Okay, so please don't attack me about this. I can't help but to keep an open mind about these things. It's in my personality to be a skeptic, and some recent events have led me to believe I may have these disorders. So please bear with me here, and read this all before you jump to conclusions. Thanks.
Schizotypal Personality Disorder is a personality disorder. Symptoms are: [[quoted from Wikipedia]]
inappropriate or constricted affect (the individual appears cold and aloof);
behaviour or appearance that is odd, eccentric, or peculiar;
poor rapport with others and a tendency to social withdrawal;
odd beliefs or magical thinking, influencing behaviour and inconsistent with subcultural norms;
suspiciousness or paranoid ideas;
obsessive ruminations without inner resistance, often with dysmorphophobic, sexual or aggressive contents;
vague, circumstantial, metaphorical, overelaborate, or stereotyped thinking, manifested by odd speech or in other ways, without gross incoherence;
occasional transient quasi-psychotic episodes with intense illusions, auditory or other hallucinations, and delusion-like ideas, usually occurring without external provocation.
My symptoms from this list are: 2, 4, 5, 8, and 9. I also have yet to understand the others [[I am only 12, after all]].
Schizophrenia we may all be a bit more familiar with. Again quoted from Wikipedia, here are the symptoms:
Depending on the individual, a person diagnosed with schizophrenia may experience hallucinations (most commonly hearing voices), delusions (often bizarre or persecutory in nature), and disorganized thinking and speech. The latter may range from loss of train of thought, to sentences only loosely connected in meaning, to incoherence known as word salad in severe cases. There is often an observable pattern of emotional difficulty, for example lack of responsiveness or motivation. Impairment in social cognition is associated with schizophrenia, as are symptoms of paranoia, and social isolation commonly occurs. In one uncommon subtype, the person may be largely mute, remain motionless in bizarre postures, or exhibit purposeless agitation; these are signs of catatonia.
Late adolescence and early adulthood are peak years for the onset of schizophrenia. In 40% of men and 23% of women diagnosed with schizophrenia, the condition arose before the age of 19.[10] These are critical periods in a young adult's social and vocational development. To minimize the developmental disruption associated with schizophrenia, much work has recently been done to identify and treat the prodromal (pre-onset) phase of the illness, which has been detected up to 30 months before the onset of symptoms, but may be present longer.[11] Those who go on to develop schizophrenia may experience the non-specific symptoms of social withdrawal, irritability and dysphoria in the prodromal period,[12] and transient or self-limiting psychotic symptoms in the prodromal phase before psychosis becomes apparent.[13]
So, I guess what I want to know most is this:
What do you think? Am I just being silly? Or do I have a valid point?
Yes but you must keep in mind that psychology is not a solid science, its the closest thing we have to understanding and unwravel the human mind. I don't know much but what i do know is that some things that can't be really explained are sometimes classified as 'stress' or figments of the imagination. its true that people with disorders do share such things in common but the thing that seperates them so far is the ability to function in human society and self control. i believe in both but sometimes i get the feeling that science isn't always true.
This is really something to speak to a doctor about, if you haven't already. For a weird personality to be a “disorder” it has to seriously affect your life; being eccentric doesn't really cut it. And from what I know of schizophrenia (probably my favorite psychology-related topic) it is some sort of genetic disorder that can develop in early childhood (one of the youngest children was 3 when she was diagnosed, there was a TLC channel special about her), adolescence, and early adulthood. The later you get it the easier it is to treat but the disorder is still a huge scientific mystery. I spent some time cleaning a schizophrenic woman's house and I've attended therapy sessions (as a sit-in) for schizophrenics, and my opinion is that you are 100% not schizophrenic.
The best thing to do is speak to someone qualified to give their opinion and diagnosis, as I'm sure none of us here are …
I know you; I walked with you once upon a dream.
I know you; The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam.
Yes, I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem.
But if I know you, I know what you'll do.
You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream.
