She's been dealing with it since about 13, had a lot of molestation and rough events throughout her childhood to lead her to attempted suicide. However, the good lord spared her and we are now both faithful Christians at th age of 18. Mainly she deals with voices inside her head, and headaches, maybe once a month she loses control and begins to shout and cry about some suicide or murder involving some names of people neither of us know. If any if you have dealt with schizophrenia or know how I should treat her to make her feel better about it considering she's a woman and feels even more self conscious about herself because of it, how can I make her feel special and prove to her I couldn't love her more if she were without it? Pic unrelated.
Schizo here. This is my first question for you: Was she diagnosed with schizophrenia, or is it a self diagnosis?
>>16611488
She was going to go to therapy for it, but I think it's a self diagnosis. Her family treats her as such and it's as reliable as a therapist diagnosis. I don't know if she were professionally diagnosed though.
>>16611496
Alright, schizo here again. First things first, someone who suspects they might have schizophrenia should always see a doctor about it. Therapy is one thing, but they should definitely be seeing a psychiatrist to be absolutely certain its schizophrenia. She may need to be on some medication, for her own sake.
What sparked my question was that you mentioned she'd been dealing with schizophrenia since she was 13. While contracting schizophrenia at such a young age isn't impossible, it's well beneath the bell curve for age of diagnosis in schizophrenia, especially for women. Usually, men begin experiencing symptoms between the ages of 17-25, and women sometime after 20, though I don't know the numbers off the top of my head.
It may very well be that your partner is actually experiencing PTSD. Doctors occasionally mistake schizophrenia and PTSD for each other, and if your partner was exposed to that kind of childhood, then it wouldn't be surprising for her trauma to be surfacing in such a way. But remember, while I'm very experienced with schizophrenia first hand, I'm ultimately a layman. I am absolutely NOT trying to give you official medical advice. This is just another reason for you to find a good doctor to consult. Please seriously consider doing that.
Outside of that, a situation like this just needs trust. Props to you for not being the devout christian who insists her delusions are actually jesus and angels speaking to her, I have a distant cousin whos family brainwashed him and his schizophrenia like that and I can't even bear to look at that family anymore. The only thing you can do is continue to support her until she eventually accepts that you really do love her in spite of her illness. Maybe look up some support groups you can take her to.
>>16611608
That sounds awful man. Thanks for the info though. I asked her about medicine and she said it doesn't work but she's actually just a raging hipster who doesn't like the government or medicine or doctors or anything regulated. So she's strictly relying on God to solve it. Maybe after college we can move somewhere and then we can go as a family, and there won't be any trust issues. I mean this stuff bothers me, I'd be willing to pay for her medicine, I looked into it and the side effects might as well not exist. I just wish she would listen so that she doesn't have to deal with it. But another detail, when she tried to commit suicide, it was because of the things she was going through and everyone in school picked on her, so she said her only friends were the ones in her head, hint the voices. So I kind of want to think she doesn't want to get rid of them since there's a relationship. But I just want the best for her man.
>>16611653
>strictly relying on God to stop it
> move somewhere have family
In all seriousness.No this is all sorts of wrong. She needs immediate help, and the both of you need to come up with a plan to see a doctor. Not a therapist, a doctor. And please, don't reproduce when she does not have full control of herself. It might come off rude, but pregnancy has a huge toll on women's bodies, and if she is mentally disturbed and not in terms with herself, it will amplify to 100x, creating a bigger risk for herself and the future child.
>>16611431
>how I should treat her to make her feel better
YOU don't treat her. You aren't a mental health specialist. You aren't a doctor. She's not going to "feel better" about it because she has a serious psychiatric condition.
Secondly, diagnosing yourself is retarded. Neither of you are trained in diagnostic medicine so don't even try. Her symptoms sound similar to schizophrenia (I work in the mental health field myself) but nothing is sure until she has been formally screened and diagnosed.
