Hi.....can anyone give me their own experience of their diagnosis of schizophrenia. I am studying SZ and would like to find out if its easy to get the help you need to treat and recover from this illness.

Thankyou

Deborah

My name is Cherise. I was first diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder in 2001. Schizoaffective is a combination of both Schizophrenia, and Bipolar Disorders. I first became ill when I was about 16. Although, I believe the symptoms started creeping on to me slowly from about age 14. That puts us at 1990. I was first diagnosed Schizophrenic. I dismissed this diagnosis though, because, I had a misconception, at this time, about what Schizophrenia was. I thought it meant "multiple personalities". So, maybe just to appease me, the doctors diagnosed me with Bipolar Disorder, or better, more commonly known as Manic Depression. I stayed with this diagnosis for several years, untill, I began with yet another doctor, who explained to me that I had both illnesses-hence the Schizoaffective.

When, I was first diagnosed with a mental illness, I was so afraid of it, and, in such denial, that I refused to take medication regularly. I have been hospitalized a total of 9 times over the last 15 years. With 5 of those being within the first year of diagnosis. It wasn't untill my 3rd hospitilization, that I was actually diagnosed with an illness, and, medicated.

It is very difficult to live with an illness such as this. It effects every aspect of your life. And, if you're like me, and, lack the support of your biological family, and, people that are supposed to be your friends, it is even more difficult. Every time before I am hospitilized, I deteriorate to the point where I can no longer care for myself physically. It doesn't even occur to me to shower, or get dressed, or eat, or brush my hair, etc. And, sleeping. Forget about it! I was once awake for 5 days non-stop. I do have some support now, from the people I have gotten to know over the last 7 years. So, I am in much better shape now, than I was before I met these people. I also, have been taking my medication faithfully for the last 8 years. Although, I recently had another episode causing me to be hospitilized.

Also, my psychiatrist says that people with my disorder, tend to get progressively worse untill about age 36, then the disorder pretty much stays that way for the rest of their life. He also tells me that, if I were to get pregnant, I would have a 1 in 3 chance of my illness getting worse during the pregnancy. It would either get worse, stay the same, or get better. That's too big a risk for me. It is so hard to deal with now at the level it's at. And, I don't really think I could subject an innocent child to this level of difficulty.

Anyway, hope I helped some

peace, and , love
Cgirl

some link on internet showing what states get higher grades from nami

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Sec...ontentID=31159

Hi all

I did not see his part about schizophrenia

My brother has conic schizophrenia his 50 and my mother has AZ

I care for my mother at home who has AZ and for the past year my brother is living alone in low level housing support , I find the hardest in caring is for my brother as he keep turning to Weed when he is under stress , which give him a lot of negative symptoms, not washing lot of self neglect.

I control his money & find that If I give him to much he spend it on drink , weed .

I don't know what I am asking , just support in trying to understand , he does have a 2 week injection of modicate ( spelling maybe wrong ).

They have tried him on other medication , but has not work his been on this medication for the past 25 years .

when he keep of the street drugs his fine . Since I have been caring for him. I do see a patten of when the stress hits him he turn to this street drug .

He use to live with my mother father , but when my father dies 5 years ago , year later mum was told she had AZ , so I ended up caring for both of them

I've tried to write this a few times... staying on topic isn't my strong point.

It is very difficult to get treatment. One of the reasons in my case is that I'm not always very cooperative. I don't know how many times i have been convinced that a doctor was trying to kill me, and honestly because of mis-diagnosis, those fears were backup with a lot of evidence in my world.

SZ is a lifelong deal.. it goes up and down. Every coping skill, if you want to call it that, gets eroded away the next positive phase you hit... your mind adapts to protect itself from what it considers abnormal states..

I get confused, forget things... because my illness takes most of my mental energy to keep it down. Moments of clarity are beautiful, but then they fade. If i forget my medication, the nightmares come back a lot worse.. and I can't react to them as quickly because of lingering medication.

There are options out there, and i'm proof you can live a somewhat normal life with sz. I have adapted my life around my illness though, and most people wouldn't consider it a good life...

I don't know how helpful this is... sz isn't a quick help situation, and even when we truly appreciate your help.. we can't allow that door to open always... If you are interested in a cause with nobility, you found it.