Anonymous
Post 11/26/2023 09:54     Subject: First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Anonymous wrote:My sibling grew increasingly “private” in weird ways. For example: when they would run an errand (like go to Target) and someone asked “oh where did you go?”, they would say “out” and act evasive. They always thought we were talking about them in the other room, they thought we were hiding their mail, etc. Extreme secrecy, depression and pulling away from people were the first signs.


These don't sound like red flags on their own. Context is important. For example in an enmeshed/overbearing/high anxiety family where people are all into eachother's business a teen or early adult may try to push back with distancing and less direct answering. They might give less information in general. My guess is this was very extreme and there were other signs too.
Anonymous
Post 11/26/2023 09:35     Subject: First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Where in the Northern Virginia area is the best place to get a diagnosis and treatment? Is it possible to see this on a brain scan and figure out which meds are best?
Anonymous
Post 11/25/2023 16:07     Subject: First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Not as a parent, but as a girlfriend: he began to hear voices, would read into things in a very paranoid way, would accuse me and our friends of plotting against him. Thought random people he would encounter in public were conspiring against him. He also was smoking weed and that obviously did not help.
Anonymous
Post 11/25/2023 16:04     Subject: First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Anonymous wrote:One thing I want to mention is auditory hallucinations aren't always a sign of mental illness.

Hearing impairment can cause auditory hallucinations. For example, some people with hearing loss may hear things wrong because their brain is trying to make sense of what it hears. Some people also get musical hallucinations. It's called musical ear syndrome.

I know an elderly lady who had the musical ear syndrome. She thought her neighbors were playing nonstop music. Nope. Malfunctioning ears.


Oddly when my son was younf, maybe early elementary he kept talking about the woman saying things in his head. It was actually me. He was imagining conversations between us in his head- as anyone might replay conversations in their mind- and he just couldn't process that was what it was. Psychiatrist finally figured it out.
So yes, not every auditory hallucination is a symptom of schizophrenia
Anonymous
Post 11/24/2023 15:33     Subject: First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We could hear him arguing and lecturing alone in his room. My mom said he was on the phone, but he wasn’t. When asked, he denied speaking. Horrible anti-woman rants.

My brother became increasingly paranoid about contagion. He was worried not only about germs/illness, but also developed ideas that certain foods or substances were impure. We’re Catholic so we don’t have any dietary or menstrual taboos, but he started behaving as if they did. I still lived at home at that time and he decided I was unclean when I had my period. Not that I was bleeding on anything. Just touching a plate or chair, I was making it unclean. This didn’t come out of Catholicism. We grew up with crunchy, Liberation theology Catholicism.

Later, we learned he was under the influence of a Hotep guru who sold cassette tapes near Lexington market.



How is he now? How are you? That had to be tough for you when coming of age.


I’m not the pp, but for my family member the first few years had a lot of ups and downs but now in mid-twenties there has been huge progress. Negative symptoms still impact I don’t want to make it all rosy but they are taking college courses, able to have a basic job, engage with family. I’m hopeful in 5 more years he’ll be in an even better place
Anonymous
Post 11/24/2023 14:00     Subject: First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
I had one more weird sign when kid was younger. He tried ADHD stimulants once, one time, had catatonic level of depression. Obviously he never took them again but it was a sign that dopamine wasn’t used properly by his brain. Schizophrenia came years later.
Anonymous
Post 11/24/2023 13:57     Subject: Re:First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Anonymous wrote:Lots of valuable feedback and information on this thread. Sending virtual hugs to all who are tackling this issue. These are difficult situations.


Yes, we are in the diagnosis phase at the moment and want to say how much I appreciate the helpful links as well as those sharing their experiences with friends and family.
Anonymous
Post 11/24/2023 13:53     Subject: First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Anonymous wrote:We could hear him arguing and lecturing alone in his room. My mom said he was on the phone, but he wasn’t. When asked, he denied speaking. Horrible anti-woman rants.

My brother became increasingly paranoid about contagion. He was worried not only about germs/illness, but also developed ideas that certain foods or substances were impure. We’re Catholic so we don’t have any dietary or menstrual taboos, but he started behaving as if they did. I still lived at home at that time and he decided I was unclean when I had my period. Not that I was bleeding on anything. Just touching a plate or chair, I was making it unclean. This didn’t come out of Catholicism. We grew up with crunchy, Liberation theology Catholicism.

Later, we learned he was under the influence of a Hotep guru who sold cassette tapes near Lexington market.



How is he now? How are you? That had to be tough for you when coming of age.
Anonymous
Post 11/23/2023 20:04     Subject: Re:First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Lots of valuable feedback and information on this thread. Sending virtual hugs to all who are tackling this issue. These are difficult situations.
Anonymous
Post 11/23/2023 19:18     Subject: Re:First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Please have your child evaluated. This is the most updated directory based on where you at
https://med.stanford.edu/peppnet/interactivedirectory.html


??


NP. Not sure what's confusing, but t's an interactive map that helps you find resources based on location.
Anonymous
Post 11/23/2023 19:13     Subject: First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:^also childhood trauma.


Childhood trauma and cannabis exposure in adolescence are risk factors for developing schizophrenia, but not first signs. The latter is strong enough that I will move hell and high water to keep my kids away from weed.

Early intervention is SO important for long-term outcomes. Look for centers/states offering Coordinated Specialty Care, which is the gold standard for treatment of first episode psychosis. Frankly, if you have any concerns, get your kid checked out by a psychiatrist experienced with schizophrenia.


Can you share any more about this?


Sure. These are some of the most recent reviews:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35315315/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35321777/

Risk of psychosis increases with at least weekly use, and in a dose-response pattern (the more frequent the use, the greater the risk). No, these aren’t randomized controlled trials. For me, a mental health professional who’s treated people with schizophrenia and has researched related topics, I don’t need RCTs to decide to keep my teens away from weed. It’s not worth the risk. My oldest is 12 and I’ve already told her that drinking and taking drugs as a teenager has the potential to derail her life and all the things she wants to do with it.
Anonymous
Post 11/23/2023 18:54     Subject: First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
My sibling grew increasingly “private” in weird ways. For example: when they would run an errand (like go to Target) and someone asked “oh where did you go?”, they would say “out” and act evasive. They always thought we were talking about them in the other room, they thought we were hiding their mail, etc. Extreme secrecy, depression and pulling away from people were the first signs.
Anonymous
Post 11/23/2023 14:12     Subject: Re:First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Childhood ADHD. There is a significant link.


The vast majority of children with ADHD do not go on to develop schizophrenia. ADHD in childhood is not an early warning sign of schizophrenia.


There are actually genetic tests you can do now. For some kinds. And research shows smoking weed before 18 actually lays a track for the disease to run on. It’s super interesting research wise.


Please share research scientists and studies. Thanks!
Anonymous
Post 11/23/2023 14:09     Subject: Re:First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Anonymous wrote:Please have your child evaluated. This is the most updated directory based on where you at
https://med.stanford.edu/peppnet/interactivedirectory.html


??
Anonymous
Post 11/23/2023 14:03     Subject: First signs of schizophrenia in teen?
Weed use is triggering for multiple psych disorders. I tell mine our family history and implore they wait untiltheir brain is fully developed before experimentation and hope they take it seriously. What else that can be done when weed is more acceptable every day.