|
Basic InformationLookupsLatest NewsAmericans Still Avoiding ERs in Pandemic, But Uptick Seen in Mental Health CrisesCould ADHD Raise Odds for More Serious Psychiatric Ills?Mental Health 'Epidemic' Threatens Communities of Color Amid COVID-19Mental Illness Not a Factor in Most Mass ShootingsHistory of Mental Illness Tied to Earlier Onset of Alzheimer's DiseaseMental Health Trauma Plagues Wildfire Survivors1 in 3 Young Americans Prescribed a Psychiatric Drug Misuses Them: StudySurvey Shows Mental Woes Spiked in U.S. Pandemic's First MonthsPandemic Taking Big Mental Health Toll on Health Care WorkersRap Music Is Putting Mental Health in the SpotlightTake Care of Your Mental Health During PandemicTwo Key Lifestyle Factors May Ward Off Depression'Diseases of Despair' Skyrocket in America'Green Prescriptions' May Backfire for SomeFor Rural Youth, Mental Health Care Can Be Tough to FindWhat's Best for Treating Bipolar Disorder?Mental Health Issues Double the Odds of Dying With COVID-19, Study FindsHow You Can Help Prevent Suicide During the COVID-19 PandemicSevere Mental Illnesses Often Overlooked at Hospital Admission: StudyLevels of Anxiety, Addiction, Suicidal Thoughts Are Soaring in the PandemicMental Health Woes Spiraled Among College Students Early in PandemicLoss of a Twin Linked to Risk for Mental IllnessWill the COVID-19 Pandemic Leave a Mental Health Crisis in Its Wake?For Stressed-Out Black Americans, Mental Health Care Often Hard to Come By'Psychological Distress' Has Tripled in U.S. During Pandemic, Survey ShowsCoronavirus Pandemic Spurring Mental Health Crisis, Especially in the YoungAHA News: Looking for Ways to Protect Against Pandemic PTSDHigh-Potency Pot Tied to Big Rise in Psychiatric IssuesAHA News: How Bacteria in Your Gut Interact With the Mind and BodyMental Health is Big Issue For Police Officers Around The World: StudyDepression, Anxiety, PTSD May Plague Many COVID-19 SurvivorsDid the Movie 'Joker' Reinforce Prejudice Against Mentally Ill?U.S. Soldier in Custody Following Slaying of 5 Americans in Iraq Questions and AnswersLinksBook Reviews |
| |
Early Experiences As Described By A Self-Diagnosed SchizoidHi Dr. Dombeck. I recently realized that I have some of the symptoms of schizoid personality disorder. However, while I was investigating this and other disorders online, I remembered about a problem I used to have often as a child and that reoccurs even now, although quite rarely. What used to happen is basically this. All of a sudden I would begin to feel differently, as if there was someone else present either "in me" or "around me", but who I always knew was not actually there. This presence felt very "oppressive" and I felt as though there was a voice talking. For some reason, when I was a child, this voice reminded me of my mother's voice. I didn't so much hear it speaking, as I "felt" it speaking. I cannot even quote what it said, but my reaction to it was like a reaction to someone "issuing commands" or "instigating" me, the kind of reaction one would feel to someone yelling "Come on!! Well??!! Do it!! Come on!!". The strangest thing about it was the feeling I had during these episodes, almost as if a part of my mind was racing a million miles a minute. In other words, I consciously could think just as clearly, calmly, and rationally as before, but there was also like another presence, or "another me" thinking and reacting very quickly to the voice issuing commands, almost like a "panicked babble." I haven't had this kind of episode for months, so I cannot quite recall the exact relationship between my racing mind and the voice issuing commands. You have to forgive me, but I find it all very hard to explain. I'm pretty sure it used to happen often to me as a child, and I clearly remember associating my mother's voice with the voice that I "felt" was talking to me. I am 22 years old now and have a great relationship with both my mother and father. My parents weren't really abusive to me when I was a child, except for the occasional yell or slap or what not. I don't harbor any ill feelings towards my parents today. I would say that these episodes started becoming rarer (maybe once every few months) when I reached the age of 10 or 11, but in all honesty, I cannot be 100% sure on how often they occurred before that since my memory is vague now. For all I know they never occurred more often than every few months even when I was little, but for some reason I feel that they did indeed occur more often. It's important to note that these episodes never lasted for more than a minute or so, at least those that I can remember, so I never really made much of them. But now remembering about them, I just want to be sure that they are not a prelude to something more intensely delusional. Are these symptoms familiar to you? Do you feel that maybe they can indeed be evidential of a problem that may develop later? For all I know most people may have these kinds of experiences every now and then, so I want to be sure. In case you are wondering, I don't see any connection at all between these episodes and my schizoid personality, for these rare attacks were never the reason for my preferred withdrawal from society. Plus, my preference to being alone does not interfere with my necessary social interaction, as I attend college, I'm a good student, and I interact normally with my friends at school. I just prefer to be alone and not place myself into social situations. I'm just informing you of these factors in case they are relevant to my delusional episodes, which is what I really need advice on. Thank you very much. THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION WILL NOT BE DISPLAYED UNTIL YOU HAVE INDICATED YOUR AGREEMENT WITH THE DISCLAIMER PRINTED JUST BELOW. CLICK THE 'I AGREE' BUTTON TO AGREE TO THESE TERMS AND SEE THE RESPONSE.
- Dr. Dombeck responds to questions about psychotherapy and mental health problems, from the perspective of his training in clinical psychology.
- Dr. Dombeck intends his responses to provide general educational information to the readership of this website; answers should not be understood to be specific advice intended for any particular individual(s).
- Questions submitted to this column are not guaranteed to receive responses.
- No correspondence takes place.
- No ongoing relationship of any sort (including but not limited to any form of professional relationship) is implied or offered by Dr. Dombeck to people submitting questions.
- Dr. Dombeck, Mental Help Net and CenterSite, LLC make no warranties, express or implied, about the information presented in this column. Dr. Dombeck and Mental Help Net disclaim any and all merchantability or warranty of fitness for a particular purpose or liability in connection with the use or misuse of this service.
- Always consult with your psychotherapist, physician, or psychiatrist first before changing any aspect of your treatment regimen. Do not stop your medication or change the dose of your medication without first consulting with your physician.
|