MHAW - the S diagnosis.

Thank you for sharing your experience, I know talking about these sorts of things aren't always easy and it's very admirable of you to do so.

I honestly haven't had any experience with meeting someone diagnosed with schizophrenia but even so, I'm really surprised at those high percentages in the survey. I do agree that there is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health issues though, and that there should be a lot more initiatives to raise awareness and combat that stigma.

I can only sympathise to some extent though, I'd recently been diagnosed with PTSD as a result of a serious car accident. I struggle to get in cars or take public transport now without quite literally trembling and feeling extremely anxious, and I have noticed the odd person staring at me as if I'm mad.

Did you find therapy beneficial? Also what type of therapy did you have?

We should!

Although we'd have to keep it lighthearted and not mocking seriously ill people.

Does anyone in your family also has schizophrenia?

Not that I'm aware of. I have a large extended family with many cousins but I don't think any of them have schizophrenia. My two older brothers have other mental health issues.

Thank you for your reply. Before being diagnosed with schizophrenia have you suffered from other mental health problems?

I had depression and anxiety since my early teens (undiagnosed then, but very obvious now I look back). Before I was diagnosed with schizophrenia they jumped around a bit: personality disorder, psychosis nos, schizoaffective disorder, psychotic depression.

On a good note I don't often suffer from depression much anymore and my anxiety is a lot better though does still impact my life.Tha

Thank you for your answer. Do you think there was anything that caused you to develop schizophrenia? Was your childhood ok?

I experienced a lot of stress in my life which my psychiatrist said probably contributed. I was bullied mercilessly from 5 to 16 both physically and emotionally. I had no friends at school and continued to struggle to make friends at university. My parents were....how to put this....crappy. They laughed when they saw my anxiety in action and I remember them telling family friends and laughing together at how bad their son's anxiety was. I also had depression at a young age but again, they didn't do **** to help. My two older siblings also had mental health problems so a mixture of poor parenting, genetic vulnerability and a lot of stress all contributed.

I am very sorry to hear that, it sounds like you had a difficult childhood. Did your parents start taking your mental health problems more seriously when you were diagnosed with schizophrenia?

My parents divorced when I was 18 but they've had pretty different reactions. My dad told me that "it's just a diagnosis, it doesn't have to be that way if you don't want to" . I don't really have much contact with him anymore. He doesn't know about my last 3 hospital admissions or how things are.

My mother has turned out to [try to] be 100% behind me. She used to come to psychiatrist appointments with me sometimes, she skypes me every weekend, she's read books, been to "carers meetings" (when I lived with her for a while). So that's cool, but I still feel bitter that she wasn't there when I was a kid when she could have made an actual difference.

Thank you for your honesty I appreciate it. I have found that as a kid my mum dismissed my mental health problems and would resent me for being "difficult" and "miserable". But now as an adult the fact that it got a lot more severe to the fact that I got admitted to psychiatric care overnight she started taking it seriously. The fact that my other family members don't acknowledge my mental health has led to a deterioration in relations, I haven't spoken to them for a while now. The worst thing is when they tell you that you aren't mentally ill or that you shouldn't take your medication it just feels like they are invalidating what you are going through.

I am glad your mum has become a lot more supportive I refuse to let my mum go to any doctor appointments with me. I don't have contact with my dad for many years now too. How is your mental health now? Do you feel like the medication has made your mental health more stable?

Man, I'm sorry to hear about your mum dismissing you like that. I think it's really terrible when they don't stand up and take notice until they are basically forced to with it all thrown in their face. I can understand why you'd want to distance yourself from your other family members. Are they your siblings or further away relatives? And absolutely, I can sympathize with the invalidation; it really is horrible, I'm sorry to hear that's happening to you. Keep your doctor appointments and keep taking the meds, buddy, if you get on the right combination they can help more than you can imagine. To answer you, right now that's how my meds are - I've been pretty stable for about 1.5 years some hiccups but mostly good. I'm actually withdrawing from one of them slowly because I was stable enough for my psychiatrist to agree. Doing it really really slowly and watching out for any tiny sign that things are getting less stable.But yeah man, if you need to ask questions or for a little light conversation, feel free to PM me. I can't guarantee I'll respond immediately (I don't go on my computer at weekends or after work) but you seem nice and I'm always willing to help or listen to someone in need.

Thanks for your reply I have distanced myself from like my aunties and grandparents. I think the new antidepressant I am on is starting to help as my Suicidal thoughts have subsided finally. I am glad your medication is working, trying new ones is always a bit stressful. My psychiatrist doesn't want me off my medication anytime soon they have even suggested the possibility of being an entire lifetime on them. I need to have a strict sleeping schedule on them so I take them very early so I am not too drowsy the next day. I hope I am not missing out in life because of it. Does your medication make you feel drowsy? What time do you take your medication?