To be honest, Summer, it doesn't seem to me that you're Schitzo. The symptoms you listed are just being eccentric and can honestly be visions, you don't need a scientific excuse for it. Everyone's a little queer, and I agree with Kikuyo. My opinion might not matter, but a doctor's will.
How to we plan to unite with other realms if we ourselves aren't united?
SCHIZOPHRENIA AS A REPRESSED EXPRESSION OF THE SHAMAN
A friend was telling me about her grandmother who was experiencing schizophrenia. From this conversation I related my own experience with what western psychologists call schizophrenia, yet I share it in a different way. The special gift of relating to dimensions other than which is commonly perceived is not an illness, rather it is a gift. However in a culture that does not appreciate and support this gift it can become repressed, and when expressed it can be in the form of apparent delusional manifestation like hearing voices, having conversations with invisible beings. Shamans have this ability to relate to other dimensions, hear voices, speak with invisible beings, but as it is expressed through a culturally appreciated role, the gift can manifest properly. The shaman speaks with the ancestors, listens to the messages in the wind, can converse with animals and plants, has premonitions, has telepathic ability, and these are common virtues of the shaman. The shaman can move from our commonly experienced dimension into other parallel realms, where they may see the future, remember past lives, The past, present, and future are three aspects of life, like ice, fluids, steam are three aspects of water. In this way the shaman can be aware of the weaving of life’s forces. When the shaman is born into a culture like the American society, these abilities are repressed and discouraged, and it punishes the expression of the shamanistic energy. Still it doesn’t destroy the energy or prevent its expression, except that the expression finds its own way. When a culture doesn’t allow the gift to be expressed openly and with appreciation to benefit the community, then it is directed inwardly into the individual. This kind of gift must be expressed for the welfare of the community and in this way the exceptional energy of this gift can be balanced. However, with its free expression, it is expressed for the benefit of the individual, and the individual is to “small” an expression for the power of this energy, and so to dissipate the energy, it overflows into “non” real and beneficial expressions…kind of like a dream…the energy can’t be expressed in a good way because the society rejects it, so it flows into the space where dreams belong. Unfortunately the repressed shaman cannot enter into the space of dreams when it is appropriate, when one is asleep, so it is done when the dream dimension isn’t occupied by the consciousness when asleep, so unfortunately it enters the dream dimension when the consciousness isn’t there, and that is when the person is awake. Entering the dream state when awake is viewed by others as the person talking to invisible beings, and listening to voices. The dream is acted out while the person is “awake” and others witness the experience as delusional behavior. A kind of parallel is when one is high on drugs and experiences what to observers are delusions, but to the person experiencing them, they are very real. The difference between the schizophrenic and the drug-induced individual is that the experience isn’t exactly a dream which takes place completely inside the mind. For drug induced individual’s the “stage” of their experience is the physical realm, the real world yet the characters make be from other dimensions, and the visuals, which are based upon this physical realm often have unusual, or Jonathan Schiesel http://www.outfar10.com Page 2 of 2 Humanity-Schizophrenia Shaman commonly unperceived characteristics. Like plants may be seen through the infrared or ultraviolet dimension, and thus appear quite different. The superimposition of dimensions when uncontrolled such as in schizophrenia or in a drug altered state is usually experienced without self awareness and control, while the superimposition of dimensions by the shaman is experienced with pre-determination, with specific intent, and is expressed and interpreted for the welfare of the community. The challenge for the gifted person is to first become aware of their gift and survive any negative repercussions from the community. Then once perceiving their experience of the energy as a gift, they have to manage to explore it and survive. This will give them a perspective and overview of their gift and its functions. Then the special person has to discover a way to share it with the community so that the gift is appreciated and the individual is recognized as relevant persona of the community. In the past such an individual was recognized by what western people call aboriginal societies, however when accepted by the western culture, such a person was usually “used” for the benefit of an individual of power, and thus the gift was corrupted. While it did not completely unbalance the gifted person because they were “appreciated,” the energy was shared in a too narrow of a band, for the benefit for one person and so the energy was too focused and often while raising the individual to power, that power was expressed for self aggrandizement and resulted in temporary benefits, then in the end injured or destroyed the person and the power it created. The rejection of the community and the associated pain is expressed through the dream world expressions of the schizophrenic and observed as self-inflicted behavior such as feces smearing, etc.
