Anyone have this or no someone who does? My grandmother had a mild case of this and my parents were worried I had it for a while when i was between 3-7 when I would just randomly start throwing random temper tantrums about random things about why my toys were red or why peas wouldnt taste good. LOL. I would just totaly ignore everyone around me and wallow in my misery for a few hours then get over it. Turns out I was just very curious and had an impatience for not getting answers. Same today just not as serious. LOL. Freaky thing this disease is though. You'll have many multiple personalites that will just randomly changed. One woman with Schizophrenia was tested and found out to have 27 diferent perosalities. 27!. Sorry to hog up your time with this thread just something on my mind. Posted by Space Opera (Member # 6504) on :
I know a woman whose brother developed it after a head injury. It was a very sad situation, and very difficult for the family to deal with. Her brother killed himself a few months later.
I know not all cases end that way, but my heart goes out to anyone that must fight it.
space opera
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Schizophrenia IS NOT multiple personality disorder.
Moreover, most of the greater-than-10 personality cases of MPD have been discredited in the last 15 years, I believe.
Posted by Ryuko (Member # 5125) on :
I know someone who has multiple personalities (well, two, now) but he's not schizophrenic. His Corpus Callosum, the part of the brain that connects the two hemispheres, was missing at his birth, so it's not surprising that he finds it hard to keep himself together... O_O;;
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
rivka is right. schizophrenia is a much different illness that disassociative identity disorder (also known as multiple personality disorder).
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Exactly. Schizophrenia is when you hear voices; MPD is when other people hear YOU speak in multiple voices. Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
That's the most concise and apt description I've read of the difference between the two.
Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :
Schizophrenia is a delution disorder, not multiple personality. Think A Beautiful Mind and John Nash. My best friends dad has a bad case of paranoid schizophrenia, at least thats what we think it is. He won't go to a psycologist or hear anything against his delutions. But he goes around holding a piece of metal to his head saying it helps him communicate with the other world, he tells stories of alien abductions and the like, and makes wacky 'inventions' in his basement. Needless to say, said friend lives with his mom who is perfectly sane. This friend is a physics genius and his dad is also very very smart... just insane. I'm kinda worried that he might get it, cuase I've read in places that it is a genetic disease. I'm always rather frightened for my friend... becuase his dad hunts, owns guns and is a gun repair man. If he loses it completely... Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
One of my best friends has schizophrenia - diagnosed as a teenager. I also have an aunt and an uncle with schizoephrenia. My uncle developed it after an allergic reaction to morphine during surgery.
Schizophrenia usually manifests itself in the late teens to early twenties. Showing up as a child of 3-7 is uncommon. And the previous posters who stated that multiple personalities and schizophrenia are not the same thing are bang on. Added to that, multiple personality disorder is still considered a theory, with about half the psychiatrists/psychologists saying it exists, and half of them saying it doesn't.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Understand, though, too -- that schizophrenia was the "diagnosis of choice" for much of the 60s. By that, I mean that many other mental disorders were diagnosed and treated as "schizophrenia". It was like the catch-all mental illness.
Now they have learned to distinguish it from other conditions much better. So if you grandmother had it "mildly" and it wasa back in the 50s or 60s, I would question that diagnosis.
My mom was also diagnose as this back at that time. In reality, she has OCD, not schizophrenia. Our understanding of mental illness has grown considerably over the last 20 years.
Farmgirl
Posted by Vadon (Member # 4561) on :
I have an uncle with Schizophrenia... He heard, and on occasion does hear voices.
At one time, it was so bad he... um... Kidnapped a person and held the person for Ransom, he was arrested... They found out he had it then. He was in prison longer than what I believe was neccissairy, it wasn't truly his fault... Well... It was caused by the voices but...
Basically, I hold a passion for the struggle so many with it go through...
Posted by Grigori (Member # 6917) on :
roses are red, violets are blue, I'm schizophrenic, and so am I...
