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anonymous
writes:I'm a 50 year-old man that's been diagnosed with mental illness. I don't know if I'm sick or what I have, if what I see and experience is real or what! I often see what I believe are spirits within people so I guess they're hallucinations. I tend to see spirits when I look at people. When I look at people, to me, it's like seeing two faces of the same person! Some of the spirits appear to be good, but more often than not they appear not to be good. I also sometimes see spirits floating in mid-air, but can't really make-out faces. I sometimes an orb or two whizzing around in darkened rooms in my house, once in broad daylight where I live. I also sometimes see shadows that move about and other types of movement near the ceiling when I'm in bed at night. They appear as silhouettes on one side of a person that I can only see when they move. I don't know for sure what all these things are. At least I don't hear voices, that I know!! I function normally other than that. I rent a house near the beach for myself and have good credit and a good car. I've been off medications for about ten years now having been told in the past by psychiatric professionals that I'd need to take medications for the rest of my life! I had been diagnosed with both bi-polar and types of schizophrenia and once been diagnosed with everthing in remission. I've been to several psychics regarding what I experience. They've all said I'm very psychic and should develop my abilities. I don't believe in psychics after hearing all their crap. I think they're people that are best to avoid at all costs. I also went to one baptist minister once that told me I might have a gift called discernment. I don't believe in that crap either after praying for years to God for relief without success. I've been seeing strange things for the past 30 years now. At least the last psychologist I saw said what I see might be real. I don't know if he was filling me with crap or what. So anyway, I'm just writing to ask or rather to plead if there's anyone online reading this who sees what I see? Is there anyone that sees what they believe are spirits within people like I do? Reply to this Question
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reader, chigirl  +, writes (15 November 2010):
 Hard to say without sounding too crazy myself. I believe in spirits just like I believe in God and ghosts and that humans have a soul. A soul is the spirit of a person, and angels in a sense are spirits too. Religion contains numerous stories of what you describe. So if you believe in that sort of thing: yes then it is real. What you see is real to you in either case, you aren't lying, you actually see these things. But reality to you can be different from the reality of someone else. Some don't believe in anything, or see anything.
That aside, whether it is real or not is actually not the most important question here, unless you decide you want to "develop your abilities". It sounds more like you want to stop seeing these things, and that they torment you. When you were on your medication, did you stop seeing these things? In that case I think you are better off to start taking medication again, to get some peace and happiness in your life.
Just so you know, I also went to a psychologist once who believed I had psychic abilities, was reborn and could use telepathy, read peoples minds, and was a "true dreamer" (dreaming of true events). Doesn't mean I need to believe her though. She was just a person, like all of us. And you don't need to believe what anyone tells you. Of course a person who believes in spirits and claims to be a psychic themselves will claim that you are also one, and then a traditional psychologist will tell you you have a mental illness.
Just remember that there is much we still do not know about the brain and that even if things have progressed so that there is now medication against certain mental illnesses, we do not fully understand the brain and psychology. Much is left up to you to decide yourself.
But again, like I said earlier, if you wish these images to go away, and medicine makes them go away, I think it is best you take the medicine.
