Schizophrenia Support Group
Schizophrenia is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a mental disorder characterized by impairments in the perception of reality and by significant social dysfunction. Untreated schizophrenia is typically characterized by demonstrating disorganized thinking and experiencing delusions or auditory hallucinations.
My long term boyfriend got diagnosed today. i am not surprised he has been unwell for about 2 years now with a period of wellness for about 10 months. he had a psychotic break last year and was sectioned for 3 weeks put on anti psychotics and make a spectacular recovery -decided against docs wishes to come off medication about 5 months in. after 3/4 months he begins to lose touch with reality and is found throwing flammable liquid all over his house with his parents and siblings inside about to set it alight. hes since been in psychiatric intensive care for 5 weeks and got diagnosed by a forensic psychiatrist today.
i love him so much i just want to be able to support him through this. i am terrified by the diagnosis feel very little hope. we are young. i am 22 he is 23. we have so many dreams we want a family together we want to travel the world. i feel so devastated my poor darling is suffering so much and i cant do anything to help him.
i just need words of comfort and guidance right now.
what helped when you guys were diagnosed ?
p.s. i have mild bipolar disorder so i have to be very careful and look after myslef which is something im struggling to do whilst worrying about my darling man. oh dear. this situation is absolutely devastating.
i love him so much i just want to be able to support him through this. i am terrified by the diagnosis feel very little hope. we are young. i am 22 he is 23. we have so many dreams we want a family together we want to travel the world. i feel so devastated my poor darling is suffering so much and i cant do anything to help him.
i just need words of comfort and guidance right now.
what helped when you guys were diagnosed ?
p.s. i have mild bipolar disorder so i have to be very careful and look after myslef which is something im struggling to do whilst worrying about my darling man. oh dear. this situation is absolutely devastating.
I have Schizoaffective Disorder, which is Bipolar and Schizophrenia together. i've got both of what you two have, and I'll tell you what has worked out for me. I'm 39, so a bit older.
When I was first diagnosed as Bipolar with Psychotic Symptoms at 18, I was just afraid I would end up spending my life homeless or in an institution. All I wanted to do was finish college and work, which I did end up being able to do, luckily, with good psychiatric care and enough meds.
After I went to graduate school in 2008 I had my first Schizophrenic Break and went on Disability. As I had worked for 10 years first I was able to get SSDI instead of SSI which is better benefits. Now I just write books and paint and live in an apartment by myself which is kind of my ideal life really given the limitations of my illness.
That is what I have to say to you, is that given the limitations of your illnesses you both will probably have to tremendously downscale your dreams, as sad and hard as i know that is because believe me I had to do the exact same thing.
I know I can never work again. I know I can't travel internationally due to my meds. I know I can't have children.
Mentally ill people sometimes do have children but often the children are mentally ill as well as it is genetic and the parens have trouble parenting well. Also the mom has to go off her meds for the duration of the pregnancy which is often very difficult and sometimes people have to get abortions partially into it because they just need to go back on their meds. Having a family if you're both mentally ill is not really a good idea. i'm really sorry to have to tell you that.
Some things I have been able to do in my life are: get a great education, get married, be widowed and not commit suicide over it, get sober, live independently, drive a car, write and publish books, travel within the country, do performance art, and have pets.
No stranger on the Internet can tell you what you can or can't do. But I'm just trying to helpfully give you my two cents about what I've been able to do within the boundaries of the same illnesses that you two have.
Hope this helps and does not crush your dreams too much. Wishing you two the best. You sound like a nice young couple and I know how hard these diagnosis are especially when you are young and suddenly see your whole future life change. it does change. But it doesn't have to suck.