My 2-Year Psychosis: Childhood Schizophrenia Story
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- Hey everyone, it's Stephen, and welcome back to Surviving Schizophrenia. This channel is dedicated to helping people understand and cope with schizophrenia, providing support, and sharing my personal journey with this mental illness. Today's video is a particularly personal one, as I'll be sharing what my two-year psychosis was like starting around age 12.
I was diagnosed with childhood-onset schizophrenia about 13 years ago, at the age of 12. It was a sudden and drastic shift from being a seemingly normal kid to experiencing full-blown psychosis, along with severe anxiety and depression. The onset of my psychosis was marked by increasing forgetfulness. I recall an incident in class where I completely forgot who a classmate was and where I was, despite having known him and attended that school for a few years. I even started writing down the names of my family members, fearing I would forget them. This behavior alarmed my teacher, and I was sent to the principal's office and eventually home.
During this time, I had no awareness that I was losing my grip on reality. It wasn't until much later, after being hospitalized, that I realized I had been experiencing psychosis. When I finally came out of it and was told I had schizophrenia, I was devastated. Returning to school was a huge challenge. My dad would drive me, but often I'd break down in tears or be too anxious to leave the car. Even when I did manage to enter the classroom, I'd have to leave shortly after. The realization of what had happened to me, coupled with the ongoing symptoms of schizophrenia, was overwhelming.
Living with schizophrenia meant battling daily anxiety and depression. I came very close to ending my life and even told my parents of my plans to run away to the nearby cliffs. Thankfully, that phase passed, but it was a harrowing experience for a 12-year-old. During my psychosis, I was detached from reality in many ways, yet parts of my brain still understood what was real. I knew who my parents were and could still engage in activities like playing video games and watching TV. These activities provided an escape from the horrors of my psychosis, allowing me to enter a world where I wasn't burdened by my illness, which I think helped me heal in some ways.
One of the most debilitating aspects of my schizophrenia was the social anxiety and depression that accompanied it. I remember a trip to Whole Foods with my dad, therapist, and home teacher, intended to help me get out of the house. The experience was overwhelming. The lights, the noise, and the presence of other people triggered intense anxiety. I felt like everyone was looking at me, judging me, and I couldn't handle it. I had to leave after just ten minutes. This incident illustrates how even a simple outing could be an insurmountable challenge for me.
Over time, things began to improve. My depression lessened, the psychosis subsided, and the anxiety, though still present, became more manageable. I started doing more activities with my family and eventually returned to school, though I faced setbacks along the way. I ultimately obtained my GED instead of a traditional high school diploma. After that, I started this UA-cam channel, which has been a significant part of my recovery.
The key factors in my recovery have been taking my medication consistently and listening to my psychiatrist and doctors, engaging in social activities, even if initially just with family, and the incredible support I've received from all of you, my UA-cam community. You all have played a crucial role in my healing, and I am deeply grateful.
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that can profoundly impact every aspect of a person's life. It affects an individual's ability to think, feel, and behave clearly. Symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and social withdrawal. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for managing the condition effectively. Treatment typically involves a combination of medication, therapy, and social support.
Your support means the world to me. If you found this video helpful or informative, please give it a thumbs up, subscribe to the channel for more content on surviving schizophrenia, and leave a comment below sharing your thoughts or experiences. I try to respond to as many comments as I can, and I love hearing from you guys. Don't forget to check out my other videos, where I discuss various aspects of living with schizophrenia. I hope you have a happy and healthy rest of your day, and I'll see you in the next video. Bye!
#schizophrenia #survivingschizophrenia #anxiety #mentalhealth #depression
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You, my friend, are an inspiration… you made such amazing effort; never stop trying
Thank you Stephen for sharing your back story so eloquently! You have helped encourage me about someone I love who has Schizophrenia. He too has accepted that medication has helped and like you, he is able to go out more. You give people like me so much encouragement as I see your life move forward in a positive way.
Thank you Sara! So glad to have been of help!
Steven my son also have a lot of the same issues you have, I know how hard it can be, don’t forget you tube helps, but it’s you that is doing the work, and practicing coping techniques that help you, so good for you!
Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement!
