Mental illness in your family

[Randomnity]

Dunno if you have heard of it, but some schizophrenics might be actually using cannabis for self medication. It might sound weird, but cannabis also includes some antipsychotics(amount of them vary from strain to strain and effects what sort of high the strain gives) and schizophrenics might find some relief from some strains of cannabis.

Yep - what I've read is that while most people, schizo or not, get a mild positive mood from smoking up, schizophrenics but not schizophrenics also get a decrease in self-reported "negative mental symptoms", I don't remember how those were defined exactly though. The point being that they were more drawn to become (psychologically) addicted (and would therefore smoke more often) because it relieved the negative things they were experiencing, whereas non-schizophrenics don't get that added draw.

 

[INTP]

Yep - what I've read is that while most people, schizo or not, get a mild positive mood from smoking up, schizophrenics but not schizophrenics also get a decrease in self-reported "negative mental symptoms", I don't remember how those were defined exactly though. The point being that they were more drawn to become (psychologically) addicted (and would therefore smoke more often) because it relieved the negative things they were experiencing, whereas non-schizophrenics don't get that added draw.

But you know this addictive behavior is mainly studied with people who already got ill. Also its mainly looked at addiction to tobacco. Some new studies has led to hypothesis that they use tobacco as self medication also. Not to mention that schizophrenia itself seems to lower self control when it comes to addictions and since they are unable to think of future too much(illness forcing them to live in the present moment), so these two factors together might lead to develop addictions more easily. Also some medication seems to do this also, so this link between addiction and schizophrenia(especially before getting ill) is bit unclear.

 

[prplchknz]

But you know this addictive behavior is mainly studied with people who already got ill. Also its mainly looked at addiction to tobacco. Some new studies has led to hypothesis that they use tobacco as self medication also. Not to mention that schizophrenia itself seems to lower self control when it comes to addictions and since they are unable to think of future too much(illness forcing them to live in the present moment), so these two factors together might lead to develop addictions more easily. Also some medication seems to do this also, so this link between addiction and schizophrenia(especially before getting ill) is bit unclear.

yes and did you know that people with schizophrenia are less likely to quit smoking than the general population. That's all I know

 

[INTP]

yes and did you know that people with schizophrenia are less likely to quit smoking than the general population. That's all I know

Yea i knew it, i think thats because of i wrote in last post, lack of self control, self medication etc

 

[prplchknz]

Yea i knew it, i think thats because of i wrote in last post, lack of self control, self medication etc

dude, seriously give me some credit, i knew that before i read your stinking post

 

[INTP]

dude, seriously give me some credit, i knew that before i read your stinking post

 

[Spurgeon]

Today I read that the onset of schizophrenia for women can be from age 30-40, as opposed to teens/early adulthood for men. With my grandmother having had it (and committing suicide, presumably because of it), and my prior misconception that it'd have manifested in my teens or early twenties....now I'm worried.

Does anyone else have biological relatives with mental illnesses? What kind? Do you worry about getting it, or do you already have it?

At one time, I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, and I'm fairly convinced I have Asperger's Syndrome.

I don't think anyone else in my family has been officially diagnosed with anything, but there seems to be a variety of disorders in my family: Depression, Anxiety, Bi-Polar, Borderline Personality Disorder, just to name a few. There are all kinds of addictions and some criminal behavior......
You name it, it seems we've got it.

I'm managing my depression without medication. And I've learned to cope with my Aspie tendencies fairly well. But life is a daily struggle for me.

Thankfully, I have a very patient and understanding wife and a loving, merciful God who is transforming me by his grace.

 

[Rockwell]

Keep in mind the age group to which you refer as Schizophrenic and the general history of mental health diagnosis. Remember that most mental health institutions used Freudian Theories between the late 1800s until the 1940s when anti-psychotic drugs and other treatments (ECT) became available. The 1940s was the beginning of exploring into loosely labelled schizophrenics and attempting to diagnose them correctly (due in part to therapist Carl Rogers). "By the late 1960s there were over 60 different types of psychotherapies." (http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/history-of-psychotherapy). My point is your grandparents, if born in this generation, may never have been properly diagnosed. Yet they were still a guinea pig to the next generation (as we all are.)