She needs a psychiatrist plain and simple. Schizophrenia (if thats what it is), even in its wide array of manifestations, can be manageable with medication and consistent therapeutic environment.
Get her to a psychiatrist. She has to see him/her regularly and follow her instructions. If she does not do this a relationship with her will be impossible and her life will fall apart.
That is not a prediction or worst case scenario. Its a fact. I've been in the field for a decade and there are no home remedies.
>>16611653
>I asked her about medicine and she said it doesn't work
Then leave her, honestly. Any sick person that refuses to take medicine is in massive denial. This isn't a sprained ankle here, she is in serious trouble and she needs the help.
If she won't help herself there's nothing you an do.
>>16611675
98% of the time she is a normal human being. We will reproduce after we get it figured out of course. She also told me her Nana used to have the same thing and her father was the same way towards her. But her Nana grew out of it eventually.
>>16611653
Right. A very popular antipsychotic medication is risperidol, which was first used in the late 90's for combatting schizophrenia. I was prescribed it too, back when I first started seeing a doctor at the beginning of 2010.
The way a diagnosis of schizophrenia works is, from the moment you first see a psychiatrist they have to wait six months before they can legally diagnose someone with schizophrenia. It doesn't matter if that person started hallucinating yesterday or ten years prior, they have to wait to be sure. But what they CAN do, and from what I understand, usually do, is diagnose someone almost immediately with Severe Depression with Psychotic Symptoms, and then prescribe them antipsychotics. I mention this because Risperidol(or any other antispychotic, but usually risperidol) is one of the first things they'll prescribe, and it's well known for having powerful side effects. A few years ago there was a nation wide lawsuit against the company that make Risperidol because outside of the sexual dysfunction and massive weight gain and litany of other side effects, it turned out it causes men to grow breasts. Antipsychotics are powerful drugs. Once again, I'm just a person who was prescribed this stuff, not a doctor. Speak with a professional.
I mention this for two reasons. First of all, you said your partner didn't want to take any meds and was waiting for god to cure her. Its very common for schizophrenics to refuse to take their medication, so don't be surprised by this. I've never seen an issue divide a room full of schizophrenics faster than bringing up how wonderful or how satanic medication is, because ultimately it affects everyone differently and how you respond to it will be different from how someone else responds to it. There are also other reasons, like feeling "empty" without your hallucinations and delusions - a feeling I and some other schizophrenics I've spoken with are familiar with, but I digress. (1/2)
>>16611742
The other reason is because you said for the medication she took, the side affects might as well have been non existent. It sounds to me like she might not have ever been taking antipsychotics to begin with, then. So, that's another reasons to suspect that either her therapist or whoever she's seen doesn't suspect schizophrenia.
But for the thousandth time, I am only a schizo, not a professional. Which brings me to my final point, absolutely, ABSOLUTELY seek professional help for this. Treatment of a schizo, and I assume for all mentally ill people, involves three parties: The afflicted, the professional, and the family and friends. All three parties need to be aware of each other and communicating each other for the best effects. Go with her to the doctor, talk with them about whats going on and talk with her about her delusions. Talk with the doctor about the best things you can do to help treat her, and talk with her to let her know what your intentions are and what she needs from you/what you need from her. Communication, communication, communication.
I hate to say it, but god isn't going to cure this for her.
(2/2)
>>16611750
Thank you for the advice however many people contributed. We've been together for 7 months and I already took her v card. The only negative impact she's having on me is sometimes she's just lifeless. Doesn't want to do anything and always waits on me to make a decision. But (even though we probably aren't on the same page as far as religion is concerned) when we pray for her in the church, she becomes very submissive, God lifts her burdens and the voices are muted for the rest of the night and just whispers for the next day. They eventually come back. But with good faith and a miracle, her whole family including me thinks God has given her a second chance. Of course I'll talk to her about it for some scientific reasoning behind it, and try to see whats really happening in her head.
>>16611783
Sounds good. Good luck, anon.
>>16611800
Thanks, Anon. Best of luck on your life's endeavors.
