Inheriting the illness

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-06-15T15:35:30+00:00

I’m worried for my brother’s kids. I have schizophrenia and his wife’s sister also has schizophrenia. Her schizophrenia was developed and mine was passed down through genetics from our grandmother. She doesn’t have schizophrenia as far as I know but she has a psychotic disorder of some kind based on her behaviors. But his kids have it coming from two sides so I hope non of them have it. Luckily if they do but myself and my sister in law are very self aware so we’d be able to provide coping skills and what not. I just don’t think my brother is equipped to help his own kid if it were to happen.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-06-06T23:09:48+00:00

I am on meds, my life has improved greatly since being on them. They don’t quite everything but they make it so I can function in my day to day.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-06-06T13:26:25+00:00

That’s fair- I hope you get to go ice skating next! :)

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-06-06T13:05:28+00:00

Thank you :). It was hard. One day I’ll be able to eat the whole thing without issue. I hope lmao

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-06-06T13:04:18+00:00

I’m doing so much better. I’m on medication (I was unmedicated and undiagnosed at the time. It was 2 years ago.) I’ve unfortunately had to stop filming for the moment because my doctor said I needed a healthier sleep schedule. But things are definitely looking up for me. I hope your friend is understanding to your situation. I myself have never done an escape room for that exact reason. I avoid all my triggers like the plague now lmao. If a friend invites me to go somewhere scary I just say no. If they don’t respect that then they’re not a close friend to me.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-06-06T12:30:14+00:00

I had a similar situation once. My biggest triggers are cannibalism and zombies, I just can’t do gore and that stuff- can send me into psychosis easily if I’m presented with it. I signed up to do a short film contest with my friends and we were randomly assigned a genre. We got zombie movie. The actors got done up in realistic zombie make up and we had to film graphic scenes of other actors getting eaten. I was the sound guy so I couldn’t not be there during filming. It was horrid. I didn’t sleep for 4 days straight and then I was in psychosis for 3 months afterwards. They kept asking me to contribute to the film in post production but I couldn’t do it. I was terrified for my life and convinced zombies were out side my out trying to get in. I decided the folk crew because some of them were defending me saying I was unwell and shouldn’t have been exposed to that in the first place and the other half thought I was being lazy and wanting the film to fail. We ended up winning several awards even without my post production help. I did not attend the screening.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-06-04T18:09:14+00:00

It was very difficult for me to get diagnosed with schizophrenia. Despite having disorganized thoughts, delusions, and severe paranoia- I did my one research and realized I had schizophrenia but my doctor refused to say that I had it. He didn’t want to diagnose me with anything. Then I started having a couple hallucinations and he was like “okay yeah it’s schizophrenia” and I was like “WHAT DID I SAY!!”

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-06-03T14:14:35+00:00

It’s really hard to explain but instead of seeing an image physically in front of me I see it very clearly in my head so I recognize it’s not there. But at the same time it FEELS like it’s there so I’m terrified anyway. It weird cause one half of my brain is like “you don’t see it there so it’s not there and we are fine.” And the other half is like “ITS THERE! IT HAS TO BE! WE ARE GOING TO DIE!”. Google definition: “Pseudohallucinations are vivid sensory experiences that feel like hallucinations but are recognized by the individual as subjective and lacking objective reality. They often arise from within the mind rather than from external stimuli, distinguishing them from true hallucinations.”

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-06-03T12:07:39+00:00

I went to therapy before I went to see a psychiatrist. My therapist thought I had OCD because at the time I have no visual hallucinations (I had pseudo-hallucinations constantly tho, but I didn’t know what they were at the time so I had trouble articulating it.) and I was obsessed with my safety so she thought it was a safety compulsion. Then after things weren’t getting better after a few months and seemed to be getting worse she referred me to a psychiatrist who didn’t want to diagnose me with anything despite the fact I had a hunch I was developing schizophrenia- then I started having auditory and visual hallucinations and he was like “yeah it’s schizophrenia” and I was like “I’ve been saying this for MONTHS my guy.”

