Mental Illness, Schizophrenia, and Hopeless AFC's --- Bible Post ---

[Schism]

This is a serious post. There are a lot of people here we refer to as "hopeless AFC's". No amount of willpower ever seems to change anything for them. We tell them time after time that their thinking needs to be modified. For a small percentage, their thinking does need to be changed. They need to start thinking of their social deficits as a symptom of a biological illness- a brain disease called schizophrenia.

I've divided this post into 3 sections:
1.) What it Feels Like to Have Schizophrenia
2.) Early Warning Signs of the Disease
3.) Seeking Help

1.) What it Feels Like to Have Schizophrenia
First, the part of your brain that should recognize that something is wrong is damaged by the disease. Those who are developing schizophrenia are unaware that they are becoming sick. I bet everyone who is reading this is thinking: "I'm not sick, I don't need help." It gets complicated when you really are sick. It's the problem of having to use the sick organ to diagnose itself.

Schizophrenia is characterized by altered perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and behavior. It does not mean having a split personality. The split refers to an inability to separate what is real from what is not unreal. Your mind interprets them both as one reality. To be concise, everything mimics reality (while you have no clue you are becoming sick).

Compare yourself to the symptoms below to see if you are ok. Keep in mind that schizophrenia has a very narrow age of onset, typically between ages 15 and 25, and affects males harder than females. For this reason, I would hope that this post would make it into the good Don Juan Bible under the health and fitness section.

2.) Early Warning Signs of the Disease
The disease can come on over a period of years (called insidious onset) or be very rapid. It affects 1% of the general population. Subdivided into Physical Symptoms, Feelings and Mood, Behavior, Cognitive Problems, Delusions, and Hallucinations.

Physical Symptoms----
A blank, vacant facial expression. An inability to smile or express emotion through the face is so characteristic of the disease that it was given the scientific name of affective flattening or a blunt affect.
Overly acute senses- lights are too bright, sounds are too loud.
Staring, while in deep thought, with infrequent blinking.
Clumsy, inexact motor skills
Sleep disturbances- insomnia or excessive sleeping
Involuntary movements of the tongue or mouth (facial dyskinesias). Grimacing at the corners of the mouth with the facial muscles, or odd movements with the tongue.
Parkinsonian type symptoms- rigidity, tremor, jerking arm movements, or involuntary movements of the limbs
An awkward gait, how you walk
Eye movements- difficulty focusing on slow moving objects
Unusual gestures or postures
Movement is speeded up- constant pacing
Movement is slowed down- staying in bed (in extreme cases, catatonia)

Feelings and Mood----
Feelings:
The inability to experience joy or pleasure from activities (called anhedonia)
Sometimes feeling nothing at all
Appearing desireless- seeking nothing, wanting nothing
Feeling indifferent to important events
Feeling detached from your own body (depersonalization)
Hypersensitivity to criticism, insults, or hurt feelings
Mood:
Sudden irritability, anger, hostility, suspiciousness, resentment
Depression- feeling discouraged and hopeless about the future
Low motivation, energy, and little or no enthusiasm
Suicidal thoughts or suicidal ideation
Rapidly changing mood- from happy to sad to angry for no apparent reason (called labile mood)
Anxiety

Behavior----
Dropping out of activities and life in general
Inability to form or keep relationships
Social isolation- few close friends if any. Little interaction outside of immediate family.
Increased withdrawal, spending most of the days alone.
Becoming lost in thoughts and not wanting to be disturbed with human contact
Neglect in self-care- i.e. hygiene, clothing, or appearance
Replaying or rehearsing conversations out loud- i.e. talking to yourself (very common sign)
Finding it difficult to deal with stressful situations
Inability to cope with minor problems
Lack of goal-directed behavior. Not being able to engage in purposeful activity
Functional impairment in interpersonal relationships, work, education, or self-care
Deterioration of academic or job-related performance
Inappropriate responses- laughing or smiling when talking of a sad event, feeling silly for no reason at all, and making irrational statements.
Catatonia- staying in the same rigid position for hours, as if in a daze.
Preoccupation with religion or spirituality
Drug or alcohol abuse
Smoke or have the desire to want to smoke (70-90% do smoke)
Frequent moves, trips, or walks that lead nowhere
Strange dress/ clothing

Cognitive Problems----
Racing thoughts
In conversation you tend to say very little (called poverty of speech or alogia)
Suddenly halting speech in the middle of a sentence (thought blocking)
Ruminating thoughts- these are the same thoughts that go around and round your head but get you nowhere. Often about past disappointments, missed opportunities, failed relationships.
Making up new words (neologisms)
Becoming incoherent or stringing unrelated words together (word salad)
Frequent loose association of thoughts or speech- when one thought does not logically relate to the next. For example, "I need to go to the store to buy some band-aids. I read an article about how expensive AIDS drugs are. People take too many street drugs. The streets should be clean from the rain today, etc" The need to go to the store to buy band-aids is forgotten.
Directionless- lack goals, or the ability to set and achieve goals
Trouble with social cues- i.e. not being able to interpret body language, eye contact, voice tone, and gestures appropriately. Often not responding appropriately and thus coming off as cold, distant, or detached.
Difficulty expressing thoughts verbally. Or not having much to say about anything.
Speaking in an abstract or tangential way. Odd use of words or language structure
Difficulty focusing attention and engaging in goal directed behavior
Poor concentration/ memory. Forgetfulness
Nonsensical logic
Difficulty understanding simple things
Thoughts, behavior, and actions are not integrated
Obsessive compulsive tendencies- with thoughts or actions
Thought insertion/ withdrawal- thoughts are put it or taken away without a conscious effort
Conversations that seem deep, but are not logical or coherent

Delusions----
First, long-term oneitis. This is the delusion that someone is in love with you when in reality they aren't. It's also called erotomania or de Clerembault syndrome.
The most common type of delusion or false belief are paranoid delusions. These are persecutory in nature and take many forms:
Feeling that people are talking about you, looking at you
That you are being watched, followed, and spied on (tracking devices, implants, hidden cameras)
Thinking that someone is trying to poison your food
Thinking people are working together to harass you
Thinking that something is trying to control you- i.e. an electronic implant
That people are reading your mind/ controlling your thoughts
That your thoughts are being broadcast over the radio or tv
Delusions of reference- thinking that random events convey a special meaning to you. An example is that a newspaper headline or a license plate has a hidden meaning for you to figure out. That they are signs trying to tell you something.
Religious delusions- that you are Jesus, God, a prophet, or the antichrist.
Delusions of grandeur- the belief that you have an important mission, special purpose, or are an unrecognized genius, or famous person.

Hallucinations----
Hallucinations are as real as any other experience to the person with schizophrenia. As many as 70% hear voices, while a lesser number have visual hallucinations.
Auditory hallucinations can be either inside the person's head or externally. When external, they sound as real as an actual voice. Sometimes they come from no apparent source, other times they come from real people who don't actually say anything, other times a person will hallucinate sounds.
When people hear voices inside their heads, it is as if their inner thoughts are no longer alone. The new voices can talk to each other, talk to themselves, or comment on the person's actions. The majority of the time the voices are negative.
Visual hallucinations operate on a spectrum. They start with the overacuteness of the senses, then in the middle are illusions, and on the far end are actual hallucinations.

3.) Seeking Help
Highly Recommended Books:
Surviving Schizophrenia by Dr. E. Fuller Torrey
I am Not Sick, I Don't Need Help! by Xavier Amador

Resources to help the suicidal:
suicide...? read this first: http://www.metanoia.org/suicide
National Suicide Helpline: 1-800-SUICIDE

Further Reading:
Comprehensive info, including diagnostic criteria, can be found here: www.schizophrenia.com

Schizophrenia can be treated and you can live a relatively normal life. Remember that you have an advantage in recovery- many of the keys to leading a better life are in the Don Juan Bible. You can't think your way out of this disease, it doesn't work like that. But for everything else Pook's quote is true, "As you think you shall become."

 

[rapsta]

can you become a schizophreniac at the age of 20 just like that? and what does it usually occur?

 

[Alpine]

While well intentioned, I think this thread may cause undue concern to a lot of people unecessarily.

Some of the symptoms can be picked out and can apply to alot of people. That does not mean they are a sufferer. It's difficult to diagnose by a professional let alone yourself and it's a combination of symptoms and the degree.

There are other 'lesser' disorders that can present themselves in a similar way.

I take it you are a sufferer and are well meaning, but this 20% notion is very misleading. Most of the people who are AFCs are AFCs and that's all they are.

If anybody is concerned about their mental health, start off at the doctors and get a referal if need be.

