# fear of schizophrenia



## bambatrack (Feb 19, 2012)

Hi everyone im new here!
im 17 and all started when i got a panick attack by smocking weed with friends. The next day, when i thought about it, i got derealization that is with me 24/7 for 1 year now. Sometimes i felt dp too.
I kearned to live with dr and anxiety but one day i was looking on the internet about mentall illness and i found an article about schizophrenia.. i got really really scared of it and i searched all symptoms of this illness and i know everything of it. The problem is.. when i start thinking about (example): Waht if someday i become schizo? What will i do? Will i live with this illness all my life?-
or when i start fearing that i will have auditory allucinations or delusions.. then i think i will sure have schizophrenia and there is no way i can save myself. I've read that dp/dr can be symptoms of it and that weed can cause it so those are factors that help my anxiety to come in. Also films that talk about it fear me and i start searching to internet again until i find relief. But in some way the next day the cycle restart and i keep googling schizophrenia... When i hear something i always think: oh its a allucination! and i always check if it isnt. Thats all.
oh sorry for my bad english!
plz help me


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## toshibatelly (Sep 13, 2011)

bambatrack said:


> Hi everyone im new here!
> im 17 and all started when i got a panick attack by smocking weed with friends. The next day, when i thought about it, i got derealization that is with me 24/7 for 1 year now. Sometimes i felt dp too.
> I kearned to live with dr and anxiety but one day i was looking on the internet about mentall illness and i found an article about schizophrenia.. i got really really scared of it and i searched all symptoms of this illness and i know everything of it. The problem is.. when i start thinking about (example): Waht if someday i become schizo? What will i do? Will i live with this illness all my life?-
> or when i start fearing that i will have auditory allucinations or delusions.. then i think i will sure have schizophrenia and there is no way i can save myself. I've read that dp/dr can be symptoms of it and that weed can cause it so those are factors that help my anxiety to come in. Also films that talk about it fear me and i start searching to internet again until i find relief. But in some way the next day the cycle restart and i keep googling schizophrenia... When i hear something i always think: oh its a allucination! and i always check if it isnt. Thats all.
> ...


Firstly, no-one can make any promises to you here about your future. So let's get that bit of unfortunate news out of the way.

However, the odds of you developing schizophrenia, if you have no family history of the disease, are less than 1 in 100, smoking cannabis can increase your risk but it is still unlikely you will develop schizophrenia. Also, if your weed use was going to trigger psychosis it is likely that would be what would have happened, instead it triggered DP, I am not familiar with anyone who has gone from having DP/DR to having schizophrenia. DR for a year is indicative of being a dissociative, not a psychotic.

I too fear psychosis, many DP sufferers do, but the best thing to do is to avoid searching it, I understand how tempting it can be and I know that people sometimes feel a sort of nagging compulsion to do it, but really try not to if you possibly can. At the present time your problem is not schizophrenia, it is DR and anxiety, so focus on solving them.

Anyway, as I have told others on here, and as many people on here already know, prodromal schizophrenics are anosognosic, this means that they are not aware that they have a problem. The part of the brain which should allow them to have insight is damaged by the disorder, so the fact you are worrying about it means I am fairly confident you don't have it and are not developing it.

My last piece of advice is to explain your fears about this to your Doctor, I explained how I feared being a schizophrenic to my Doctor and he soon allayed those fears.


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## forestx5 (Aug 29, 2008)

Schizophrenics don't fear becoming schizophrenic. They are comfortable in the belief that they are normal. It is called "delusion", and it is what defines schizophrenia.
When you stop fearing that you will get schizophrenia, then you might be concerned that you have it.
Your fear is that your depersonalization will progress until you lose yourself completely. You can't will yourself to be schizophrenic. Have some respect for real schizophrenics. Stop terrorizing yourself.


