Even those who are not, will probably develop some sort of schizophrenia due to their marginal lifestyle, but I wonder if it's really a "disease", I feel like it's an adaptation to their environment for people who are more sensitive than others. I feel like the pain is more due to the lack of solutions, especially in a city centre, where it's a constant hell for these guys (and for most any other animal actually, except a few who adapted to that: pigeons, rats, some insects but not the most beautiful ones), just my thought
Oh man, I'm probably half schizophrenic, tried some antipsychotics at some point and had same reaction, and recently started to spend most my time outside (sleeping too), I found a nice spot. Fortunately I still have my remote developer job, and try to remain stable but I'm over sensitive and in the long run I can't sleep in my apartment (noise, smells - cigarette, here in France, it's horrible, maybe WIFI waves too). But isolation tends to makes me a bit more tolerant to people, I love birds and any really natural living being though
I'm not a professional, and I'm not diagnosing, but I am diagnosed autistic and I share some of what you're talking about here.
I'm sensitive to noise, smells, lights and vibrations (living next to a very busy road, I can feel almost every large non-electric vehicle go by -- makes working from home hard at points).
Worth reading into if you have the energy. I do know folks who are diagnosed with schizophrenia and they seem to have an underlying component of some neurodivergence (arguably schizophrenia should also be considered neurodivergence) and went through an extreme burnout/traumatic event.
I moved twice in the last few years. Immediately after moving I was completely unable to sleep. Too bright. Too loud. What are these noises? What is that vibration? For me, it fades after a few weeks. The train can be rumbling by with the horn going and I'll sleep right through it now. I think maybe for some, that filter never builds up. Not sure how to articulate it but it does seem a significant component of both autism and schizophrenia (which in some ways seem to be almost opposites) is a difficulty in developing that sort of filtering-out of the constant sensory bombardment we're all under.
Acclimitisation can be hard. In some cases I can put things to the back of my mine, but often it's just hard or not possible.
Certainly in my experience and from talking to others who identify or have been diagnosed similarly, in the majority of cases you don't get used to certain things. You can't acclimitise and that's why a load of people who are autistic aren't employed.
I might seem okay in the office, but what isn't seen is my complete inability to function at home if there have been too many inputs and distractions. Lucky I can work from home a couple of times a week and my hours are flexible in that I can start earlier so not to travel into the city when it's busy -- busses are quiet at 05:00/06:00 thankfully!
Having a small office I share with a few people helps. My last place went all in on the open-planned office and it was hell. I can't see how anyone is getting much work done in environments like that, haha.
Schizophrenia is certainly neurodivergence, as far as I know. I've often seen it depicted that autism and schizophrenia are roughly on opposite sides of neurotypical:
- Autism can make one prone to detail-oriented thinking, focusing on small details, requiring logical connections to understand and apply ideas. Constraints are well understood and considered. This can result in stuff like OCD.
- Schizophrenia can make one prone to disconnected thinking, focusing on big pictures, fitting together ideas that may seem entirely unrelated. Even constraints that seem obvious may be completely ignored. This can result in stuff like conspiracy theories and convoluted delusions. Delusions happen because beliefs may not be constrained by what's actually realistic, the big picture could be more prominent.
I don't know how true this analogy is, but it certainly seems interesting to consider.
Very insteresting, my father thinks I'm autistic, while some psychiatrist concluded for "Hebephrenic schizophrenia". In my developer work I tend to rush things a bit, maybe because I don't know how long I'll feel in peace, but if I can really find peace, then I deeply focus like an autist. Also I'm not associal (except the fact I don't like cigarette, so I'll avoid crowd due to that unfortunatly) I usually engage conversations with anyone, helps breaking my loneliness, and that's not really a trait of autists I believe (who are more shy/introvert/associal no?)
> I usually engage conversations with anyone, helps breaking my loneliness, and that's not really a trait of autists I believe (who are more shy/introvert/associal no?)
I think 'autistics' is a better term here; 'autists' can make... not the best impression.
Anyway: no, autistics aren't necessarily more shy/introverted/asocial. I'm autistic and I'm definitely not that way; I usually try to connect to as many people as I can and I have to speak to people essentially every day or else I get extremely lonely/depressed. Part of this is probably due to ADHD and possibly also B(orderline)PD, but it's also because that's just the way I am.
> arguably schizophrenia should also be considered neurodivergence
Isn't it? My understanding of the word is "anyone who experiences the world differently from the social 'normal'", which would certainly include schizophrenia and other kinds of mental disorders.
