Schizotypal and struggling with belief

[Minara]

My boyfriend has been told, and thinks himself, that he is schizotypal. He grew up in a pentecostal church, and has been forth and back a bit in his faith. For the last two years he's been more off, but sinse new year he's been struggling more and more with the big questions, and during easter he decided to give it a try again. He went all in - we were engaged and had been living together for half a year, and now he wanted to follow the bible "properly", so living together or have sex before marriage was no longer an option. I looked at him during this time and saw it as both scary and beautiful - I can myself associate with going to the extremes. He would often say he didn't want to be like those "sleepy christians" that didn't really follow Jesus the way Jesus asked us to do - which is, to be hones, pretty extreme. He was open to leaving everything to follow Jesus, if that was what would be needed for him to connect with him/God. Then one day I passed some Jehovas Witnesses, and grabbed a booklet from them. We started to check out their teachings a bit, and it didn't take long before one day my boyfriend called me and told me to stop reading or listening to anything having to do with JW, as he had just felt like he was about to go into a psychosis, and he felt like the teachings of JW was what had brought him there.. He told me he got a feeling of nothing else being important, that he was about to be totally emerged in the teachings and that it felt like he would not be able to talk to anyone about anything else but Jesus. And it scared the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] out of him! He said either it was something very wrong with JW and how they presented the teachings, or it was the real deal - he could not figure which one..

One part of me is thinking that this is not a healthy way of being a christian, but another part of me is thinking that this might be the right way.. going all in, offering your life completely.. but it does feel kind of like madness at the same time..
Now he has been scared of reading the bible and going to sermons, but he's trying, and taking it slowly - reading a bit, listening to some podcasts etc.. But he's struggling a lot mentally, I get the impression it's a conflict at every quiet moment, and it's driving him crazy...like the devil and God are having a battle in his head, and he can't figure out who is who and what is real and who he is and what to believe in all of it.

It would be helpful to talk to someone who's been dealing with something like this,to hear what you did and how you related to it all..
He has not been to a doctor about this yet (he was told by his previous doctor but didn't do anything about it then, a few years ago) - he's thinking about medication, but of course also is scared of it in case it will give him sideeffects or that they will make him even worse.. I am no fan of using chemicals myself, but I don't want to see my love lose his mind either..

Being new in all this, as I accepted Jesus just this easter, I'm a bit scared about this as well.. this was not how I thought it would be.. Although I know this is a battle that was inavoidable for him as he grew up in a christian home.. I am thinking it might be the devil fighting for him, but sometimes I'm wondering if christianity, or any other path, would be "dangerous" for someone schizofrenic or schizotype, as it has the potential to really stretch our minds to it's limits..if you get what I mean..

Grateful for any replies that could give some insight or help on this subject!

Blessings.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Hi,

As a starting point I recommend not reading JW stuff. JW are a cult, this is widely accepted. As for the struggle in the mind being a Christian, this can happen, especially if a person is trying to live full on for God. I have been through many extremes in the mind. Eventually if you keep following God and ignore the attacks on your mind you will come to a place of peace, where these attacks cease in frequency, to the point they are almost unnoticeable.

 

[Minara]

Thank you for your reply - much appreciated!

Yes we both are staying away from everything related to JW now, as I couldn't feel the love in what they're preaching, and obviously my boyfriend felt something was completely off as well.

What I'm wondering about his struggle about living full on or not - how does he take a decision of what to do? What if it will make him worse not going all in, or, the opposite? To me it seems like if he tryes not living full on, he is left with the mental battle, feeling like he's doing something "wrong", not following his pull.. and if he decides to go full on, he's scared of getting into a psychosis and losing himself.. and if we look to the bible, though, Jesus told us to lose ourselves for him.. so I can really understand that with this mental condition, it leaves him feeling pretty scared..

 

[FutureAndAHope]

What I would say to Him, is he needs to get a balance in it all. I am a reasonably full on kind of person, but I still have doubts and fears. So although I strive to be Godly, I fail at times. I have seen the sick healed through prayer, and had many signs given to me bu God, yet God would also have us just enjoy life. See the bibles view on this:


Ecc 2:24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

Ecc 2:10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

Ecc 3:12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

Ecc 3:13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

Ecc 3:22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Being Godly is not just about proving ourselves to God, it is about enjoying what he has given us, and helping others enjoy life. It is hard work to live full on, I don't discourage it, but realize that it is also about having a good life. The only reason why we need to pray for the sick, and preach the gospel is so that others who are "under the oppression of the devil" can be free. Even Jesus had times of rest. Personally I only ever do what I am comfortable doing, there are barriers we need to push through, but a slow advance is better that a charge that causes us to become unsettled.

 

[Minara]

Thank you!
I think what I will need to get him to do first of all, might be to get to a doctor and get help from professionals, and at the same time try to encourage and inspire him with positive bibleverses, and of course, pray..
As far as I know, he only prayed once after he had that terrifying experience, because he's been scared - but he said it made him feel better.. so.
Gonna spend more time with him during the holidays, and hopefully I will be able to help him somehow.

If you, or anyone else, has any comments or experiences related to taking medication for this, as it might be an option here,- please share!

Much love.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

I once had an episode that casued me to be put on medication for schizophrenia, for me it was not a good experience at all. The medication gave me all kinds of side effects, I would shake uncontrollably, I put on heaps of weight. Even had stroke like symptoms on one type of medication.

 

[Minara]

So what is your advice on how to deal with a battleground in your head, withouth the meds? :-O

 

[FutureAndAHope]

For me it was having an active prayer life, praying for others regularly, trying to forget about myself. Eventually God just gave me inner peace. I do not have a struggle in my mind very often at all, I have peace now most of the time. For me it was coming to an understanding that God was more powerful than any voice. I think the devil eventually gave up trying to tempt me, and trouble me. As we obey God's word the devil has no right to us, and God's grace makes up the gap we can't bridge, I claim God's blessing on my life based upon his grace and forgiveness.

 

[Minara]

Thanks alot for taking the time to reply! Great stuff.

 

[pomegran]

Hi Minara

I've had very similar experiences to what you describe here:

But he's struggling a lot mentally, I get the impression it's a conflict at every quiet moment, and it's driving him crazy...like the devil and God are having a battle in his head, and he can't figure out who is who and what is real and who he is and what to believe in all of it.

It has been 15 years since I've been on this road and it started much like you describe with your boyfriend. What has happened in my situation is that I would (with Christ) conquer a certain aspect of these spiritual attacks and move on. New ones will come but they will be different and I've been growing closer to God throughout this process. It's almost like God has had me on a journey of conquering these things. In the process your boyfriend really needs to be equipped with the Word. As in Ephesians 6:16-17 "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." This is the way I've been able to battle these things and move forward. This is just my experience, but I do believe that for some Christians they need Christ rather than medication.

Praying for you guys.

 

[muarader64]

Without meds you say? While it is true that some may have been cured by the Grace of God without meds, there are some, like myself, whom were eventually tormented to the point of giving them a try. Let me tell you, I do not regret my decision. God has made everything. He has also equipped doctors with talents to use to help mankind. There are meds that can help with mental illnesses.....though to actually find the correct one that actually does something to allieve some, or all symptoms is
a whole nother matter, even struggle. May the Lord have Mercy.

What are his symptoms? In detail? Delving too deep into the bible without a right and sound mind could be dangerous.