Sz and addictions

I guess that the drug/alcohol addiction is the reason why I have no SCZ friends. Maybe because I’m scared of people on antipsychotics with addiction issues.

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@Ghosts were all friends here but i know you mean in real life and yes only right to be careful of anyone with a powerful addiction to drugs because they are very vulnerable but can also depend on people to sustain there habit

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Now I wonder if it was a delusion that doing it by myself was cheating on her. I also wanted to become a priest and leave her to live in a monastery with other priests, i become religious off meds

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Last I read 73% of individuals having a diagnosis of SSD are using substances. They especially smoke more than any other cohort, and more of them smoke. The research presents an expected scope of variation in the numbers of SSD using substances.

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Nicotine is probably the real problem. Horrible drug and is overused by our community.

I’d say the self medication thing is real for sure but things like weed aren’t good for most of us so things like alcohol and cigs are high on the agenda.

I was a hopeless nicotine addict for 25 years and it’s nice to come out the other side. My other things aren’t really addictive to me which is good but that is my opinion on it.

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Those are some scary statistics. I’m very lucky that I’ve never done recreational drugs of any kind (I tended to shy away from parties). I’ve smoked only once and didn’t like it. I’ve had a glass of champagne. I drank a bottle of peach snaps in one go, when I was a teen. I haven’t had any alcohol since I was 21. I think deep down I knew I had an addicted personality and that some things were poison.

But, I ate too much sugary food and got diabetes (I was sitting too much, too). The worst problem is that I have trouble losing weight, because every time I do lose weight and exercise, it increases sexual desire. It’s bad enough that Abilify increases this desire (some people turn into sex addicts). The problem with these thoughts is that I never want to be in a relationship, EVER. Never. Hell no. Just nooooo. So I keep eating too much in an attempt to dull the frustration. It’s counter productive to taking the diabetes meds, but I can’t go off Abilify. I feel really trapped. Stuck in a no-win situation.

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Something strange happened one month ago and that was that I lost my Lust for online Ladies. Strange but I feel asexual.
I guess my Testasteron will never ever get back the same level as before.
The only two addiction I’ve left are (30 prince a day and nicotine gum) and loads of coffee.

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@anon70814080 are you a food addict ?

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Personally, biggest addiction I have is smoking. And I smoke a lot, sadly

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Yes. I eat too way too much. I should be 150 lbs (for my body type, this is a reasonable weight), but I’m 202 lbs.

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@anon70814080

If you continue overeating your going to keep gaining weight. You need to treat food as fuel for your body, listen to your stomach and only eat when hungry, eat nutritious meals that fill you up with pasta, rice, potatoes because carbs keep you filled the longest. Probably you should consider speaking to a dietitian.
I do sympathise, i know it can be difficult extremely when your addicted to binging but there is a way to break from the repetitive habit and that is to fill up on sensible food, 3x meals a day

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I’ve noticed I have an addictive personality I get addicted to everything. Coffee vaping hell even my prazosin blood pressure med I can’t go a night without it.

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I don’t binge, I snack too much. I eat too many small meals. I know HOW to eat properly (I was once a good athlete in my late teens, and early 20s). I just don’t want to.

Hopefully therapy will help. My biggest problem is that I’m using food as a source of pleasure. Being fat numbs sexual desires, which are unwanted. Being fat also makes me feel safer since I was harassed by men when I was a size 10 to 12 (I’m now up to 18 or 20).

If I remove eating the food I want to eat, I’ll fall into deeper depression. I don’t want to have to go on Wellbutrin. I’m on enough pills. I think most health food tastes like garbage too.

Also, on 20 mg of Abilify, I’m hungry all the time, especially without Ozempic that’s become unavailable. I’m on disability and can’t afford a dietician. I have so many SZ symptoms I’m too tired to cook proper meals anyways. I have a diabetes counselor who calls me every three months, but have trouble making balanced meals that she instructs me to make.

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Healthy food can be tasty, I love grilled meat and its healthy or low cal quesadillas, ham and cheese wraps etc You can eat whatever you want just smaller portions. Do what makes you feel better though. Myself I got up to 148kg developped sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and prediabetes. I lost 48kg and have none of those now.

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I know abilify can make people more compulsive ive heard that and read that. If abilify is making you hungry then speak to your doctor and tell them you want something weight neutral.

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It’s not tasty to me. Never will be, especially if I have to cook it all the time. I was on a sugar free (eat clean) diet for six or seven years. I hated the food, and as soon as I touched a piece of chocolate on Christmas, I was off the wagon and into some serious tasty snacking that went on for months. I ate everything I had denied myself. :slight_smile:

It seems very hard for me to find balance. I’m an all or nothing type of person.

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I am dealing with SZ as a medical condition.

I am thinking I should deal with addiction as a medical issue also.

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I’ve been addicted to quite a few of the mentioned things. My medication changed my whole outlook on sex. I increased my nicotine intake. Reduced my alcohol intake (it wasn’t easy to convince myself I had to drink less). I have increased or stayed flat on cannabis use, which I consider a dependency because it works for me and not an addiction.

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I read that like 90% of schizophrenics use nicotine to self medicated negative and cognitive symptoms. I wonder if it helps.

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I read the wiki on the relationship between sz and smoking. It was pretty interesting.
I think it does help, I’m not sure why but my thoughts get jumbled up now if I don’t have nicotine. It’s like a reset and I know exactly how much I need to get there. Now with vapes I feel always satisfied before my next vape. I don’t get cravings and can go longer periods without it. But not by much, that may just be habit though.

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