Naked Science Forum
General Science => General Science => Topic started by: chrislewis23 on 09/06/2005 15:41:47
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I am really scared that I am going to go down with schizophrenia and have to go into a mental hospital. My mum has had post natal depression before so there is a history of mental illness in the family.
The thing is I have been having problems over the last couple of months and still seem to have them now.
I always think I am seeing things that are not there. For example we have got a big window in our living room and I keep thinking that I am seeing people walk down the road but when I go up to the window there is no one there. Also the other day I can down stairs and I am sure I saw my dad walk in the kitchen, it frightened me because when I walked into the living room he was a sleep onto the chair so I can't of seen him walking into the kitchen.
Another thing that seems to happen is when i sitting down on the chair i can see reflections and again I always seen to think that I am seeing reflections of things in the window I cant explain what.
I also seen to suffer from numbness in the side of my head and it is also sometimes get pains in the side of my head ?
Can someone please tell me whether they think I may have or am in the stages of getting schizophrenia ?
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Chris, it don't sound like you have a psychological problem to me, though I am not an expert. Ask Doctor Beaver to comment, I’m sure he can help.
But I would really consider getting a scan, if only to put you at ease with your situation. The numbness is suggestive that something might not be as it should be.
As for seeing people that are not really there, it does happen to most of us from time to time, maybe a replay on a past memory triggered off by the room you are in, or the view you are seeing. I have seen some strange things in my time, which even today, I have no explanation for. For example, I saw a little girl dressed in pre Victorian yellow clothes, leaning over an old fashioned couch in the reflection of a huge mirror, which I had placed leaning against an old fireplace in an ancient thatched house. As I walked passed the room, I noticed her, as plain as day, and continued passed the entrance to the lounge, about 5 minutes after, it dawned on me that there was no furniture in the room other than the mirror. To this day I have no explanation for it, other than the settings triggering off some distant memory. Possibly from a period drama on tv. The homeowner confirmed that she had also seen similar things herself, but she believed that the place was haunted.
You also mention postnatal depression, again this has nothing to do with what you have reported and if I were In your shoes, I would not jump to any conclusions without seeking an expert opinion.
Andrew
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Online diagnosis from symptoms is probably someting no doctor would ever want to get invloved in. You should approach your family doctor. The treatment of mental health problems varies depending on where you are but you are very unlikely to be admited at all. In most countries to be admitted against your wishes you would have to either be a danger to yourself or others, which doesn't seem the case.
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Hi Chris
Assuming that you are young and usually fit and well, it sounds to me like you are suffering with anxiety, rather than schizophrenia.
The give-away is in the line "I keep seeing things that are not there". A person with schizophrenia would never say that because, to them, the hallucinations are more real than you are. This is called lacking insight and is a hallmark of schizophrenia. You are fully aware that your experiences are not real and hence have preserve insight and therefore the symptoms don't fit the bill.
Even people with treated schizophrenia (i.e. on drugs and with well-controlled or suppressed symptoms) will still claim that the 'voices' they 'used to hear' were 'real' and 'coming from outside my head'.
Stress and anxiety can often precipitate a state of heightened awareness where individuals notice every aspect of their own behaviour, much of which would normally be ignored, and conclude, with any new sensation, that something must be wrong.
I also suspect anxiety in your case because numbness and tingling can often be a sign of hyperventilation (over-breathing) which is also associated with panic attacks and anxiety states. Do you find yourself suddenly getting into a panic for no apparent reason and experiencing a rapid heart beat, fast breathing, feeling terrified, shaky, and then exhausted, all within the space of about 10 minutes ?
If so, then we've hit the nail on the head. The key to making it stop is to look for the thing that is triggering it, and break the cycle, because the symptoms all reinforce themselves in a vicious circle.
Essentially the symptoms are a physical manifestation of psychological distress. They are merely caused by over-production of adrenaline in the bloodstream, putting you into fight or flight mode - and it's scary until you realise what it is and stop it. You do this by just saying to yourself "I'm making these symptoms happen...they are merely the result of too much adrenaline in the bloodstream. In a few minutes the adrenaline will be gone and I'll be fine again. So why bother worrying about it ?"
You'll find that this knocks it on the head very quickly and you will un-learn how to panic.
If I'm barking up the wrong tree, do come back to me.
Chris
"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
- Groucho Marx
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Andrew - Unfortunately I was unable to be of much help to Chris as I am not a clinical psychologist. I did, however, advise him to see his GP as persistent pains in the head should be the subject of medical examination.
Chris - From what I know of schizophrenia & anxiety I'm inclined to agree but it would be unethical, & possibly dangerous, for me to advise on a condition in which I am not qualified.
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please can someone clear this up for me,im really worried about something. i've been diagnosed with bipolar 1,my dad and my sister are schizophrenic, and completely unable to function in society. mental illness wasn't hereditary in my family until my dad overdosed on lsd back when he was in college,spent 6 weeks in intensive care and almost died.now all his kids are medicated, and mad :(...i'm worried that i could possibly be schizophrenic 2,i've never been sectioned though...but,i don't tell doctors everything. as a kid, very violent things would pop into my head.i just can't forget once when my mind told me to kill one of my kittens,i was shocked,and walked out of the room. something like that happened this year when i was really stoned,even though i'm an adult now,i had a machete in my hand,and my head told me to chop up the cat, i was shocked dropped it,and rushed off to bed...when i was just "depressive", any time id be in a high place,my own voice would tell me to jump,if id be walking on the street, my own voice would tell me to jump in the traffic.right through my teens i had very severe bouts of rage,and would find other things to get the energy out of me so i wouldn't take it out on other people,id stab up the walls and break things when no one could see me...i was very quiet and shy back then though,so i would never lash out at people. when i was about 16,it got worse.i verbally abused everyone when i would get enraged for no reason. punch the sh1t out of things.i punched a few holes in my bedroom door,and realized...i could really hurt someone.i am scared of myself.very very very scared.then i started self harming my legs,where no noe but my lovers would ever see them (no skirts,quarter length pants to swim at the beach)i would lose control,rip out clumps of my hair,scrath my nails down my face if people wouldn't go away so i could cut myself,then have to cover up the sides of my damn face with my hair and hats to hold it close to my face.i ran out of moodstablizers for a few days a few months ago,and decided to just drink day and night till i got more,by the third day,i was in my friend's apartment, i was awake all night, she went to sleep, i freaked and followed my urge to go into her kitchen and grab an ice pick.i completely fucked up my leg and bled all over her kitchen then franticly cleaned the floor, stuck kitchen towel on my leg to sop it up, and washed the sink, by morning light when i could see what i did properly,i didn't know how i could have done something like that or tolerate that type of pain. i still get really violent thoughts for no reason, then i feel scared. i am so worried, im so scared. i dont want to turn out like my father or my sister. if my own voice is telling me to do these things, am i schizophrenic??? what the hell is wrong with me? please help me clear this up. i can't tell my doctor, beacuse i don't know how he'd react,i scared if i am i'll get sectioned. when i visit my sister in the asylum, i get sooo scared, i don't want to wind up in there. please help me.
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vermillion: you have asked for help.
Despite your fears, your Doctor can help you much better than anything you can read on this forum.
You can't diagnose yourself - you just don't know enough and shouldn't trust any specific advice from people on-line. There are too many irresponsible smart arses around who dish out advice for fun.
If you have been prescribed medication, you should take it.
You could always ask your Doctor for a 'second opinion' if you don't get satisfaction.
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thanks...i guess i should,i just don't know how i can get those words out of my mouth,i guess i'll just have to find a way to tell him. thanks