Why what we think we know about schizophrenia is wrong

Re:Why what we think we know about schizophrenia is wrong by codingslave on Saturday May 11, 2019 @11:46AM (#19886717)

I have a brother who went through about a decade of off and on psychosis, had probably over 20 hospitalizations, multiple suicide attempts, he had schizophrenia. So I moved home and lived with him, I never fully believed the diagnosis. He was on such a cocktail of medicine, I don't think anyone could stay sane on all of that. We started getting him off the antipsychs, off the mood stabilizers, no wellbutrin etc. A year later he has had no psychotic episodes, no mania, is trying to quit smoking, and is more social. He still has his days in bed, but hes a real person, not a schizophrenic.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Why what we think we know about schizophrenia is wrong by asveikau on Saturday May 11, 2019 @12:44PM (#19887040)

> hes a real person, not a schizophrenic.

Schizophrenics are real people first of all.

Congrats to your brother. I have heard it's possible for psychotic episodes to be a one-time thing and not recur. I have also seen people not get better. The whole thing is tough. It can be legit to get off the medications, but some people will need it for life. So how do you tell which situation you or a loved one is in?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Why what we think we know about schizophrenia is wrong by codingslave on Saturday May 11, 2019 @12:56PM (#19887128)

Sorry, real person was harsh language, but in the depths of psychosis, it sometimes seems like the old person is no longer there.

I was just trying to emphasize that the diagnosis is never final, even after doctors have concluded it to be. In our case we never gave up. I think that the antipsychotic drugs make recovery extremely difficult, which is where alot of patients get trapped. The withdrawl symptoms themselves cause psychosis.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Why what we think we know about schizophrenia is wrong by JamesBarney on Saturday May 11, 2019 @06:17PM (#19888724)

Just to tell another possible path schizophrenia can take. When my mother went off her meds she got significantly worse very quickly and would never quite recover to where she was before hand. But even while medicated she would still get worse each year. In her teens she scored a near perfect SAT(1560) but by the time she was 23 she was no longer able to hold down a job and by her early 30s she could barely string a sentence together that made any sense.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Why what we think we know about schizophrenia is wrong by stephenamills on Saturday May 11, 2019 @08:38PM (#19889348)

I absolutely absolutely know what you mean. With my twin that has schizophrenia, there are entire months where I'm convinced he's never coming back. That he's permanently gone this time. Then when I give up, there will be just one exclusive random day where he'll be a normal functioning person.

It sounds harsh, but when he's in that illness 'phase', the person seems more like a demon-possessed creature and not even like much of a person. When you hear the things and intonations that the person will say in conversations to themselves in particular.. that's what sounds the least person-like.

[ Parent | on HN ]