sanity for us schizos

[lutherangerman]

Hi there,

I just wanted to write down a few beliefs of mine which I have tested over the years and found to be true. These aren't special doctrines or anything, they are just things I practice which give me release from the schizophrenia.

- Accept people as they are and value them. I mean consciously value them. If you find yourself drifting off into endless thinking, perhaps because you have this schizophrenic notion again that you have a special mind that is better than anyone else's, talk to others and let them help you. Schizophrenia is an illness that makes one very self-focussed. It's like we are constantly looking at ourselves, and projecting ourselves outside into the world. This must stop. Instead we must let others come into our minds. I don't mean that we need to hear their voice in our mind or anything. It means a healthy thinking of them, with your heart, in love. Before you go to bed, take your time to think of other people with love, what they might need, what they might miss in their lives, and all such.

- Believe in yourself being capable of loving and being enabled, by God, to love. As long as you have this belief and follow it in reality, you are in perfection. Only love never does any harm. And love is a power we all possess, up until our last breath .. it's just fact that many ignore it, which is very sad. Love is a light that always shines. And it is POWERFUL, and if you it with some wisdom you will more often than not find that it will pay you back somehow. Show love to others, if you find yourself bored. Show love to others, if you find yourself being in fear. Love is the ever-present weapon against boredom and fear. Believe in love. Accept the pain with a smile and try to laugh. Love like you've never been hurt.

- Don't be afraid of the world. Jesus tells us not to love the world, but by this He means the world of sin. The world as in our surrounding and all of that, as the place where we live, this world has never been evil to any of us. What's evil or wrong about a tree? What's wrong with sunshine and rain? What's wrong with cows on the fields, with dogs and cats? NOTHING. Never allow your fears or assaults of evil voices and such, to steal you out of this world wherein which you are supposed to live. We needn't leave the world. And becoming spiritual doesn't mean that we start to live only in our heads now. I may get some disagreements here, but I also don't think that the world of man is necessarily bad for us. I looked through the TV program recently - granted, some of what you see there is crap. But there are also many things which are really harmless. Like romance movies, gameshows, documentations about history or nature, sports shows or much of the other stuff you see there. The thing with the world of man is, you must be selective. Deny what harms, embraces what helps. This is really simple and easy.

- Find for yourself an art. Drawing, writing, photographing, dancing ... all of this is good. The german writer Novalis wrote, "Poetry heals the wounds cut by reasoning." This is true for all art. Try to make it positive. This doesn't mean never to write about pain or fear - but to keep the hope for a happy end. But this is up to you. You are free in art, to express that which life has impressed on you. Art is an activity that stucks us into happenings. It allows us to experience life better. Try to make your art honest and wholesome. Many people are only pessimists or optimists. Of course the truth is in the middle. Some people argue there is a problem of evil, in that the existence of evil disproves the existence of God. But if you look at it truthfully, there is also much good happening. So there is also a problem of good - the existence of good proves that a good God exists who tells us to believe that all good things come from Him. I think it is essential that you try to accept this fact that good exists, and express it in your art as well. Don't give pain and fear a reality to the point of not acknowledging the good anymore. Art is acceptance or rejection, and a complex matter of reflecting truth. Or make it simple and call cooking an art as well ... the meal must be tasty, not revolting.

- Tell your relatives to be cheerful to you. This has been very important in my life. My mother loves me dearly, but when I am sad or depressed she in her empathy seems to become sad and depressed too. This really doesn't help me at all but rather may stick me into great melancholy. So I don't accept it. Give gifts to those you live with, like a bouquet of flowers for your mother and a good sausage for your father. Watch TV with them in the evening. Help them in the household before they start making requests which then make you feel too restricted by duties. Clean your room before they start to complain that it's messy. The key is to keep your momentum, so that others look up at you for once, instead of making them think you are all disabled and helpless and messy. If you have a feeling that tells you, well, I might do this thing now, I will have fun, then do it. Realize the GOOD longings of your heart, and fulfill them. It's easy.

-------------


I have some more to write, but this is for another day. I hope you could find some help. I have the schizophrenia for around 9 years now, so email me if you want help.

GOTTES SEGEN

Daniel

 

[maybenotcrazy]

Hi there,

I just wanted to write down a few beliefs of mine which I have tested over the years and found to be true. These aren't special doctrines or anything, they are just things I practice which give me release from the schizophrenia.

