I agree its hard being looked down on but tbh my ego is demolished i think. I have an illness and i need help is the way i see it, no shame in that. I enjoy getting my problems out to anyone that will listen
My approach is the opposite. I wish my family never found out, but I had no choice in the matter because I was going crazy for a long period
Nowadays I just ignore it, and avoid situations that will test my capability in certain areas that might be problematic - like casual socialising or reproduction
Yeah even the therapists donāt understand it lol
I find the moment I stop doing my routine habits then I just stop doing everything.
One of my friends that has ptsd always does a lot of things. I asked him how he keeps going and he said āitās a refusal to stopā
That kinda stuck with me so I try to emulate that
I get it; its like weāre the thing weāre dealing withā¦people dont say āI am depressionā they say āIm feeling depressedā and people are sympathetic but you can say āIm seeing things that no one else can see and its freakyā and people will shun you or avoid youā¦its just a different chemical imbalanceā¦
I am not my delusions. I am not the negative affect/effect of them. I am not my psychotic symptoms. I am me and fighting every day to be me.
Thank you movies and TV
Even mental health professionals think we can deal with those by mustering up strength, keeping schedule and getting back where we left off.
Negative symptoms make sure nothing properly sticks in mind. Be it work, studies or social things. What am I supposed to return to after gap? Those are all fragments.
All I get told constantly is to write myself a schedule so I have a structure in my day. Even the act of writing a schedule, let along doing anything on it, is exhausting. I feel like a bit of a lost cause. Itās crazy really because I used to be one of the busiest most efficient people around.
There is stigma for both
positive and negative symptoms.
For the first category they call us crazy,
for the second one, lazy
I try and use the strategy 2+2=4 . Meaning do the easiest things possible first. Then move towards something a bit bigger
I think negative symptoms are the hardest to explain. Its literally people going, no youāre just lazy. Family membersā¦its stupid.
I find scheduling daunting. I make an unrealistic list, and then chastise myself at the end of day for not accomplishing them all. For me, itās kind of a type of unconscious anti-self. Now, what I try to do, is set a few hopefully attainable items, and if I can do more, itās brownie points for me! Leaving things on the list undone KILLS me. Iām bummed for the duration.
THIS.
1515151515
I thought I was making excuses. Others with this illness can get things done. Get ahead.
It is relieving to know others struggle with exact same thing. I feel sad at same time. Psychiatrist and mental health professionals all over world either donāt seem to understand this issue or they have no solution for it.
Most of them donāt understand. No-one has a good solution. There are drugs that (can) help, such as amphetamines, MAOIs, and some others (including research chemicals), but none of them are specific for negative symptoms, and most are associated with the potential of worsening psychosis.
-Albert.
Really man? We are supposed to calm the fire. Not stoke it.
We are talking negative symptoms, which for me means mainly apathy, and stimulants help a lot. They also treat some of the cognitive impairment, such as working memory and executive function.
-Albert.
During my last doctor appointment, she simply told me to " fake it till you make it" .
Thatās what I try to do. If I donāt feel like doing something (from negative symptoms), I try to partially do it.
Like, if there are dishes in the sink, Iāll wash only a couple. And then keep doing that, throughout the day, and then BAM, no more dishes in the sink!
Baby steps.
My psychiatrist barely understands negative symptoms and sheās a seasoned professional.
Honestly I doubt that negative symptoms are caused by SZ.
I am sure itās solely caused by the APs and other psych meds.
These so called experts know so little about negative symptoms.
seasoned professional
What does that mean?