Oh I see. Yeah, that sucks - I only have one grandparent left (and she now has dementia and doesn't recognize me) but when I told her a few years ago she was almost crying and told me she'd pray for me. She actually got a psychiatrist who went to her church to see me as a 2nd opinion as my psychiatrist at the time was **** and that really helped. But I know a lot of people don't have supportive grandparents and it must be so hard, I guess like my dad or possibly even worse. Have you checked out MHSS on TSR? You might find people who can relate or give you advice there.

That's really great news about your new antidepressant! Especially with the thoughts subsiding! And yeah, my psychiatrist has said the same thing to me, it's really horrible to hear that you may have to take it for the rest of your life especially when we're still young. But then physical problems can be llifelong too and I try not to treat mental ones differently though that is hard. But hey, my psychiatrist told me it will be for life yet I'm halfway off one of my antipsychotics so you never know.

I forgot to mention that I have to stick to a strict schedule with sleep and eating to stay well, it sounds like a silly thing but has really helped me. Yes, my medication makes me drowsy too I've found that most mental health medications have that effect (except abilify). What sort of time do you take your's? I take my evening ones about 7pm and morning at 8.30am. I've been on this combination a while so the drowsiness is no longer as bad, however, I still feel like I'm never really fully awake regardless of how long I sleep or when I take them.

Do you have friends you hang out with that you're missing out on?

I take my medication at 8pm and the morning dose I take as soon as I wake up. I too need to be strict with my bed time and diet. Can't go to bed late and take Medication late as the next fast I won't be able to function. I have cut out nearly all junk food out of my diet and eat incredibly little sweets to stop weight gain from the quetiapine.

My major friendship fell apart in December we were best friends but then she ghosted me and I run into her and asked her why she ghosted me and she said that i am too demanding and she no longer wants to be friends it took me a while to get over that. I have 1 friends from sixth form but she is busy with uni so I am alone. It can suck being alone but I try to occupy myself with school work or watch TV or spend with my pets. How about you? Do you have many friends and do they know about your mental health problems? If so are they supportive?

Man, I can really relate with the quetiapine - I had to be carried to bed in psych hospital when I was on it and made the mistake of not going to bed immediately. How are you doing with the weight gain? I know some people put on weight regardless of their efforts not to because of the changes in metabolism etc. I'd also really recommend getting an A1C test (measures blood sugar for previous 3 months) now so you can compare to a year's time nad hopefully catch metabolic syndrome early if you do start to develop it.

Damn that sucks. I'm sorry to hear about your major friendship falling apart. I don't really know what to suggest, I guess sometimes people just can't deal with change - assuming one or both of you have changed. I dunno. Could you perhaps try to organize to do something over the summer with your uni friend? Maybe travel or just go to a zoo or alton towers or something fun like that. You could perhaps try planning it so you have nothing the next day so going to bed late won't matter quite so much and you can really enjoy time with your friend?

I have a best friend in England who knows about my mental health, more than anyone else. She is awesome. Also she has depression so has some experience with mental illness personally. Over here I have some friends but none of them know. They probably figured something's up but haven't mentioned it to me.

Hey thank you for your reply. I don't go to uni I am doing a level atm as last year I didn't sit all my exams due to mental health problems. I have gained 10kg on quetiapine, now o am trying to have a very strict diet to not put on anymore weight. I haven't checked my weight in a while I am too afraid of finding out.

I have had 2 nosebleeds last week I hope it is not the medication If another one comes I will go to the gp. How are your energy levels? I get very tired at around 6pm and I can't do much study after that. What time do you wake up and go to sleep?

Hi Anon1502

You could still arrange to do something with your friend over the summer even if you're not at uni.

I put on about 32kg in a matter of months and although I've lost about 15kg my clothes still don't fit - I have 2 pair of jeans, 2 hoodies, and a few tshirts and work shirts that's it. Still really trying to lose weight and not really succeeding although I don't take quetiapine anymore. If your clothes are still fitting though you probably haven't put that much weight on.

I've not heard of quetiapine causing nosebleeds (SSRI antidepressants can). But with nosebleeds, it tends to be if you get one you can get more very easily - especially in winter with the dry air from heating your house, it dries out your nasal passages and that can lead to nosebleeds. But if this is the first time you're getting them I'd definitely agree you should see your GP.

My energy levels suck; I never really feel fully awake. I go to bed at 9pm mondays and wednesdays and get up at 7am tuesdays and thursdays (I have class at 8am both those days). Every other weekday I go to bed at 10pm and get up at 8am. So I get lots of sleep but I'm still always so tired. What time do you sleep? Does your school know about the medication and how tired you get?