What should I do if I am severely depressed, excessively worried that I will develop schizophrenia, and very anxious?

Hello, I have received your sincere question. I am ZQ, a heart exploration coach from the Yixinli platform. I am very concerned to see that you are currently in a state of severe depression. At the same time, your heart is excessively worried that you may have anxiety/what-should-i-do-if-i-am-severely-depressed-excessively-worried-that-i-will-develop-schizophrenia-and-very-anxious-28319.html" target="_blank">schizophrenia because of the doctor's diagnosis, right?

You should trust a doctor's diagnosis. If you doubt that the diagnosis of major depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms is accurate, go to the psychiatric department of another major city hospital and have them look at it. Compare the results and don't trust search engines on the internet.

He has been diagnosed with major depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms, so the focus is on treating the depression. The doctor has also prescribed medication.

Schizophrenia is a condition that is often misunderstood and feared by society. This can cause you to worry about your future and the challenges that may arise in your life and your boyfriend's life.

I also see that you have stopped taking medication. I need to know if your doctor advised you to stop or if you took the initiative to do so on your own. Stopping medication without medical guidance can worsen your condition, make it more difficult to treat, and even turn your condition into a more complicated disease.

You must not stop taking medication without a doctor's diagnosis and judgment. Many people can maintain their health with a simple medication.

However, some people may worsen their condition because they distrust doctors or are worried about the side effects of drugs, and then stop taking the drugs privately. You are also now doubting whether your mental illness will recur or even worsen after you stop taking the drugs. This doubt is very necessary, and you should not let it stop you from continuing your treatment.

I don't know if there is a history of mental illness in your family. What I do know is that a comprehensive judgment must be made based on some diagnosis by a doctor. If you really don't trust drugs, I strongly recommend that you go to the psychiatric department of a larger hospital for a re-diagnosis. And if this time the diagnosis is still the same, you must not stop taking the medicine on your own.

Your current worries about hearing voices and seeing visions are unhelpful and are only complicating your current situation. You were originally diagnosed with major depression, and then you developed a psychotic state, and now you are also experiencing some anxiety. You need to take action to improve your condition.

From your description, it is clear that you have three problems that need to be solved: major depression, psychotic state, and excessive anxiety. Have you sought the necessary psychological counseling?

It's not as simple as taking a pill and feeling better.

I need to know what is causing your severe depression. I also need to understand your family relationships.

What does your state of excessive anxiety look like? Let me be clear: many things influence and affect each other, and these things did not just happen to you by chance.

You need to get help from a professional counselor. Go to a larger hospital's psychiatric department for a diagnosis. Follow the advice of the medical professionals who are there to help you. Deal with your anxiety and depression. Don't overthink things. Stick to the rehabilitation therapy that's right for you. You can lead a normal life again. Good luck!

What is the question?

Hello, I am Sister Super from Yixinli.

Let me be clear: even if you have had a mental illness in the past, it does not mean that your life is ruined. The past may affect our current state and emotions, but it can never determine what our future will be like.

Read Viktor Frankl's The Meaning of Living. It helped me a lot when I was down. My favorite quote from him is: "The ultimate freedom of man is to believe that he has the right to choose at any time."

You must believe, from the bottom of your heart, that getting better is just a matter of time. You can choose to live the way you like and have the bright future you want.

Believing doesn't mean doing nothing. It means seeing what you can do based on facts. For example, is stopping medication the doctor's recommendation, or do you feel better? If you are worried, ask a professional doctor. Professional advice will help you feel more confident and at ease.

Meditate every day if you want to. Science and practice have proven that meditation can improve our awareness and adjust our emotions. Even long-term meditation can produce positive changes in our brains.

If you want to spend the rest of your life with your boyfriend, I think that's great. There's no better love than growing together and achieving mutual success, so that each of you can become a better version of yourself. Go outdoors or go hiking with your boyfriend more often. Nature has a healing effect, and there's a "suspension bridge effect" in psychology, which means that sometimes we mistake a physiological heartbeat increase for falling in love. Exercising together can also strengthen more than just a couple's relationship.

You will be happy and live a long life with the one you love.

It's great that you're facing your emotions and challenges head on. A lot of the information you read online might be based on misconceptions or a lack of comprehensive knowledge about mental health.

Mental illness, including schizophrenia, can certainly pose some challenges in life. However, it is not the end of the road, and it does not mean that you cannot have a happy and fulfilling life.