I'm with you, I thought neurodivergent included any folks whose brain chemistry was different than the 'regular' baseline. Bipolar, schizophrenic, etc.
> arguably schizophrenia should also be considered neurodivergence
Nope never!
I have experience with schizophrenia and it can never be confused with anything else. The person with it is devoid of reality and does not know they are sick. They resist treatment and sometimes would rather go homeless, stop eating or taking care of themselves, in order to avoid treatment. They pull down everyone in their lives trying to help them, and it really takes a toll on family and relationships.
I couldn't agree more with you. I've got a brother who's been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He's in denial and it's a constant worry that he will stop taking his meds again. It's a brutal, life-destroying illness if it's not managed. His lows are truly soul-destroying to witness.
Just out of curiosity (no obligation to respond): how long have you been experiencing these difficulties? Have you always been sensitive to these things?
I'm 39 now, since 22-24 so 15+ years, it started at the end of studies, I started to stop spending money (except appt. rent), OCD things appeared, I manage to keep stable jobs and after years I started eating better, fueling better the brain, most OCD troubles disappeared, but I feel like I changed myself to someone more sensitive, more wild in some way. in the long run I can't handle a "normal life", sit down in a closed air-conditioned place, eat industrial food, tolerate cigarette smokers around, noisy motorbikes, and all forms of pollutions. I started to also try to avoid polluting as much as possible, by respect for nature, which is my real efficient treatment I think
I would move outside of the city/town, on a very small but independent house far from others. A quiet and beautiful natural place. Now internet is everywhere and it’s possible to work from nice places.
May be true, but if there are no other pathologies that require frequent visit to the hospital, and the quiet living might help the mental side of things, why not? Maybe giving it a go for a while at first.
Maybe it’s just me, I only once in almost 40 years required urgent medical attention and would have survived without.. so I don’t understand the worry about not having an hospital close to home.
Thanks yes that's my plan and hope. I don't need much healthcare, except maybe teeth (that got a bit damaged when I was too underweight), not something frequent
Rural living definitely is relaxing and helps you connect with nature. But the isolation can be difficult. Hit me up if you want tips on how to cope. I am not schizophrenic, but I do have Tourettic OCD which makes it hard to 'fit' into society at large.
I do want to stress, if you have untreated mental illness, rural life is not a cure. It can make it worse.
Certified nutcase comment lmao, WIFI waves do not do anything are you gonna buy some shugnite rocks too like the two timer, also smoke smell, move then or move out of city. Im mentally ill too but its mild autism, adhd (takes me all day to watch a 2h movie I pause adn pause and pauise and pause and pause and pause) and depression (I recently cleaned my fridge from 4 year old rotting food) but astleast I sleep inside.
I don't know for WIFI, but I really receive 4 with 5/5 connectivity, and more than 30 in total from my apartment, it's crowded, and that's a bit silly that everyone installs their own box. I don't know exactly where it comes from, but even when it's calm and breathable, I don't feel especially good in my apartment, the difference with outside is incredible, so I'm trying to sleep, eat & work outside. I go back at my appt so recharge batteries, water bottles and food
My best spots are fruits trees in the border of a villa, but you can catch some by climbing a bit. Usually proprietaries are ok, they don't eat them most of time. I'm foraging figs and persimons
not a specialist, but diet is quite overrated for health, even for teeth health. Other important factors: BMI, exercise, sun exposure (natural vit D), life style/stress, sleep, ..
Crow's brains are very good at what they do because their version of human's neocortex is in the center of the brain. And this is the reason why crow's brains can't scale up, there no enough space to grow "thinking" part of brain
In the Uplift books dolphins are given prosthetic arms. That’s already half future tech and you’d have to miniaturize them for crows. No way to control them yet, in either case.
I addressed this in the comment below and sure, stress comes from lifestyle. By lifestyle I'm referring more directly to diet, choosing not to smoke/do drugs, exercise, etc. I was a lifelong athlete, non smoker, healthy eater.
That is true if you can afford to isolate yourself from the rest of the world. Otherwise, social interactions are a source of stress over which you don’t have much control even if you give up on social media. Or the way society works in general. Or the state of politics. Or the environment. “It’s your lifestyle” is an easy answer that is far from complete. It is also a common way of blaming the victim. It is very difficult for most people to extract themselves from their social situation.
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