You will be surprised at how much you have to offer. In the early years of my sons illness, I went to all different forums, both professional sites and those who have experience of the symptoms people experience. I learnt a lot from the many chats I have had with the people with personal experience. And I have made friends with a few… so you stay right here x
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You, no. But it might bother me if my own relative with SZA were here, since he might discern my identity and perhaps take umbrage at my comments. No chance of that, really, however, since I already suggested this site and he told me that he wasn’t interested. With everyone here posting anonymously, there’s no telling who anyone is, though.
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I understand that. My family isn’t interested in the support group. I don’t have to worry about them being on here
Thanks for being on this site Zannah. I have learned from your experience.
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I’m glad my experience has helped you!
@Zannah Thank you for participating in the forum. It is genuinely helpful to have your input. I’ve learned that the hallucinations/delusions that my mother experiences feel completely real to her and she remembers them as such. These cognitive disturbances are not your fault, please try not to feel humiliated and ashamed. Our brains are a mystery to most of us! Our brains don’t fully mature until late teens, which is when this condition often begins to present. There are any number of things involved: genetics, neurodevelopment during gestation, environmental factors and stress, as well as circuitry and neural transmitters and neurochemistry in glutamate receptor response and differences in hippocampal and limbic cortex, that could play a part in this condition. Hopefully as scientific breakthroughs are made, the treatments can be tailored to the unique makeup of each individual, allowing for a reduction in the side effects. In the meantime, maybe keep a journal where you remind yourself that YOU ARE SAFE — read your journal when you are feeling scared, or reach out to someone you can trust for them to reassure you. Medication helps to tamp down the symptoms, but at this time is not able to make them go away entirely. “The defining features of a schizophrenia diagnosis are hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and thought disorder; these experiences are manifest in multiple sensory modalities and include abnormalities in all aspects of thought, cognition, and emotion.” While you cannot help feeling this way, you can learn coping mechanisms to make the condition more manageable. It seems that you have accomplished this and I hope you have a good support system for when you need extra help. It’s really generous of you to take the time to help others as well.
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@Zannah I’d never heard of Akithisia before, thank you for the explanation. Each antipsychotic (AP) has side effects, you could try a different one, but I am glad you found that Benztropine helps with that sensation.
Schizophrenia affects cognition, and APs have side effects that can be linked to lack of motivation and trouble expressing one’s thoughts … but honestly, that can happen to anyone and we all have to work on it. Some people find that getting involved in improv acting classes or singing classes, can help.
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Thanks so much @CanadianDaughter for your kind words. I just started a year long intensive therapy program. I hope it helps.
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What you describe as akithisia sounds very much like what is happening to my son right now. This started when he was switched to olanzapine and relapsed. Although after many months he is back on what he was taking before the relapse, this is still happening. He is exercising excessively 5-6 hours a day sometimes more. To date he has lost 7 stones in weight, the weight gained due to the medication side effects. I will look into Akithisia, it helps me to understand what is happening and I will pass on to my son x
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I’m glad you learned about akithisia. It’s very uncomfortable. Did your son get the help he needed?
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Hi @Zannah I’m also here (Flowerpot on the other forum). I attended this site because my ex suffered from schizophrenia, so I’m both a patient and once was a caregiver.
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No, You’re always welcome. God has no favorites
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Hey Flowerpot! Good to see you here 
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It doesn’t bother me at all that you are here! Glad others have made you welcome too, Zannah.
I’m not sure of the rules on the forums and who can join which ones. For some reason, I got banned when I joined the “medication” forum some years ago. I wasn’t sure why I was banned from there. I think I’m banned for 20 years or something… hehehe I haven’t been back on there. This forum is my home.
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