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## Jayden (Feb 9, 2011)

forestx5 said:


> Schizophrenics don't fear becoming schizophrenic. They are comfortable in the belief that they are normal. It is called "delusion", and it is what defines schizophrenia.
> When you stop fearing that you will get schizophrenia, then you might be concerned that you have it.
> Your fear is that your depersonalization will progress until you lose yourself completely. You can't will yourself to be schizophrenic. Have some respect for real schizophrenics. Stop terrorizing yourself.


Its funny because I'm always worried about schiz but I also have thought that if I overcome the fear then that's bad too because then I wouldn't be concerned about developing it, sounds weird I know, I would worry either way!

Also its not like this person doesn't person doesn't have respect. Their just scared. Its not like their making fun of the disease.


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## GrahamCracker (Jan 27, 2012)

Jayd said:


> Its funny because I'm always worried about schiz but I also have thought that if I overcome the fear then that's bad too because then I wouldn't be concerned about developing it, sounds weird I know, I would worry either way!
> 
> Also its not like this person doesn't person doesn't have respect. Their just scared. Its not like their making fun of the disease.


i can totally relate to what youre saying. i constantly worry about becoming schizo or psychotic, and at times it feels so much as though it is controlling my mind that this in and of itself will drive me insane. and when you say "if i overcome the fear then that's bad too" i know exactly what you mean. its like i worry about becoming schizo, and then people say that oh well being schizo isn't like that. if you worry about it then you know you dont have it. well then if i stop worrying about it then how will i know i dont have it...? its definitely a vicious cycle. one thing that helps me however is my dad. he is a neuroscience professor and worked in an insane asylum back in the 70s and whenever i bring up fears like this to him he just looks at me like im being extremely irrational, and if anybody would know i think it would be him. my dads a genius. haha. well anyways i hope you feel better, and i need to take my own advice as well!


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## Jayden (Feb 9, 2011)

GrahamCracker said:


> i can totally relate to what youre saying. i constantly worry about becoming schizo or psychotic, and at times it feels so much as though it is controlling my mind that this in and of itself will drive me insane. and when you say "if i overcome the fear then that's bad too" i know exactly what you mean. its like i worry about becoming schizo, and then people say that oh well being schizo isn't like that. if you worry about it then you know you dont have it. well then if i stop worrying about it then how will i know i dont have it...? its definitely a vicious cycle. one thing that helps me however is my dad. he is a neuroscience professor and worked in an insane asylum back in the 70s and whenever i bring up fears like this to him he just looks at me like im being extremely irrational, and if anybody would know i think it would be him. my dads a genius. haha. well anyways i hope you feel better, and i need to take my own advice as well!


Man I know exactly what your saying too haha, glad im not the only one


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2012)

forestx5 said:


> Schizophrenics don't fear becoming schizophrenic. They are comfortable in the belief that they are normal. It is called "delusion", and it is what defines schizophrenia.
> When you stop fearing that you will get schizophrenia, then you might be concerned that you have it.
> Your fear is that your depersonalization will progress until you lose yourself completely. You can't will yourself to be schizophrenic. Have some respect for real schizophrenics. Stop terrorizing yourself.


I am going to say this again but it does no good.

Someone with schizophrenia (not a schizo -- that is an insulting term) can be VERY aware of the strangeness of their thoughts. I have spent a good part of my life interacting with individuals with all mental illnesses. My first boyfriend in college had schizophrenia, and I have two cousins (one with schizophrenia and one with schizoaffective disorder which causes paranoia, mania, psychotic episodes.)

There are individuals on this board with schizophrenia.

It is a very specific serious disorder of the brain, neurological, and comes on a spectrum of more treatable to untreatable.

There are also extremely high functioning individuals who have schizophrenia.

I have told these stories before, but an individual may go through a period of lucidity ... then they may have anything from mild to major symptoms. They can feel symptoms coming on -- CBT, etc. helps the individual recognize this and seek help.

