Lived Experience Forum

[Jays1989]

so I've been diagnosed with schizophrenia and I'm not really taking it very well. Now I have to go and speak to a psychologist and I find it really hard talking to these people about this. I guess the news is just so fresh and raw for me to talk about and I'm incredibly anxious about the whole situation.

[saltandpepper]

Hey @Jays1989 that's a lot to process. I hope I can ease some of the fear re seeing a psych. In my experience, it's been a safe and supportive environment for me. My hope is that you will receive insight, understanding, compassion, and some gentle guidance as you learn to navigate life with this new diagnosis. Perhaps remember that your symptoms/experiences are not any different now than they were prior to diagnosis, the diagnosis should act as a guide for you to receive targeted help in managing your symptoms. I know it must be an overwhelming time right now, so take the time you need to process what is happening.

Wishing you all the best

[OzGrace]

Hi. I'm sorry you feel bad about this. Sometimes, people feel relieved to get a diagnosis - even when it's a challenging one - because then, they feel as if they know more what's going on, and they have more hope for effective treatment. I wonder if you *might* be quite young? The reason I say this, is that when you have talked to a psychologist or psychiatrist about this, you "should" feel better about the talking, find it easier, and also feel very relieved about being able to get it "out there"...talking DOES help. I hope you find that it helps. If not, you might need to persist with trying different therapists until you find JUST THE RIGHT ONE for YOU! It will be worth the effort... good luck to you!