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reader, anonymous, writes (15 November 2010): You have a thinking mind, you must apply logic to your situation and investigate the various experiences you've had. I've heard about orbs and have encountered spirits. Now, if this makes you crazy... everyone in the paranormal field is a nut job. EVP's are recorded using simple recording devices purchased at Walmart. Place a tape recorder out on a table and it will record voices and dialogue. Where is it coming from? Clearly, it's coming from somewhere. This 'somewhere' is the origin. There are people who charge money for psychic services, etc... it is a profit making enterprise. Their character guides how they use their abilities.I do not know why or how your were diagnosed with mental illness. In other words... if you were diagnosed with mental illness because you have seen these things and hear voices... perhaps you really were and you are not mentally ill at all. If a tape recorder can pick it up... why is it unreasonable that you can hear it?Orbs are widely analyzed on the internet. It is very interesting... also it is a topic explored by many people. Are they all crazy? Some human beings are born with senses that others do not have. To those not having them... those having them seem insane. Does that make the person insane or simply awakened? Only you know... with certainty whether you have mental illness... as strange as that may sound... There are terms to describe seeing spirits... clairvoyance. Does that make you insane? No. Seeing orbs does not make you insane. You must use your logical mind and stop allowing others to manipulate you ... whether they are psychic or otherwise. Praying to God to change your life plan... and not getting the result you seek... doesn't mean that God does not hear you or that God does not exist. It may mean that this is who you are and who you are meant to be. It can be as fruitless as a leopard praying everyday to be a turtle. Can't happen.So if you are a leopard why not make peace with being a leopard? Why not investigate and speak with others who share your experiences? I am an angel in a human body. We exist and walk amongst mankind and have done so for eons. If I were to walk into a psychiatrist's office I'd be committed. I am lucid, intelligent, and aware. Not insane. I am merely different. Find out who you are and what your purpose is. Meditate and get control over your thought patterns. Accept and reflect. Never give up on prayer. Remember that there are light beings who cheer on the good in every person. Find peace with yourself. If you are gifted, accept this gift and endeavor to use it with purpose for the betterment of all. We can view our differences as sickness, or we can see them as a gift that must be contoured, honed, and controlled... so that it can be used to help ourselves and others.I hope that this information finds you well and that you remember that we are all unique ... just like the snowflake. A rainbow would be uninteresting and not nearly as beautiful if it contained just one color. A garden would not be interesting if it contained just one plant or flower. Treasure who you are and take care of yourself!
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reader, anonymous, writes (15 November 2010): My uncle has paranoid schizophrenia he sees those things but for him they're far more negative. To my uncle theses spirits as you call them are out to get him, they're a torment to him.
He has been committed a number of times for attacking people while off his meds. He wasn't attacking those people, their spirits were mocking him, trying to destroy him and he attacked those people trying to stop their spirits from attacking him.
I'm not an expert but seeing spirits is part of your psychological condition. As you know from your experiences with them psychics are just tricksters, using psychological tricks, broad easily recognizable generalized "predictions" to make money from people that have "deep connection" to their spirituality. Psychology has explained and proven these phenomenon for what they are, the mind is an amazing thing it can do wonderful things and one of it's strongest strangest effects is belief. Belief can cure illness (placebo effect) it can also do a lot of harm and damage.
All I can say is, what you see is what your mind is telling you to see. Those spirits don't exist or we'd have empirical data proving they do. I have taken drugs that give that same effect, they create a chemistry in your brain that can make it see the most wonderful and horrible things but it's not the drug you're seeing, it's your own subconscious. You have this chemical imbalance permanently from the sounds of things, the only thing I can tell you is to be very careful about not taking your meds. There are anti-psychotic drugs out there that will remove those visions from your mind. So if they ever become too much for you, they start tormenting you or you feel like your losing control with them. Check into hospital as soon as you can for treatment.
My uncle is a lovely, lovely man. A gentle giant. Who has suffered this illness for about 40 years. Even his calm gentle demeanor can be overwhelmed sometimes and he can lash out, unprovoked. The last time he attacked he had to be restrained by 8 police officers and two of those needed hospital treatment. That was after he decided to go off his meds.
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reader, k_c100  +, writes (15 November 2010):
 Ok first things first - to YOU, what you see is very real, and no-one can tell you otherwise. However, as the doctors have said before, you have something called "Schizoaffective Disorder" (http://www.mind.org.uk/help/diagnoses_and_conditions/schizoaffective_disorder) therefore what YOU see, no-one else can see. It doesnt make you mad, or crazy, but these are not 'real' spirits that are trying to communicate with humans, rather they are just the result of abnormalities in your brain.
Now Schizoaffective disorder is not as severe as Schizophrenia hence you can go on and lead a perfectly normal life. To be diagnosed with Schizophrenia you normally need at least 2 of the more severe symptoms, and while your hallucinations would count as one symptom you do not display any other real consistent symptoms to classify you as a paranoid Schizophrenic.
Schizoaffective disorder is often confused with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (manic depression), because the symptoms are similar to both. Its quite common for doctors to change their minds between the two illnesses hence you can often get varying opinions from different doctors. This sounds a lot like what you have experienced - therefore I am pretty sure you will be suffering from this disorder.