One woman I know is a pharmacist who may be considered "quiet and eccentric" -- but she hasn't missed a day of work in years. I know another who is a journalist (PT) who in a meeting will sometimes say, "Is everything turning pink in here?" And others in the group say, "Nope." And she says, "Damnit, I need a meds change." VERY aware. And many are terrified by their symptoms. It is only when they lose insight that they become unaware that their thoughts, hallucinations are distorted or not real. But even then, they recall sometimes the things they were thinking, and look back and can describe them.

Another man, a doctor, bipolar (where in manic states one can have delusions) noted that when watching TV one day he saw the Pope and felt he needed to get on a plane to assassinate him. But he knew he shouldn't be thinking that, and told another doctor. He had been self-medicating with drugs and alcohol for years and was a heart surgeon. He is now in recovery and studying to be a psychiatrist.

Finally, another member of my group has a compulsion to put his hand in the garbage disposal. Voices tell him to do this. He knows this is dangerous. He again, is able to recognize this is not the right thing to do and will call a friend, or call his doctor.

These misconceptions about other mental illnesses drive me up the wall.

Look up Elyn Saks. She is an attorney, law professor and she has schizophrenia. She has had years of intervention. Some 50 years ago she was considered a hopeless case. She is now a spokesperson for the mentally ill. Came out of the closet. Only her best friends stood by her as people don't see that brain disorders are neurological.

And no, can't diagnose over the internet, but NO, NO, NO DP/DR are NOT going to develop into schizophrenia, though some with schizophrenia may have DP/DR symptoms.

DP/DR is a horrible sensation, but it doesn't affect our sense of insight. We KNOW there is something wrong, and we don't "graduate" to psychosis. If one develops psychosis ... well that would be a very small percent here, and it would appear dramatically. You might end up in a hospital to get stabilized.

With any disorder there is a spectrum of severity, length of illness, times of remission, etc. Proper treatment in various ways can help MANY people. But there is no specific treatment that cures schizoprhenia or really any mental illness, but improves quality of life even to where the individual is so high functioning you would not know they have the disorder. Many may know someone with schizophrenia and not even know it as they are afraid of being called "schizo" or that their illness is contagious.

This is pure ignorance.


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## toshibatelly (Sep 13, 2011)

Jayd said:


> Its funny because I'm always worried about schiz but I also have thought that if I overcome the fear then that's bad too because then I wouldn't be concerned about developing it, sounds weird I know, I would worry either way!
> 
> Also its not like this person doesn't person doesn't have respect. Their just scared. Its not like their making fun of the disease.


Yeah I got myself trapped in that little loop, if I fear it then I won't get it, once I stop fearing it I could be developing it. Either way, you feel shit.


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## toshibatelly (Sep 13, 2011)

Dreamer* said:


> I am going to say this again but it does no good.
> 
> Someone with schizophrenia (not a schizo -- that is an insulting term) can be VERY aware of the strangeness of their thoughts. I have spent a good part of my life interacting with individuals with all mental illnesses. My first boyfriend in college had schizophrenia, and I have two cousins (one with schizophrenia and one with schizoaffective disorder which causes paranoia, mania, psychotic episodes.)
> 
> ...


Well that's all very interesting. However, as you have said, the odds of someone with chronic DP developing schizophrenia is very low (I know schizophrenics can experience DP but they experience it as one of a constellation of symptoms) so why scare people with this information? You know and I know that there are more than a few people on this board whose lives revolve around a fear of schizophrenia, I don't think your information, correct as it is, will help them.


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## toshibatelly (Sep 13, 2011)

forestx5 said:


> Schizophrenics don't fear becoming schizophrenic. They are comfortable in the belief that they are normal. It is called "delusion", and it is what defines schizophrenia.
> When you stop fearing that you will get schizophrenia, then you might be concerned that you have it.
> Your fear is that your depersonalization will progress until you lose yourself completely. You can't will yourself to be schizophrenic. Have some respect for real schizophrenics. Stop terrorizing yourself.


