The SZ closet

Is anyone in the closet with their dz of sz? I’m a minority, and growing up, I needed to fit in. I still feel that pressure to conform well into my 40s. Outside of health practitioners and a few close friends, I’ve told no one. I’d rather be alone than ostracized. Sad that these may be the only two options.

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I generally don’t tell people.

I think my husband has told more people than I have.

Mostly to employers.

I lied on my adoption paperwork and said i had no history of mental illness because I wanted the best for my kid.

Since, I’ve been very honest with his daddies about my diagnosis.

Frankly, it’s not everyone’s business.

Tell who you want or no one.

Your call.

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That’s a good approach, being selective. Not disclosing is already imprinted, and it’s not an option at this point.

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I’ve told four people. I don’t know if I can hide it anymore? I usually tell people I’m mentally ill.

I didn’t pursue a career and I’m unemployed. I think most people think the worst of me. Which is Sz.

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Do what’s best for you. Experience tells me other people are akin to hell. But we need them to get an education, work, and have a full experience. I went 20 years with an addiction to drugs. It wasn’t until I found a sponsor and attended meetings regularly I got sober and into recovery.

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I accidentally put up a message on the login site at an old place I worked at about my disability check
Next thing I know I’m having co workers calling me ■■■■■■■■
And really mean vulgar things I need not mention

Long and chaotic mess later I quit that job
Most of the time I don’t mention it to random people but co workers in my new job are usually ok
I’m treated with respect at my current job

It doesn’t bother me much that people know about my schizophrenia

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i dont just tell anyone for no reason

Very few people know my diagnosis. At work, my bosses and supervisor know but I don’t detect any discrimination from either of them. There’s four people on our janitor crew and it’s a company that hires disabled and veterans and they all know I’m not a veteran so they know I have a mental illness but the other three guys don’t know my diagnosis.

My roommate is the first roommate I’ve had who guessed my diagnosis because he’s a pushy, nosy, oppressive prick who doesn’t give me one moment of privacy so it was bound to slip out. I think he told his girlfriend too but I acted like it didn’t bother me that they knew and I don’t detect any stigma. The diagnosis is in all my dentist and doctors forms I filled out when I first start seeing them but when I was at my dermatologist appointment two weeks ago I had to reveal I was on an AP and I told her what it was for and when she acted surprised I said, “It’s in my chart isn’t it”? And she answered yes, but I have a long file and she read it a long time ago and forgot!

In 44 years very few people have known my diagnosis. I told all my schizophrenic friends and my sisters told a few people but no harm came from it.

The people who know are the people who have had to know: doctors, psychiatrists, people who ran the group homes I was in; people like that.

I’ve told no one voluntarily. It’s nobody’s business and I figure why tell someone something that they are just going to use against me.

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I told two guys I thought were were friends. They eventually ghosted me. My dad told at least some of his family like his mom and sister and my mom posted on her instagram about me being mentally ill but didn’t say anything about me having schizophrenia. I never tell anyone I’m schizophrenic except I did tell someone who’s in ACT with me because he asked.

Just about everyone knows I have a mental illness but not necessarily which one. I’m on the board of my non-profit clubhouse and regularly represent it at public venues and also do crisis-intevention training with first responders thru NAMI. I’ve found people show less stigma to my sza diagnosis then they do to my borderline personality disorder diagnosis. They see one as an illness and the other as a personality defect.

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I don’t tell people, but they seem to know. Someone is portraying me, as their perception of how crazy people are. Even though they’re the one who’s really crazy, and do everything, they accuse me of.

My ex-wife told everyone in are town that I’m sz. I hate going back to that town.

Because I was so young when I got sick everyone knows

Can’t go back now

:man_shrugging:

Although my employer I don’t mind knowing as I can work from home

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It’s similar for me. I dont live in a city, but a large town. All of my school cohort know for sure by word of mouth and some employers probably found out but that was after I left.

I dont tell people. I never have. But people know

I used to be in the closet for my schizophrenia, but after telling more and more people, I became rather comfortable disclosing it to people in the need to know.

Then I gave a speech about it in high school and was welcomed with open arms by everyone; partly because they knew me from before, and partly because the people in my town are a good lot of folks. It was so touching to some that some of my old teammates in football were brought to tears because of it.

And now, I tell as many people that are in the need to know, and never experienced stigma due to it, definitely after explaining it.

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I have told almost everyone in my life lol.

New people I’m meeting here- I don’t tell

because i was admitted to the psych ward everybody knew i was struggling with something but i didn’t feel like lying why i was admitted.

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I tell the doctors that I visit that I have bipolar disorder

Lots of stigma comes a long with a schizo based illness.

I’ve experienced terrible treatment in the ER with my schizoaffective diagnosis being revealed

Other than my doctors a few of my family members also know of my bipolar and schizoaffective diagnosis.

I don’t announce it to the world

I selectively disclose to people who are in a position to make a difference. Also to my employer.

I’m not currently diagnosed with schizophrenia, but told several people about my bipolar 1 with psychotic features to experiment how they react, well my conclusion is most of them are ignorant on it and even if I try to educate them on it most seem follow what herd thinks, which is stereotypes.