BTW, I was just wondering if you had another username as well?

 

[Vercingetorix777]

It's really common to think other people have a certain mental illness when you have been recently diagnosed. I was thinking everyone was somewhat bi-polar after being dxed manic-depressive. It lasted a couple years.

 

[Blue Phoenix]

I estimate that 20% of the hopeless AFC's here may be developing this disease (a biological illness- a brain disease called schizophrenia).

I got curious. Just tell me on what is based your affirmation that 20% of AFCs are mental cases??

Do you have any REAL life example, like someone you know that could made you reach this conclusion about this disease? Or you just read about this disease in another website and decided to post here?

We must be careful not to go around on this forum saying that people with difficulties/problems (which is something natural) are mental cases!!!!

I need evidences!

In what are based your statments?

 

[Schism]

I don't want to cause undue concern so I will clear up a few points. Schizophrenia affects 1% of the general population. It was wrong of me to say 20% of AFC's may have it. Just keep in mind it has a very narrow age of onset just like Alzheimer's has. For schizophrenia, the onset is between ages 15-25 the vast majority of the time.

A lot of the above symptoms overlap with many other diseases such as bipolar disorder, depression, and the various kinds of personality disorders (specifically paranoid and schizotypal personality disorders). For information on bipolar disorder, go to www.moodswing.org

It is true that I think everyone who displays mildly odd behavior must be schizophrenic. Like how many times has a thread come up on this site where someone says that they just can't smile. So i think it's one of the symptoms (called affecting flattening of emotional expression).

Below are the criteria for a diagnosis of schizophrenia. It does not replace the opinion of your doctor though.

Diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia (USA criteria)

A.Characteristic symptoms: Two (or more) of the following, each present for a
significant portion of time during a 1-month period (or less if successfully
treated):

1.Delusions - false beliefs strongly held in spite of invalidating evidence,
especially as a symptom of mental illness: for example,
1.Paranoid delusions, or delusions of persecution, for example
believing that people are "out to get" you, or the thought that people
are doing things when there is no external evidence that such things
are taking place.
2.Delusions of reference - when things in the environment seem to be
directly related to you even though they are not. For example it
may seem as if people are talking about you or special personal
messages are being communicated to you through the TV, radio, or
other media.
3.Somatic Delusions are false beliefs about your body - for example
that a terrible physical illness exists or that something foreign is
inside or passing through your body.
4.Delusions of grandeur - for example when you believe that you are
very special or have special powers or abilities. An example of a
grandiouse delusion is thinking you are a famous rock star.
2.Hallucinations - Hallucinations can take a number of different forms -
they can be:
1.Visual (seeing things that are not there or that other people cannot
see),
2.Auditory (hearing voices that other people can't hear,
3.Tactile (feeling things that other people don't feel or something
touching your skin that isn't there.)
4.Olfactory (smelling things that other people cannot smell, or not
smelling the same thing that other people do smell)
5.Gustatory experiences (tasting things that isn't there)
3.Disorganized speech (e.g., frequent derailment or incoherence) - these
are also called "word salads".
4.Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior (An abnormal condition
variously characterized by stupor/innactivity, mania, and either rigidity or
extreme flexibility of the limbs).
5.Negative symptoms, these are the lack of important abilities. Some of
these include:
1.lack of emotion - the inability to enjoy acitivities as much as before
2.Low energy - the person sits around and sleeps much more than
normal
3.lack of interest in life, low motivation
4.Affective flattening - a blank, blunted facial experession or less
lively facial movements or physical movements.
5.Alogia (difficulty or inability to speak)
6.Inappropriate social skills or lack of interest or ability to socialize
with other people
7.Inability to make friends or keep friends, or not caring to have
friends
8.Social isolation - person spends most of the day alone or only with
close family

Note: Only one Criterion A symptom is required if delusions are
bizarre or hallucinations consist of a voice keeping up a running
commentary on the person's behavior or thoughts, or two or more
voices conversing with each other.

Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Cognitive symptoms refer to the difficulties with concentration and memory.
These can include:
1.disorganized thinking
2.slow thinking
3.difficulty understanding
4.poor concentration
5.poor memory
6.difficulty expressing thoughts
7.difficulty integrating thoughts, feelings and behavior

B.Social/occupational dysfunction: For a significant portion of the time s+ince the
onset of the disturbance, one or more major areas of functioning such as work,
interpersonal relations, or self-care are markedly below the level achieved prior
to the onset (or when the onset is in childhood or adolescence, failure to achieve
expected level of interpersonal, academic, or occupational achievement).