I don't think he was being disrespectful, I think he was just imparting to us a very real fear that he has, a fear which many of us, including myself, can empathise with.

Anyway, I agree about the real fear often not being a fear of psychosis, but a fear of losing oneself entirely to DP. If you become a schizophrenic there are drugs to help you, lots of them, and there is a good support network in place for you to benefit from, severe DP sufferers don't have either of those things (not to trivialise the hard work which I know goes on, but treatment options for DP sufferers are quite limited compared to those afflicted with psychosis or mood disorders).


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2012)

toshibatelly said:


> Well that's all very interesting. However, as you have said, the odds of someone with chronic DP developing schizophrenia is very low (I know schizophrenics can experience DP but they experience it as one of a constellation of symptoms) so why scare people with this information? You know and I know that there are more than a few people on this board whose lives revolve around a fear of schizophrenia, I don't think your information, correct as it is, will help them.


How in the world is this going to scare people. I am saying for nine millionth time NO, DP/DR is NOT schizophrenia and you're not going to develop schizophrenia. So knowledge about the actual disorder is meaningless.

As I said, knowledge is power. I have had DP/DR all of my life. I have never developed any psychosis. I also never feared psychosis, I only feared and fear completely disappearing or being trapped in DP/DR.

Why in the world give me a negative mark.

I am telling people to NOT be afraid of getting schizophrenia and to educate themselves about this AND to accept the fact they/we have INSIGHT. We feel awful, but we are AWARE we feel awful. All of the time.

If someone with chest pain thinks they are having a heart attack and what they have is a broken rib ... well there is a clear difference.

And I am saying that I am sick of demonizing individuals who HAVE schizophrenia ... "Schizos" ... who are HUMAAN beings like the rest of us, who can contribute amazing things to society. It's truly a shame.

If anything I wish the word "schizo" or the misspelled "SKITZO" would stop being thrown about. It isn't "us" vs. "them."

Ignorance is bliss.


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2012)

toshibatelly said:


> I don't think he was being disrespectful, I think he was just imparting to us a very real fear that he has, a fear which many of us, including myself, can empathise with.
> 
> Anyway, I agree about the real fear often not being a fear of psychosis, but a fear of losing oneself entirely to DP. If you become a schizophrenic there are drugs to help you, lots of them, and there is a good support network in place for you to benefit from, severe DP sufferers don't have either of those things (not to trivialise the hard work which I know goes on, but treatment options for DP sufferers are quite limited compared to those afflicted with psychosis or mood disorders).


This is not true re: support and medication. Having schizoprhenia is as damaging to an individual as DP/DR or any other mental illness. I am not attacking anyone.

There is SO much more re: understanding the brain. I have friends who developed epilepsy when they were 40 and no one knows why. They suffer as well and are on medications with miserable side effects. The meds available for schizophrenia have miserable side effects -- one reason many go off of their meds.

There are no longer institutions to help the seriously mentally ill. Jails and homelessness are the options. We have a terrible mental health system/or systems worldwide. Again, because people don't "get" these are not "weaknesses of character" but Medical Illnesses.

I am refering to others here who perpetuate stigma.

*And these negative ratings on posts are absolutely ridiculous. As usual ignore what I have to say if you don't like it. I am angry at stigma and ignorance is all. And I am a chronic DP/DR sufferer. Do you think my life is a party?*


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## toshibatelly (Sep 13, 2011)

Dreamer* said:


> How in the world is this going to scare people. I am saying for nine millionth time NO, DP/DR is NOT schizophrenia and you're not going to develop schizophrenia. So knowledge about the actual disorder is meaningless.


I understand, and I did not mean to come across as hostile, I just thought that perhaps it would be inappropriate to segue into misconceptions about the insight schizophrenics have when people here could misuse that information and end up worrying themselves unduly.



