Paranoid, Schizophrenic or both...

What is the difference between schizophrenia and paranoia?

The psychological difference is that paranoia is a disorder that makes one feel everyone is out to get them... or is watching them. That could be caused from one of many disorders including bipolar, excessive drug abuse, head injuries and at times depression and anxiety disorder. Schizophrenics are mentally ill and can engage in aggressive behavior, violence, hallucinations, hearing voices, with possibilities of harming themselves if not others.

Symptoms of schizophrenia vary widely from one chatter to another. Some schizophrenic chatters suffer from auditory... (like Linda thinking she heard Joe say he loved her) or visual... (like Veronica believing she looked like the fake photos she posted) hallucinations, while other chatters may exhibit signs of paranoia or anxiety... (like Kate who has just flat out lost it).

At the root of all schizophrenia symptoms is psychosis: an impaired ability to distinguish between real and unreal perceptions... (like most of NHL:1 chatters).

When people hear the term "schizophrenia," what immediately comes to mind is a person with a split personality. While "schizophrenia" does come from the Greek term "split mind," a split personality is not one of the symptoms of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia, instead, refers to a person who does not have a grip on reality and, therefore, finds it difficult or, in some cases, impossible to distinguish whether or not an event is real or not real... comprende, Oz?

I'm thinking we have an equal amount of paranoid chatters vs. schizophrenic chatters in NHL:1.

As for the paranoid, we have chatters like Oz, Ryan, Todd, Cck2ca that lurk with backup ID's while they're out because they think another chatter is going to talk about them. Other paranoid chatters like Linda, Kate, Justine, Chelle tend to lash out at the room for a comment that was directed towards someone else. The above paranoid chatters are always asking if anyone heard anything about them while they were gone.

We then have the schizoids who can't separate reality or certainty from make-believe. Oz again makes this list, along with Linda, with too many other chatters to mention.

I know it is unfair to those mentioned above, since there are so many NHL:1 chatters that fall into one of the categories if not both. But the above mentioned always seem to be making headlines and I guess deserve the recognition. Plus they visit the blog each and every day, and are my most loyal readers.

The causes of schizophrenia are unknown: while several possible causes exist, no single cause explains all cases of schizophrenia. Genetics, birth defects, environmental triggers, and imbalances of the neurotransmitter dopamine are all considered possible causes of schizophrenia.

Studies show up to 75 percent of all patients living with schizophrenia will have some degree of social withdrawal. Studies of my own and of my assistant show that up to 95% of all chatters in NHL:1 with schizophrenia will have some degree of social withdrawal, hence why the same people are in chat on a daily basis.

Successful schizophrenia recovery allows people living with schizophrenia to re-enter society, but one wonders how many of these NHL:1 chatters have actually seen the outside of their home and would be able to survive outdoors. And to "re-enter society", wouldn't that mean that one would have to have been sociable at one point?

Psychotherapy and vocational programs can help schizophrenics return to the workforce. Nothing like returning to that paper route they had years ago. And don't you need a vehicle to deliver papers these days, unlike before when paperboys would carry their papers draped over their backs? Most NHL:1 chatters don't have bus fare, let alone a vehicle.

One in ten schizophrenics commit suicide; an alarming statistic that people living with schizophrenia sufferers need to know. So chatters with schizophrenia should show this to household members if they have the sense to do so. Those that have no one will just have to rely on one another for support and guidance.

Antidepressants taken in combination with anti-psychotics may reduce suicide risks during this stage of schizophrenia recovery. People living with schizophrenic chatters should "suicide proof" their home, removing potential suicide tools such as guns, knives, poisons, and ropes from the schizophrenic chatter's environment. No using computer cables in place of the rope, as that would mean you would disconnect yourself from chat and we wouldn't be able to view.

Substance abuse is also common amongst schizophrenia sufferers. Forty percent of schizophrenics abuse drugs or alcohol, and family members should watch for evidence of possible substance abuse. Outovcontroll Joe... that hot Russian chick you live with, Natalia, (unless she is one of those visual/audible hallucinations) needs to keep a close eye out on you. Ripstic, who really cares who keeps an eye on you? Keep doing drugs.

Fact is people, you're trapped. You all suffer from a powerful addiction. You have chatters you can relate to in NHL:1. You have chatters that tell you daily they love you in NHL:1, more so than your real life family ever did, or will. All of you chatters have so much in common, I see why it's so difficult to let go of each other.

I started to get into the theories and relationship between homosexuality and paranoid schizophrenia within this post, but chose to delete it. This will be part 2 on this subject at a later date.

I have a story to share from a parent of one of NHL:1's patients:

"After a few weeks the change became obvious. Her hallucinations decreased, she stopped babbling, her violent outbreaks ceased, and she started combing her hair and putting on make-up. In a few months, she left the mental institution to live in a supervised apartment. Today, two years after she started taking this drug, XXXXXXX dresses meticulously, holds a volunteer job at a local library, and has a boyfriend. No one, her doctor says, would ever know she had once led a life of such total disarray in a mental institution."

Can anyone say Clozaril (clozapine) ... ?!?!?!?

In closing, I would like to remind you all that there is hope, and remember... tomorrow is another day... live boldly, take risks, go a day without chat!