How you're treated with psychiatric drugs depends on you. Sometimes, similar symptoms mean the same treatment plan is used. If you have questions or concerns about medication, talk to your doctor.

They can tweak the treatment plan to fit your actual situation and make sure it's the best fit for you. The decision to stop taking medication should also be made with the help of a professional to avoid making it on your own, which could lead to some unwanted physical or mental reactions.

I get it. I can see how the doubts and fears you mentioned have caused you anxiety. But it's important to remember that our brains sometimes make potential risks seem bigger than they really are because of worry and stress. This is called "anticipatory anxiety."

The feelings you're having might be caused by this anxiety. They don't mean you'll actually experience these symptoms, let alone what's known as "body dysmorphic delusions."

As for being sensitive to sounds and afraid of hearing and seeing things that aren't there, it's possible that these feelings are a result of your excessive focus on your condition. Try to set aside some time to relax, for example by taking deep breaths, meditating, doing yoga or going for a walk to help your body and mind unwind.

Meanwhile, try to focus on the positive and remind yourself that you're safe and your thinking is becoming clearer.

When it comes to your boyfriend and your future, it's important to be open and communicate honestly. If you love each other and support each other, illness shouldn't be a reason to part ways.

Many people have managed to keep their relationship strong despite similar challenges by working together. It's important to choose the right time and way to share your concerns and situation to ensure that the other person can understand and support you.

Every life has its own value and meaning. Illness doesn't define who you are or determine your future. You can overcome the difficulties you face and find your own path to happiness.

Take it one step at a time, believe in yourself, and know that there are people around you who are willing to help. You've got this!

Hello, question asker. I am the Heart Exploration Coach, Gu Daoxi Fengshou Slender Donkey.

The questioner's experience is heartbreaking. I'm here to tell you that you're not alone.

Psychological knowledge has not yet been well publicized, and most people only have a superficial understanding of it. When we don't know the whole picture, we tend to panic and think in extremes.

The author seems to imply that most online views are negative. But how many of these are from professional doctors? How many are just ordinary netizens?

Trust the professionals. Leave professional matters to the professionals. This allows the questioner to receive more professional guidance and avoid being biased by the perspective of an ordinary person.

The internet can reduce the psychological pressure on people to speak anonymously, and it can also easily express more negative emotions in response to negative information. This is not an objective standard for judgment, and the questioner must seek the advice of professionals.

The questioner should find out whether the cause of his severe depression is mostly environmental or genetic and start with the things he can change. This will make him feel less stressed and avoid being overly pessimistic.

I've read this saying: "Ordinary people will never say that a medicine has side effects and advise someone with diabetes to stop taking it." The question asker stopped taking the medicine because the doctor advised him to do so, not because he was worried about the side effects.

The questioner can rest assured that if it is a recommendation made by the doctor from a professional point of view, there is no cause for concern. Doctors will never joke about the health of their patients.

Let your emotions flow. It's healthier to express them than to suppress them. The questioner should allow themselves to feel whatever they're feeling. This will help them feel less stressed. It's like when we're full but keep eating because we don't want to feel bad. The questioner is feeling a range of emotions but is trying to suppress them, which is only making them feel worse.

The questioner should keep an emotional diary to help sort out their emotions. This is both a way to release emotions and a way to see themselves. Allowing yourself to have emotions is the best way to feel less stressed.

Distinguish between facts and feelings. Tell yourself which are true and which are false. Distinguish between things you can influence and things you have to accept as facts. Work on the things you can change. This will make the questioner more relaxed.

Some drugs can treat multiple symptoms, and the drug prescribed by the questioner does not necessarily mean that the questioner is that serious. For example, when I was sick and went to the hospital, I had symptom A, but the doctor prescribed me medicine for symptom B. He even explained why he prescribed it that way because I looked puzzled. It is suitable for multiple symptoms. If the questioner is feeling uneasy, it is more recommended to ask the attending doctor.

If you tell someone they can do it, they will be able to do it. If you tell them they can't, they won't be able to do it, even if they can. This shows that mental suggestion has some effect on us. Treat psychological discomfort with the same mindset as physical illness to reduce the questioner's anxiety.

Good emotions nourish people. When we are in a positive mood, we can face problems more actively. The questioner should try mindfulness and tell themselves, "I can do it."

Read "I'm Really Great" and "Embracing the Inner Child."

Best wishes!