I expressed to my whole social circle some years ago that I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. I even created YouTube videos about it and many people love them. There are people who say my videos helped them a lot and I’m grateful for that.
But I noticed my social circle and even my family got distant from me. My friends don’t call me neither invite me to hang out. The friends I had from university and college simply disappeared and my best friend commited suicide last year. My family don’t ask about me anymore. I have to ask about them all the time and it’s not reciprocal anymore.
Without the help of my friends neither family, I face a huge isolation.
My reputation simply crumbled down.
If you relate, how do you deal with that?
I’m doing charity work in order to get a better reputation again, but it’s really difficult when you’re hugely isolated.
Even the artists who used to like me during my college years are avoiding me now.
Before my illness in college back in 2011, I had over 200 Facebook friends, most of them “fake”. I now have zero friends, and 1 acquaintance now. I figure that one friend I have now is the only true friend I had. I figured he moved on or something. Maybe rumors or some ■■■■. He’s really busy with work and life and I’m busy with my struggles. I really don’t trust anybody outside my circle of family members anymore…not after the past life memories of betrayal.
We barely talk anymore or see each other. I think he blew me off a few times and it bothers me. I don’t like that. But he’s the only friend that stuck with me with the illness. I respect and care about him for that.
I blew a lot of people off too. It’s my fault. But I also figure there are a few girls that like me if I gave them the time of day.
I don’t think isolation bothers me that much anymore. I have had friends, albeit late in life. My dad is a total hermit so maybe it is genetic. He said he had friends growing up and doesn’t need them anymore.
I think schizophrenia changed me for the worse.
How do I deal with isolation? I self-medicate. Not really helpful, but it’s the truth.
I’m looking into getting out more. Maybe go to a library or coffee shop with a laptop and study or read a book.
Do you know any books on how to deal with the ego and narcissism of people? I was thinking here that if we can find strategies on how to persuade people to accept us and to help us.
Cecilia McGough, for example, has a huge crowd of followers. She was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
I dropped contact with most of my friends long before I developed psychosis. I guess I was prodomal and isolating? Hard to say. The friends I still keep in contact with I met and communicate with online, so my weird mannerisms don’t interfere with our interactions.
I deal with loneliness by immersing myself in fictional worlds, such as those of TV shows, etc.
I think this is common behavior even among normies.
I wish I had something actually useful to say to you. I think it’s good that you’re doing charity work. I’m sure a lot of people appreciate your efforts.
I isolate something fierce. I have one friend in the whole world who is even more isolative than I am. Or is at least AS isolative as I am. We get along good most of the time anyway. We have our spats though.
Since about January, I have isolated an insane amount- even from my family. I talk to my sister, mom, and dad on the phone, but I don’t even go downstairs to spend time with my kids anymore. They are always busy playing on the computer anyways, or my son is at work. So I isolate. I feel very alone, and very unhappy. I’m now quite out of shape from sitting in bed, and everything is such a mess that I don’t even know where to start to fix it or how.
Actually, I deal with it pretty well. Although I am isolative and isolated, I’m not lonely in the least. I do have one very, very good and close friend and we talk several times a day on the phone together each day and I often sleep over at her house for several days and nights at a time so I have regular company.
I am also very close to God.
I think it’s good that you’re doing charity work. I’m sure a lot of people appreciate your efforts.