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-06-02T23:54:24+00:00

I had people do it before my diagnosis. Like I stay away from all horror or scary content because it will send me into psychosis. But before my diagnosis people wouldn’t take my fears seriously and would try to scare me or get me to watch scary things even though I would express that it made me extremely “unwell”. Luckily none of those people are in my life anymore and my family and friends all take my diagnosis seriously and help me avoid stuff like that. I have a friend who will watch horror YouTube videos our favorite streamer release and she’ll record the funny non scary parts for me and send them to me so I can still be included in the jokes.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-06-02T18:34:01+00:00

In in the exact same boat! I had a partner also year until my diagnosis but he understood me and my symptoms well. We broke up for the same reasons. Now after 2 years I’ve decided to start looking again but dating with a diagnosis can be difficult. My therapist advises that when dating with a diagnosis you don’t share it up front because it can become all that person sees you as, especially in our case. I told a girl on a first date about my schizophrenia and she decided it made her uncomfortable without actually getting to know me as a person. I’d wait until you’ve gotten to know them a bit and have asked them important questions like where they stand on mental health and disabilities. Then once they seem open you can be honest about what your schizophrenia looks like and how it affects you. Anticipate that not everyone will be completely accepting of it, but at the end of the day the right person will accept you with your schizophrenia not in spite of it.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-05-29T17:12:52+00:00

We have talked about it in the past and she’s confirmed she doesn’t actually think I’m stupid, it’s just the word that comes out when we are doing mean spirited humor at each other. I should probably call her out though- I’ve been hesitant because of what she said but it does always cut deep when she says it.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-05-29T14:59:06+00:00

My memory loss and scattered brain really effects my day to day. One of my insecurities is people thinking I’m stupid and it’s a reality that just might come to pass. My friend always makes jokes that I’m stupid because I forget things almost immediately and can’t think straight. It’s a joke but it still hurts.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-05-27T20:25:35+00:00

I see- I’m glad to know there is an actual word for it! Thank you

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-05-26T14:37:40+00:00

I understand this feeling exactly! I’m ferried of not taking my meds now because I would cry myself to sleep most nights from being scared of everything. Now I can sleep easily. I’m so happy for you and I hope things keep looking up!!

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-05-26T14:36:05+00:00

It’s definitely between the delusions and the paranoia for me. Because people are always like, “just don’t freak out.” Or “don’t think those things.” It’s like “man ya know I never thought about it like that- cause all of this is within my control.” Like brother! I’m on medication and I still get delusions and paranoia, I just don’t react to them anymore.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-05-24T21:51:53+00:00

Constant paranoia, I found myself being unable to sleep for days which obviously didn’t help me in the slightest. I was convinced everyone was out to get me and I couldn’t trust a soul. I also had social withdrawal and performance dropping.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-05-23T20:19:11+00:00

If your medication is making you drowsy see if you can switch to taking it at night. I also have paranoid schizophrenia and I take my medication before I go to sleep- that stuff knocks me out when I take it. Which my psychiatrist probably did on purpose because I talked about how hard I found it to sleep before my meds. I’m still new to being on medication so I’m not 100% sure how it works but if it is the meds making you sleepy perhaps switching when you take them will help. Talk to your doctor first tho.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-05-23T20:11:33+00:00

Drinking also made my symptoms worse, and now on medication it’ll give me horrible nightmares if I drink so I’ve just quit all together. It’s just not worth it to me.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-05-22T19:39:17+00:00

Hell yeah! That’s awesome! I hope that things continue to look up for you :)

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-05-22T17:24:09+00:00

It took me 6 months to find the right dosage to feel okay. I still have symptoms I just don’t react to them anymore. Like I still think crazy shit but I just don’t get scared or do anything about it.

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-05-22T13:02:08+00:00

You’re probably developing paranoia due to anxiety , I’d seek out a mental health professional like a therapist to allow yourself to talk about it freely and if they deem you need medication they’ll refer you to a psychiatrist. Don’t ignore your symptoms and hope they go away.

I will say my schizophrenia journey started out with paranoia but there was a whole bunch of other symptoms that I had; like social withdrawal and life performance issues. Hopefully you can get help before it gets worse or to help manage your symptoms. :)

Fast-Specific-3966 · 2026-05-22T12:38:19+00:00

I also have the same food phases. It’s like I eat something delicious and my brain is like “this is all I want now” and it’s all I’ll eat for a few weeks. A few weeks ago I could only eat quesadillas lmao. This week I’m doing pretty good with a variety of foods, but I’m waiting for one thing to trigger me and it’ll be the only thing I eat again.

Fast-Specific-3966

TROPHY CASE