Dreamer* said:


> As I said, knowledge is power. I have had DP/DR all of my life. I have never developed any psychosis. I also never feared psychosis, I only feared and fear completely disappearing or being trapped in DP/DR.
> 
> Why in the world give me a negative mark.


Some DP sufferers do fear psychosis, and for some it can be an all consuming fear.



Dreamer* said:


> I am telling people to NOT be afraid of getting schizophrenia and to educate themselves about this AND to accept the fact they/we have INSIGHT. We feel awful, but we are AWARE we feel awful. All of the time.
> 
> If someone with chest pain thinks they are having a heart attack and what they have is a broken rib ... well there is a clear difference.


Entirely agreed.











Dreamer* said:


> And I am saying that I am sick of demonizing individuals who HAVE schizophrenia ... "Schizos" ... who are HUMAAN beings like the rest of us, who can contribute amazing things to society. It's truly a shame.


Agreed. I think people dehumanise them because they are afraid of becoming like them, so they try to turn them into some sort of unGodly beings, doomed to be madmen from the moment they were born. It is wrong, and I would never defend people who do that.



Dreamer* said:


> If anything I wish the word "schizo" or the misspelled "SKITZO" would stop being thrown about. It isn't "us" vs. "them."
> 
> Ignorance is bliss.


Quite.


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## toshibatelly (Sep 13, 2011)

Dreamer* said:


> This is not true re: support and medication. Having schizoprhenia is as damaging to an individual as DP/DR or any other mental illness. I am not attacking anyone.


So you are telling me that there is as much money spent on DP as is spent on schizophrenia? Come on! We don't even have a dedicated drug for DP, how many anti-psychotics have been developed?



Dreamer* said:


> There is SO much more re: understanding the brain. I have friends who developed epilepsy when they were 40 and no one knows why. They suffer as well and are on medications with miserable side effects. The meds available for schizophrenia have miserable side effects -- one reason many go off of their meds.
> 
> There are no longer institutions to help the seriously mentally ill. Jails and homelessness are the options. We have a terrible mental health system/or systems worldwide. Again, because people don't "get" these are not "weaknesses of character" but Medical Illnesses.


I agree, the system is not very well set up, but I can't change that.



Dreamer* said:


> I am refering to others here who perpetuate stigma.
> 
> *And these negative ratings on posts are absolutely ridiculous. As usual ignore what I have to say if you don't like it. I am angry at stigma and ignorance is all. And I am a chronic DP/DR sufferer. Do you think my life is a party?*


So am I and my life is no party either.


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## bambatrack (Feb 19, 2012)

First: i did not want to insult Schizophrenics with the word: schizo ( i found this world in a lot of other forums so i used it and i didnt realize that was a bad word)
Second: i just wanted some opionions about my problem and i thank u all for answer to this post. Now can someone tell me if i have the same percentage of getting this illness as a normal person without dp/dr? And btw, if a people like me that has read all symptoms of schizophrenia ,get the illness than this people is able to recognize the symptoms and to understant that he got the illness?
thanks


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## Jayden (Feb 9, 2011)

Dreamer* said:


> Someone with schizophrenia (not a schizo -- that is an insulting term) can be VERY aware of the strangeness of their thoughts.


I don't like this because I have bizarre random thoughts and I am aware of their strangeness. Having an obsession of this fear and reading about it doesn't help it either.


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2012)

*@Tosh, just to clarify this point, though I see we are on the same page ...*



> So you are telling me that there is as much money spent on DP as is spent on schizophrenia? Come on! We don't even have a dedicated drug for DP, how many anti-psychotics have been developed?


Money is being spent on all forms of mental illness, but those at the front of the line so to speak are those which destroy an individuals ability to work, socialize, go to school, etc. In other words, those members of society who:
1. Need Federal or State assistance
2. Need 24 hour care or supervision
3. Can be a danger to self or others - many rogue assasins like Loughner who shot Gabby Giffords in Texas. Loughner is schizophrenic ... is this the type of behavior/thinking of people on this board?
4. End up homeless or on the street

Schizophrenia, bipolar, and dementia fall into those categories in particular. Such indiividuals use the ER, hospital beds (which there are barely any), public services, jail cells, prison cells.