This website might help you http://www.geometricvisions.com/
I think your best course of action is to go back to a doctor, and discuss Schizoaffective Disorder, and then get treatment. You absolutely SHOULD stay on the drugs for the rest of your life, they will lessen the frequency of your hallucinations and make your life a bit more bearable and 'normal' (if there is such a thing!). The medication really is the best thing for you, it can often take a while to find the best combination of medication to suit you (they will probably prescribe a mix of anti-depressants and drugs used to treat Schizophrenia). But it is up to you to keep taking the drugs, keep going back to the doctors if you dont feel they suit you and eventually you will get a combination that suits you and you feel happy with.
Just a bit of background on Schizophrenia - this book may be an interesting read for you http://www.amazon.com/Human-Traces-ebook/dp/B0031RS3XA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1289822555&sr=8-2
It is more based upon the paranoid, hearing voices side of schizophrenia but it does give an interesting perspective on early treatment of Schizophrenia and why psycologists think it came about.
But if you dont read it - here are a few views on Schizophrenia:
1. Evolution has encouraged it. Strange as it sounds, back when we were all doing basic, manal labour type jobs e.g. a shepherd, it required us to spend a lot of time alone or just working with animals. Therefore it was actually advantageous to "hear voices" or to "see things" as it would keep the person company, sane and would guide them through a lonely and tough time. Therefore because this was "advantageous" behaviour to hear and see things, it was passed down from generation to generation and now still exists in modern society. Of course, it is a much less common occurence now but it has been passed down through genes and is now classed as not something useful, but a mental illness.
2. Religion - almost all of the religous texts are people hearing voices of the gods or prophets, and then telling the masses about what they have heard or seen (in a vision). Back then, it was a given that these people were "chosen" by the gods to be their messengers and no-one would have thought they were going mad! But if we were to hear someone now, who had been "told" by jesus to put two of each animals in the world onto an ark/giant boat because a great flood was coming - there is no way we would consider this man to be of a sound mind! He would be told he is suffering from a severe mental illness and most likely put into hospital for treatment. The reason for this is closely linked to my point on evolution before - back when the religious texts were written, it was more common therfore more accepted to hear voices and have "visions". However due to evolution, where these deulsions became uncecessary to survival, fewer people heard them or saw them. Hence these last few people - i.e. the prophets and disciples mentioned in the religious texts, they were held up as mini gods themselves, because so few people heard the voices anymore they would follow whoever did as they were the chosen ones. But realistically, they were experiencing mental illness problems as you are millions of others are now. They are classic example of Schizophrenia - hearing voices from someone telling them what to do and how they should live their lives otherwise they will burn in hell - that is obviously Schizophrenia. Therefore you can argue it both ways - if you are religious then you can argue that anyone who is Schizophrenic today is actually hearing messages from God and they should be preaching them to the masses. Or if you are from a more scientific school of thought, then it is due to the chemical inbalance in the suffer's head that is causing them to have these delusions.
3. It is advantageous to be Schizophrenic! In the 60's and 70's, when they 'hippy' movement was in full force, they believed Schizophrenics were special and it was a gift, something to be encouraged and celebrated. This school of psychology thought it was a 'higher level' that most 'normal' people could never achieve, and Schizophrenics should be allowed to run free with their ideas and visions, to preach to whoever will listen and explore their creativity. In reality, it did not really work and many of their patients worsened in their symptoms and lost even more touch with reality.
4. The current, modern and generally accepted view of Schizophrenia is that it is a biological disease of the brain. This is supported by brain imaging systems which show the tissue destruction in the brain of sufferers. Hence why the treatment of Schizophrenia is most commonly through medication, and this has been proven to be the most succesful way of managing the illness.
I dont think it is useful for anyone to tell you that you are psychic, nor do you have a 'gift from God'. You are clearly of sound mind to rule these out as options, you dont belive their 'crap' as you say. But I think instead of searching for other people who see spirits to validate you and ease your mind, you need to seek medical help and stick to your medication for the long term. This is a mental illness you are suffering from, this is due to chemical inbalances in the brain and probably down to genetics as well. This will never entirely go away and you wont ever be free from these hallucinations, however you can manage them and make them less frequent with medication.
So I suggest you do some reading around the subject, get yourself fully informed on Schizoaffective Disorder and then go to your doctors and discuss the next steps.
I hope this helps and good luck!
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