does this sound like schizophrenia?

Question

i'm a 17 y/o girl. i have generalized anxiety disorder, was first diagnosed when i was 8. i was always worried about everything (i remember when i was in 1st grade, we moved, and i was scared of being alone in my new room because it was too big, and i was worried of monsters hiding in it). anyways, when i was 8 it got so bad that my parents took me to a psychologist, who diagnosed me. after about a month, though, i seemingly got better, and i stopped seeing the psych.

i continued to have anxiety, but it was so mild that it did not bother me. after starting puberty at 11, my anxiety sort of started coming in waves. i'd be fine for months, and then suddenly i would get very anxious. the bad anxiety would last about a week and usually occurred during the beginning of my period. 

when i was 15, i started smoking weed. my anxiety was getting kind of bad again, and the weed helped for a while. then, i tried shrooms (psilocybe mushrooms). the day after, i had a stomach ache, and i became worried that i had eaten poisonous shrooms. i had very very bad anxiety about possibly dying from the poison shrooms.

 i KNEW that this was highly unlikely, but at the same time i could not help feeling incredibly anxious. i basically had a mental breakdown. the depersonalization lasted three months (and would continue on and off for several months after, but it's gone now).

i got a little better, starting smoking weed again (on rare occasion). then, a few months after the depersonalization ended, i became very very depressed. i started taking a lot of relaxing herbs, like st johns wort. i finally got better.

i still, however, am struggling with anxiety. it sort of comes and goes. i'm worried that its going to become schizophrenia, because:
1. occasionally when i wake up in the morning and i see an object in my room (like a plant or book) the object takes on the appearance of something terrifying (like the plant looks like some creepy
being), but after a second or two i realize what it really is.
2. i am constantly checking over my shoulder at the dark entry into my room, because im always scared that something paranormal will be standing there, even though i KNOW its a highly irrational thought, i still have to check.
3. I cannot sleep in the dark
4. whenever people are giggling around me and whispering, i often feel like they're laughing at or about me.
5. im extremely sensitive to criticism
6. sometimes i hear my name when no one has said it. 
7. i'm constantly worried about my health

also, i want to take 15 mg of ritalin for two weeks to lose weight, will this trigger anything?

thanks, sorry about the length

? · Accepted Answer

It's quite unlikely that you have schizophrenia, nor are you having a psychotic episode.
1-3 are actually fairly common naturally occurring things.
4-7 are 100% anxiety related

1-3 are called hynagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations. Hypnagogic being before sleep, and hypnopompic being after. These occur in a fairly big fraction of individuals, especially after prolonged sleep and sensory deprivation. Sleep problems are common in individuals with anxiety and depression. I get them all the time. :)

Think of these problems as an extension of your sleeping. The marked difference between a psychotic episode with hallucinations and these, are that you recognize they don't exist and are irrational. Also, that they occur near your natural sleep times during times of sensory or sleep deprivation. Your frontal lobes aren't fully active. Notice when you start thinking about the hallucination it fades away. That's because your brain is waking up :)

If you're seriously freaked out when it happens (as people most usually are) there are ways to tell the difference between the hallucinations and reality. Build up courage by constantly testing the reality of the objects. Sit up and touch the object. Hallucinations *never* encompass the totality of the senses. e.g. you will see but not smell and be able to touch it. Reality and Hallucinations are different things. Find your own method to figure out what's what. Incidentally Hallucinations and dreams have a lot in common.

These will probably go away with age, if they don't you'll have to learn to deal with them as I suggested. Get plenty of sleep and try to get with a counselor to help with the anxiety/depression

***

Tom was pretty much correct. I'm not certain if marijuana or mushrooms will increase the possibility of schizophrenia. You may want to avoid those things for anxiety reasons though. Schizophrenia is an interesting condition that doesn't have any known physiological causes. There's theorized models connected to dopamine and glutamate neurotransmitters.

Some say it's that the brain's sleep and arousal states are confused. For example, in many schizophrenic spectrum individuals stimulants and sedatives will have the opposite effect. There's marked similarities to hypnagogic and hypnopomic states which are natural however confused in schizo. spectrum individuals. It's a bit like these people are dreaming and in dream similar states while awake. There's a genetic basis in many individuals though not necessary.

Rodney Boudoin · Answer

I kind of know what your feeling. Im 19 and smoked heavily for about 1 year and recently I am starting to feel some of the symptoms you are describing, especially the anxiety disorder part and I too feel that when people are whispering like you said I feel they are talking about me and am too thinking I may have triggered some sort of schitzo. I use to be a shy kid but never had a problem holding a convo with someone, but this past year and a half has been the hardest of my life because of the weed im thinking and for this reason alone I def think weed can trigger it.

All I would say is lay off the weed completely! I too like smoking, but I think I have starting hearing auditory hallucinations when I am stoned and around people. Ill hear people talking about stuff about me, stuff that only I would know about and have never told anyone. I quit for a while because of this and recently smoked and it happened again. After the things I herd the last time I smoked I will never put myself through that again. If you really are worried like me, go talk to a doc. I going to get some pills from my doc this upcoming week, which I hope will help me with my anxiety because I am to the point that I would rather sit at my house and be away from social situations which is completely pathetic.

Seriously you have to stop with the drugs. Im going threw the same thing and feel you and im telling  you the weed did this and its only gonna make it worse.

Tom C · Answer

I'm not a professional, but I don't think that it sounds like you have schizophrenia at all, and even though your risk of developing it might be increased due to some of your symptoms and your past marijuana use, I wouldn't worry too much about developing it -- especially if you stay off of the illegal drugs. The hallucinations that you described are most likely hypnopompic hallucinations and are not considered to be psychotic in nature. It sounds like you're experiencing some anxiety, and I would guess that your worries about developing schizophrenia are basically a symptom of your anxiety disorder.

As far as the Ritalin is concerned, I would try to use some other strategy to lose weight if you can. Ritalin and other stimulants can make psychotic symptoms worse in individuals who already have them, and I know that that's not the case with you, but I don't know if the potential benefits of the medication would outweigh the risks in your case.

? · Answer

I think this post is a good example why "researching on the internet" causes so many problems for people. Anyone can believe they match a list of so-called symptoms. I, for one, think it's pretty normal for a teenager to feel hate and anger at times. Overanalyzing whether this is "normal" or not can create additional anxiety, leading to further problems...and more "symptoms". It's super rare for a child of 14 to have schizophrenia. I'm not saying it's impossible. Seeing a psychologist is a good first step. We on this forum do not know you or your personal issues. Some of your problems could have organic causes such as electrolyte imbalance or poor diet. Many teenagers use drugs and alcohol (not saying you do), which also can cause psychiatric symptoms. Professional help is where you will get the best answers.

Anonymous · Answer

Hypnagogic Hallucinations Anxiety

Bog · Answer

Well, forget about schizophrenia and labels generally the main issue is YOU ARE VERY UNHAPPY.

What to do about it?

The problem obviously has roots somewhere insamuch as NOTHING...

NO-THING...

IS "WITHOUT" A CAUSING FACTOR.

But do you honestly think you will find the answer in YA?

It could be anything in your past, or your very remote past, even your parents.

You must try to figure out THE CAUSE OF YOUR DISTRESS. I was once where you are and KNOW what you are going through, believe me. In my case it was MY MOTHER and her madness. Of course It never even occurred to me she "may be" mad until I  was at the ripe age of 60. Took me many years of drug addiction (xanax) that I finally at long last saw the UGLY FACTS.

May God help you. I mean it.

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does this sound like schizophrenia?

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