Messages By: yottzumm

 I have a few comments on this.   My symptoms first started as insomnia.   So I started taking restoril prescribed by my doctor.  The insomnia didn't get better.  I started to feel persecuted, and I could
feel this leaf moving around in my head that I associated with mood swings for some reason.  Finally
I went to the hospital and talked to a psychologist.  She had me sign a paper stating that I would see a psychiatrist.  Later that night, I burned several of the papers, including the doctors she recommended.  The fire alarm went off, and I thought they were going to come haul me away to the mental hospital.  They didn't come.  I went to see a psychiatrist and was placed on xanax, and antianxiety medication.  Even with that, I couldn't sleep and was severely distressed.  Finally, the doctor put me on haldol.  It had pretty bad side effects, and I still wasn't sleeping.  He put me on prozac.  I went manic, and went off all medications, I was feeling so good.  I continued to see the psychiatrist, even though I wasn't taking any medicaitons.  I went through a surgery.   About a month after the surgery, I closed my eyes and drove my car off the freeway.  This was not a suicide attempt, but I ended up in the mental hospital and back on haldol.  All this time I didn't have a real diagnosis--It takes about 6 months before they give you a schizophrenia diagnosis, probably because 1/3 recover fully and do not later require medications.  You say you would be in a mental hospital.  I really doubt you would be in a mental hospital if they found a medication that would treat you.  I work at a full time job at a top-notch research lab.  You may say that I do not have schizophrenia.  However, I feel that I have a genetic component to my illness, so it is hard to deny it.
I don't have many symptoms at this time, the main one being paranoia.

My recommendation to you would be to shut up and let the people who need treatment get it.  They already have enough trouble with this kind of thinking, stigma about mental illness, and denial that they have a problem.  I suggest that there are many people with true mental illness, and if you think you have the solution, take one into your home and treat them.

 I am not angry at you.  I am angry at your thinking.   You are in denial.  I am not.
I would love to get off my medications, but not at the risk of losing my job, my family
or my life.  I am comfortable on my medications.  I have often wished the schizophrenia
away, but it always comes back in the same form without a name.   The diagnosis is nothing.  The
symptoms are everything.  The fact that they call the symptoms a diagnosis helps people
understand what is happening and helps them get support.  I wish there was a better
name for it, less harsh, like GetSoFriendly.  People need help even though they don't
have a diagnosis.  If you want to help someone with psychosis avoid the doctors,
take them into your own home.