Good to see you back, Stephen! Schizophrenia is a a severe mental illness that requires lifelong treatment. Identifying and starting treatment for schizophrenia as early as possible may significantly improve your long-term outcome. Thanks for sharing this very helpful video with us, Stephen! Take Care Everyone! 👋❤
Thank you very much Jim! So true! Thank you for sharing!
May your channel EXPLODE.
Your gentle, pure heart is refreshing. You communicate ideally.
So glad you're getting better. You will help so many people! ❤❤❤
Your story sounds so much like mine. I had to drop out of school for 6 months. I'm doing better now, thank God. But it took years. Thanks for sharing your journey. It makes me feel less alone.
You have such a gift for speaking and telling your story. I am happy you decided to make UA-cam videos. You say it helped your recovery, but your stories and coping strategies have educated and helped so many people struggling with schizophrenia in their families. Thank you. Another great video!
Thank you so very much! That means a lot to me! Have a happy and healthy rest of your day!
I appreciate your story, thank you. Glad to hear you have recovered!
Seems like your illness has made you a much more empathic and sensitive person than you might have been, Stephen. Your family has helped enormously, and you are grateful.
Let's hope your new government appreciates that life is tough for some and not everyone has your background.
Thank you for embracing your illness to help others.
Please keep up the good work.
Bravo, Stephen! You explained your experience so well. I'm a fellow survivor of mental illness. Mine was severe depression and anxiety. I’ve come a long way. I attribute it to talk therapy, medication, and pushing myself to do things that were good for my growth. I always have the fear that I will someday have another disabling episode, but I try not to let it rule over me, and I take things one day at a time. Keep on, keep on. You are a warrior!
Thank you very much for sharing your story! I greatly appreciate it!
Thanks for sharing Stephen!
Thanks for sharing your story Steven. My son struggled with schizophrenia for a number of years. It was a tough fight.
I'm a 42 year old woman, but starting when I was a kid, I had "imaginary friends. They were adults, that never grew older. Now for the first time I've been diagnosed and put on medicine that has made those "friends" disappear.
Thank you very much for watching and sharing.
But they were your friends 😢
Thanks for sharing your story, I think its very helpful for others to hear.
You are SUCH an inspiration!! Wonderful, brave, attitude to life and such a sweet soul. You keep rocking your life!!
Thank you so much!
I’m so glad you’ve recovered enough to share your story! Recovery is so hard but when we look back and see how far we’ve come it’s so worth it. Thanks for talking about this extremely hard topic, but you’re raising so much awareness for the reality of psychosis and that’s super valuable!
It's always nice seeing you on here
Thanks a lot for sharing this
My son has schizophrenia too, it's pretty bad. I so appreciate you sharing your story and how it unfolded. I'm not your Mom of course but feel so proud of you. Thank you so much
You are so welcome. Thank you for sharing.
Thankyou for sharing your story..this helps me understand my son more..😁
I'm so glad!
thanks for sharing
You are the BEST!
Thank you so much!
わかりやすい説明です。大変な時は無理しないほうがいいということですね。患者さんたち本入しかわからないことがたくさんですね。
Does it seem like having that picture of the bluff behind you is helping, maybe to desensitize yourself, because that was the place you were thinking of ending things? Just wondering if that is helpful. Was it your choice to have that image, or maybe it was already a picture in your house before you became ill.
❤❤
Thank you for sharing your story 👍🏻
Was the memory loss you experienced sudden or was it gradual? It sounds like you also had some cognitive impairment? Did those features emerge suddenly or were those gradual as well?
You Are welcome😎👍🏼
Do you play Xbox?
🙏❤️
Can schizophrenia be healed with Keto?
you havent asked the doctors to perform brain massage yet? its effective :O
dont worry steven.. I love you dont ever repeat those names of the demons outloud.. EVER>>> if you know the demons names they have no dominion over you... I give all of that prayer back to everything in heaven eternal and protect all that is Krishna Michael Jesus chirst almighty with all that is divine light and love for eternal life with jesus christ will reign on earth as perceived in every book of way truth and life... i now give back what they wanted the whole time to them by way of being an avatar and i am that i am and condemn all those who stole from me and my family for 10000 years on earth back to heaven eternal to improve and improv this message in everyway possible before i get what i need in life... in jesus name amen...