When studying ALL mental illness DP/DR are being studied, but are yes, at the bottom of the list, but if you look at any country, mental health research is the sadly the least of anyone's worries.

Also, why is cancer, heart disease, and diabetes at the top of the list? All are also disabling, and require long-term treatment.

*EDIT! The medications available for individuals with psychosis are NOT very different from the ones available in the 1950s.* There is of course a healthier holistic approach, with half-way houses, etc. But God help you if you are the parent of a child with severe mental illness, or the child (AND I MEAN ADULT CHILD) of a parent with dementia.

DP/DR -- many of us can plod along and do not take a drain from society.

*@Bambatrack:*


> First: i did not want to insult Schizophrenics with the word: schizo ( i found this world in a lot of other forums so i used it and i didnt realize that was a bad word)
> Second: i just wanted some opionions about my problem and i thank u all for answer to this post. Now can someone tell me if i have the same percentage of getting this illness as a normal person without dp/dr? And btw, if a people like me that has read all symptoms of schizophrenia ,get the illness than this people is able to recognize the symptoms and to understant that he got the illness?
> thanks


I appreciate this. But I don't know why some people on the internet are insulting and others not, or if they know they are. It is a pet peeve of mine. Sorry to be crabby.

*To the best of my understanding, if you are like many/most of the individuals here, your having DP/DR, if it is as described in the DSM-5, is not making you prone to schizophrenia. I don't know if there are actual stats out there, but DP/DR is associated more with anxiety, PTSD, etc. It is viewed in a completely different way from schizophrenia.*

And as many people say here. And I will come on and try one more time..... Don't even consider it. Deal with what is happening to you now. Please do not worry about the future that you will develop something else from this. It's true, many people here fear this, and yet what I'm trying to say is the two disorders are NOT THE SAME.

I wish I had a statistic, but re: those I know with schizoprhenia, none of them ever said they knew what DP was! These are friends/family. They have no idea what I am talking about.

*And back @ whoever said:*


> Schizophrenics don't fear becoming schizophrenic. *They are comfortable in the belief that they are normal.* It is called "delusion", and it is what defines schizophrenia.


That is just not correct. If people here are afraid of becoming schizophrenic, but being schizophrenic means you are happy go lucky?????, well ... as I've said, many with all severe mental disorders are aware (save a minority) that they are ill. They do NOT think they are "normal" -- they are frequently terrorized by voices telling them they are awful, they are paranoid ... the symptoms of schizophrenia are so dramatic and so self-damaging and damaging to others they are unmistakable. They destroy the individual and families. And many die of suicide or too early due to lack of a home, support, etc.

WE HAVE INSIGHT. And to the best of my knowledge, there is no study noting that DP/DR puts one at risk for schizophrenia. I really hope this helps. I really don't intend to get so crabby. But I have friends who have schizophrenia, and family members, and they are very lost, terrified, unhappy people who have good days and terrible days and are aware they are ill (not every moment, but they know). They are also good people who shouldn't be suffering. Some others I know have done beautifully in life.


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2012)

Jayd said:


> I don't like this because I have bizarre random thoughts and I am aware of their strangeness. Having an obsession of this fear and reading about it doesn't help it either.


Jayd, I'm talking specifics here and I know how concerned you are about this. But by strange thoughts ...

Do you feel compelled to go to the local drugstore and kill the pharmacist because he is actually a terrorist under cover? Have you purchased a weapon recently to kill the President? THESE ARE DRAMATIC delusional thoughts, and the individuals TAKES ACTION on them, not always, but can lash out in fear at others. My cousin's son has attacked his father, thinking his father was a stranger. The television set literally talks to him and tells him what to do. I can't believe you are experiencing dramatic delusions like this.