- Accept people as they are and value them. I mean consciously value them. If you find yourself drifting off into endless thinking, perhaps because you have this schizophrenic notion again that you have a special mind that is better than anyone else's, talk to others and let them help you. Schizophrenia is an illness that makes one very self-focussed. It's like we are constantly looking at ourselves, and projecting ourselves outside into the world. This must stop. Instead we must let others come into our minds. I don't mean that we need to hear their voice in our mind or anything. It means a healthy thinking of them, with your heart, in love. Before you go to bed, take your time to think of other people with love, what they might need, what they might miss in their lives, and all such.

- Believe in yourself being capable of loving and being enabled, by God, to love. As long as you have this belief and follow it in reality, you are in perfection. Only love never does any harm. And love is a power we all possess, up until our last breath .. it's just fact that many ignore it, which is very sad. Love is a light that always shines. And it is POWERFUL, and if you it with some wisdom you will more often than not find that it will pay you back somehow. Show love to others, if you find yourself bored. Show love to others, if you find yourself being in fear. Love is the ever-present weapon against boredom and fear. Believe in love. Accept the pain with a smile and try to laugh. Love like you've never been hurt.

- Don't be afraid of the world. Jesus tells us not to love the world, but by this He means the world of sin. The world as in our surrounding and all of that, as the place where we live, this world has never been evil to any of us. What's evil or wrong about a tree? What's wrong with sunshine and rain? What's wrong with cows on the fields, with dogs and cats? NOTHING. Never allow your fears or assaults of evil voices and such, to steal you out of this world wherein which you are supposed to live. We needn't leave the world. And becoming spiritual doesn't mean that we start to live only in our heads now. I may get some disagreements here, but I also don't think that the world of man is necessarily bad for us. I looked through the TV program recently - granted, some of what you see there is crap. But there are also many things which are really harmless. Like romance movies, gameshows, documentations about history or nature, sports shows or much of the other stuff you see there. The thing with the world of man is, you must be selective. Deny what harms, embraces what helps. This is really simple and easy.

- Find for yourself an art. Drawing, writing, photographing, dancing ... all of this is good. The german writer Novalis wrote, "Poetry heals the wounds cut by reasoning." This is true for all art. Try to make it positive. This doesn't mean never to write about pain or fear - but to keep the hope for a happy end. But this is up to you. You are free in art, to express that which life has impressed on you. Art is an activity that stucks us into happenings. It allows us to experience life better. Try to make your art honest and wholesome. Many people are only pessimists or optimists. Of course the truth is in the middle. Some people argue there is a problem of evil, in that the existence of evil disproves the existence of God. But if you look at it truthfully, there is also much good happening. So there is also a problem of good - the existence of good proves that a good God exists who tells us to believe that all good things come from Him. I think it is essential that you try to accept this fact that good exists, and express it in your art as well. Don't give pain and fear a reality to the point of not acknowledging the good anymore. Art is acceptance or rejection, and a complex matter of reflecting truth. Or make it simple and call cooking an art as well ... the meal must be tasty, not revolting.

- Tell your relatives to be cheerful to you. This has been very important in my life. My mother loves me dearly, but when I am sad or depressed she in her empathy seems to become sad and depressed too. This really doesn't help me at all but rather may stick me into great melancholy. So I don't accept it. Give gifts to those you live with, like a bouquet of flowers for your mother and a good sausage for your father. Watch TV with them in the evening. Help them in the household before they start making requests which then make you feel too restricted by duties. Clean your room before they start to complain that it's messy. The key is to keep your momentum, so that others look up at you for once, instead of making them think you are all disabled and helpless and messy. If you have a feeling that tells you, well, I might do this thing now, I will have fun, then do it. Realize the GOOD longings of your heart, and fulfill them. It's easy.

-------------


I have some more to write, but this is for another day. I hope you could find some help. I have the schizophrenia for around 9 years now, so email me if you want help.