Sorry, poor taste. I've known a few people with Bi-polar disorder, (the manic depressive ones are the worst) and one or two people diagnosed with 'mild' schizophrenia.
I've been diagnosed with 'borderline paranoid tendancies' but I'm not quite sure if that's due to head injuries or a by-product of my line of work. (Paranoia is just a heightened sense of awareness)
Extreme emotional detatchment on the other hand... That makes life interesting. Learning to emulate the habits and motions of 'polite' society to make people feel more at ease.
[ November 02, 2004, 10:29 PM: Message edited by: Grigori ]
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
the manic depressive ones are the worst? how so?
Posted by Valentine014 (Member # 5981) on :
I am quite familiar with schizophrenia.
My materal grandmother is diagnosed with the paranoid type. To date she has fired a shotgun at my grandfather because she was sure that he was was cheating on her, she burned down their house (to the ground) for reasons unknown, and she routinely had my grandfather change the screws in the house so the people in the airplanes circling the house couldn't listen to us.
She insisted that blinds be kept closed at all times so the neighbors couldn't see us, she told us they were always watching her.
Currently she is homeless. Well, not technically. She lives in her car and roams Northern California causing chaos wherever she stops.
Anyone know about the genetics involved here? Who's next in line, my mom or yours truly?
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
The other thing to keep in mind is that, usually, with in the mental health field, once a person receives a diagnosis, that diagnosis tends to stick with them for the rest of their life, whether right or wrong. Mental health practitioners are very reluctant to go against previous diagnosis.
Or perhaps this is just Canada?
Posted by Grigori (Member # 6917) on :
No... It seems prevalent in the states (at leat the military) as well. I've been 'counseled' for PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and even though I've 'proven' I don't have it, I still get all sorts of counselings and other things: 'You can't handlit it all by yourself' and 'you're not alone' or 'we're here to help' speeches.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Valentine, perhaps no one.
Schizophrenia isn't always a pure brain chemical imbalance. It can be caused by a combination of factors including environment and trauma.
The other thing to keep in mind is age. It usually strikes in teens to mid-twenties. If you and your mother are past that age, then there's an extremely small chance either of you could get it. So don't worry about it.
Just because it's in the family doesn't mean that it will necessarily get passed on.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Additionally, there is some evidence that it's not purely genetic. There may be certain triggers, which combine with a genetic tendency.
mack, I'm glad you appreciated my witticism. Feel free to steal it. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Oh, and what the heck is a NON-manic-depressive bipolar? I thought those were just two terms for the same disease?
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
I did too. That's why I asked.
(and why aren't you EVER ON AIM!? *cries*)
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
A little while longer.
Posted by Da_Goat (Member # 5529) on :
No, MPD and Schizophrenia are not the same thing, but they are by no means mutually exclusive.
I have known four, possibly five, people afflicted with both. They all committed suicide.
Posted by Sara Sasse (Member # 6804) on :
IIRC, diagnostic criteria for Bipolar I requires a history of at least one manic or mixed episode.
Bipolar II requires at least one major depressive episode, at least one hypomanic episode, but specifies no history of manic or mixed episodes.
there are subcategories for each, but that is the basic division. So I think that traditional "manic-depressive" goes with Bipolar I but not Bipolar II, which is "hypomanic-depressive."
Hypomanic lasts a shorter time (at least 4 days as compared to at least a week) and is not severe enough to cause marked impairment in occupational functioning or usual social activities & relationships, not severe enough to have necessitated hospitalization, and specifies the absence of psychotic features.
Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :
Also the thing to note about schizophrenia is that it is possible to reason your way out of it. There have been cases of people with paranoid schizophrenia, who have recognised they have it, and then used reasoning and judgement to essentially counter act it and ignore their delutions. John Nash being a prime example.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
John Nash being a prime example of the VERY VERY rare and RISKY possibility.
Also please note that it took TWENTY YEARS.
Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :
Well yes, but it IS possible. And I'll bet most people who know they might get it and are watching themselves could do it.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
There is every evidence that they could not, actually. And thinking you CAN reason your way out of mental illness is generally a prime example of denial -- and dangerous, to boot.
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Very. Especially where biology is concerned. Go take a look at brain studies done on folks with schizophrenia and their enlarged front ventricles.
That's a brain deformity. You can't reason your way out of that one.
And the idea that most people could "reason their way out of a mental illness" is one that continues to propagate the idea that mental illness isn't really an illness at all, but a chosen state of mind.
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
I was unable to reason myself out of a case of moderate depression. I strongly doubt people with schizophrenia, which actually messes with a person's ability to think, could just think their problems away.
Posted by Vadon (Member # 4561) on :
I'm not able to reason through many of my problems, even though I know they are unreasonable.
I do often wonder myself about how my mental state will go... I've been said to have a few different things, anxiety disorder, ocd, etc...
Schizophrenia is one for my family... could be kind of scary, supposedly, I sometimes do some of the habits of a person with it...
Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :
Well by reason your way out of it, I mean taking it seriously, as an illness, but still working to get around it. Even if it means asking someone one knows exist as to whether or they can see people new to one. Its possible and its a hope to hang on to, but it doesn't mean totally disregard the disorder. Just the same as its possible for people to get around various physical disabilities through force of will and training one can do the same with mental disabilities. Thats what I mean when I say one can reason ones way out of it.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Vadon, have you been properly diagnosed? Depending on what you actually have, if anything, it could be easily treatable.
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
I have a friend who suffers from Schizophrenia. She has visual and auditory hallucinations (like in the "Beautiful Mind" story). She is on disability. Sadly, our country's rules state that if she gets married, she loses her disability. Her potential husband is self-employed and thus has nothing like the medical benefits or resources it would take to keep up with her medical costs.
Likewise, if she takes even the most minimal of part time jobs, her disability payments are in jeopardy. If she sold any of her artwork or writing, she would also be dropped from any support payments.
So, she remains single and unemployed, forever on the dole, despite having the love and understanding of a really terrific guy and some potential to work or earn money with
I'm not exactly sure what is the "right way" to do things with respect to mental illness and government funding for victims of the various debilitating diseases, but I do think that setting it up so that a person can't financially afford to even take minimal steps toward self-sufficiency.
I don't get it. A bit of an assist with a safety net would seem more appropriate to me.
This all or nothing stuff seems bizarre.
But then, maybe there are more needs than we can afford to meet in this country? Maybe our tax breaks came at the expense of the most vulnerable in our society?
Posted by Psycho Triad (Member # 3331) on :
I used to be schizophrenic.. .. but we're better now.
I don't remember where I heard this, so if anyone knows for sure, lemme know. Schizoprenics cannot 'catch' yawns. Yawning after someone else around you yawns seems true enough, and their have even been studies into the possibility this is some subconscious social effort or some such jargon.
Interesting. *yawn*
[ November 03, 2004, 11:00 AM: Message edited by: Psycho Triad ]
Posted by Melponome (Member # 6987) on :
Schizophrenics don't make "correct" eye contact, either.
The whole paradigm of "social" cues is thrown out.
Posted by Trondheim (Member # 4990) on :
My friends sister was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia 15 years ago. She's been steadily deteriorating since then, until it now seems impossible for her to live permanently outside an institution. During her current periods outside she keeps calling my friend, her mother, her extended family and everyone she knows all the time. The clincher is that she is very, very intelligent and able to manipulate people even though they know about her situation. My friend has now changed her phone numbers and only takes one call every day from her sister on her old cell phone. It's sad to think that they were once so close, but this is what sometimes happens to families in the wake of a psychiatric diagnosis.
Posted by Grigori (Member # 6917) on :
I knew about the yawning thing, but what is 'correct' eye contact?
![[The Wave]](graemlins/thewave.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
That's the most concise and apt description I've read of the difference between the two.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)