My sister just completely transformed over the past year. She started off by doing repetitive motions like turning the tv on and off 3 times or walking across the room from her chair and back again 5 times. She would stay up all night alone doing this. She would wet her clothes, not use sanitary napkins when she was on her period(she has thankfully changed this now). This went on for about 7 months. Now she has started seeing things and hearing voices. For example, i will be sitting QUIETLY listening to music and all of a sudden she will lash out at me because I said something negative about her. I did not even speak! She does this with everyone in the house but more with certain people. The ‘negative’ things she hears are ALWAYS the same, no matter who says them. But what makes me wonder whether this is schizophrenia is that these voices aren’t that unrealistic/delusional.
Whenever she hears these voices, she gets very violent and will have an episode for about 30 mins–1 hour. The only way I’ve found to curb her anger during these episodes is by rationalising that what she’s saying isn’t possible. She sounds VERY sure of herself when she blames us for saying these things. She hears them 5-10 times a day. That means 5-10 episodes a day.
Some other symptoms: she sleeps very little. Sometimes she will stay up for 2 days without any sleep at all. She doesn’t like doing anything. She hasn’t changed her clothes in 3 months. She says she loves her ‘dirt’. Thinks people always are making fun of her. Can get very violent. Has ocd behaviors. She is 19.
Everything fits into the paranoid delusional area of the sz spectrum. (Possibly also the bipolar area.) If she hasn’t seen a board certified psychitarist for dx, she should ASAP. It’s 80% likely meds will help pretty quickly.
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Thank you, but I have 1 question. Most schizophrenics on this forum and otherwise seem to be paranoid about non existent/imaginary entities and hear their voices. Do other schizophrenics also hear their family members, people they have known their whole life saying things that they actually didn’t say? Is this common among schizophrenics?
I wouldn’t know about common but understandable in the circumstances, yes. When some get paranoid thoughts one might suspect there own mother to say/think hatefull things about them, It just goes that way sometimes. each schizophrenic is different. Once shes on meds you’ll see a huge change (most likely).
Yeah you got it there , it is ocd like behaviour. And it also sounds like psychotic type behaviour. But… Why don’t you ask her , next time you suspect that she could be hearing voices , or sensing things that are not real , why don’t you in a rational very cool manner just ask her ‘OK sis I didn’t say anything can you tell me what caused you to come to that conclusion’. You never mentioned your parents either , does she have a job and how is her life outside the house. I wouldn’t start calling her schizophrenic or psychotic just yet , you are not trained , nor am I but it seems yee both do not communicate clearly. If I had a sibling that was acting in this manner , I’d have asked him/her a few non pejorative questions. Then I’d have spoken to my parents about the situation.
You’re right but it’s impossible to ask her in a cool manner because she interprets my questioning as me being ‘on their team’ and against her. Maybe it will work after we sort out out communication issues.Thank you for your help.
I always mis-read situations and get frustrated with people very easily - even family. I always think people are belittling me and trying to exploit me somehow. I usually realise it’s not them but me, but it still takes a while to calm down again.
I went through a stage where I didn’t speak to my parents for almost three months because I had some pretty horrible ideas of what I thought they were doing to me. I thought that they were trying to stop me getting my own place because parents live off the psychic energy of their children and gaining psychic powers from it. I thought it was a form of abuse and every parent in the world was guilty of it, so I was disgusted with everybody I saw until I got pumped full of meds again and realised that was just one of many ridiculous things my stupid brain had come up with.
sadly… there was a time when my head circus took on my families voices … so I was hearing my brother’s or parent’s voice saying how worthless and disgusting I was.
I hope you’re family can get your Sister some help… early treatment can really help early recovery.
Another good place to get some help and support is www.nami.org
They have support groups all over the nation.
It sounds like your doing a good job when she has a break…
Oh god, that sounds difficult. I was wondering that when you have these delusions, are you somewhat aware of the fact that they aren’t real? Like if someone at that point told you that your parents aren’t stopping you from getting your place it’s actually because of some other reason, would that have made any difference? What are your thoughts when someone tells you that your voices are wrong/that’s not how it is?
Oh that’s exactly what she hears us saying. One question: do you hear these voices from particular members of the family that you already have something against or is it just random? Is there any reason behind this? For example, my sister likes me and my mother the most. She doesn’t hear as many voices from us as she does from my dad (who she absolutely hates). But if I have a fight with her, she will start hearing a lot of voices from me too. Is there any link?
I’ve been thinking about this one… I think back then… it depended on how ill or well I was doing at the time.
When my head circus was at it’s worse… I would hear it from family members I trust and love… that made it all the more painful and really twisted me around and made me act out. But for the most part it was from family members who I have a beef with.
My Latua got increased from 60 mg to 80 mg and the voices have faded greatly. Now they are just random and come out when I’m having a bit of a glitch.
To be honest when I am delusional, my mind jumps from delusion to delusion in a fucked up cycle of brain shit. I’d describe it like the adrenaline or reward you get when you experience something new, except it happens constantly and you don’t know what to believe anymore real or otherwise.
If I was challenged on that, I’d probably think that person is in league with them and be very suspicious.
No one seems to comment when I say things. I only really talk to professionals about how my thoughts. Otherwise they’re all kept inside. I get told by my mum all the time I am hearing people say things that they don’t and that I take everything the wrong way. I get defensive, but thinking about it she’s probably right - I have shocking social skills these days.