#actually schizophrenic

I have that!

So! Here’s some awareness from yours truly!!

We are people just like you

We are statistically more likely to be harmed than to do harm

Not all of us are overt, there’s a good chance you have talked to and maybe even been friends with a schizophrenic without knowing!

There’s more schizophrenia spectrum disorders than just schizophrenia, such as schizoaffective disorder or schizotypal personality disorder

“Schizo” is considered an offensive term by many schizophrenics and some even consider it a slur against us, if you aren’t schizospec yourself please try to avoid using it (as well as “psycho” for psychosis!)

Similarly, the recently common “quirky” online phrases “delulu”, “schizoposting”, “I’m so delusional” (without actually having a delusion), etc are also very offensive! We aren’t a joke!

Not all of us hallucinate or have delusions. There’s more symptoms than just those 2 and the schizophrenia diagnostic criteria doesn’t even necessarily require either of them to be present

We can sometimes know we’re having a delusion while still experiencing the delusion, it’s called double bookkeeping

We deserve rights and bodily autonomy (that includes to not be forcefully drugged and locked up without our consent!!!)

schizophrenia spectrum people who are homeless or experience food insecurity are still deserving of care and compassion without judgement

schizophrenia spectrum people who talk out loud to hallucinations and act erratic in public are still deserving of care and compassion without judgement

schizophrenia spectrum people who cannot work or go to school because of their symptoms are still deserving of care and compassion without judgement

schizophrenia spectrum people who struggle with personal hygiene are still deserving of care and compassion without judgement

schizophrenia spectrum people who don’t want to take medication or cannot adhere to a medication regiment are still deserving of care and compassion without judgement

schizophrenia spectrum people who live with their parents as an adult or needs a carer are still deserving of care and compassion without judgement

“Psychotic/Schizophrenic” when you mean: unpredictable, unrestrained, unreal, etc.

“Bipolar” when you mean: polarized, scattered, fickle, unstable, etc.

“Delusional” when you mean: unrealistic, unreasonable, close-minded, stubborn, etc.

“[insert “R” slur in relation to intellectual disabilities]” when you mean: unreasonable, ridiculous, scatterbrained, immature, etc.

“OCD” when you mean: particular, neat, overbearing, etc.

“Narcissistic” when you mean selfish, abusive, manipulative, etc.

i was on the buss and i hallucinated bugs crawling all over my hands, so my friend pulled my hoodie sleeves over them with permission and held my hands through the sleeves to "keep them off". they used the logic you would in a real bug situation.

i went nonverbal in a bad one in class, so my friend wrote me a note to give to the nurse since the teacher wouldn't let her go with me.

i often am very paranoid about the delusion that meat is actually rotten, so my dad will sometimes eat a bit of it before me

instead of telling me my delusions arent real, they help me through it using logic like it was real. they dont tell me that nothings going to hurt me in my sleep, they stay with me to keep me safe. then when it passes i can realize its not real

edit: i am not a doctor. i am not saying this will work for everyone, the only reason this works for me is because I have short term delusions typically. Typically, it helps me most when people point out the things not real in a loving manner AND help me as though it is

this is not advice for helping every mentally ill person