Surviving Schizophrenia, 23rd Birthday Emotions
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Hi! I'm Stephen. I celebrated my 23rd birthday with my parents at Nelson's Restaurant at Terranea Resort. Although it was a happy occasion, I still felt sad. This video answers, "Why was I sad on my 23rd birthday?"
Stephen's 23rd Birthday: Terranea Resort
Introduction
As the sun set over the Pacific Ocean, casting an orange and pink hue over the sky, I sat with my parents at Nelson's Restaurant at Terranea Resort in California, celebrating my 23rd birthday. Yet, despite the beautiful scenery and the love of my parents surrounding me, I still felt a lingering sadness. In my latest UA-cam video on my channel, "Surviving Schizophrenia," I delve into the complexity of my emotions during this celebration and how living with schizophrenia since the age of 12 has shaped my experiences. This post will discuss the key takeaways from that video and provide a deeper understanding of the role schizophrenia plays in my life.
The Reality of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder affecting approximately 1% of the population worldwide. Various symptoms, including hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking, characterize it. People with schizophrenia often struggle to understand reality and maintain relationships, work, or lead a "normal" life.
The Impact of Schizophrenia on Emotional Well-being
In the video, I shared my experiences of living with schizophrenia and how it has impacted my emotional well-being. The sadness I experienced on my 23rd birthday is not uncommon for those living with the disorder. There are several reasons why this may be the case:
Isolation and Loneliness: Living with schizophrenia can create a sense of isolation and loneliness, as social connections may be more challenging to maintain. This can lead to feelings of sadness, even during happy occasions.
Negative Symptoms: Schizophrenia has adverse symptoms, including a lack of motivation, social withdrawal, and reduced emotional expression. These symptoms can create a barrier to experiencing joy or happiness, even during special events like a birthday celebration.
Fear of Stigma: The stigma surrounding schizophrenia can be overwhelming, leading to feelings of shame and embarrassment. This fear may cause individuals to suppress their emotions and struggle to express joy or happiness during a celebration.
Medication Side Effects: Antipsychotic medications, commonly prescribed for schizophrenia, can have side effects that impact mood and emotional well-being. These side effects may contribute to sadness, even during a happy event.
Coping Strategies and Support
In the video, I also discussed the importance of developing coping strategies and seeking support to manage the impact of schizophrenia on my emotional well-being. Some strategies include:
Therapy: Participating in treatment, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), can help individuals with schizophrenia better understand their thoughts and emotions, and develop effective coping mechanisms.
Social Support: Building a solid support system is essential. This can include family, friends, support groups, or mental health professionals who understand the unique challenges of living with schizophrenia.
Self-Care: Focusing on self-care, such as regular exercise, healthy eating, and getting enough sleep, can help improve emotional well-being and mitigate some of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
Medication Management: Working closely with a psychiatrist to find the right balance of medications and minimize side effects can help improve overall mood and emotional stability.
Conclusion
Living with schizophrenia can be challenging, and feelings of sadness during happy occasions are not uncommon. However, understanding the factors that contribute to these emotions and implementing coping strategies can improve emotional well-being and lead a fulfilling life. My UA-cam channel, "Surviving Schizophrenia," is dedicated to sharing my experiences and supporting others facing similar challenges. Together, we can continue raising awareness, fighting stigma, and creating a more inclusive and compassionate world for those with schizophrenia.
#schizophrenia #anxiety #mentalhealth #depression
Happy birthday Stephen ♡ Thank you for sharing this video. I just want to remind you that you are still very young. It's completely understandable to have those mixed emotions.
Try this: practice presence, compassion and gratitude, anchoring in the now through your breathe and creating space in your mind for what you want to create in your life (just focus on your breathe and you can use simple affirmations like "I am grateful" / "I am present" / "I give myself the time and space that I need to heal and grow" / "I inhale trust, I exhale, let go of the past" ). Best of wishes ♡
Thank you Yoga for your advice! Have a happy and healthy rest of your day!
Excellent comment, Yoga! Thank you. It's hard to know what has happened to the brain with schizophrenia. You have given the key to success right here in your comment. I know Stephen's therapist embraces these techniques, but it isn't easy to implement them. From time to time, I will gently remind Stephen of your suggestions. Once he learns to harness (control) his anxiety, then he will move to the next higher level. You're also right that he is very young, which helps us recognize that many of these emotions are entirely normal. Thank you for helping us survive schizophrenia!
@@SchizophreniaSurvivor Hello Steve, I'm so glad Stephen's therapist takes into account these techniques. It's easy to feel overwhelmed. I see mindfulness and affirmations as ways to regain confidence and trust. Words are powerful and they can shape the inner dialogue and narratives that we get attached to. Conscious breathing it's a very simple but powerful way to connect with the body and the present and regulates the nervous system. What about integrating them during the walks? (if this is something Stephen enjoys and does it regularly... ) Or what about creating a little nice space in the house for it? (maybe after the walk as he can feel less anxious and more focused? Journaling or writing the affirmations can work too...) Just trying to suggest creative and inviting ways to reduce resistance and introduce a new habit of self-care... Best of wishes for all the family! ♡ Keep the good work ♡
Hello Steven, what a lovely place for a birthday dinner! Your parents are beautiful, and take great care of you. You are blessed to have them in your life. I wish you continued happiness.
