[Roy21]

Just thought id ask this question n see what has happened to others when someone has found out they have psychosis.

2 main things have happened with me.

First when i told my cousins about me having psychosis they automatically assumed that i had episodes where i wanted to attack people and they became very worried around me even when i told them that dosnt happen with me. I hate it when people automatically jump to their own conclusions.

Secondly afew times ive been on the phone to the social security people who pay me my unemployed benefits and when i have mentioned i have psychosis they start talking to me asif i am delusional.

Today i went for a interview with a doctor there because i was applying for the disability pension and the doctor was talking to me asif i was some kind of freak. He was talking really slowly to me and talking really basic and when i responded to him normally he automatically assumed that i was not ill and told me i had no chance of getting the benefits. This really p*$%ed me off because i seriously have trouble working due to my condition and he just automatically assumed that because i wasnt delusional that i am capable of working.

The government always says they try and promote the fact that mental illness is nothing to be ashamed about when they have government workers like these idiots completely contradicting that by firstly treating me like im some kind of a retard then by insulting me and trying to tell me im not ill after my doctor even wrote them a letter explaining my difficultys.

Have you guys ever come across people like this I would be interested in seeing if others have come across the same problem.

Roy

[krzyk101]

I could go on about this one forever it seems from the last 11 years of my various illness of a mental and emotional nature.

I have had to deal with the 'sterotype' or 'criterium' of what they I would say should be or how I should act and all kinds of stuff in my daily living. I do not work do to my psychosis and remember back in 1994 when I had to go to one of those government psychiatrists for my Social Security Disability here in the USA I do not know much about Australia or anything about how things work there only from what you explained it sound pretty similar.

Seems like for 1 the family. After 11 years of taking medications for my illness my Mom believes it to be true as well as she can believe in her own world of reality or rhealm she lives in. While my Step Dad thinks I am just 'lazy' or should be out there working and gets all bent out of shape because I smoke cigarettes and use the Social Security money to buy them and run out of money in the middle of the month and have to ask my mom for help with groceries and money and stuff. My sister, well she is convinced in her mind I have an 'easy life' and it must 'be nice to sit around and get paid for it' or she claims I am all this medication because 'I am getting high from it' and the classic 'some people have to work to get a paycheck'

I mean if I could work I would--I'm not making even income that is at or even near poverty level. I would much rather work and I did from age 15-21yrs old. Until I put myself in a psychiatric hospital. Went on unpaid Medical Leave then tried to go back to work and within a month was back in the Psychiatric Hospital.

2 they hear me talk a little bit sometimes and at times I can talk for a short period of time as an average person who is not disabled and suffering from psychosis. Which leads me to think of the Matchbox Twenty song 'Unwell' where the lyrics say 'I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell, I know right now you cant tell, but STAY AWHILE THEN YOU WILL SEE A DIFFERENT SIDE OF ME. Also in the song they sing...' 'TALKINGto MYSELFin PUBLIC, Dodging glances on the Train. I know I know They've all been talking about me.

Well I told an old Highshool I was Mentally Ill awhile back and she said 'what happened you weren't crazy I knew you! I told her I really was only she just didn't know it.

3 When I am physically sick and say go to the Emergency room or such and they start reading the medications list of 'Lithium' and 'Risperdal' They pretty much write me off as being fine and just a psychiatric patient with delusions of being or having physical illness. I do know the docotors and Hospitals treat me less than and do not hear me as much as if they did not know I was mentally ill and on Psychiatric Medications and I would get a more complete examination as to what is the entire physical aspet in relation to my psychiatric conditon not being known or exist.

I have no Idea how many times I have gotten 'the look' from strangers when I am in a store, which I can not go in big busy stores only quiet small stores. So I speak at times not realizing my thoughts out loud and mumble my thoughts to myself throughout the store and then when they 'catch' talking to myself, they act as if I am some sort of creature who would hurt them and they do not even know who I am. The would rather look at me and snatch up there children and run away from my presense as if I am going to hurt them cause I come of looking I guess like a Psycho even though I do not at all believe in violence.

I mean I am 32 years old and have never ever Hit anyone or caused anyone physical harm. Even when in locked wards. They don't get it, I am more afraid of them than they are of me. If that makes sense.

I will stop, and apologize for my mind being in some sort of topsy turvey state right now and I think maybe I went way far to alot of different sides of the original question only did my best to try and stay on track with what it was I started to speak of or talk about.

I hope they will look more at like your doctors notes and you as your struggle with psychosis and help you to get your Disibility Pension and reconsider the fact of the true matter here that you feel to unwell to work full time job and function at the same time. I wish you luck and again apologize for this way long reply.

Hope it goes better for you in the future and that they will listen and really see you and you r condition.

Take Care,
krzykris101

[Roy21]

krzykris101 thanks for your reply. i also relate so much to that Matchbox Twenty song Unwell and also when you say about talking your thoughts out loud that happens to me alot. I remember once i was on a train and didnt even realise i was talking my thoughts out load and then when i did realise i looked around and there were about 20 people just staring at me giving me a look like i was some kind of freak. I got a letter back from social security saying that that the fact i had the ability to write them a very detailed analisis of my condition shows that i am not really that unwell. I can not believe this I am appealing the decision as far as i can take it even if it means going to court over it. I cant believe even the government cant see that i have a disability that makes it almost impossible for me to be able to handle even part time work. I have tried so many times to work but it just gets too much for me. Its the people like that on the train and the people i see at social security that i wish would actually get psychosis themselves to show them what its really like. The government says they try and promote mental illness as something that people should be able to accept when theyre own government departments are discriminating against us everyday. I really dont get it.

Roy

[LMo]

Hi Roy and Chris - that definitely sucks. I can't say I can relate to your experiences, but... why don't you write a little summary of what people SHOULD know about people who suffer from psychosis, and we can help spread the understanding. So, how does it work? You go through episodes of psychosis? Does the frequency change over time? How long does an episode normally last? If someone encounters you during an episode, is there something specific they should do or say?

I realize writing this won't change the world, but you can help us understand, and then we in turn could educate others if the situation comes up.

[Roy21]

Basically all that I can ask is to be treated like i am still a human with feelings and that just because i have a illness dosnt mean that i should be treated like some kind of outcast or that i should be feared because of it. I belive i am a fairly nice person i dont judge people because of their problems or if they have a medical condition. The fact is that I find people tend to assume when they find out I have psychosis that i have episodes where i cant control myself and attack or bash up other people. This cant be further from the truth with me. I have never attacked anyone even when i was in my acute phase before treatment I never ever attacked anyone I was more afraid of other people attacting me. So basically I would say when you find out someone has psychosis dont automatically assume things. Talk to them and treat them how you would like to be treated dont just assume the worst of people just because of their illness. I know if people didnt assume things and actually asked me about my illness and what i experience i would explain it to them and then they would know the truth but most of the time i dont get a chance to explain which is what happened with my friends. The minute they found out i have a mental illness they basically took off fearing that i was turning into some kind of nutcase.

And what i would say to the person at social security who basically thought as soon as i spoke to him normally that i was not ill is we are capable of talking in a non delusional way. Just because we have a illness dosnt mean we are all delusional. I have difficulty working because of my illness making my thoughts really hard to process and it really hard to concentrate on things. Just because i am not delusional dosnt mean i am not sick and entitled to a fair hearing of my case. Once again this was a case of assume something straight away and making a decision on that automatic asumption instead of actually starting off with a clean slate and listening to what my problems are then making a decision.

Put simply, dont just assume things without knowing the truth. Treat us how you would want to be treated yourself and remember just because we have a illness dosnt mean that we are automatically delusional or dangerous people. Treat us with abit of respect and if we do tell you we suffer from Psychosis take the time to talk to us about it then you will know what we are really like. I guess thats about all i have to say.

Roy

PS. It would be great if other people could follow up on this and say how you think you should be treated by other people when they find out or know that you have a mental illness.

Roy,

Thanks for taking the time to write out your post. You explain your illness very well for the common man.

Wanted to let ya know you I appreciate and admire you putting this out there. How valuable for society to learn from folks like you!!

[Malady156]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
I am 32 years old and have never ever Hit anyone or caused anyone physical harm. Even when in locked wards. They don't get it, I am more afraid of them than they are of me. If that makes sense.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

OMG, not only does it make perfect sense but it is like the BEST ... I mean, that is just brilliant the way you put that: They don't get it, I am more afraid of them than they are of me. OMG. Yes.

Now if only I could get certain other ones to "get it" with regard to certain other things ... won't say what/who here but let's just say another situation altogether where people respond to me with fear and loathing and don't realize I'm more afraid of them than they are of me (let alone that their power to harm/destroy me is far greater than whatever power they imagine I have to harm/destroy them in this situation).

[Malady156]

Roy I have run into that so many times ... ppl thinking that the fact that I can articulate things so well or that I can speak for half an hour without making references to Those Things In My World That Are Not In Theirs means I don't "really" have a problem. That has got to be the most frustrating part of it all, I think. If you "manifest" in front of them, they treat you like a freak; if you "mask" well in front of them, they think you're a fake. Freak or fake, fake or freak, one way or another they seem determined to invalidate...

[(JD)]

Well said Roy. I especially like the line...don't assume things without knowing the truth. That can apply to everyone in the world! Of course, then we can discuss WHO'S truth.. but that's philosophical.

With my PTSD, I know when I am stressed I might miss some facts..and if someone is working on a project with me, I make sure they know ahead of time to double check me or verify what I meant. Shouldn't we also do this for those with psychosis? How would be the best way to do this for you? (anyone)

[LMo]

Okay, well that helps. Thanks for explaining. Hard not to assume things, because after we read (usually hollywood-type) stories, we don't consider our reactions to be based on assumptions but rather facts (factoids, probably is more specific). Hearing the experience "straight from the horse's mouth" is way more accurate. I don't know anyone that is "out" with psychosis, but I do read the posts about other people's mental illnesses on this board so that I can develop understanding. I'll do my part to quell the rumors, ok?

Onward and upward,
LMo

[(JD)]

confusion, shock, and then soon after, distant.

[jennie]

sounds like NAMI: StigmaBusters should hear about this!!!