I don't know anyone else with schizophrenia

Hi @personnumber4

I hear you in your message. Congratulations at your education. I am sorry that you have the illness. I am 43 and have had it for 13 years. I just wanted to say that i have been listening to podcasts about vey successful people with the illness and also about psychiatry that are all about building hope for the illness. On the podcast there was a lady that a doctorate in law and business i think and written books and married in life.

I can say that i have the illness and have gone through postgrad studies and work in teaching now. I don't have a partner yet but haven't wanted it up until now. I can say that i haven't fully recovered with the illness but i function maybe at maybe 75% but i believe it is definately possible to recover especially if you get the social support for me. I have met multiple people that have done extremely well with families and jobs and say it's possible to recover. I think the illness can be a blessing in disguise.

hi @personnumber4

try this website & forum. You'll find high functioning schizophrenics with top-end career & families right thru to those unemployed & blobbing around on DSP.

Personally, I find my personality disorder way harder to function with than schizophrenia. The schizophrenia I just mask in public, make sure I don't talk out loud to myself in public & especially not at work. It's the personality disorder that makes it impossible to form a connection with any other human being & keeps me isolated, single & lonely.

I don't know about hope but I think you're lucky to just have schizophrenia & not a personality disorder on top of that like me. I achieved high, high academic success - it was torture to get here &

so disappointing becuase when I achieved the highest accolades still no-one loved me.

hey,

Congrats on your degree first of all, i hope you are doing alright as you mentioned you are hospital with med changes.

I know the feling of isolation when it comes to a diagnosis of schizophrenia, the times i have been in hospital, i was the only one in there with a psychotic illness and i felt very alone as no one could seem to relate to me or even seemed to take me seriously..

I met one or two people with psychotic disorders later on in group therapy type meetings though and that was pretty good, maybe you can inquire if there is anything like that where you live. The hospital informed me of it when i opened up to them about how i was feeling.

You said you are worried about your studies and hear about how most people with schizophrenia end up in hospitals for life and sadly while that does happen to a few, that isnt the case with all and we can live very fullfilling lives. i think the key to it is being on the right medication that helps you the most and check ups with doctors and so on every week or so. that is what has helped me the most.

You mentioned family and children, well i can tell you that i have a son and he is the world to me and i feel like the luckiest guy in the world becasue of him.

Good things will happen for you i am sure of it. For starters your education, that is a great start. I would try not to focus on all the negative stories you hear about others with psychotic disorders and just focus on yourself one day at a time. Focussing on all the horror stories of others is a good way to stress yourself out when that is not needed at all..

Anyway, im here if you ever wanna chat, rant about whatever and so on