Topic Tuesday // Myths and misconceptions of Schizophrenia // IN SESSION

[Former-Member]

I love your passion @Geronimo

The word schizophrenia comes from the Greek work meaning ‘split minds’ which is where  a lot of the confusion started.

[leitor]

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@Former-Member wrote:

Whose heard this one?

"Schizophrenia is when people have split personality's"

What do we think? True of Fase??

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I don't think this is a "True or False"  situation, the manifestations and underlying causes are too diverse for this. But I do think that in some cases there appear to be at least two completely separate personalities displayed.

I actually have some theories on this, regarding emergent properties of the synchronized firing of groups of neurons. If you take a look at the episode of David Eagleman's "The Brain" where he is looking for consciousness and how the sychronized firing breaks up into separate groups during sleep you should get some idea of what I am thinking. 

[Former-Member]

Absolutely @Geronimo

People with schizophrenia can get jobs, can have kids and can contribute to society just like anyone else!!! 

Have you heard the story of John Nash? he had a diagnosis on schizophrenia, was a brilliant mathematician and won a Nobel Peace prize!

[Shaz51]

Hi @Former-Member, @NikNik

so with Schizophrenia , could each pregnancy make it worse , I know someone who has had her 4th child and her condition is so bad now

[Barbara]

Do people with Sz have a different state of sleep? my son always has nightmares and dreams of dying in his sleep or really bad stuff. not like sleeping but more like a 'trance' state... differently than he used to sleep when he was a child. it is really disturbing and distressing for him.

[Former-Member]

Thanks @leitor Ill check it out.

Split personality is characteristics of another disorder called 'Dissociative Identity Disorder" 

I absolutely agree that schizophrenia is very very complex, and the disruption in the mind can seem like 2 different personalities. This misconception has a lot to do with language, and how we, as a society do not use correct language when we are talking about Mental illness.

It is important that we don't mistake Schizophrenia which is characterised by a range of cognitive, emotional and behavioural dysfunctions for DID which is a severe form of dissociation, a mental process which produces a lack of connection in a person's thoughts, memories, feelings, actions, or sense of identity.

Hope this explains why I asked this question!!!!!

[Barbara]

my son also has many many OCD behaviours, he is extreme in anything he does, is this also a symptom of Sz? especially about his food. he is sooo strict about what he eats, it is very difficult to meet his needs and he hardly eats anything these days. like his body wants to 'shut down' because he is so ill, he always feels like he is dying. 

[Former-Member]

hi @Shaz51

The easy answer is ....we don't know.....

we do know however that hormones involved in being pregnant as well as the stress associated with being pregnant, having 4 kids may contribute to the escalation of your friends mental illness. 

[Former-Member]

Hi @Barbara

An individual having delusions and hallucinations in their dreams is quite common for people with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. A little bit like when kids are upset and worried about things these feelings they are having manifest in night terrors.

I would suggest that you son maybe start writing his dreams down, and to explore them, maybe talk to his psychologist about them. This may go a long was to helping his seperate reality and dreams.

Outlanderali 

[Geronimo]

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@Former-Member wrote:

Absoultly @Geronimo

People with schziphrenia can get jobs, can have kids and can contibute to society just like anyone else!!! 

Have you heard the story of John Nash? he had a diagnosis on schizophrenia, was a brilliant mathmatician and won a Nobel Peace prize!

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Yes, indeed, have heard of John Nash and have seen the movie about him with Russell Crowe called, "A Beautiful Mind". I have a copy of the book too but have never read it and these days I'm mildly vision impaired from a severe car accident, so I may never ever read the book.

John Nash was extremely lucky to have such a very understanding wife, I've certainly lacked such a partner in my adult life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!