Thank you Cheryl! Have a happy and healthy rest of your day!
Happy birthday Steven wishing you all the best enjoy your special day🥳🎊
Happy birthday. I just discovered your channel and I'm watching your videos. I can relate to the feeling of being happy and sad at the same time. It's like I can feel some surface happiness but deep in my core there will always be sadness. I have had schizophrenia since 2013. I'm 37 and feel like I've missed out on lots of life experience and feel like a real loser who hasn't accomplished much and doesn't have much to look forward to in life.
Thank you for watching and sharing your story Kati!
I love your honesty. My so n James has same condition has been in hospital for 7 years. I love him so much find it is heartbreaking every day for me but he seems to be content with his life and that is all that matters in the end. Happy Birthday your lovely i enjoy watching your videos.
Thank you Jennifer for sharing your story
Having schizophrenia is so hard! I miss who I was before I got sick too. I’m sad about how my life has been changed so drastically. It’s so rough! Sending all my love, I can relate!
Happy birthday!! May this year be good!
Thank you Ella! Have a happy and healthy rest of your day!
Thank you very much!
Stephen I thought the technique you used to block was brilliant 👏. It was effective yet simple to do. You are an inspiration. Awesome birthday lunch in beautiful location. Looks like everyone enjoyed your special day!
Thank you Janet!
Don't say "it's just not going to happen" there's so many cool things out there that can and do happen, you'll see. 🌞
Happy belated birthday Stephen!! 🍻 🎂
Thank you so much Pauline! Have a happy and healthy rest of your day!
Happy Birthday Steven, you are rating very high on the wisdom scale in my view.
As you wisely said, " what can you do?". I think gently exposure therapy might help a little with the noise thing together with your hat trick 😉😜 and some ear buds.
Did you ever think of setting up a charity Stephen? A place where people with similar issues can have long term independent living ( with some assistance), activities, jobs, and friends. Maybe with animals, horticulture, dance ( definitely dance!), exercise, art, Tia Chi, table tennis, meditation, tea and chats, philosophy, research etc.. Sell your produce, give classes, have an on site shop coffee shop, biannual fairs, offer classes to the public? Don't charge too much though.
Definitely a lot of work Stephen...
but way better and worthwhile than anything a typical college education could ever offer. You might even meet that elusive girl friend.
Maybe some benevolent people would donate or bequeath a premises and / or would generally help out and volunteer. Anybody interested?
A centre of excellence with ongoing research on the social benefits would be great! A model to be copied worldwide! (Start the second one in Ireland please 😁😁.)
I'm such a dreamer! but wouldn't it be great....
N
Thank you Noreen! That would be amazing! Maybe in the future that will happen
Happy birthday! Thank you for sharing. Beautiful video!
Thank you Karen!
Happy birthday Stephen. Spend your time doing things you enjoy. I wish you all the contentment and happiness you deserve, you seem like a lovely person. 🎉
Thank you Victoria!
Happy 23rd. I still think I am of some high importance and depressives states and I get easily stressed that has to do with Schizophrenia and a mood disorder.
Thank you Adam for sharing
Happy Birthday to you 🎶 Happy Birthday to you 🎶
Happy Birthday🎶, Happy Birthday🎶, Happy Birthday to Stephen 🎶. Sending my healing prayers your way!
Thanks MBD!
Thank you for sharing Stephen, this is no easy thing to share either. 🙂 I can relate to the emotions you have described here. When reflecting on our past it's easy to think on how we may have been left out. You mentioned loss which ties in with my thoughts of grieving for what was missed by our own self-perceptions. Thing is there are other emotions too, like feeling less than others, like reflecting on our current situation and place in life and again if we aren't where we expect to be, or where society expects us to be that just magnifies all those emotions. Then there is the envy and jealousy to others who we see perhaps as more fortunate, happy enjoying their lives and perhaps of higher value to ourselves as we feel left out, or lagging behind. Then if no one fully understands us there is a lack of validation/a missing feeling of worth. These are many emotions felt in the moment(s), and all natural human emotions. Stephen I know a little about your journey through what you have shared. There is no blame on your shoulders. At 12 years old you were experiencing no end of unimaginable and debilitating experiences, let alone the headaches. It's a crying shame your friends weren't more supportive or stood by you, which emphasises the need to build correct understandings etc. even more. 🙂 To add more insult to injury I'd imagine by your participation in all manner of sports you were highly popular and rightfully highly respected, I can only imagine it as feeling like going from hero to zero. Such an experience in my opinion needs closure in itself... One way to fill those missing years as we see them is by getting to a place where we are happy in our life, happy with who we are as a person, happy how others perceive us and happy with our status and direction (essentially in the driving seat of our lives with self-respect and the respect of others, and Stephen we do have the utmost respect for you, for who you are as a person and for all you will achieve, let alone everything you have achieved to date). Recognition of all the above wouldn't go a miss either, for overcoming all manner of adversities to get where you are today.🙂
You have mentioned being sensitive to the sound of people eating. Could it be you are self-conscious while eating. Could it be as you notice or hear others eating you become self-conscious and your focus is others may be watching or listening to how you eat etc. If so it's nothing to be ashamed of, and neither is it uncommon. It's a little ironic when those who have nothing to be self-conscious about are out shadowed by those who have the table manners of a pig. Could it be you aren't even aware you are self-conscious with everything else you have experienced. Could it be that this self-consciousness (if that is what it is) might have crept in under the radar. You know sharing our insecurities is a means to address them. I remember being socially-anxious, and what worked for me was gently approaching the uncomfortable, keeping minimum expectation, having an escape route and above everything else keeping things manageable. Hope this has been of some help. 🙂
Thank you very much! Your comment was very helpful! It was insightful and meaningful to me
Hello from Hong Kong and happy birthday Stephen. Thanks for talking about schizophrenia. I learned a lot here.