SCHIZOPHRENIA AS A REPRESSED EXPRESSION OF THE SHAMAN
A friend was telling me about her grandmother who was experiencing schizophrenia. From this conversation I related my own experience with what western psychologists call schizophrenia, yet I share it in a different way. The special gift of relating to dimensions other than which is commonly perceived is not an illness, rather it is a gift. However in a culture that does not appreciate and support this gift it can become repressed, and when expressed it can be in the form of apparent delusional manifestation like hearing voices, having conversations with invisible beings.
…..
Maurice Dantec's (fictional) book Babylon Babies** explores this concept, suggesting schizophrenia as an evolutionary asset of humans and the value of Shamanism, which are suppressed because mankind fears being replaced, etc etc. It's an awesome book A little hard to read with some of the descriptions of war and certain machines, but it is well worth the trouble. He was inspired largely by Jeremy Narby's The Cosmic Serpent, which is a non-fiction book detailing Shamanic vision-journeys and how the information they have found correlates with Western empiric DNA data (and the ultimate connectedness of all life) despite no use of modern machines or scientific experimentation. Another good read if the topic of Shamanism interests you
** That movie Babylon AD is based off the book but it has stripped it of its entire purpose. I love Vin Diesel but I cannot forgive Mattieu Kassovitz lol.
I know you; I walked with you once upon a dream.
I know you; The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam.
Yes, I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem.
But if I know you, I know what you'll do.
You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream.
Looking up medical diagnosis in Wika while it's helpful gaining a basic knowledge doesn't really help with the practical aspects of understanding or coping with a mental illness. You cannot self diagnose Schizophrenia or schitzoform disorders. The disease basically destroys most of the minds reasoning abilities and in advanced stages thought sequencing abilities. Also there are a host of things that can cause the symptoms your describing.
Taking into consideration visionary experiences. This is where modern medicine falls short. I find that there is a distinctive difference between what comes from spirit and what comes from physical. Even the times when I'm highly tuned in and it seems like sound I can tell the difference. Also there is an element of visionary experiences closely connected with the physical. Example words in a foriegn langauge that I've never heard before and don't know how to speak… do the words check out. Do things happen in the physical that relate to the spiritual experience. are the voices and visions coming true? Is there logical sequencing of events. What are the feelings associated with it. If the primary feeling is highly fearful, and you feel like the visionary experience is totally unpredictable, then I would definetly have a physical assessment done. How is your sleep are you sleeping okay without medication? Sleep issues are prevelent feature with mental illness. If it's visionary you can expect occasional problems but not a chronic insomnia. Also how is your focus at school or work? Can you focus on tasks and complete them? Can you change your focus to a different area if you need to?
If your involved in a practice that deliberately involves visionary work and you still feel like something is abnormal then I would see a Shamanic healer to assess the nature of the visions and need to have physical investigations done. Be frank and upfront about whats going on. Your having these things happen and your not sure if your sick or if it's from the spirit and reaching out.
Don't try to handle this one on your own if you think your sick. It's not worth it.
Okay, um, I'll try to understand all that. I may be a tiny bit smarter than most my age, but I still don't understand some things people said xD I'm not entirely sure that all Schzophrenic/Schizotypal people are really experiencing these things, but some might. From what I do understand from what people said, I think that some Schizophrenics really are mentally ill, while others are simply experiencing otherworldly mental intervention.
I have low concentration levels, so even if do understand it, I may not be able to make myself read it… Thanks, though!