Jayd, Jayd, Jayd. You are fine ... except for the DP/DR which I've had for so long and HATE. But I am not psychotic, never was, and never will be. Cheers. No harm intended


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## daydreambeliever (Jun 15, 2011)

toshibatelly said:


> I don't think he was being disrespectful, I think he was just imparting to us a very real fear that he has, a fear which many of us, including myself, can empathise with.
> 
> Anyway, I agree about the real fear often not being a fear of psychosis, but a fear of losing oneself entirely to DP. If you become a schizophrenic there are drugs to help you, lots of them, and there is a good support network in place for you to benefit from, severe DP sufferers don't have either of those things (not to trivialise the hard work which I know goes on, but treatment options for DP sufferers are quite limited compared to those afflicted with psychosis or mood disorders).


I have been told I have a severe case and I used to fear psychosis too. That's in the past however. Most folks on this site are young. I've had dp undiagnosed most of my life. Now in my 50s I am definitely in fear about what will become of me to dp alone. So I hope the very best for you all. Do what ever you can. Start now. Check your diet, exercise, etc. If I could help one person not develop such a bad case as mine, it would make my suffering worth it. I love life and I also despise it. It is so hard to have a body. Taking care of a body is a real job. I wish I'd taken care of mine. Instead I fed my uneasiness with drugs, doctor prescribed and street drugs, alcohol to excess, sugar and other junk food. I have compounded my problems for life. I quit doing all these things, including cutting now and then (learned that at the hospt.) I don't even smoke anymore. And now it seems is the most challenging of all my years. But I am in my 50s. Hope and peace, please find us.

On the other hand the drug treatment for psychosis are the worst drugs I've taken and if that's the cure! Whew! I know a bunch of who opt. out on medicine. They do all right but I wouldn't want to trade. We're in the same boat pretty much. The good news is that these people are living lives they think are worth living and I don't see that they are getting worse. Sometimes they are more concerned about me. And that is true.


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## toshibatelly (Sep 13, 2011)

daydreambeliever said:


> I have been told I have a severe case and I used to fear psychosis too. That's in the past however. Most folks on this site are young. I've had dp undiagnosed most of my life. Now in my 50s I am definitely in fear about what will become of me to dp alone. So I hope the very best for you all. Do what ever you can. Start now. Check your diet, exercise, etc. If I could help one person not develop such a bad case as mine, it would make my suffering worth it. I love life and I also despise it. It is so hard to have a body. Taking care of a body is a real job. I wish I'd taken care of mine. Instead I fed my uneasiness with drugs, doctor prescribed and street drugs, alcohol to excess, sugar and other junk food. I have compounded my problems for life. I quit doing all these things, including cutting now and then (learned that at the hospt.) I don't even smoke anymore. And now it seems is the most challenging of all my years. But I am in my 50s. Hope and peace, please find us.
> 
> On the other hand the drug treatment for psychosis are the worst drugs I've taken and if that's the cure! Whew! I know a bunch of who opt. out on medicine. They do all right but I wouldn't want to trade. We're in the same boat pretty much. The good news is that these people are living lives they think are worth living and I don't see that they are getting worse. Sometimes they are more concerned about me. And that is true.


Thanks. Yeah I don't take great care of myself to be honest, I don't drink, use drugs or smoke, but I eat to excess, rarely do any aerobic exercise (though I do lift weights). I should look to myself for help instead of blaming a dearth of DP-specific drugs.

P.S. I would have up-rated this post as well but I have run out of my daily quota of 'positive rep' things.