GOTTES SEGEN

Daniel

You know the strange thing is I was meditating on love before I went crazy. I just could not love at all. I was like a stone. My schizophrenia came out of many things, lack of religion, mental arrogance, sins of mine etc. but I think it was most of all a response to my desire to rid myself of my sins and evil nature. Satan saw me calling upon God, I finally stopped being an atheist and he answered my prayers because God would have nothing to do with me at the time. I think it is essential to more than just meditate on good things to pray (which I assume you do) I have fallen into a prayer schedule (thank god) that comes from the incredible amount of organization my church denomination puts into itself from ages of existence. I don't mean to show off so I won't put my schedule online but suffice it to say I pray almost all the time. Thank the lord. Most of it consists of the jesus prayer "Lord Jesus Christ son of God have mercy on me a sinner" this prayer when repeated (I know the law of vain repetition but our church has found this over the ages to be remarkably effective because it keeps the name of jesus on our hearts and does what the story of the pharisee and publican says wins god's favor- provided I am sincere, which I try to be) causes incredible compassion, compassion like I've never had before in my life, peace and stillness of mind. Incredible I would recommend it to anyone and any denomination. Also, praying for other people and asking to be prayed for is a wonderful solution for schizophrenia. Prayers of the saints (I mean true believers among us as well as the saints of heaven) are very powerful. I can attest to the fact that my schizophrenia was helped immensely by prayers of people on this message board itself. I still have little delusions (like once in a while I think I have special knowledge or something) but mostly I am devoted to God more and more. I think even I might be sinning by writing this post because I'm expressing my experiences as though they are better than others so please forgive me.

 

[maybenotcrazy]

Not to condemn lutherangerman's post (please forgive me if it seems I am) but
please make sure you don't go secular if your schizophrenia is bringing you to god. If there is a satan and he is bugging you you should try your best to continue to live in that magical world. Don't get too obsessed with evil spirits or angels or anything but keep mindful that we are at war (please don't delete this post - I am not saying not to take meds) with an army of beings that hate our guts. Have you ever read the records of saints like anthony the great. The devils were so upset at many of them that they brutally beat them and tormented them more physically than some of us are. I personally was being carried away and tickled by demons one night sinking downwards through my bed. It was real. These things are always looking for ways to ruin our chances at going to heaven and if we do what they say we are sinning and condemning ourselves. Please don't let them convince you to become secular mr. LG. or anyone else. I will pray for you and all others who are secularizing as a result of their schizophrenia ending.

 

[ERice2nd]

Hi there,

I just wanted to write down a few beliefs of mine which I have tested over the years and found to be true. These aren't special doctrines or anything, they are just things I practice which give me release from the schizophrenia.

- Accept people as they are and value them. I mean consciously value them. If you find yourself drifting off into endless thinking, perhaps because you have this schizophrenic notion again that you have a special mind that is better than anyone else's, talk to others and let them help you. Schizophrenia is an illness that makes one very self-focussed. It's like we are constantly looking at ourselves, and projecting ourselves outside into the world. This must stop. Instead we must let others come into our minds. I don't mean that we need to hear their voice in our mind or anything. It means a healthy thinking of them, with your heart, in love. Before you go to bed, take your time to think of other people with love, what they might need, what they might miss in their lives, and all such.

- Believe in yourself being capable of loving and being enabled, by God, to love. As long as you have this belief and follow it in reality, you are in perfection. Only love never does any harm. And love is a power we all possess, up until our last breath .. it's just fact that many ignore it, which is very sad. Love is a light that always shines. And it is POWERFUL, and if you it with some wisdom you will more often than not find that it will pay you back somehow. Show love to others, if you find yourself bored. Show love to others, if you find yourself being in fear. Love is the ever-present weapon against boredom and fear. Believe in love. Accept the pain with a smile and try to laugh. Love like you've never been hurt.

- Don't be afraid of the world. Jesus tells us not to love the world, but by this He means the world of sin. The world as in our surrounding and all of that, as the place where we live, this world has never been evil to any of us. What's evil or wrong about a tree? What's wrong with sunshine and rain? What's wrong with cows on the fields, with dogs and cats? NOTHING. Never allow your fears or assaults of evil voices and such, to steal you out of this world wherein which you are supposed to live. We needn't leave the world. And becoming spiritual doesn't mean that we start to live only in our heads now. I may get some disagreements here, but I also don't think that the world of man is necessarily bad for us. I looked through the TV program recently - granted, some of what you see there is crap. But there are also many things which are really harmless. Like romance movies, gameshows, documentations about history or nature, sports shows or much of the other stuff you see there. The thing with the world of man is, you must be selective. Deny what harms, embraces what helps. This is really simple and easy.

