Preoccupation - Day 4 of "100 Symptoms"
Channel: nednednerB the Schizophrenic
Date: 25/03/2019

How can you "preoccupy" a paranoid schizophrenic? (Hint: wait for it...)
What does "preoccupation" mean?

Individuals with psychotic disorders often present to others as "preoccupied." For instance, some topics in conversation seem to come up to me persistently. I recognize that some people sometimes find me to be a little stuck on certain topics. That's what preoccupation means: before anything else is said, other static subjects can already take centre stage in a person's thoughts, and one is likely to bring them up regardless of the discussion at hand.

Specifically in my experience, I often address an issue being discussed by generalizing to "global issues" and "social problems at large." It used to be worse, and it used to alienate family and friends. I do find myself still technically preoccupied by several trains of thought, but I find socialization and self-analysis to have given me something of a useful filter. I pay more attention to the topic and speak slowly, less off the tip of my tongue.

Ask any questions in the comments below if you seek clarification. Open for discussion!

I have schizophrenia every day. Even though I was diagnosed in early 2000s, I experience and manage symptoms daily.

I believe I can come up with a new one every day for at least a hundred days! Join me as I have as much fun as I can exploring my mental health situation, while you can learn more about what we all go through.

Mental health issues affect millions of people. We are each unique, while we also share behaviour and perceptions that medical and psychiatric science usefully categorizes. Schizophrenia, schizo-affective disorder, and bipolar disorder are some of those categories.

Seemingly countless symptoms, or really, are they countless? I will now start recording and publishing one hundred days of brief videos touching on a specific symptom in my own lived experience.

Please share this video! Also, you can support my work:
Check my page out on Patreon.com/nednednerb __
#schizophrenia #psychosis #livedexperience #livingwithmentalillness #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness