Do you know if you are schizophrenic?

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Sometimes the medications cause worse side effects than what they treat, so I cannot really blame some for not wanting to take such medication. An aunt I have does not want to take 3 pills with side effects that would pretty much make her sit around and do nothing, for her I guess smoking cannabis helps, I certainly do not recommend that for that disorder in general as it could make it worse for some people, though based on that and current research that suggests CBD one of the chemicals found in in cannabis can reduce the psychotic symptoms I certainly see it as one possible treatment for some people.

Psychotic is not necessary linked to visual ou auditive hallucinations. It's rather the way the senses are interpreted. Like you are in some world in your mind and consider what you perceive no as just real things but relative to some interpretation that has quite nothing to do with reality. For example you see one color, you believe that it means something, and you just don't realize it's just some color. It's not only like religion when you think that there is something behind this world, it is that this world is not considered at all and it is merged with internal thoughts into something that do not makes sense for normal people.

Well at least I think that what psychosis is.


No I'm not talking about the responsibility of have schizophrenia, but about the fact that those people cannot consider that they are responsible of their thoughts, or at least that by doing so it can alleviate it. See what I mean ?

Last edited by circular on 22 May 2012, 11:37 am, edited 1 time in total.

Psychotic is kinda losing touch with reality, and that is rather hard to describe and can vary, its what also kind of happens on psychedelics however I assume typically when it happens as a symptom of a psychotic disorder its not pleasant like a psychedelic trip ideally would be. It can involve visual hallucinations and delusions or more subtle things.

A delusion would be a irrational belief, like something someone believes and cannot be convinced otherwise about, even when shown evidence that it's irrational. At least according to what I learned when I was taking psychology. Though sometimes things that aren't necessarily 'delusions' are seen that way by others.

Psychosis actually involves more auditory hallucinations rather than visual. You can have both, however and still be called psychotic. The voices sound like a real person talking. Sometimes mine involves whispers, people yelling and fighting, someone telling me horrible things such as to injure myself and finally there is this random phrase guy. I also do experience visual hallucinations such as shadows on the wall, people, swirling colors, blue aliens and finally I have seen the green aliens once. Losing touch with reality involves both the delusions and hallucination and it means something other people don't experience. Say you believe that a cow will kill you or eat you. (well that can happen out where I live since the cows are the main population) but in the city that can never happen and you believe it with 100% conviction. No one can tell you otherwise. The delusions can get a lot more bizarre than that such as your head is made of a pumpkin or there is a horse in your tooth (I have read these delusions online). A psychotic disorder can involve more than delusions and hallucinations. It can involve disorganized speech and behavior and catatonia. Also negative symptoms such as having no facial expressions (a flat affect) and no motivation. So, that is basically what psychosis and losing touch with reality means.

Well I guess I don't understand how someone would be responsible for their thoughts. I mean I myself have lots of thoughts I'd prefer not to have and no matter how much I try to control it I typically can't. I imagine people with schizophrenia might run into similar frustration if they are aware of their psychosis symptoms but can't control it.

I'm not talking about controling your thoughts, but about recognizing that these are your thoughts, that it is your mind in fact and not some external agent that would be interacting with you.

Oh I see I guess that makes sense, so kind of being aware paranoia is just that, paranoia....I kid of have an issue with that, I don't think I have any sort of schizophrenia but I do get quite paranoid at times and it can be hard to keep track of what's for real and what's just my mind thinking of the worst possible senerios and then stressing about them if that makes any sense. So I guess I can see how that would be hard to be able to separate reality from delusions.

Hallucinations before waking up could be a sign of schizophrenia? I remember that one time i saw some bugs in my bed and i was scared to death but when i switched on the light, they were gone. Could it be related to stress? And is it possible for it to lead to schizophrenia?

I've heard hallucinations when going to sleep or around the time you wake up are fairly normal, so unless it starts getting more frequent and happening at other times as well I would not worry too much about it. Though if it is really concerning you a lot screw my opinion that you shouldn't worry and talk to someone more professional about it.

Well if it's in the dark, it's normal. Your brain doesn't get much information so you can see whatever you want. If it continues with lights on, that's a bigger issue.

Me too, I think it's just a kind of social anxiety. You can really imagine anything with human beings. I guess there is a slight different between paranoia and simply being cautious.


I suppose that's the main issue about schizophrenia and real paranoia. You just can't say to yourself, hey maybe I am making this up.

Thanks for the answer. It could be related to my PTSD as well but i wonder if stress couldn't lead to schizophrenia - or is it just of a genetic matter.


I don't hear voices, i had just 4-5 nighttime hallucinations in my whole life.
Of course, i didn't take them serious

That is probably a dream

Nope, not schizophrenia. Related to sleep paralysis, though. Your brain hasn't stopped dreaming properly after you physically wake up. Happens to me very regularly. It's exacerbated by stress.

Yeah, I've had delusions like that as part of psychotic depression. I genuinely thought I was cursed by some malign force at work in the universe that I couldn't prove existed but was certain was there. This malign force hurt everyone, but it like especially gave me the evil eye because I worked out its existence. I still believe that if there is a god out there, it must be evil, but I've now got past my delusions of being especially cursed by supernatural forces. I also had this delusion that my body was evil and was working against me in collusion with the evil force in the universe. I know that this sounds more like a philosophical position than a delusion, but it got to the point where it was a very distressing experience, where every sensation was taken as evidence for my belief in the Evil Universe (tm). I also thought that people were plotting against me and trying to poison me. I'd also hear people make critical comments when they weren't saying anything. Lots of 'who said that?' moments when no-one said anything.

It's weird talking about this. I don't have schizophrenia and I am generally a very rational person. When I'm really depressed though, I start believe weird things that aren't true and hearing things that aren't there. If I ever do develop schizophrenia, it'll probably be the paranoid kind. I really hope I don't, though. I am at the moment psychosis-free, which is my normal state. Stress brings out the psychosis, but I am aware of how irrational my thoughts are when I am psychotic. I just can't get them out of my head, anyway.

What's funny is that I have flat-affect because of my Asperger's and anhedonia because of my depression, anyway. I've never suffered from disorganised speech and thought. Plus, my delusions are not that bizarre in the scheme of things. This makes me think it's not schizophrenia.

Typically, I've never used my name and schizophrenia in the same sentence. Today, at the NeighborCare Center, the doctor put me on a medication typically used for antipsychotic behaviour, for schizophrenia, and for behavioural problems with autistic folks. It's called Risperdal. In my case, the MD said, I'll be using it for its "offline" effect which is it works well for severe depression. I wouldn't think I'm schizo because I don't hallucinate or exhibit other schizotypal behaviours. But hey, maybe they know something that I don't.

It's good to know. Thanks for the answer!