Hi everybody, I’m new here! My name is Alice and I’m from Italy. I don’t have myself schizophrenia but I suspect someone I know has it. The point is: can somebody who’s diagnosed with (paranoid) schizophrenia explain me some things? Expecially:
-Is a schizophrenic aware of his desease?
-When he/she takes his/her meds can tell that his/her delusions aren’t real?
-How can I relate to him?
I hope you would answer to me, I really need your help! Thank you!
For an overview of symptoms
Some frequently asked questions…
Some other general information
This site has a lot of information that can give you some ideas of what your dealing with.
Has the person you know been diagnosed by a professional?
Welcome to the forum Hikikomori.
My son is diagnosed with paranoid sz. Everyone is different. From my experience I would say that my son is aware to a certain degree that he has sz but he doesn’t feel it is something that needs to be fixed. Once stable his delusions, which are minimal, seem to fall away, I try to relate to him as I would anyone else as he is not different just gets controlled by symptoms some times.
I’m sure others will share their answers to your questions as well.
Some of these links may help:
http://www.leapinstitute.org/ - under resources are free videos on using LEAP
LEAP is a way of communicating to build trust. Listen-Empathize-Agree-Partner.
http://dramador.com/ - 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:
These links may help you to get early treatment for the person you know:
Early Psychosis Treatment center information in these two links
http://www.raiseetp.org/sites/
Psychiatric Treatment Centers affiliated with Medical Schools in the USA
This link may help you find a psychiatrist in your area
We make a pretty good team since you break down further the links that I don’t 
We’re librarian’s at heart… 
Nice to see you posting again.
Hi Alice. I have paranoid schizohrenia.Some schizophrenics are not aware that they have a disease. Even schizophrenics who have been diagnosed. They do not think anything is wrong with them. I don’t know the exact percentage of schizophrenics who are like this. And I don’t think there is any certain time frame in which a schizophrenic becomes aware he/she is ill. I think it’s different for everybody.Some NEVER gain the awareness.Others, like me are sick only a short time before we realize we are sick. And many people are between these two extremes. But yeah, MANY of us are aware we have a disease called schizophrenia. And many our not…
I have taken meds for thirty years and I still have some delusions.And many people on here have delusions even if they are on meds. And when I talk to my doctor he can explain that what I am thinking is not rational or true and I can see that, but when I get out of his office and I’m driving home I get caught up in the moment and many of my paranoid delusions come flooding back and I get agitated and frustrated with other people. '
I like to be treated like I’m normal. I am aware I have a disease, but I am a human with pride, real feelings, anger, jealously, empathy, and brains.Your patience may be tried at some point, it may be pushed to the limit, but he/she still have a little left in us that was there before we got sick. We are just guys and girls with a disease. You can learn to relate by testing. See what works on this individual. Try new things when you’re dealing with him. See what works and what doesn’t work. You will learn makes him mad, what makes him happy. Be kind. We are certainly no angels because we have schizophrenia, but we are human. I don’t know what your relationship is with this person or how close you are but a lot of how you will relate may depend on how sick they are and what their symptoms are.You’re not the psychiatrist so it’s not your responsibility to cure him.But you can sure help by being loyal and understanding.
I really say THANK YOU to everybody who’s been so kind to answer to me.
And a special thanks to you Nick, because being a schizophrenic yourself of course your help is very important.
So I hope you won’t mind if I ask you something else! Or at least, I’d like to understand better what this disease is and how it works.
You told me you’re aware of your “sickness” and stuff, but when you get out of your doctor’s office you still have some delusions. Can I ask you what do you see/hear in your hallucinations? And, on the basis of what you said, you are aware that your hallucinations aren’t real right? Is this thing that I find difficult to understand!
I mean, I suffer of OCD and sometimes when I go to my terapist I have many obsessions and I know too that the most of times they’re not real but when I’m in a very anxious period it’s difficult to believe that things are alright.
I hope I made myself clear!
Hikikmori. You made yourself clear. I guess I can’t aid you because I have never hallucinated. I have never had auditory or visual hallucinations. You may know about positive and negative symptoms. Hallucinations are positive symptoms. My positive symptoms are paranoid delusions. And not like thinking the FBI or CIA is after me or there are cameras watching me in my house, or that I am God or that I am chosen by God for a special mission. Those are typical, classic, common, paranoid delusions, shared by many. But I have never had anything like those. My paranoia causes me to believe people are dangerous and mean me harm. I see everybody as a threat, and I often think most people are against me. It’s very distressing but it could be A LOT worse. Anyway, I think it’s admirable that you are taking the time and effort to try to understand
this complicated, very disabling , disease. Good luck.
Thank you, you’ve been really kind. I’d like to know about this illness and searching about symptomps online is not very helpful, talking with a real schizophrenic is the best thing I can do to learn more and maybe being helpful. I didn’t mean to be intrusive, I just wanted to know better!
By the way, do you know if somebody who have hallucinations, after he takes his meds, can stop seeing things which don’t exist? If he’s cured with the meds can be aware of his conditions?
Sorry for my bad english! 
Thank you. I used the word “cured”. But I don’t think schizophrenia is curable at the present time. But significant recovery is very possible. I think medications effect people differently. I don’t know if visual hallucinations fully go away from taking meds. They may for some people or at least, the medication may reduce them. Sorry but you would have to find someone who suffers from visual hallucinations and ask them if medications helped with the visual hallucinations. I know you said searching online doesn’t help but I think you may actually find an articled online about “schizophrenia and hallucinations” that would tell you if medications get rid of visual hallucinations. I don’t quite know what you are asking in your last question. Are you asking if medication will give someone who isn’t aware they are sick, the awareness that they really are.? I don’t know if medication helps in this regard. My guess is that it doesn’t. I don’t know for sure. But I would say no. My reasoning is that if simply talking medication gave anyone awareness that it would be common knowledge because lack of awareness is a HUGE problem with schizophrenics but I have never heard ANY parent, doctor, or ANY other schizophrenic say that they gained awareness from taking meds.
I see. Infact, I wrote a new topic where I ask to somebody who has hallucinations to explain me better, but you’ve been really helpful and kind with me, anyway ^^
Yep, I meant if somebody can be aware of his conditions by taking his meds. So I may ask you: how have you been aware of your condition? The doctor told it to you?
I was diagnosed but I did not realize i was sick at first, even though I was living in a house for schizophrenics.
Then what’s happened that made you aware of it?
It just happened. It just dawned on me one day, after talking with a psychiatrist and my parents kept telling me I was sick.
I see. It must have been sad for you :c
Those years were not a happy time for me.
It’s sad to hear :c I hope you found somebody who stayed near you and supported you…by the way, I know is not very much but if you want to talk I’m here c:
I had my family helping and supporting me. Thanks for the offer.