I was just thinking today how difficult it is for me to make and keep friends.
I don’t have ave to have the same sense of humour as all my friends.
I don’t have friends a single such and I can’t make friends through hobbies.
They want me to salute them and think they are superior Anders should boss me about n I be a push over and everyone’s bi tech.and I don’t agree and am not ok with that.
I am uncomfortable around my brother and sister because they think they are superior to me and I am simple and etc and I feel they are disrespectful and have difficulties with people.
I can’t be with people in person easily.
I appreciate that the army freed us from being Nazi riled etc but army is not for me nor those ways…
If I made friends I would tell them but it’s diffi for me to make friends.
I don’t have any as such.
I don’t tell people otherwise.
Love 
to you guys.
It’s like having a massive headache for every minute of every day for 38 years. But a hundred times worse.
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Sensing things that are at odds with the rest of the world. It feels hundred percent real.
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sz is like a bad drwseam…you get distredssed and paranoid…you need meds
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