Stigma against sz negative symptoms

Imo there is lots of stigma against us who have severe negative symptoms. They blame us and call us lazy while we were much less lazy than them before sz.

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People don’t understand schizophrenia to the level of negative symptoms.

They just equate schizophrenia with the latest grim news story. Schizophrenia=dangerous.

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I think it’s part ignorance and part just that being around someone with negative symptoms is really annoying and frustrating.

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Yeah, everhopeful is right. I doubt that very many people without sz have even heard of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. They only know about hallucinations and delusions. I had never heard about negatives before getting sz.

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I agree, thats how ppl around me feel with me.

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I know it’s hard but try not to let it make you hate yourself. We all say things we don’t mean when we’re frustrated. And that can be very toxic when we’re always frustrated.

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We are not losers like they think, we are warriors.

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During my last doctor appointment, she simply told me to " fake it till you make it" . :thinking::thinking::thinking:

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My previous pdoc told me they don’t exist and that I am just lazy.

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That’s what my Mom says to me :pensive:

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That’s not very supportive but can be good advice if you’re suffering from depression.

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It’s awful, is what it is. I always had problems with motivation, but could make myself do things before I started APs. Then I became a lump on a log. Even now, after 6 months off, I can barely do things. So don’t think the answer is to stop meds, because it isn’t.

The only answer is to begin doing small things, a bit at a time and build tolerance. It’s excruciatingly hard. And you’ll backslide a lot. But every step forward is a step forward. You will have good days and bad. That’s the way life is. And if you can’t do anything, then do something online. Volunteer, that’s what I did.

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Off meds I am more active. On Abilify too. My negative symptoms are much less but not same as before sz

I am sensitive to meds.

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I was at a new doctor’s office and the doctor was asking me about my schizophrenia,

Even though it had nothing to do with what I was there for, anyway,

I tried to keep it simple and said “I have mainly positive symptoms, but they’re mostly controlled”.

She said, “I knew you had positive schizophrenia because you’re so nice and upbeat”.

No joke.

If a doctor can’t understand, the general public never will.

They can barely wrap their brains around schizophrenia, much less positive/negative symptoms.

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Stigma full stop. No matter if it’s positive or negative symptoms, we’re not liked at all.

I was an ignorant person to SZ. When I was 17 I had my first episode, and even after that I took the pills for two years with zero understanding about what was going on

Even after being diagnosed I was on another planet for a couple more years before I joined here and this thing inside of me became self aware and I gained significant insight into my condition that we share here

I think you should probably prefer people to think your just a bit lazy over being a maniac who’s going to kill everybody

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Yea thats true.

So true. I place this stigma on myself everyday, its an enormous label and weight to carry

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I agree they dont know what causes it. Hell even our brains are a mystery

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It’s not noticeable to me all the time, but given a break all I dwell on are the things that I am missing out on and have missed out on. The friends lost, my messed up genetic material, inability to form functional social relationships IRL etc etc

Every time it is relevant, I just think â– â– â– â– , there is my limitations

You’d get sympathy for a physical illness or injury, but that is ■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■

We have something wrong with our brain, that’s all.

I don’t even think the doctors are really understanding enough to empathise with us

If we go against their advice, or do something someone disagrees with who knows your illness, it’s always thrown in your face

The amount of times I have tried to discharge myself from services, yet they ignore me and I am trapped.

I get treated like a baby who cannot make a decision

:man_shrugging:

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