As for myself, I have researched my genealogy extensively and found a line of mental health problems. I myself have suffered from mild depression all my life and quite possibly mild ADD. I don't believe my mother had any illness, if she did she hid it. Her mother was born into the above referenced generation and diagnosed as schizophrenic. I did get copies of all her intake forms where she received mental health treatment. They lead me to believe she was manic depressive, but being a guinea pig for those heavy anti-psychotic drugs I'm sure there became a point in time that her brain was toast. My grandmother's mother committed suicide, brother to great grandmother committed suicide and also their father committed suicide. Beyond that there are no more death certificates.

This is a good article regarding the history of mental illness.
http://www.studentpulse.com/article...ntal-illness-from-skull-drills-to-happy-pills


Cheers.

 

[ilikeitlikethat]

Bipolar Disorder/Manic Depression on my mother's side; and yes, it has passed down to me.

 

[Betty Blue]

Depression, manic depression, grandmother on mothers side and my father.

EDIT: At one point it was thought i may have manic depression but my actual diagnosis was episodic major depression.

 

[figsfiggyfigs]

None. Although one of my dad's distant cousins is a bit off... Don't know what he has though.

 

[Betty Blue]

None. Although one of my dad's distant cousins is a bit off... Don't know what he has though.

No-one with Narcissistic personality disorder? hmmm

 

[figsfiggyfigs]

No-one with Narcissistic personality disorder? hmmm

Nope! I'm the first case!

 

[Nijntje]

both my little brother and i have mental illnesses, incidentally, we have different fathers and our illnesses came from their sides, not mums.

 

[AgentF]

no, although i have a great deal of compassion for people with mental illness in their family or who are on meds for some disorder.

that compassion stops at my doorstep. irl, i avoid their company like the plague.

 

[Stanton Moore]

no, although i have a great deal of compassion for people with mental illness in their family or who are on meds for some disorder.

that compassion stops at my doorstep. irl, i avoid their company like the plague.

Really? Explain.

 

[boondocked]

Schizophrenic mother.

She's wonderful, and seems almost cosmically creative to me. She loves my father and is loved by him; they are one of the happiest couples I know (though it wasn't always that way - his ISFJ sensibilities didn't always jive with the vagueries and illogic of her illness). My brother and I feel like she's delicate (she's an even more tender-hearted variation on INFP than you normally find) and have always taken good care of her and probably tried to parent her a bit.

I think I actually idealize her illness; the negative aspects are under the strict management of her meds while her creativity and "other-ness," which I admire in anyone who has it, remain pretty forefront. Still, though. Does not want. I'd rather be sane than special.

 

[prplchknz]

no, although i have a great deal of compassion for people with mental illness in their family or who are on meds for some disorder.

that compassion stops at my doorstep. irl, i avoid their company like the plague.

when you treat them like a leper, how can you say you have compassion?

 

[AgentF]

Really? Explain.

yes, really. i've seen people i care about turned into walking lab experiments by meds and am far too sensitive to not get pulled onto the roller coaster. in their particular cases, they self-destructed and that was that; a healthy friendship with them was impossible at that point.

so no new attachments to people with such backgrounds. an unpopular opinion, particularly in a place like this, but i'd rather view some things from afar.


*there are occasional, extremely rare exceptions. so rare that it's not worth going into but they are exceptions to an otherwise firm policy.

 

[Nijntje]

In some ways I have to agree with [MENTION=12102]AgentF[/MENTION] 's assessment, sometimes when in a friendship with someone who has an illness it can be very hard to cope with ups/downs/medicated/non medicated/healthy/self destructive cycles and not get pulled into it yourself. Which can be inevitable when you care about someone. I know I've had to end a friendship because of a girlfriends inability to manage her borderline personality disorder, and as much as I loved being around her it was a wholly unhealthy relationship.

I also understand when people can't handle my bipolar, or those who think they can (as I'm always very open about it), but when faced with the reality of a manic or depressive episode find that it's too much.