I live with someone with schizophrenia. They sometimes make me upset because they seem indifferent to my problems. I have problems too and am very depressed and they ignore me when I complain. I feel they don’t really like me or only when I am doing well. I care about them but they don’t seem to ever care about me. It’s hard for me to think it is just because of their disorder.They do well with other people but seem just to ignore me. I have talked to them but they do not concentrate on anything I am saying. I try to be understanding but it is really affecting me.
Post moved from Diagnosed section to Family area.
Pixel.
(Wearing moderator hat)
You keep saying they and them. Do you live with one person with schizophrenia or more than one?
I’ve had.feedback when I’m ill that I can be self-centered and melodramatic. When you have delusions and halucinations, it can be alarming and it feels like no one hears or understands you, So you tend to increase the volume and focus on yourself. In my case it wasn’t personal and it lifts when symptoms subside.
Sounds like you need some support.
Come here and talk.
Do you live with people that have schizophrenia, do you have a mental illness?
Try to be assertive about your needs. Let them know you have feelings too. Mentally ill people are often preoccupied with their own illnesses. Try to blame the illness, and not the person carrying it. They should recognize your rights and needs even if they are preoccupied.
Thank you for that explanation. It explains a lot about my son. Now that I understand it a little better, I can respond to him in a more helpful manner!
Here are some sites:
http://www.leapinstitute.org/5 - under resources are free videos on using LEAP
LEAP is a way of communicating to build trust. Listen-Empathize-Agree-Partner.
http://dramador.com/1 - Dr. Xavier Amador is a clinical psychologist whose brother had schizophrenia. He is the founder of the LEAP Institute. Wrote the book: I’m Not Sick I Don’t Need Help! Can buy from his website.
Search Xavier Amador and LEAP on youtube.com and you should find some long videos
Treatment Advocacy Center - under problems you will see anosognosia
Anosognosia looks like denial but is different.
Bayes for Schizophrenics: Reasoning in Delusional Disorders - LessWrong - helped my understand delusions
http://www.nami.org/ - National Alliance on Mental Illness.
http://www.schizophrenia.ca/ - Schizophrenia Society of Canada
Can also find some very useful information here:
http://schizophrenia.com/
BarbieBF is a caretaker and she recommends these to family members every time I have ever seen her post on an introduction like this.
He might also have flat affect. It’s also known as blunted affect. I suggest you look it up to see if it sounds like him.
Maybe try engaging them in a conversation about something positive. I don’t discuss too much about my own problems or issues with my son as I don’t think he is capable of being a support. His own thoughts and symptoms take up too much of his ‘head space’. It’s not that he doesn’t care he just isn’t able to concentrate on my problems.