So You've Just Been Diagnosed With Schizophrenia...

You're going about your life and stress is a given. But you start experiencing things you don't understand. You hear voices of people you may or may not know. No one else is hearing them but you. The people around you, including your doctor, tell you it's all in your head. They tell you it's not real, but they feel very real to you. Because they don't hear what you hear. Sometimes, they say interesting things that make you laugh even in public. When people around you see this, they think or say you're crazy. They think you're crazy because they don't hear what you hear. It hurts your feelings, because to you, what you hear everyday is very real. 

It doesn't help that you're seeing things which are bizarre. Sometimes you see shadow people. Sometimes you see creatures that resemble demons. No one else sees them and they think you're lying. It somehow becomes so distressing that you're the only one who sees these things. These creatures. These shadow people. It's hard for someone to sympathise with you when they've never had the same experience. 

These are some of the most common problems you're going to face for the rest of your life as someone living with schizophrenia. Because there is no known cure. If you're lucky, you'll be able to medicate and control the symptoms you're suffering from. But sometimes, triggers are triggers. Sometimes, you'll have to switch medication every now and then, to find the right one with the right dose for you. So that you can live as much of a full life as you can. Sadly, you may find the pills you were prescribed will make you gain weight, which leads to other consequences. It's definitely gonna affect your self image and self esteem. It's gonna affect your love life. 

You are not alone. There are millions of people all around the world who are going through more or less the problems you're going through, because they're living with schizophrenia too. It would help to first join a community of such people, to discuss the issues disturbing you. To discuss the symptoms and how they're affecting your daily life and routine. This blog has been created just for you. It'll tackle all the problems a person with schizophrenia faces everyday, especially on the bad days. 

The diagnosis is the first step to recovery. It's important to take your medicine on time as prescribed and to maintain a healthy diet. Finding a psychotherapist alongside medication does make a big difference in your journey. You may find yourself and get to know yourself more. It'll boost your self esteem and self confidence. With therapy of a psychiatrist and psychologist, you'll improve the quality of your relationships. Because you'll be able to communicate better and your loved ones will know how to help you when you're having those bad days. 

This isn't the end of the world. At least you know why you're suffering. You know the name of your condition and you're being treated for it. This is a blog that will tackle the typical questions and problems you'll encounter when you're sick. So let's start the journey.