[NOS-NOS]

Hi I was just wondering has anyone here not been Dx'd with Schizophrenia but had episodes where they thought they were being monitored 24/7 (cameras, satellites, random people talking about them, etc) and did it go away completely with medication and/or therapy? Am I in the minority?

[Angelique67]

Yes, I thought someone was doing that to me. Abilify got rid of his voice, and my delusions.

[Chris Altman]

Antipsychotics usually start working in a week and get rid of them within a month.

[NOS-NOS]

Originally Posted by Chris Altman

Antipsychotics usually start working in a week and get rid of them within a month.

It took alot of trial and error with dosage for me. Now I am on an AP cocktail that works really well. But I also needed an extra push from my therapist to get me in the right mindset. Overall, from the beginning of the break until I was cured it took 5 years.

[Angelique67]

It took nearly 3 months on 10 mg Abilify daily before the voice faded.

[A18793715]

Nothing works for me. I'm the opposite. I want to put up cameras to make sure no ones in the house or anything.

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[Shmooey]

I am watched 24/7 even though I am on 30 mg of Haldol. I don't hear voices or see figures anymore, but that doesn't stop them watching me.

[ofthevalley]

I still think people watch me and I've been medicated for about 2 years.

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[jeshuelle]

Hi, I thought I was being monitored 24/7 too. For a whole year. During this time I was on antipsychotics, Abilify (can't have done the job, was only on 5mg). The strange thing is I loved thinking I was under surveillance and being filmed etc. When my "episode" subsided I was devastated to realise I was totally now not being captured on film. It's a very common trait of psychosis and delusions to think you're being monitored. You're not the only one so don't worry too much, it will pass in time.

[NOS-NOS]

Originally Posted by jeshuelle

Hi, I thought I was being monitored 24/7 too. For a whole year. During this time I was on antipsychotics, Abilify (can't have done the job, was only on 5mg). The strange thing is I loved thinking I was under surveillance and being filmed etc. When my "episode" subsided I was devastated to realise I was totally now not being captured on film. It's a very common trait of psychosis and delusions to think you're being monitored. You're not the only one so don't worry too much, it will pass in time.

Thanks. I thought this for 5 years until my meds were increased and my therapist set me straight. I'm not sure I liked being filmed/watched, it eventually made me very irate. I did often have monologues, where I thought the people recording me could hear. It was all very confusing -- it was hard to tell what was real and what was not. The details of the episode were very complicated.

[newtus]

ive been watched since 2010. WATCHED I SAY.
I'm on 10mg Haldol. THEY DONT GO AWAY.

medicine doesn't work. so what then?
NOTHING.

[NOS-NOS]

Originally Posted by newtus

ive been watched since 2010. WATCHED I SAY.
I'm on 10mg Haldol. THEY DONT GO AWAY.

medicine doesn't work. so what then?
NOTHING.

Sorry to hear that. Have you tried other medicines, maybe the AAP's? Has your pdoc explored those options? I'm on a cocktail of 6mg risperidone and 10mg olanzapine and that works for me. Then again, I also found weekly therapy in conjunction with the meds to be very helpful.

[newtus]

Originally Posted by NOS-NOS

Sorry to hear that. Have you tried other medicines, maybe the AAP's? Has your pdoc explored those options? I'm on a cocktail of 6mg risperidone and 10mg olanzapine and that works for me. Then again, I also found weekly therapy in conjunction with the meds to be very helpful.

I goto weekly therapy.
whats AAPs?
I'm on 10mg haldol

[Calypso2632]

I'm on meds and still have times that I think I'm being monitored.

[Loial]

I'm not really sure my experiences are as relevant since my psychosis was likely drug-induced but...

During my first period of psychosis I was convinced people were watching me, largely thanks to my voices telling me they were. I would look behind me when walking outside, cross the street or walk a different way home to avoid people following me. I also regularly checked for cameras & was changing my passwords for various things every few days.

That probably went on for a month but started subsiding. I didn't actually go on medication for another 6 months after that by which time it was just vague feelings of being watched. Nonetheless, the medication totally cleared all thoughts of being watched.

Second time around my feelings of being watched weren't as pronounced but were more persistent. Again though, when I went on meds they went away pretty quickly.

