can people tell when they are going 'crazy'?

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   double_frickposted 15 years ago

   i don't like the term crazy, but when someone is losing grips with reality as in schizophrenia, is the patient aware of the deterioration of their sanity and they are simply helpless to stop it (further compounding the problem) or is the person suffering schizophrenia oblivious to the incongruency in their thoughts and behaviors with the accepted norm? 
   
   in other words, are those suffering from serious mental illness sort-of trapped inside watching this hell unfold without being able to do anything but witness and somewhat participate?
   
   am i up too late??? 
   
   these questions need answered!!

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      NewYorkerposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      They never know it.
      
      Having schizophrenia is like being a sociopath, you don't see anything wrong with your behavior.
      
      Schizophrenic people very often don't believe they're schizophrenic even though there's a psychiatrist or a psychologist sitting infront of them.
      
      It's very hard to describe how this works..

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      rebekahELLEposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I don't think you're ever too late when seeking help.
      serious mental illness needs to be diagnosed by a professional.
      there are a couple of hubbers here that may be able to help.
      not sure they would see this in the forums.
      
      http://hubpages.com/profile/Dr.+Cherie
      
      http://hubpages.com/profile/donotfear
      
      hope this helps.

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      pinkboxerposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Only if we remove the " crazy " label will mental illness be viewed without the social and societal stigma attached to it.
      Mental illness is a serious diagnosis which impact not only the individual in question, but their families as well. Loss of contact with reality does not occur suddenly.

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   Pearldiverposted 15 years ago

   Clearly no two minds are the same... even when sharing the same head.  So it would be safe to say that each situation is different.

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   Susana Sposted 15 years ago

   Look up psychotic episodes and neurotic episodes. When someone is psychotic they don't know about it, but may be able to reflect on it afterwards such as the in the case of schizophrenia. People with neurotic behaviour do know what is happening. It's more complicated than this, but those are the basic definitions.

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   TheGlassSpiderposted 15 years ago

   It really depends on the kind of disorder you're talking about. In the case of schizophrenia, the sufferer is often unaware of their symptoms initially although it is possible to MAKE them aware (at least that there's a problem) over time.
   
   However, some (milder) mental disorders require that the patient be aware of the symptoms, or else it's something else (does that make sense)...For instance, in the case of Panic Disorder (I'll have to double-check this) I think it's a requirement that the patient be aware that their anxiety is abnormal; if they are not aware of that, then the disorder is diagnosed as something else.
   
   In the case of personality disorders, you can probably forget about the sufferer having any clue about their symptoms. However, with OCD, they know.
   
   If you suspect that a friend or family member is suffering from any kind of mental disorder, please try to help them get professional help.
   
   I hope that helps.

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   drbjposted 15 years ago

   One of the symptoms of schizophrenia is that the afflicted person appears to lose insight and to realize that he or she is "living in their own world." Therefore, they believe that what they think or do is "right, not wrong" in their own minds. One of the problems in the diagnosis of someone as "schizophrenic" is that the term often becomes simply a label for a number of mental diseases that cannot otherwise be categorized.

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   tobey100posted 15 years ago

   Usually, yes.  If you have a pea crammed in your nose and
   a green bean poked in your ear, then, you're either crazy or you're just not eating right.

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   Pani Midnyte Odinposted 15 years ago

   I'm Schizophrenic and, while what I was seeing/hearing scared me, I thought it was perfectly normal until my aunt sought help for me. So no, most people who are "going crazy" do not realize they are.

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      tobey100posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Pani, God bless you.  I've always thought schizophrenia would be trully terrifying.

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         Pani Midnyte Odinposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, it can be terrifying. It is a mental illness that can take control of all five of your senses. You see, hear, touch, smell, and even taste things that are not really there.
         
         I also have Post Traumatic Stress and am a recovering alcoholic/drug addict, which just makes the things I see/hear seem all that much more real because, often, they take on the form of things I actually went through.
         
         I have come to rely on my medications and other people greatly. The medications seem to help a lot, but you will often hear me ask, "Did you hear that? Did you see that?" It is my way of validating what is real and what is unreal.
         
         But I have also learned not to let my mental illnesses define who I am. I am so much more than just a Schizophrenic. I am young, but I have lived a very full life and have much to offer the world. I won't let my mental illnesses get in the way of my goals and dreams.
         
         Thank you for the blessing, Tobey.

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            rebekahELLEposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            what a nice, honest post to read Pani. sounds like you're getting the help you need. no one should be labeled. good for you and follow your dreams. they often lead us where we should go.

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            double_frickposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            good for you.
            and i'm sorry if i offended with using the term 'crazy'
            
            i honestly don't know how else to describe how my thoughts feel. not that they are crazy in themselves, just the fact that its so hard for me to follow them or find them or i guess not find all of them at once. i don't know, both those things. hah
            the magical thinking i have may, in some extreme cases, be tangible enough to me to be considered "hallucinations" but, i guess i just have a magical belief system so you know, its auras and energy.
            
            i've been dx'd with bipolar and borderline, i've had problems with mood, big problems. but with thinking and actually functioning despite the mood. i guess i wonder how well i am actually functioning, as well as i can right now and still no one other than my boyfriend and my kids will really talk to me about, anything. is this depression or other people not finding what you say interesting, relevant or coherent?? i don't know,
            and now that it seems everyone else has lost interest in any thing about me, its now nearly impossible for me to feign interest when others speak, even my boyfriend. i never used to have to pretend to be interested in others, and now i can't even pretend. makes socializing difficult.
            
            i'm sorry though, i don't mean to complain, i actually didn't mean to even make this 'about me' per se.

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   rebekahELLEposted 15 years ago

   double, I think at some points we all feel a little crazy, but if you feel like you can't figure out your thoughts, and feel isolated, it would probably help to talk with a mental health counselor, if nothing else, just to be able to communicate your thoughts to someone who will honestly listen.

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