Thursday, August 13, 2009 Ryan asks

Q: Is it possible im schizophrenic.

I started becoming very tired at the begining of this year, iv been for a number of tests and the cause of my fatigue has not yet been diagnosed. i came across the illness schizophrenia only to discover that i had too many of the symptoms related with the disorder. i told my family members and they told me that i am just stressed out and imagining things, maybe i am but iv gotten to the state where i am so confused that i cant think properly anymore as i could in the past. my first symptom was the voice in my head that told me to do certain things a particular way in order to keep me from coming to any harm. it then changed to a voice which critised alot of things which i didnt want it to, but i had no control over it, i still have this voice and have to appologise to myself each time it sais something critical or negative. i cant really tell anyone otherwise they might think that iv lost my mind. the second symptom is that i have a constint fear that i am being watched, im uncomfortable dressing, bathing. when i do dress, i dress away from the window. i also dont like being touched to much by people and battle to show emotion towards people even though i want to. my social skills are bad and i battle alot to have a simple conversation with a person even when that person isnt a stranger. i get deppressed and i just try and deal with it. my head gets sore from the constint fear that something bad is going to happen to me, i feel that everything that is bad in the world is caused by me and i appologise frequently. im tired of the way my brain acts and at this point i really dont know weather or not im schizophrenic. thanks for taking the time to read this.

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Answers (8)

Christina Bruni, Health Guide

8/14/09 8:13am

Hello Ryan,

I want to put your mind at ease the best I can.

You are writing in because you are worried and I want to give you some hope.

Any number of things could be happening and so you'll need to get a complete check-up at the doctor; hopefully you have a primary care doctor who treats you and can refer you to a psychiatrist if necessary.

SZ usually strikes in someone's late teens and early twenties although late-onset schizophrenia is sometimes possible. If the voices you hear are not your own now is the time to see about treatment that may include medication if a qualified professional like a psychiatrist deems you have SZ.

Although we can give you support and encouragement at this web site, no one here can diagnose what is going on with you-only a doctor can. However, because it is troubling you that is the sign to get this under control as soon as possible.

People diagnosed with SZ or any other mental illness will have the best outcome if they get early treatment, and for a person with SZ, that will include medication.

You may not realize it however perhaps you are under some kind of stress and it could be worth it to examine what's going on in your life right now, such as a loved one being sick, pressure at work or any other kind of change.

So I would talk to someone about what's going on, a person who will be in a position to help you in the best way, such as the primary care doctor.

We all go through times in our lives where we have doubts and worries. The thing you must be honest with is if the voices are you own or not your own. "Command voices" where the voices criticize you or tell you to do something to harm yourself must be controlled with medication when someone has SZ.

Click here to read the early warning signs of schizophrenia and read the Schizophrenia Basics under the green Find button at the top left of this page.

At this point, even if it turned out you didn't have SZ, I am going to suggest right now that you work on developing friendships and social skills. It can be as simple as starting out by going to a coffeehouse for a latte and observing how the other customers act, joining a church singles club or other singles type event [it doesn't have to lead to dating or romance] and also connecting with your family.

Family support is most important to someone with a mental illness and it is undoubtedly important to anyone going through a hard time.

I wish you peace and comfort.

Please talk to someone about this.

Regards,

Christina

Ryan

8/14/09 11:22am

Hi Christina, i would like to give you more of my symptoms if i may do so, so here goes. alot of these strange things started when i was young and i really didnt notice anything but my mom did, she of course didnt think it to be seriouse and just left it. when i was younger i would pace up and down, or walk backwards and forwards for a couple of seconds. i would hop over things that werent there and my mom would ask me what am i hopping over. i aslo had to touch every wall that i pased my arm would just shoot out without me being able to control it. As for me socialising iv tried a number of times to make friends and get involved at church and various places etc, but its hard for me to do so. everytime i try to social its like a part of my brain switches off almost immediatlly and i go blank. its so frustrating to the extent that iv gotten a complex about it and i avoid social environments. When i speak to people sometimes my voice becomes vivid and i have to repeat myself over and over before a person can make out what im saying, sometimes when i speak i go blank and then suddenly all the things i wanted to say hit me at once and i speak so fast that i stutter for a few seconds, or i become tongue tied. i dont feel alone in my head and constantly fear that my private space is being invaded in that i feel that i cant hide what im thinking from people. i also have a constint habit that makes me check the plugs in my home over and over even most times i sit by the plug switching it on and off over and over until i am satisfied that its not going to short. or i check the window and doors over and over making sure that their locked properly. iv even marked the latches in the door so that when i lock the door i can see how far the latch has gone into the wall so that i know it really is locked. i feel like im going insane and i really dont think that its stress, What do you think is it possible that im just stressed out? cause more and more i dont feel like im behaving normally.

