Q: can a sz live a normal life once estabilized on the meds?
Hello bianca26,
Kindly use "people first" language when speaking about us. We are not schizophrenics or SZs; we are people who have schizophrenia.
In June 2000, I graduated from Pratt Institute with a Masters in Library and Information Science. I have worked as a librarian for 12 years.
I live in my own apartment. I have had a boyfriend. I'm one of the Experts here at the Connection. I'm a journalist as well as a librarian.
And yes, for the past 17 years I've taken my medication every day as prescribed and not missed a single dose. Is it a coincidence that I take the meds and I've done so well? I think not.
Regards,
Christina
Let me start by saying I'm not a SZ. I have SZ. Symantics I know.
To answer your question...yes! People with SZ can and do live a "normal" life. Speaking from my own life I own my house and two cars. I pay my bills on time. I don't have huge credit card debts, because I pay them off every month. I worked long enough to get a disability pension. I am married. Have 2 children and 2 grandchildren. I work around the house. I cook and clean. I shop. I bathe regularly. I take my meds and see my doc on a regular basis. I travel.
I do all that even though I hear voices (which is everyday for the last 29 years).
I don't know if I'm normal, and I don't know what you would call "normal" but I have made a good life for myself and wife.
Peace,
Dave
First let me say I am sorry that your son is in the hospital. Second he is in a safe place.
The father is not doing your son any good by telling him that he shouldn't take meds. That will not help your son at all! I am a firm believer in taking meds. I take them everyday at the same time. By me taking meds I have accomplished a lot. I am retired, own my home and two cars. I have no credit card debt. I am a leader in my church.
It is often the case where someone with a mental illness, will NOT attend church. It took me years to go back to mine. I cannot and won't tell to you to go or not to go. That is up to the individual.
What you can do is support your son is keeping in contact, phone calls, letters, visits. By you standing next to him will help.
Voices. I have a lot of experience with voices. Mine started at 17 during a night of partying. I took many meds to stop the voices. The bad news is that none of the meds ever stopped them. PLEASE DO NOT TELL HIM TO STOP MEDS. I take meds to help keep me stable. The meds kept me from being paranoid or depressed. This in turn helped me to find a way to counteer voices.
About 2 or 3 years ago I began a battle against the voices. I push them as soon as they enter. Are they real? To me they are. They are also real to your son. Never tell your son that they are not real, that will alienate him.
I have 3 brother and a sister. None of them have SZ. That isn't to say that your 15 year old will get it. I will however consol him. There is a website that may help you..www.nami.org they have support groups and counseling for you and your sons.
Above all else remember TAKE YOUR MEDS. AND NEVER EVER GIVE UP!!
I wish you and your sons the best. SZ is not a death sentence!!
David
David,
Thanks for the reponse. I appreciate it. I will check out the website. We go to visitation tonight. My husband and I (his stepdad) saw him Tuesday night and it seemed to upset him, he was crying and asking us to get him out of there. I felt awful. I have researched the meds (antipsych) and they all sound horrible. I will encourage him to take whatever they prescribe, but the side effects do not sound well. I also read online where there was a study on teens with prodromal symptoms and they gave them antidepressants, which helped the teens not to develop full blown SZ because they didnt get depressed so they didnt develop a break in reality. Does my son know what's going on with him? I feel like I can't help him. Again, thanks for your input - it was encouraging to hear. I am proud of you for all you have accomplished. I hope my son will do the same.
When I first started hearing voices I knew what there was something wrong. I was powerless to stop it. The voices told me that I was a prophet. They told me many other lies, which I believed. There wasn't many meds during that time. Now there a lot more.
Side effects are a problem. One of the side effects that affect me is dry mouth. I carry gum and soft candies, and drink water (which I carry with me as well). Given the fact that meds have side effects, it is much better to have a dry mouth then full blown psychosis.
Your son may not like being where he is, but it may save him. They will teach him coping skills. My second admission I was 17..I got discharged 11 months 6 days later. I was taught a great deal about life and how to live a good life with SZ. That hospital saved my life.
Keep supporting your son. It sounds as if you do. Keep that up.
Take good care.
David
David,
Why were you hospitalized for almost a year? My son was angry with me last night when we saw him because I wouldnt get him out of there. I felt really bad. He gave me a note that said when he gets out of there he wants nothing to do with me if I dont get him out right then (last night). We have family therapy today, hoping it helps. My 11 year old step-daughter wants to go, but I hadn't planned on it. She loves him and is scared (I think because she doesn't know what's going on), but I don't know what she can handle and am worried this could be too much. Any advice?
