Which part is the disease, which is normal?

As I spend the past few days between work and home life, I have come to recognize that I have been feeling manic and disorganized. Although some of these minor symptoms are part and parcel of the schizophrenia, some are just part of the human experience. Sometimes we think, well, I am feeling down today, and automatically think that since we have depression, it must be part of that disease.

The reason that I don't think that we should jump to conclusions, or self-diagnose too much, is that, on a regular day, someone without any chemical imbalance or chronic illness can feel minor symptoms of mania, depression or psychosis. By saying this, I do not mean to downplay any one's issues with their chronic illness at hand. If you simply cannot function because of these symptoms, it is a problem and you must seek medical attention from a psychiatrist as soon as possible. I have had these debilitating symptoms, from time to time, and have dealt with them with my psychiatrist and on a personal level with medication and the help of my support system.

However, if you are experiencing mild anxiety, or mania, for instance, try to remove some of the stressors from your life before turning to medication or professional help. If you cannot do it alone, seek help. There are many places out there to see someone for just about anything that you are experiencing.