- Find for yourself an art. Drawing, writing, photographing, dancing ... all of this is good. The german writer Novalis wrote, "Poetry heals the wounds cut by reasoning." This is true for all art. Try to make it positive. This doesn't mean never to write about pain or fear - but to keep the hope for a happy end. But this is up to you. You are free in art, to express that which life has impressed on you. Art is an activity that stucks us into happenings. It allows us to experience life better. Try to make your art honest and wholesome. Many people are only pessimists or optimists. Of course the truth is in the middle. Some people argue there is a problem of evil, in that the existence of evil disproves the existence of God. But if you look at it truthfully, there is also much good happening. So there is also a problem of good - the existence of good proves that a good God exists who tells us to believe that all good things come from Him. I think it is essential that you try to accept this fact that good exists, and express it in your art as well. Don't give pain and fear a reality to the point of not acknowledging the good anymore. Art is acceptance or rejection, and a complex matter of reflecting truth. Or make it simple and call cooking an art as well ... the meal must be tasty, not revolting.

- Tell your relatives to be cheerful to you. This has been very important in my life. My mother loves me dearly, but when I am sad or depressed she in her empathy seems to become sad and depressed too. This really doesn't help me at all but rather may stick me into great melancholy. So I don't accept it. Give gifts to those you live with, like a bouquet of flowers for your mother and a good sausage for your father. Watch TV with them in the evening. Help them in the household before they start making requests which then make you feel too restricted by duties. Clean your room before they start to complain that it's messy. The key is to keep your momentum, so that others look up at you for once, instead of making them think you are all disabled and helpless and messy. If you have a feeling that tells you, well, I might do this thing now, I will have fun, then do it. Realize the GOOD longings of your heart, and fulfill them. It's easy.

-------------


I have some more to write, but this is for another day. I hope you could find some help. I have the schizophrenia for around 9 years now, so email me if you want help.

GOTTES SEGEN

Daniel

I agree with all of that. I was diagnosed about 2 years ago with paranoid schizophrenia and as I think back I have probably been schizophrenic for much longer. my life is full of delusional thoughts and beliefs, since I was just a young child. I am told that what I have is a stable and mild form of schizophrenia but it has been confirmed many times that I am schizophrenic. so I dont fight the diagnosis anymore.

But all that was said in what I quoted is good, and I follow much of it already. and you know what? it works for me as well . so keep at it lutherangerman and dont give up , I certainly wont.

and thanks for your words of encouragement also, lutherangerman

 

[lutherangerman]

Hi maybenotcrazy,

I understand your concern. However, think of this, that Jesus has promised that the meek will inherit the Earth. And that God loves the world.

There is such a thing as being in the world too much. There is such a thing as becoming worldly by starting to do what all others do, when you do the same sins as they do.

But for us schizophrenics, we must understand that we have a damaged sense of realism. You can see that easily ... when you notice how you confuse the world as our rightful place of life, with the world we need to abstain from.

It is very important for a schizophrenic to pursue a sound discernment when it comes to scripture and truth. That's something that can be learned, and it will be beneficial to you if you learn it.

You can only be with God always if you are always loving. But we needn't concentrate on God all the time, in fact that can make us nuts, because it is too much. Sometimes we must think of God like the sun ... it makes everything alit, but we cannot look at the sun directly always. Sometimes we must let God be a little and concentrate on other things.

That's something that EVERYONE does, even the most devout of us. The important thing is that our hearts are ready to always remember God's instructions. That's why we also need wisdom.

We are ill and need to take care of ourselves. And we need to feel safe in our lives. This feeling of being generally safe in this world, is something that about everyone has, and it's something we should not let go of. Else we would only be afraid all the time, and such anxiety and fear doesn't lead to something good.

Enjoy the world, but like I said, be selective and of discernment. And love God more than the world, of course.

 

[maybenotcrazy]

Hi maybenotcrazy,

I understand your concern. However, think of this, that Jesus has promised that the meek will inherit the Earth. And that God loves the world.

There is such a thing as being in the world too much. There is such a thing as becoming worldly by starting to do what all others do, when you do the same sins as they do.

But for us schizophrenics, we must understand that we have a damaged sense of realism. You can see that easily ... when you notice how you confuse the world as our rightful place of life, with the world we need to abstain from.

It is very important for a schizophrenic to pursue a sound discernment when it comes to scripture and truth. That's something that can be learned, and it will be beneficial to you if you learn it.

You can only be with God always if you are always loving. But we needn't concentrate on God all the time, in fact that can make us nuts, because it is too much. Sometimes we must think of God like the sun ... it makes everything alit, but we cannot look at the sun directly always. Sometimes we must let God be a little and concentrate on other things.

That's something that EVERYONE does, even the most devout of us. The important thing is that our hearts are ready to always remember God's instructions. That's why we also need wisdom.

We are ill and need to take care of ourselves. And we need to feel safe in our lives. This feeling of being generally safe in this world, is something that about everyone has, and it's something we should not let go of. Else we would only be afraid all the time, and such anxiety and fear doesn't lead to something good.