The reason I was in the hospital for that long a period was my decision. I was admitted in July, 1980. Around the middle of September I was asked what I wanted to do...go home to my folks or wait for a spot in a transitional housing in the hospital. After a huge fight with my father I decided to stay. I was discharged in June of 1981 because there wasn't any place open to send me.
I would suggest you talk to the person running the group. It may be too much for an 11 year old to understand the nature of things.
Your son will be angry. I understand that. I was angry too.
Keep supportng your son. I will be here if you need to vent, cry, or talk. You are not alone and your son is in a safe place. Hopefully his anger will drop over the years. It will hurt to see him in that state of mind, trust me I hurt my folks way too much.
Peace,
David
my son that 31 now was laced at age 17 still to this day i cry everytime i see him, he was a good student math awards. Now he won't bathe his body he pick up cigarette butts from the street, he get his owe disability money his father is his payee so he make sure he gets him his cigarettes and food, clothes ect.. i can't understand what makes him pick up butts from the st. also he has been caught eating from the garbage by his caretaker where he lives even tho there's food for him, he does still take drugs i don't know if it's crack or not how do you get a person with these problems to go to rehab the sz makes it harder i know people without sz have a hard time to clean their lives up to but even when he stay in the mental inst. for a long time he still come right back out and pick up my heart sits with pain always i don't know how to be a normal mother to him anymore or deal with this we barely let him in our house but we still make sure he safe and taken care of. Now that my husband retired we want to move to a different state we don't even know what to do about him he really act like he can't completely take care of his self it seem like he got worse over the years, he also walk away from the places that took better care of him and try to live on the streets. He be out the mental inst. this week maybe you can help me to understand him and avice if you know what can be done that maybe he won't reject. Halima
can people who have the illness schizophrenia one on the right type of medication for them have a normal life? OF Course most people who have schizoprhenia do lead normal lives and alot well most people do not know that they have the illness because they do so well. The only people who know are the family who were with them when they was diagnosed. SOME A small percentage of people who have scizophrenia are not able to lead normal lives because the meds do not work well enough for them or they have'nt been given the right type or the right dosage.
Hello my name is brian i am happily married to my wife of 20 years,she was diagnosed sz 2001, she has had a couple of psychotic episode's over the year's and is currently in hospital due to a recent episode. we both have the knowledge to know that this hospitalization is temporary, once she is stabbilized on med's she will come home and we will continue to enjoy life. As far as we are concerned answer to your question is yes
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Bianca, "normal life" can mean different things to different people, but I suppose you mean able to work, able to have meaningful relationships, able to socialize, etc. While I do have schizophrenia and am currently stabilized on medication, I choose not to work because stress can trigger my symptoms. However, I do have meaningful relationships and probably have an otherwise fairly normal life. We all have our ups and downs and times when things are difficult. It is sad that your son has to experience such a major challenge at such an early age. But schizophrenia has made me a stronger, better person because I learned from it how to cope with life in general.
And yes, medication is needed in order to reach and maintain stabilization. Don't let anyone tell your son otherwise. And side effects? As earlyriser said, yes there are often side effects. But the side effects are tolerable compared to the intolerable symptoms of schizophrenia, the symptoms that have landed your son in the hospital. Encourage him to take medication, and be forewarned he may have to try more than one before finding "the one" that works for him.
Best wishes.
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I read your comments and wanted to ask you some things. My 17 year old son had a break from reality last week. We had to take him to the hospital Monday, where he is now. Since this is the first time, they haven't "diagnosed" him officially, but my ex-mother-in-law is bi-polar paranoid schizophrenic. They are giving him Zyprexa 10mg, but I read online about the lawsuit where the company is paying out 500 million to patients who have taken the medication. They called this monrning to give him Haldol ifhe becomes aggressive, which he hasn't, but just in case. I remember my ex-mother-in-law talking about Haldol and it being bad. I am worried about the medication they give him because I don't know enough. I am worried he will not have a normal life. He is really smart and doing well in school. He smoked pot a couple weeks ago, but didn't get change for about a week, so I dont think its drug related. I have seen how my ex-mother-in-law has lived her life and its awful; she has had a breakdown every other year. I dont want that for my son. What can I do to help him? I also have a 15 year old son who asked me if this will happen to him when he is 17. Their father doesn't support taking the medication he is going to have to take and has already told him not to take what the doctors give him. This has made things hard on him in the hospital. I have stopped his fathers communication, but to do so permanently I will have to go to court. Do I have to make sure he stays out of church? or not watch certain movies? does he really hear voices? I have cried every days since this weekend. Please tell me anything you can.
Thanks.