Thank you very much Tony!
happy birthday stephen, a wonderful place you live!
Thanks Nick!
My 29 yo daughter has had this condition for the last 16 yrs. She is without friends and that makes us sad .
Thank you for sharing. I wish you and your daughter the very best
You have a great dad. He is so loving and supportive. ❤
Very wise comments about looking forward! My older son with both autism and severe mental illness is taking classes one at a time in community college. I have a cousin with high functioning autism who married a foreign national. A pretty and smart but socially anxious person like myself found several boyfriends on regular dating sites and married one of them with Bipolar I, and we would have been perfectly happy if he'd stayed on his meds. Some college and romance may not be out of reach.
Thank you very much!
Happy Holidays to you and your family Stephen! Thank you for opening up and sharing what is like to live with Schizophrenia. I’m learning to be more understanding of my son’s illness.
Happy Holidays Silvia! I am very happy that my videos are helping!
Happy Birthday! 🎉🎉
Thank you Kristoffer!
I can relate to what you're feeling here. Wishing you the best
i hear you stephen i cannot eat around others aswell.i have to hide in my room to eat.when others are eating.
Thank you for sharing Jay
Happy belated birthday!
Thank you Tom!
Happy Birthday! Rcnsh here. My other account account accidentally got deleted. 😢 Thank you for this video. It is very hard. We are in the beginning stages. I hope to find acceptance one day. Terranea is a great resort. Beautiful for a birthday lunch.
Thank you very much!
Great to see you back! Have a great day.
Gratitude will erase the sadness ❤
Happy Birthday!❤
Happy birthday Stephen 😃✌️
Thank you!
Happy birthday!
Thank you!
It looks like you posted this about a year ago. Happy 24th birthday if you see this! I just wanted to tell you that i think you could do anything you wanted. You could go to college easily enough. There are online colleges where you could filter the settings. Take some paleontology courses and then tell us all about them! You know, you focus a lot on schizophrenia with your videos but I would watch another channel if you were the host! I’m almost double your age but you remind me of my best friend in college. We didn’t truly get to know each other until my senior year and his junior year. We both didn’t have a lot of friends, were quiet, and mostly kept to ourselves. But looking at each other from afar, we both had formed perceptions about the other. I was wrong about who he was for a long time. Like you, he kept his head down a lot so there wasn’t a great deal of time to interact before and after our classes. But I’m so glad I met him. Maybe one day the two of us can meet you. I really hope so. ❤
I don’t know that I have schizophrenia but I have a lot of the inner dialogue that is non stop, noises drive me crazy, and despite being a very good student, my test taking skills were horrible due to noises and other interruptions. It turned out I had adhd all of those years. And the medicine truly helps me.
Anyway, please stay positive! I am a fan and I know that he would be also if he knew about your channel.
You’ve got great parents. Please relay that at the age of 23 I was graduating law school. I hated law school. It’s a really long story. But I’m glad that I went. But I went to law school because all my friends were and my dad pretty much challenged me by saying that he didn’t think I could. Sigh. One day I may start a blog about my life experience. I wanted to go to art school but never did. I’m just now starting to explore the concept that maybe I can actually do more artistic things in life. I’m not there yet but I’m going to make it happen. ❤
Take care kiddo! Happy 24th if that’s rolled around!
Thank you very much! I really appreciate you sharing and for your support!
I’m always depressed on my birthday too
Hi Alek, birthdays can be hard. Have a happy and healthy rest of your day
happy birthday
Thanks Cong!
Happy birthday Stephen
This question is for your dad Steven, since your dad is lawyer, did he set up Special Need Trust for you? I believe you are the only son, I would like your dad opinion regarding setting up this Trust, especially guardian for you in the future.
Thank you
Excellent question! This is a complex issue. We’re producing a video on this that will air in the next few weeks. I want to save a direct response for that video as I don’t want to add to any confusion.
Thank you. Can’t wait to see your video
Easier said than done
Thank you Hayley
You still on medicine?
Yes I am!