Enjoy the world, but like I said, be selective and of discernment. And love God more than the world, of course.

Sounds great Lutherangerman. I guess I was just projecting my own fears on everyone else. I was in danger of becoming an atheist and who knows when it will happen again. I personally need constant religion to keep me going but if you don't you are even better off. God bless you.

 

[lutherangerman]

maybenotcrazy, don't worry it's ok.

You have much trust in your church and the teachings you receive there, and I want to commend you for it. The church is something like Christ's empathy, in the church He can help us best and gives us a family.

Constant prayer is a good thing too, the bible definetly recommends us to pray without ceasing.

Perhaps you could visit a monastery sometimes? Maybe that would be something for you, perhaps not forever, but maybe for a while?

God has much love for us schizos. If we were completely healthy and sane ... well, I know it's good if we work at the evil that's in us and by God's grace loose it, but we also have good potential. That's why I recommend getting into an art for everyone of us.

But I don't want to tickle that spot in us schizos that says we are so very special. I think you know what I mean.

God bless ya too, maybenotcrazy, may you get baptized soon and enjoy our Lord Jesus Christ forever!

 

[ERice2nd]

maybenotcrazy, don't worry it's ok.

You have much trust in your church and the teachings you receive there, and I want to commend you for it. The church is something like Christ's empathy, in the church He can help us best and gives us a family.

Constant prayer is a good thing too, the bible definetly recommends us to pray without ceasing.

Perhaps you could visit a monastery sometimes? Maybe that would be something for you, perhaps not forever, but maybe for a while?

God has much love for us schizos. If we were completely healthy and sane ... well, I know it's good if we work at the evil that's in us and by God's grace loose it, but we also have good potential. That's why I recommend getting into an art for everyone of us.

But I don't want to tickle that spot in us schizos that says we are so very special. I think you know what I mean.

God bless ya too, maybenotcrazy, may you get baptized soon and enjoy our Lord Jesus Christ forever!

I know just what you mean . I have had that feeling many many times, I think I have that feeling now actually :O. good grief I talk too much sometimes. I dont know what it is, sometimes I feel as if I MUST be heard and no one should turn away from me, I get to the point where I get upset when they do. I know its wrong of me though. I am no one really special, I am just a man, how can I be better then any other man?

what do I do though, I continue in it like a fool, I cant seem to stop feeling special at times, I dont know what it is :O. I wish it would stop, I hate the pridefulness of it :O, it brings me down and I dont want that. I want to be pleasing to God, not a disappointment. I am really starting to understand MNC much better as I look back at my own problems.

 

[maybenotcrazy]

I know just what you mean . I have had that feeling many many times, I think I have that feeling now actually :O. good grief I talk too much sometimes. I dont know what it is, sometimes I feel as if I MUST be heard and no one should turn away from me, I get to the point where I get upset when they do. I know its wrong of me though. I am no one really special, I am just a man, how can I be better then any other man?

what do I do though, I continue in it like a fool, I cant seem to stop feeling special at times, I dont know what it is :O. I wish it would stop, I hate the pridefulness of it :O, it brings me down and I dont want that. I want to be pleasing to God, not a disappointment. I am really starting to understand MNC much better as I look back at my own problems.

I think the desire to be special is one of the greatest strings pulled by satan to unravel us in the delusional aspect of schizophrenia. Everything else varies as a result of our personalities. The positive symptoms are "miraculous acts" by satan. The negative symptoms are a result of our withdrawal into his world, the one he so cunningly causes us to live in. The more humble you become the less vulnerable you are to satan in all respects. St. anthony I believe was told by satan: You know what it is that keeps me from harming you? Your humility. And I think that can be taken literally and figuratively. The greatest cure of all for schizophrenia is to make yourself feel unspecial. No delusion of grandeur or specialness will take hold, you won't allow it! Just by making your schizophrenia a special case after you've gotten over a negative delusion can allow satan to take you for a ride into thinking you're an end times prophet. The key is to see how other schizophrenics suffered and you will learn you're nothing special at all! Satan hid other people's experiences from me by making me search in all the wrong places for them. I don't want to mess up my apparent recovery however so I won't say I'm cured- plus satan still has a foothold in my mind so I'll say don't expect to be cured, just very much more in control of your own faculties.

Not to promote my sect or anything but here is a wikipedia article on st. anthony for those interested:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_the_Great
He is a great saint for the mentally ill. I have an icon of him in my room.