Donna-1

8/14/09 2:38pm

I think Christina has already given you the best advice any of us can give you: go to your primary doctor and preferably a psychiatrist. Make the appointment today -- don't put it off any longer. If you want peace of mind, that's the only way to do it. And if you are diagnosed with schizophrenia, the earlier you know and start treatment, the more likely you will have a good outcome. It is good that you acknowledge something is wrong, and I agree. But that is a good starting place -- recognize the illness, see a psychiatrist for evaluation, and begin and stick with treatment, which will almost certainly include medication.

Best wishes,

Carolyn

Christina Bruni, Health Guide

8/15/09 1:12pm

Hello ryan,

Other things could be at play when you tell us you check the plugs because it could be a mild form of OCD however again we can't diagnose you.

Carolyn is right: for peace of mind, please seek help.

Best wishes,

Christina

Daleri

8/13/09 9:45pm

I suppose even regular people can get their thoughts crossed from fatigue. Thoughts become images and sound but you don't have very severe symptoms. An attempt to talk yourself into doing good things can turn against you if you are tired. As a general rule, if you are asking, you likely don't have it.

Daleri

8/13/09 11:35pm

On second thought, (I didn't read your post very well) you do seem to have at least a mild case of sz. Your thoughts are getting out of control instead of you controlling your thoughts. This is the point I would like to make, don't give credence to abusive thoughts. Don't give reason for your mind to get the best of you. It is just a mind and it is just thoughts. It doesn't have to be true and it doesn't have to be real. It might seem like a contraction to say not to fight it but if you do fight it, it will get the best of you. Just don't give it the time of day. It isn't real. That is what you have to believe. Here I am acknowledging that it is a real symptom but it doesn't have to be. You can cancel it out giving it no credit.

I hope the best for you and for everyone affected by sz.

Ryan

8/14/09 11:23am

Thanks. :)

Adam's mom

8/15/09 1:18pm

Ryan,

Go to a Psychiatrist asap. My son told me he thought he had sz and I told him to just stop smoking pot. I did not see it coming. Take the advice here and go. Now I blame myself for not listening to him when he came to me. He is now in a residential treatment center. It is very difficult to hear your child say that and you can't imagine that it would be true. So don't wait for your mom to "get it" go.

Kathy

tedy

8/18/09 5:31pm

hi my name is edgar and i am Schizophrenic and i do feel the same way for some reason i dont have the drive to do some things like get a job and i do feel very fatigue at some points hope fully this will answear your question.

Ryan

8/21/09 1:28pm

Hi, are you perhaps on any medication? And if so has it helped to improve your condition and lifestyle in any way?

crazy C

8/21/09 8:48pm

If you just finished puberty thats when the onset of mental illness happens. You definitly have schizophrenia, any voices is it. Dont worry there are mahing any people like you. As far as i know ive never heard of you messing up things in the world cuz of your brain. dont even worry, but dont even drink coffee or anything stronger untill your stable. Go to the doctor, if your a meth addict they'll give you riperdol. just an onset of mentall illness, you should be perscribed zyprexa or somthing in that family. an you should feel alot bette:-)

Ryan

8/23/09 12:53pm

To everyone that posted their comment on my question i would to say thank you its been very helpful.

douglas knapp

12/12/10 5:08am

i advise you to seek some sikeatric help. it started out like that for me and i fought it for 3 years but now, now the thoughts and talking is to much telling me to do really bad thing and you dont want that. trust me seek help... it will be the best thing for you.

Donna-1

12/12/10 10:15pm

Yes it is possible. What you must guard against is reading about symptoms and then "assigning" them to yourself. And I'm not saying this is true in your case. I just know if you are already worried about things like fatigue (which can be caused by a multitude of mental AND physical disorders) it is easy to start worrying about everything that might be an additional symptom. Please see a psychiatrist in order to sort it all out. If you are experiencing early symptoms of schizophrenia or depression or any other mental illness (or physical illness) then immediate diagnosis and treatment is the best route. In my own case, it helps to alleviate stress as much as possible for a while till I'm feeling better. Maybe that would help you, too. And as far as family members are concerned, it is a common thing for them to deny that anything is wrong because that is just easier for them to handle. If they admitted something might be wrong with you, they would have to start thinking about it and planning for it and deciding how they personally can handle the information. Even years after my diagnosis of sz, family members want to deny that it is the correct diagnosis. And they are always ready to believe that I am "well" now when I am feeling better.

I do wish the best for you and hope you are able to see a psychiatrist and maybe even a therapist to help you deal with these new insights about yourself, and a possible life-changing diagnosis.

Q: Is it possible im schizophrenic.

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