Schizophrenia is simply just not able to know the truth from hallucinations. They see stuff , hear stuff and believe in odd stuff. I am not saying that if you believe in fae, seen or heard them you have schizophrenia.
If you know fae are true then you don't have it. Schizophrenic simply believe something once they see it ,without thinking.
opps there I go again. I try to cram too much in too little space. From the second post I see I'm talking to someone younger Schiztophrenia doesn't show up until the early 20's to mid 30's. usually bout the time you graduate from college.
I'll try to make this a little easier. If you can tell the difference between what you believe to be sidhe and what is in the material manifest world as far as sights sounds touch ect. then you probably don't have anything to worry about.
If your having trouble telling the difference you probably need to be checked out
If what your experiening is causing you to have a great deal of fear, pain, or is interfering with school work or work then you need to be checked out.
If your not sure ask a trusted adult who has an open mind that knows you F2F
What I think is more likely that I may have, if anything, is the first one- Schizotypal Personality Disorder. Some see this as something that is a lower level of Schizophrenia, but it is not. I'm not sure, but I think some people may have been confusing both lists of symptoms as Schizophrenia symptoms? *shrugs*
Should be checked out then. There may be underlying physical issues at hand. I'll give a few examples. Infections of various sorts even bad urinary track infections, Hormone issues, allergies, Depression, Bipolar disorder, Fevers, Electolyte imbalances particularly the liver, drugs and or Alcohol, even drugs that are not taken for trips can cause these symptoms. Alcohol withdrawl can cause severe problems. Medications, you can have a reaction without being allergic. Endocrine issues such as thyroid, pituitary. You cannot tell by just reading something online and then guessing at it. There's a remote possibility your right but its not real likely.
This list isn't everything. It's just what I can think of off the top of my very sleep deprived brain. oh yea sleep deprivation thats a good one too. it could be one of these things it could be a combination or something different altogether.
If your sick it's probably something that can be fixed so why run around miserable? If your encountering something supernatural hey super thats why we're here right. Bring it on
schizophrenia is just a shamanic calling in my book… i have it, diagnosed and all.. it started when I was about 16 I guess… there would just be wierd times where I thought my family was attacking me or i could here the spirit of the world leading me on, or relate directly to what the universe way doing/saying (voices or symbols) and for some reason I was really destabilized i'd just lay on the floor and wait for it to go, it was terrible, like hell.. alternatively there were really blissful moments too, where I felt like I was one with Goddess, God… enlightened buddha and done with life… it was all just simple repitition from that point on I thought, and one day I got pissed off at my family and decided to kill myself, not worth dealing with it anymore, no one recognized what I was feeling and trying to show them, I wasn't meant for this world, my soul was beyond I felt, so I tried suicide and failed, ended up in a psych ward.. proceeded to be more and more isolated… etc. long story still continuing..
and I would follow the signs in the earth and life, everything had a hidden meaning that only I seemed to percieved, even school lessons, I would always find the hidden spiritual meaning to them, like one thing was that math is totally based on fallacy because we all know there is infinite space between 0 and any value so therefore, no value could ever be reached
actually I thought it was a kundalini awakening, and I'm sure thats a more accurate description of the most part of it and doesnt refute any of the other aspects either.. I just also felt really interested in shamans and enlightenment… I just HAD to be one, hopefully both, all is one anyways, when your in the moment.. now im understanding more why all these things.. but long way to go for sure
its already been very difficult, many times i've almost died.. but im still here! all kinds of craziness, it has nothing to do with being fae orknowing/respecting the spirit world in my case at least, it has to do with being insane, maybe a polite, medicinal way of saying it is inspired
also i spent a long time being enemy of words and any symbols and society, i didnt wanna look at them, or have them in my head cuz i thought they were bondage
at the same time
there is no time
there is no existence or non existence,
so if its like that, you probably do have its a blessing and a curse is all i can say
friends InI now recall plainly, why InI did not die in any normal fashion on that day, some years ago… because in the pursuit of enlightenment, InI had become immensely enamored with the beatific beatnik works of Jack Keroauc, namely the Dharma Bums, and its crazy mystic zen wisdom, wherein they speak plainly of the bodhisattva and many characters are identified as such, like Dean. InI began to practice zazen and work with koans, and eventually leading InI to the diamond sutra, and InI took the bodhisattva vow, that is to abstain from the absolute nirvana until all beings are also likewise liberated, and so I have remained here, to guide the way, and thats exactly what I've been doing, without even realizing it, until just now!