C.Duration: Continuous signs of the disturbance persist for at least 6 months. This
6-month period must include at least 1 month of symptoms (or less if successfully
treated) that meet Criterion A (i.e., active-phase symptoms) and may include
periods of prodromal or residual symptoms. During these prodromal or residual
periods, the signs of the disturbance may be manifested by only negative
symptoms or two or more symptoms listed in Criterion A present in an
attenuated form (e.g., odd beliefs, unusual perceptual experiences).

 

[Blue Phoenix]

Just tell me for how long have you been here?

Don't get me wrong but It's kinda strange you with your 1st post, make a statment about mental disease and afcs.

Anyway, you've said:

It is true that I think everyone who displays mildly odd behavior must be schizophrenic. Like how many times has a thread come up on this site where someone says that they just can't smile. So i think it's one of the symptoms (called affecting flattening of emotional expression).

Well. Again, just because someone have difficulties it doesnt mean he's sick! It could be just his personatity or maybe any trauma he had, and so on!

And it also depends on the country, because each country has its culture which may be tottally different from american's one. Although, it's interesting to know about people with this disease you're mentioning. We may bump into some of them somewhere...Who knows?

 

[Schism]

I've been coming to this site since 2001, have attempted to put the entire Don Juan Bible into practice, and have followed the daily discussions. For this I have to thank everyone here. It's only my first post under this screename because there is a stigma associated with this disease.

Despite the overwhelming evidence I did not believe that I was sick. I had reasons to explain why I was the way I was: I had a messed up personality already, add trauma to it, add more bad circumstances, add not developing normal relationships to it, etc. Everything made sense to me, it was perfectly rational why I had turned out with so many of the "symptoms".

It should have been obvious to me that something was wrong. But the disease is insidious- it damages the part of your brain that is capable of self-analysis. You can't understand that you are getting worse.

I had to start hallucinating voices talking to me before I knew that something was wrong. Despite the delusional thinking, despite talking to myself on the street, despite the social withdrawal, despite everything I did not believe I was sick and to an extent I still think nothing is wrong with me.

 

[frivolousz21]

for all the AFC's reading this thread..DONT PANIC!

 

[Alpine]

Schism,

I'm glad to here you're diagnosed and from what you are writing it's under control. I'm wondering now if you should start focussing on other things, like getting on with your life.

I guess it's natural to want to make people aware of these things, you are only trying to help, but I reckon you want to change your username to something else, start living a normal life and enjoying it.

There is a huge stigma still with mental illness and I think it's a real turn off for most people. Sure there is someone almost daily who says I'm depressed, should I get on Prozac, but to be honest few care and alot laugh at your misfortune.

Start living and make the most of your window.

 

[Vercingetorix777]

You know, i always think the visual hallucinations kick ass

 

[-=Ice-T=-]

**** man, i think im schizo

j/k

 

[locarius]

ibLock

People dont need to self diagnose via the internet.

 

[MuayThai]

Well... That sounds like me.

Who's read my other posts?

don't they read all fukked up?

recently I havent been feeling good about anything. Like im going on holiday to thailand for 3 weeks at christmas and.... I feel nothing. I started driving, feel nothing. Girl txt's me, tells me im "gorgeous" says we're really good friends, and more ****, I feel nothing.
I no longer have nice friendly convasations with people, especially my mum. I spend loads time alone reading.
Out of nowhere, the crave to start smoking comes back.

In fact I have loads of symptoms, bad memory, lost in thoughts, lol i can't remember the rest. oh that no expression thingy.

I have a history of quite severe drug use, mainly cannabis but ive done ketamine, extasy, lsd, cocaine. I gave em up, but whent on holiday recently smoked weed and done ket again. Feel much worse after.

Not too mention, two of my immidiate family died out of the blue last year. which has had drastic effects on everything.

Btw, im not an afc, I can chat up girls. but it no longer feels.... the same. No, funny little teasing, or walm huggs. just pursuit of sex.

Im being honest because none of you know me.

Maybe i should see someone. what do you think schism?

Oh and siriously... don't do drugs. They have never helped anyone.

 

[Julian]

dude wtf. i talk out loud to myself all the time...

dude WTF