Psychosis and... Me?

[Usehername]

you know this isnt true in all cases, especially with this sort of case when you are looking at mild stuff that might develop to something worse. its more true when you are talking about something like severe schizophrenia breakdown and people who are too out of this world to recognize that they are mentally ill.

This notion is rooted in the fictive binary of sane/insane. Sure, the insane can't see that they're insane, I agree with that. But it's not like people just wake up one day fully crazy while being fine the day before (drugs aside, obviously). Illnesses are progressive over time. It is during this time that people question their perceptions before they're fixated.

 

[INTP]

I think some of the posts in this thread are shamefully irresponsible.

+9001

mental health of another person is not something people with no understanding should be talking about, especially not suggesting some crappy diagnosis, because they might keep her from going and finding real help. its pretty obvious that she would prefer to believe that some calcium deficiency(or what ever) is the cause of all of this and if people keep suggesting stuff like that she might think that this whole thing isnt a big deal and that she should just buy some calcium tablets. then give it a year or so and shes yelling to a bike on a street and trying to bite brown eyes people who look at her funny. anyone want that on your conscience raise your hands.

 

[Usehername]

You guys may see religion, or OCD, or depression, or bipolar, or what have you. But if you have no idea what psychosis is, why do you comment?

Beware assuming mutual exclusivity, this is such a fundamental logical fallacy. Recognize that the world is complicated and a venn diagram of overlapping features.

This is someone's only life, with someone's only brain, with an opportunity to intervene in what could very likely be a serious life illness if left untreated. Don't fuck around with this stuff, guys. If someone thinks they may be psychotic, the one and only answer is "thanks for being brave and sharing your concerns. Find a RL professional to share this with, stat."

 

[Betty Blue]

You guys may see religion, or OCD, or depression, or bipolar, or what have you. But if you have no idea what psychosis is, why do you comment?

Thats bizarre. Psychosis is often alongside other disorders...like depression or bipolar. Why do you seperate it?

Beware assuming mutual exclusivity, this is such a fundamental logical fallacy. Recognize that the world is complicated and a venn diagram of overlapping features.

But... isn't that exactly what you did...with psychosis?

This is someone's only life, with someone's only brain, with an opportunity to intervene in what could very likely be a serious life illness if left untreated. Don't fuck around with this stuff, guys. If someone thinks they may be psychotic, the one and only answer is "thanks for being brave and sharing your concerns. Find a RL professional to share this with, stat."

What? I don't think anyone is taking this lightly, i think everyone is genuinely concerned. Simply putting a one line sentance when someone is asking for opinions...well for me it dosn't seem good enough. Surely this is a discussion?

 

[Thalassa]

Apologies in advance. This is long and not necessarily interesting...

I think I may be psychotic. I've been looking up symptoms online and too many of them fit for me to be able to wave the idea away. But I'm not sure, and because I don't have money to waste on a GP visit that might be inconclusive I'd like to hear some opinions here first. I don't deserve your time but it'd mean a lot, all the same.

For about 2 years in my mid teens (I'm 19 now), I was terrified to go to sleep. I never told anyone about this. It all started one night when I was lying in bed, and the thought "Fuck God" randomly popped into my head. Since then, I was convinced God hated me, that he was going to punish me horribly, that Satan would claim me as his own. I feared the dark and what might be lurking in it. I was afraid to sleep in case he killed me during the night. Even the mere thought of the word "god" when I was alone was enough to send me into blind panic and ocassionally tears. On the other side of the coin, I was also half convinced either god or satan would impregnate me and I'd give birth to some demon spawn. None of it made any sense and I recognised that but still couldn't shake it.

Anyway, after about two years of this I finally got over it. I finally felt like I'd made some peace with God, when I realised I didn't actually believe he existed anymore. This brought with it a whole new set of terrors - total oblivion of death, complete and utter isolation in the world - but these are manageable. I still feel echoes of my old deusphobia in the dark, like there's ghosts watching me undress or murderers following me home from the bus stop, but I can ignore it most of the time. Anyway I mention all this so that what I'm about to say next doesn't just smack of teenage angst and laziness.

I have no drive. I can't seem to get my teeth sunk into life. I can't work up the will to go to my classes. I put off assignments til the last minute and then just stare at a blank screen until the deadline passes. I failed all my classes last semester and look set on course to do the same this summer. I desperately want a job but I can't seem to make myself fix up cvs and actually send them out. I want to lose weight and run but keep finding excuses to put it off (and weak ones at that). I feel like I'm standing on the sidelines watching other people live life.