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## Doberg (Sep 12, 2013)

There has been research that has concluded that 50-60 percent of people who have schizophrenia lack/lacked insight into there illness. It is usually not until a family member or professional informs them of there illness that they then realize they are ill. Most times they will seek help for other issues such as anxiety, depression or severe social withdrawal etc. This is when they get diagnosed with having schizophrenia. Usually it comes as a shock to them and there family/friends. I don't ever know of someone who was developing schizophrenia that worried about it, obsessed over it, took several self screening tests about it and was deeply concerned about it. Usually the diagnosis comes as a surprise to the individual.


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## yosemitedome (Aug 1, 2013)

Doberg said:


> There has been research that has concluded that 50-60 percent of people who have schizophrenia lack/lacked insight into there illness. It is usually not until a family member or professional informs them of there illness that they then realize they are ill. Most times they will seek help for other issues such as anxiety, depression or severe social withdrawal etc. This is when they get diagnosed with having schizophrenia. Usually it comes as a shock to them and there family/friends. I don't ever know of someone who was developing schizophrenia that worried about it, obsessed over it, took several self screening tests about it and was deeply concerned about it. Usually the diagnosis comes as a surprise to the individual.


True, but I would also argue that the people who had insight were not climbing the walls with anxiety fearing they had schizophrenia.

There is varying degrees of schizophrenia, so the milder cases indeed would have insight to know 'something is not right' accounting for the other 40-50%. Not everyone has the hollywood cases of schizophrenia, and milder cases would allow for insight. My buddy has an uncle who smokes bongs under foil sheets because he is paranoid the government can monitor him via satellite from space. He knows he is paranoid, I would call that insight. My buddy says he just babbles all the time and is never ever happy, just talks about how much the world is changed etc. He is most likely paranoid from smoking weed for 40+ years, but either way, that would be cause for a schizophrenia diagnosis.

P.S - I don't know if he has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, but I would call that both schizophrenia and insight.

P.P.S - I feel bad talking about schizophrenia in such a negative light all the time, like these people are somehow not human, which they are.


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## Doberg (Sep 12, 2013)

yosemitedome said:


> True, but I would also argue that the people who had insight were not climbing the walls with anxiety fearing they had schizophrenia.
> 
> There is varying degrees of schizophrenia, which is included in this 50-60 percent, so the milder cases indeed would have insight to know 'something is not right'. Not everyone has the hollywood cases of schizophrenia, and milder cases would allow for insight.


Yes, I agree that most times the ones with insight were not climbing walls with anxiety fearing they had schizophrenia. They would likely have severe anxiety for no reason and always sense some kind of doom or evil near by, perhaps just paranoia that caused anxiety, It is usually the symptoms of the illness that cause the anxiety not the anxiety causing the illness . We on the other hand have intense anxiety over how dpdr makes us feel and the fact that we are worried about getting schizophrenia. The truth is that most schizophrenics are NOT like what you see in the movies. THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL and can live relatively good lives. I think only like 1/4 of people with schizophrenia are constantly hospitalized. If you do the statistic math its quite anxiety relieving. For me anyway haha. The statistics are as follows. 1% of the general public will receive a diagnosis of schizophrenia. 50% of those with the diagnosis will lack insight to there illness. 25% of people with schizophrenia have poor outcomes and require institutionalizing. So if you have INSIGHT and you fear that you are in the prodromal stages of schizophrenia then there is a 99.5% chance that you wont end up schizophrenic and if you do happen to then there is a 99.7 % chance that you wont be forever institutionalized due to the illness.


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## Doberg (Sep 12, 2013)

Its about state of mind for the most part. if you can obtain a positive way of thinking your outcome is better for any illness you may have. THIS IS SIMPLY MY OPINION AND NOT FACT


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## yosemitedome (Aug 1, 2013)

I screwed up what I was saying haha, see edited line:



yosemitedome said:


> There is varying degrees of schizophrenia, so the milder cases indeed would have insight to know 'something is not right' accounting for the other 40-50%.


Watch this bro, it's quite good:


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## Doberg (Sep 12, 2013)

that's a long ass video lol... its kind of old school but its got good insight.... It's kind of scary though.


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