Can you give me some advice on "net"iquette?

Question

What would be your response if a 54-yr. old stranger told you this online on a forum, based on "1" post?

"You may not want to look at this, but if your mother had schizophrenia, you have quite a chance of having it as well. And all of the things you keep talking about have a certain ring to them. They sound familiar to me because I have a brother-in-law who has untreated schizophrenia, and his rants sound just the same. (He was diagnosed in 1970 and has refused treatment from that day until this because "there's nothing wrong with me.")

He most certainly sees the world differently than everyone else, and his perceptions are quite often incorrect. He refuses to admit that he might be the one who is out of step, rather than the whole rest of the world.

As a result, his entire family has left him. His wife, and all of his children. He terrified them one too many times. And he just doesn't get it. To him it's all their fault. Everything that happens is everyone else's fault and never his.

You can dislike this suggestion all you want. But I'm thinking you need to take a good hard look at where you're at and come to grips with the possibility that you have schizophrenia as well, or schizo-affective disorder.

There is a doctor who has discovered that, particularly in people with bipolar and schizophrenia, the same part of the brain that has the illness is also the part that perceives that the self is ill somehow. And if it's damaged enough, they cannot see they have a problem, and will never see. It is quite possible that you are there."

She doesn't know me at all. It's not her place to try to diagnose me. Why would she tell me something so judgmental & ignorant & publicly embarrass me like this? I did nothing to this lady. Do you think I have a right to be upset, or am I making a big deal? I don't think I'm making a big deal. & she tried to say I post the same "rant" over & over, which is NOT true. I never even saw this lady online before! All I was trying to do was ask for advice, not be publicly humiliated.

Answer 1

Well, reading over a few of your questions, they have a very simular theme.  People are telling you that you need some sort of mental counseling...  this person saying you have schizophreneic tendancies, you say you are depressed all the time, mental health pros telling you are bipolar and you dont think you are.....

Common theme of people telling you that you need help and you being in complete utter denial.

While I cant sit here and try to tell you what you need help on, I think it is clear that you know you need help, but are still in denial.  You get mad and defensive when someone says you do, as if their are insulting you and having a mental illness is bad or insulting or shameful.  Its not.

Bottom line.....  Quit lieing to yourself and get help.  There is nothing wrong with that.  I know some people put a stigma on mental illness, but thats c**p.  It is good for you to admit it and work on getting help.  I see my psychologist weekly, and am also going to school for psychology.  There is nothing to be ashamed of.

Answer 2

Honestly, it depends on what your one post said, but the poster sounded to me more like she was describing symptoms of borderline personality disorder rather than schizophrenia, although I don't know all of the facts so I really shouldn't say. Also, a characteristic of many conditions is the denial of that condition, it isn't even a symptom of a specific disorder!

Some people, if they have had a personal experience or near brush with a disease or a diagnosis, tend to see it everywhere they go and can be quite insistent and obnoxious about it. Maybe this lady is acting out based on her experience.

If you or one of your relatives are suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar my heart goes out to you -- these are devastating illness that scientists are still struggling to understand. I think you are taking the lady's blathering too much to heart, but you have a good excuse, you are in a tender and vulnerable state.  

Answer 3

You are making a big deal out of it.She is just trying to help.And you are trying to over react to what she is saying.

Answer 4

Overreacting much? It's Internet, you are going to take every single person to heart? You don't even know any of those people, they are nobody to you, why you are so sensitive?

Answer 5

I agree.  You are overreacting to someone's email to you.  Use the delete button if you don't want to read the mail.  By your bringing this to us at Y!A, you are looking for us to help you solve your problem, when the 'Delete' button is your best recourse.  We don't know you; you are a faceless person writing a message, question, or answer.