I'm always irritable - I snap and shout at my brother for no reason even though it makes me feel like crap. I seem to be melancholy 90% of the time. I hate people touching me when I don't expect it. I can't go to sleep for a long long time at night and usually sleep in far too late as a result. My thoughts are usually jumbled and repetitive, and my speech is slow and not always clear (like my words are falling over each other trying to get out of my mouth). I vacillate between feelings of narcissism and self-loathing.

Sometimes I feel like my hold on my sanity is tentative. I wouldn't say I'm suicidal (more so the opposite - death terrifies me), but I do find myself thinking of suicide a bit more than I should. Best way I can describe it is: I'm like those ads for Autoglass. My mind has little chips in it everywhere, and I'm afraid that something will come along and jolt me, causing me to crack. If this were to happen, I often find myself wondering would I be suicidal? I'm terrified I might someday reach a point where such a thing would seem like a valid option.

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Anyway, I guess the point of this thread is to ask advice. I mean, what do I do? I haven't got anything like the funds required to seek psychiatric help. DETECT recommends going to a GP as a first port of call, but they cost €60 a pop and mine isn't exactly great... I can't afford to see doctors who can't do anything to help me. I don't even know if I'm actually unwell or if I'm just imagining things (google being the curse of mild hypochondriacs).

What do you think? What should I do?

I think you might be Bipolar I or Schizoaffective.

Go to your local public mental health clinic ASAP.

 

[Thalassa]

It sounds like depression more than anything else, i'd say psychosis is very extreme term to use in your case but then i'm not a doctor. Tbh i get the feeling you would benefit a great deal from just talking these things through with someone who you trust and value the opinion of. Do you know anyone? It really does help to talk. When i have bottled things up in the past (yews even enfp's can do this) they go round in circles and bear heavy on my shoulders.
I used to suffer from major depression (poss bi polar) so i do empathise.
Anyway i have seen shitloads of doctors, therapists, psychiatrists, even spent a couple of weeks in a mental health unit.
If you want to your welcome to pm me, it can help to offload.
Btw, i'm the image of mental stability these days.

I'm sorry but I think what she or he has is neurochemical. Oeufa still needs to speak with someone, I agree, but I don't think this is just depression that could be "talked out".

 

[Thalassa]

I also don't think you are psychotic.

I think the first step would be to evaluate what it is you expect to accomplish with therapy. You said that it is the road to freedom. Freedom from what? You can evaluate this yourself and answer your own question.

You don't need to go in and tell them all the little details, it wont effect your progress if you leave some stuff out. Therapy isn't just for psychos. Some people find it beneficial to just have someone to talk to and help them sort through their thoughts. A good therapist isn't going to judge for being or NOT being crazy.

So ditch the fear that you may not have enough to talk about or people will laugh you out of the office. Just get some counseling to help you sort through all the uncertainties that are weighing you down right now.

That sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

The bolded is terrible advice.

 

[Fluffywolf]

Sounds like me in my teens after a traumatizing event whenever I wasn't under the influence of alcohol. I got over it when I was 21 and am doing fine in life now. Haven't even touched a drop of alcohol in years.

It's good you are concerned with your situation, it means you are willing to make a change, but you just don't know how to change. That is something a professional can definately help with. I managed on my own, sure, but everyone is different. What worked for me might not work for you.

Also, I'm not much of a psychologist, and wouldn't know if you have a mental illness. I don't think I was mentally ill, but I was rather battling my inner INTP demon. Whatever your demon is, I do not know.

What I do know, judging from your post, is that you are far from lost.

 

[Synapse]

I question your understanding of both pharmaceuticals and chemistry...

Yes, fluoxetine (Prozac) contains fluorine atoms, but that is a completely irrelevant thing to point out.
This is comparable to calling water a "concentrated hydrogen compound", and deducing that water must be highly flammable because it contains hydrogen atoms.

A high percentage of misdiagnosis does go on in the medical and psychiatric profession... But, misinformation coming from the direction of the anti-medicine crowd doesn't help, though.

Not miss information. not enough time to talk about it today, clear ignorance.

