sdjeff Posted November 18, 2006 Share Posted November 18, 2006 Ok. In the past I have been pretty open about my diagnosis. That was until I got tired of the barrage of questions and odd looks. My diagnosis is Schizoaffective Disorder dpressed type with dysthemia. I also have some personality disorder issues. I'm a pretty up front person. I figure it's better to get it out in the open sooner than later. after making an emotional investment in a person it's much harder to deal with. The problem is how to explain it. I would say I have a "thought disorder" and they look at me like, "huh?". I say I have shizoaffective disorder or that sometimes I have issues with my moods and/or psychotic thoughts and they run for the hills. Or they will tell me it's all a matter of choice. I choose to be the way I am. THat's when I run fot the hills. I'm not a bad guy but nobody seems to care about that. All they care about suddenly is my baggage. I think that society and the media shoulder a lot of the blame. It's like once somebody knows the're afraid I'm going to kill them or something. I hate being lumped into this category. Ok rant over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMF Posted November 18, 2006 Share Posted November 18, 2006 I think it all depends on when you tell them, SDJ. Timing is everything. Give your relationships some time to develop, for people to get to know you for "you" before you drop this on them. There *is* stigma out there related to SZ, psychosis, BP, etc. While I believe everyone is personally responsible for self education, I can see why some people, after being exposed to movies that generally depict psychosis in only the very worse of terms, react to this news. I have a 19 y/o dd who is like you - very open. She seriously has no problem telling people THAT HAVE COME TO KNOW HER that she has hallucinations. Like you, she figures it'll come out sooner or later and she sees her problem as just part of "her" and you are going to have to take it or leave it. DD is strong willed, passionate, sweet, and just very much her "own person". Once people get to know her, they may think she's a little odd (as an example, laugh, she is a huge animal activist and has no problem proclaiming that animal abusers should be put to death) but people who know her see that she's not "psychotic" in the media-sense of the word. As a result, when she tells them, she pretty much just lays it out there....tells them what she sees or hears and how it impacts her, if it does, and they pretty much accept it and just part of *her*. Truthfully, I don't think she feels this has significantly impacted her relationships because these people all knew *her* before they knew of her medical condition. Take care, DMF Ok. In the past I have been pretty open about my diagnosis. That was until I got tired of the barrage of questions and odd looks. My diagnosis is Schizoaffective Disorder dpressed type with dysthemia. I also have some personality disorder issues. I'm a pretty up front person. I figure it's better to get it out in the open sooner than later. after making an emotional investment in a person it's much harder to deal with. The problem is how to explain it. I would say I have a "thought disorder" and they look at me like, "huh?". I say I have shizoaffective disorder or that sometimes I have issues with my moods and/or psychotic thoughts and they run for the hills. Or they will tell me it's all a matter of choice. I choose to be the way I am. THat's when I run fot the hills. I'm not a bad guy but nobody seems to care about that. All they care about suddenly is my baggage. I think that society and the media shoulder a lot of the blame. It's like once somebody knows the're afraid I'm going to kill them or something. I hate being lumped into this category. Ok rant over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loon-A-TiK Posted November 18, 2006 Share Posted November 18, 2006 i agree that for me, it has been best to let people get to know me before hitting them with my DXes, so they have something to put it in the context of. they love who i am, and if i need some medication isn't an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan Posted November 18, 2006 Share Posted November 18, 2006 I've learned not to tell too many people. It takes too muuch explaining... I'm not PSYCHOPATHIC! I know I seem normal but a bit flat and quiet, that's what schiz is really like. Yes I need this much meds, without them I can't move much... But I do need to tell some people, my boss knows, my close friends know, I told my family so they'd kknow why I can go months with no contact. Everyone at work knows I have health issues and take lotsa meds, and they also know not to ask about it... they accept that for the most part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimpmaster Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Just food for thought, but if you had high blood pressure or some kind of physical condition, would you go around telling people about it? Id suggest keeping yur cards close to your chest except where : a) Its necessary to explain it (perhaps to an employer etc) B) You are comfortable enough with the party to discuss c) A relevant conversation comes up There is an unfortunate stigma and I know about it personally too. Hugs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddy Posted November 28, 2006 Share Posted November 28, 2006 I recently lost a very close friend after telling her about my illness due to the fact that some people with my disorder are violent even though I am not prone to violence. She could tell I was different but she wasnt put off until I told her. I think unless someone asks you if you have what you have then its best not to tell. Which is very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted December 17, 2006 Share Posted December 17, 2006 I am terribly torn in job applications as to whether or not reveal I have a disability. I think the law requires me to as I am registered disabled and on DLA but I know if I tick 'Mental Health Difficulty' they will not want to hire me. I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Posted December 17, 2006 Share Posted December 17, 2006 Just food for thought, but if you had high blood pressure or some kind of physical condition, would you go around telling people about it? Id suggest keeping yur cards close to your chest except where : a) Its necessary to explain it (perhaps to an employer etc) B) You are comfortable enough with the party to discuss c) A relevant conversation comes up There is an unfortunate stigma and I know about it personally too. Hugs My coworkers all know I am diabetic, in case I have a low at work and start acting punchy or faint, but they don't know I'm BP. In fact a co-worker (one of my staff) told me, yesterday, that "most of those people getting in trouble with the law and drugs are bipolar of some kind". It was quite difficult to not diclose at that very moment. Tommy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 as i understood , stigmas are problems in saing the others i am squizofrenic, yes i am, i don't mind with their thoughts, a friend of mine said (when i told it in a table) it's a kind of crazyness and immediatly changed subject, that's possible a good friend, he doesn't want to touch and avoids the subject cause he doesn't want to accept i Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confused Posted December 27, 2006 Share Posted December 27, 2006 I don't tell many people. My family knows. I met my best friend at a bipolar support group. She's bipolar and her Father is schizoaffective, so she understands. I was first diagnosed as bipolar. My Mother-in-law asked if she could tell some family members and I said okay, so some people know me as being bipolar. My Family of origin has a lot of mental illness especially bipolar. I let them know that my diagnosis changed. I'm not working, but I don't think I would tell an employer. If anything I would tell them I have something easier to understand, like depression. I'm sure it would help with the stigma if people were more open. Then the public would have a more accurate perception of schizoaffective. I don't think most people have even heard of it. But, I'm not ready to come out of the closet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catnapper Posted December 28, 2006 Share Posted December 28, 2006 I'm not working, but I don't think I would tell an employer. If anything I would tell them I have something easier to understand, like depression. I've lost two jobs in the last few years by telling my employers I had depression but I was being treated and it was in remission. Never again! Apparently no MI is easy to understand by "normals", even those that at first appear somewhat sophisticated and educated. I would also like to work towards eradicating the stigma, but it's hard to do if it costs you your livelihood. I think I'll make it my retirement project when I can no longer be fired for being crazy...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confused Posted December 28, 2006 Share Posted December 28, 2006 I would also like to work towards eradicating the stigma, but it's hard to do if it costs you your livelihood. I think I'll make it my retirement project when I can no longer be fired for being crazy...... That sounds like a good idea. I'll think about doing that, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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