wow…
for those interested in the sutra of transcendental awareness that cuts like a diamond, it can be found everywhere, and herein.. within
how will i reveal now that i realize that the way must be ever revealed? through LOVE the way is love.. love is even greater than God, because it is the source of God, and of Goddess, it is nothing and everything, etc.
love reconciles all things and in its abundance all is suddenly right from all sides, in every perspective, all at once, with no contradiction, no paradox, just a pure loving being
Summer-chan, as a therapyst I have to recomend you before anyting, visit a qualified specialist if you really feel you must. Only that person will be able to evaluate you to find out if you trully suffer any of these.
As a teacher told me in university, we all see stuff other people don't. We all have different degrees of mania, depression, obsesive behaviour, neurosis and hallucinations. It is normal to some point.
Still, I do believe there is a diference between mental disease and, as other posters said, shamanism. A shaman is capable of controling his or her visions, her power…a mentally ill person might be or not a shaman, but there is no control. That is bad, bad for your mental health! Control is the key.
Also, a psychologist or psychiatrist that can't respect what you believe is usless. For me, if a patient says she sees dead people, or angels or fae, I have to believe it is true! It is important for that person and I am no one to contradict that personal experience. I can only guide that person through his or her visions, and see where do they get us.
Honestly, if all the people like us who see stuff and sense stuff and talk to themselves were diagnosed, no one would live outside institutions except for the boring people. Keep your skeptic mind, and it will guide you to the truth.
Well I think i have hypochondria and it confuses me alot cause i can't trust myself to think if i actually have schizophrenia..etc so it always annoys me.And i get mad for no reason when a doctor says i don't have a disease because i'm like "your wrong!!"
Lately i have been getting headaches, stomach aches and my throat hurts and There seems to be no explanation . So i'm guessing its just my mind.
Dakota1709, I think sometimes doctors are incapable of finding the source of the disease for even years! Maybe you should just consult a different doctor and try to clear for yourself what happens in your life when you fill ill. It might me an emotional event, or some substance in the environment. For example, I get headaches when my mother uses chlorine to clean the house.
I think that hypochondria is simply just a disease that wants to keep your mind active..etc and pretend somebody mentions… bipolar , then my mind will slowly change a bit so that it seems like i have it , just to have attention from others.
Because my stomach was feeling a bit weak, then my dad mentioned i might be lactosentolerant , so now i think my body is continuing like i am.
I think that hypochondria is simply just a disease that wants to keep your mind active..etc and pretend somebody mentions… bipolar , then my mind will slowly change a bit so that it seems like i have it , just to have attention from others.
Because my stomach was feeling a bit weak, then my dad mentioned i might be lactosentolerant , so now i think my body is continuing like i am.
I suppose that in this case you can try to find the source of this. Our minds, as you say sometimes try to keep themselves active. Still, in the end, this particular situation you face will cause you more harm than good. At least that's what I think.
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A little hard to read with some of the descriptions of war and certain machines, but it is well worth the trouble. He was inspired largely by Jeremy Narby's The Cosmic Serpent, which is a non-fiction book detailing Shamanic vision-journeys and how the information they have found correlates with Western empiric DNA data (and the ultimate connectedness of all life) despite no use of modern machines or scientific experimentation. Another good read if the topic of Shamanism interests you 
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