It seems to me meds are particularly effective at controlling my paranoia/delusions but less so for voices. I've always heard voices even when I've been on high doses of medication. So latterly I've chosen to stay on low doses not trying to get rid of the voices to minimize side effects from APs. I'm now actually off APs altogether but still hear quiet voices.

Originally Posted by newtus

whats AAPs?

Just a guess, but I think Atypical Antipsychotics...

[StarGazingFish]

i had this issue to a large degree,its very probable i do have schizophrenia but because im intelectualy disabled [mild] and severely autistic they woudnt diagnose it,they said it was caused by my mental capacity,my rigid perception of the world and acute anxiety caused by autism.
i was a danger to my community so i was locked up in a intelectual disability hospital for four months and had my anti pyschotics changed to haloperidol,im now on around 10mg of it and ive not had 'james' in my life since nor all the other associated issues.

i recommend getting assessed because your life can be so much better without all that baggage.best of luck!

[newtus]

Originally Posted by Loial

I'm not really sure my experiences are as relevant since my psychosis was likely drug-induced but...


During my first period of psychosis I was convinced people were watching me, largely thanks to my voices telling me they were. I would look behind me when walking outside, cross the street or walk a different way home to avoid people following me. I also regularly checked for cameras & was changing my passwords for various things every few days.


That probably went on for a month but started subsiding. I didn't actually go on medication for another 6 months after that by which time it was just vague feelings of being watched. Nonetheless, the medication totally cleared all thoughts of being watched.


Second time around my feelings of being watched weren't as pronounced but were more persistent. Again though, when I went on meds they went away pretty quickly.


It seems to me meds are particularly effective at controlling my paranoia/delusions but less so for voices. I've always heard voices even when I've been on high doses of medication. So latterly I've chosen to stay on low doses not trying to get rid of the voices to minimize side effects from APs. I'm now actually off APs altogether but still hear quiet voices.





Just a guess, but I think Atypical Antipsychotics...

meds take my voices away mostly but not the paranoia/delusions. we are kinda opposite that way.

[newtus]

ive tried all the atypical APs. id always have to be on high doses of them for them to work because they wouldnt and they still wouldnt.

[Angelique67]

Originally Posted by newtus

ive tried all the atypical APs. id always have to be on high doses of them for them to work because they wouldnt and they still wouldnt.

It took about 3 months for Abilify to start working for me.

[Angeluk]

they are listening ...wait for me to say things against them
my husband says am paranoid but am not
it will happen history will repeat its self

[12AM]

I am on olanzapine and abilify and yes the being monitored feeling is gone. But my illness is quite creative so i do still hear voices but it is not as bad as before and i can control it most of the time.

I spent a long time believing that there was a camera in my shower head and that I was being watched by camera in the light bulbs
I covered my light bulbs with tape and stopped showering for months

Meds helped me not feel as cared but they didn't stop me from feeling watched. Eventually I felt safe enough to be okay with being watched and I got used to itthen I later on let go of the idea of being watched

[NOS-NOS]

Originally Posted by Kori Anders

I spent a long time believing that there was a camera in my shower head and that I was being watched by camera in the light bulbs
I covered my light bulbs with tape and stopped showering for months

Meds helped me not feel as cared but they didn't stop me from feeling watched. Eventually I felt safe enough to be okay with being watched and I got used to itthen I later on let go of the idea of being watched

Basically the same thing happened with me. The meds would stifle my concern about being watched but not eradicate it. Only now on my current dose and some good therapy has it totally gone away.

[Shaly78]

"Brainspotting" talked about over in the other forum reminds me of this, quick please go read this. I'm diagnosed with DID/PTSD Psychosis Depression and Anxiety.....I actually thought this was cult like behavior what I've gone through...It sounds like a break in the case, or at the very least another topic to research about, sounds fancy to me......Med force? Oh Lord, what I've learned to do is deal with this trigger by ignoring to best I can and when I can't let everything that happens, happens praying that I'm safe and not out in the public .

[Katieissweet]

I once had this so bad in the hospital that I could not stay in my room at all,because I thought they were filming me as the new Virgin Mary in there.i spent the entire time in the hallways having conversations with spirits et al.