Worried I'm developing psychosis/schizophrenia

[in-love-but-im-lazy]

Hi all,
I had a strange experience while at the mall today. As I approached the escalators, I had a weird vision that the up escalator was traveling down and the down escalator was traveling up. My sister wanted to go upstairs, and when she stepped onto the up escalator, I tried to stop her because I thought it was the down escalator.
I have felt very disoriented since and am worried that this is an early episode of seeing things. I have a history of generalized anxiety disorder and health anxiety, and because I am 18, I'm in the age range for developing schizophrenia. Thoughts?

[ankietyjoe]

That's nothing like psychosis or schizophrenia, nothing at all.

[venusbluejeans]

If you are worried you have schizophrenia then you do not have schizophrenia as those who do, do not worry they have it, they just think it is normality...

[ankietyjoe]

If you are worried you have schizophrenia then you do not have schizophrenia as those who do, do not worry they have it, they just think it is normality...

That's not strictly true, it's very often episodic with prolonged moments of clarity, where the sufferer can stand back and take stock of delusions.

In any case, what the OP is describing has absolutely nothing to do with either condition of concern, but it's a common symptom of anxiety. Visual disturbances and confused thinking are very common.

[BrokenAge]

You can look at my older posts and see that I use to be just like you. When I was 15 I was absolutely terrified of schizophrenia and I'd spend every waking moment obsessing over my sanity. Now that I'm 19 almost 20 I'm fine and haven't had those worries in what feels like forever. The advice everyone told me was simple and I'd get so angry when someone said it. It sounded to easy to be true but it worked. Just tell yourself "So what?" Because so what if you become schizophrenic? You can't stop it and you won't even know you're "crazy". From all the details you've given, you just sound anxious. You're NOT schizophrenic! Hope this helps :D

[swajj]

If you were psychotic or had schizophrenia then you would act in a way that your significant others would notice and comment on. Stare at an escalator hard enough and it could appear to be going up when it is actually going down. I’m sure there is a name for those types of vision tricks but I can’t remember what it is.

[MyNameIsTerry]

You can look at my older posts and see that I use to be just like you. When I was 15 I was absolutely terrified of schizophrenia and I'd spend every waking moment obsessing over my sanity. Now that I'm 19 almost 20 I'm fine and haven't had those worries in what feels like forever. The advice everyone told me was simple and I'd get so angry when someone said it. It sounded to easy to be true but it worked. Just tell yourself "So what?" Because so what if you become schizophrenic? You can't stop it and you won't even know you're "crazy". From all the details you've given, you just sound anxious. You're NOT schizophrenic! Hope this helps :D

Glad to hear you've sorted this fear out, Nick :yesyes::yahoo: