i have a friend i suspect has schizophrenia but

[lostboys]

she says she suffers from only ptsd and that she has been told that she doesn't fit the profile of schizophrenia she has been very very sick for 7 years and I haven't seen any improvements. here is my question . has anyone ever heard of someone with ptsd who hears voices CONSTANTLY EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR YEARS. and meds dont stop the voices. I have met people with schizophrenia which that happens to but never a ptsd sufferer .

 

[Sweetpea76]

In what context is she hearing voices?

 

[EveHarrington]

It sounds like she’s under the care of a doctor who has at least tried to medicate her for the voices...do you know if she’s on antipsychotics? She could be on any other class of drug and say the same, but that’s not what those meds are supposed to do.

In the end, if she doesn’t want help, she’s not going to improve. There’s nothing more you can do than try to support her.

 

[Friday]

has anyone ever heard of someone with ptsd who hears voices CONSTANTLY EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR YEARS

I know a helluva lot of people who have, or have had, daily flashbacks. This would be where you’re actually hearing (or seeing, smelling, tasting, feeling, etc.) something that was heard in the past, as if it’s right now. Not remembered. Relived.

I also know quite a few people who miscatagorize “thoughts” as voices. As in “The voices are telling me I suck” instead of “I keep telling myself I suck”, or “I keep thinking ‘You suck’.” or “The itty bitty shitty committee between my ears just keeps telling me I suck.” By mislabeling thoughts as voices it makes a very normal-ordinary-wanted human phenomen (thinking) suddenly sound like a big bad symptom.

Then one can jump into dissociative disorders, which often come in part (not actually rating a disorder, more along he lines of structural disassociation) or in whole (comorbid, along the lines of DDNOS or DID) where people are dealing with “parts” to whole personality, with their own voices & internal monologues or dialogues.

This is hardly a complete list. Other things like sleep dep (common with PTSD) can cause hallucinations, the side effects of some meds, intrusive thoughts, rumination, memories merged with distancing making them seem as if they belong to someone else, etc.

It’s not quite as simple as voices = schizophrenia or schizoaffective

The mind is a myriad place.

 

[lostboys]

thank you both for your imput. she is definitely hearing voices constantly through out the whole day every day . her mom is no help. I respect almost all spiritulness and religious beliefs but her mom is quite messed up herself. she tries her hardest to be good and supportive but really she just puts garbage in her head . and nobody who has delusions , or hallucinations could ever tell the difference between what is real or not when you tell that person that sometimes those are angels talking to you . as far as im aware , she has tried every anti psychotic out there and it hasn't helped at all. so I think her mom has chosen to go the all natural route. I personally believe that there are somethings out there that do work. but most how ever dont. she doesn't really seem to want to change some times so I just deal with what I can handle and I keep my distance to a certain extent. last night we were at dinner and I said all men are pigs, which is a pretty accurate description based on that I am a guy and few have proven otherwise. she got depressed because she is convinced that this person in a reincarnated life is suppose to one day find her and he is suppose to be perfect and if all men are pigs then what is she suppose to think about him. she seems to take little responsibility and sometimes seems to be manipulative. I feel compassion on one hand and what ever on the other. sorry for venting. they are REALLY, REALLY DECENT PEOPLE BUT SOOO ROYALLY SCREWED UP IN THE HEAD.

 

[Ronin]

they are REALLY, REALLY DECENT PEOPLE BUT SOOO ROYALLY SCREWED UP IN THE HEAD.

Looks to me you might work on your own understanding and labeling.

Making broad generalizations like all men are pigs, etc..., is something that does not seem to come from much more Not Screwed place in the head.

So she and her mom believe unusual things.
Things that are maybe wee bit harder to find in their corner of reality (I mean the decent guy or the prince Charming, not the angels, but angels in the sort of helpful people? Might go.).
Does belief itself make for such a bad thing?

And how can you be so sure she is so bad off due to quote voices...
Instead of the depressing daily reality around her?
IMHO their belief in angels and goodness of the world and all might as well be protective.
Not something to get rid of, definitely not in the way of quick jump, bubble blown, now what.

 

[Abstract]

It sounds like you main concern is that she doesn't seem to be improving and you are concerned as a result that she has been misdiagnosed. And it sounds like her mother has convinced ? her to go off her medication.

As others, like Friday have said, these things can be really complicated and even psychiatrists can struggle to figure out all that is going on. If you are concerned I would spend energy on trying to get her to see a psychiatrist and get a proper evaluation. Maybe to write out what happens for her day by day in a diary and take that in with her.

Its good you are distancing yourself when it is too much for you. Remember you can't change things for other people. Just support them doing so themselves. And if you feel they will harm themselves or others then call in treatment to help,

 

[somerandomguy]

all men are pigs

I take major offense to this, and it is very close to hate speech. Please temper your language, as you are not in an all-female space.

I'm sorry this has been your experience, but encouraging thought patterns like this in your brain will only make it more likely that you will meet piggish men, not less likely.

 

[EveHarrington]

as you are not in an all-female space.

I think the OP knows this.

The OP is MALE!

Please calm down whenever someone says something about men.

Sometimes people vent.

It’s nothing that hasn’t been happening to females since....the beginning of time (and might I add continues to happen). And yet you act like it’s a unique phenomenon towards men...

I think you’d be better served using your coping skills when this happens instead of almost blowing a gasket and trying to change other people.

You can’t change other people.

 

[Justmehere]

Clearly you don’t agree with her on religion.

she got depressed because she is convinced that this person in a reincarnated life is suppose to one day find her

This belief alone is not a sign of mental illness.

Why does this rattle you? Do you have romantic interest in her?

 

[somerandomguy]

Please calm down whenever someone says something about men.

Eve, respectfully, shut up.

So he's a self-hating man. So what. There are plenty of those out there. It doesn't make what any of them say correct. I'm perfectly within my rights to point out anti-male words and sentiments anywhere on this board, no matter who says it, just as you are free to point out misogyny.

 

[joeylittle]

@somerandomguy - reporting the post you had concerns about was the right thing to do. No need to take it into derailment. @EveHarrington corrected your assumption about the OP, that's all. As you said:

I'm perfectly within my rights to point out anti-male words and sentiments anywhere on this board, no matter who says it, just as you are free to point out misogyny.

And @EveHarrington - just like you said:

I think you’d be better served using your coping skills when this happens instead of almost blowing a gasket and trying to change other people. You can’t change other people.

So - stop making this thread about changing @somerandomguy's posting. He's absolutely entitled to express his opinion, and that includes questioning anti-male speech.

You're on the supporters side, here. Derailing with going after each other has zero place on the supporter boards, and it will not be tolerated.

@lostboys - we're here to support people living with PTSD and those who support them. Since you're convinced your friend does not have PTSD - this may not the right board for you. You've gotten good advice here. I'm closing your account, and I'd encourage you to find a different board to get advice from.

Thread closed.