 

[Oeufa]

As I see it, I have a few options today. Tell me if you agree:

1) go to a blood test clinic to see if I can at least rule out a thyroid problem.
2) go to the uni psychologist to see if I can rule out a crazy problem.
3) go to a gp and ask for a blood test, and pour out my wee heart while there.
4) do both 1 and 2
5) do nothing and hope the problem goes away on its own.


Obviously 5 is no real option... So many choices. What to do...

 

[INTP]

forget the blood test and go to a psychologist. you can ask about that what ever thing you want blood tests for from the psychologist so that he can laugh at you.

also one really important thing about all this is that you start to take better care physically for yourself if you already dont. do some yoga, go jogging or what ever. if you are physically in bad shape, it will reflect on your psyche because your brains are part of your body and if your body isnt functioning properly, it will show on how your brains work. sleep is also really important thing, but good sleep comes when you get some exercise.

 

[Oeufa]

That's part of my problem. I'm trying to get fit and eat healthy but none of it sticks.

 

[Totenkindly]

As I see it, I have a few options today. Tell me if you agree:

1) go to a blood test clinic to see if I can at least rule out a thyroid problem.
2) go to the uni psychologist to see if I can rule out a crazy problem.
3) go to a gp and ask for a blood test, and pour out my wee heart while there.
4) do both 1 and 2
5) do nothing and hope the problem goes away on its own.


Obviously 5 is no real option... So many choices. What to do...

Q: How do we eat an elephant?
A: One bite at a time.

It can seem overwhelming, so just focus on one step and forget the rest.
Then do the next one.

It's a Te-style approach.
I've had to learn how to do it, it feels alien to my brain sometimes, but it can be highly effective in order to accomplish a complex task.

Hang in there. Every small step you take is one more small step toward a solution.

 

[Fan.of.Devin]

As I see it, I have a few options today. Tell me if you agree:

1) go to a blood test clinic to see if I can at least rule out a thyroid problem.
2) go to the uni psychologist to see if I can rule out a crazy problem.
3) go to a gp and ask for a blood test, and pour out my wee heart while there.
4) do both 1 and 2
5) do nothing and hope the problem goes away on its own.


Obviously 5 is no real option... So many choices. What to do...

I recommend either 2 or 3, or maybe both.
At this point, whatever is ailing you is completely up in the air, and the cause could be situational, psychological, physiological, or any combination of the three.
Both a counselor and a GP will be able to either diagnose and help you directly, or point you in the direction of somebody else who can.

 

[Oeufa]

Which bit of the elephant do I tackle first though? Fitness? diet? mental health? school work? a job? I'm so lost I dunno where to even start.

 

[Oeufa]

I recommend either 2 or 3, or maybe both.
At this point, whatever is ailing you is completely up in the air, and the cause could be situational, psychological, physiological, or any combination of the three.
Both a counselor and a GP will be able to either diagnose and help you directly, or point you in the direction of somebody else who can.

I can't afford both 2 and 3 right now.

 

[Fan.of.Devin]

I think the psychologist would be a fine starting point, then.

 

[INTP]

Which bit of the elephant do I tackle first though? Fitness? diet? mental health? school work? a job? I'm so lost I dunno where to even start.

mental health, fitness and healthy eating all go hand in hand. dont try to force them all at once, it wont work. i suggest going to psychologist first and tell him that you should start to exercise and eating healthier, but it feels too much work for you. im sure you get some good advices for that, if you dont, go to a new psychologist.

 

[Totenkindly]

mental health, fitness and healthy eating all go hand in hand. dont try to force them all at once, it wont work. i suggest going to psychologist first and tell him that you should start to exercise and eating healthier, but it feels too much work for you. im sure you get some good advices for that, if you dont, go to a new psychologist.

Yes, O, you can get a therapist to help you organize this... or... (fancy this idea!) just... pick one. If you see a natural progression in the ideas, then proceed the ordering logically, but otherwise... it doesn't matter which one.

When all decisions are arbitrary, just do something. Order doesn't matter. It's time to "do," not "think about doing."

 

[INTP]

Yes, O, you can get a therapist to help you organize this... or... (fancy this idea!) just... pick one. If you see a natural progression in the ideas, then proceed the ordering logically, but otherwise... it doesn't matter which one.

When all decisions are arbitrary, just do something. Order doesn't matter. It's time to "do," not "think about doing."

well i was thinking something more like the therapist would definitely try to motivate and work out some problems that makes it so hard for her to do this stuff. also just going to the therapist might have a huge effect on getting motivated enough to start exercising.