There's a lot about schizophrenia I don't understand.

I have tremendous respect for former therapist Daniel Mackler (who posts YT videos) and I'm curious about his approach to healing without antipsychotics. Knowing what I know about him, I'd imagine it's a trauma-focused, longer-term approach.

As a nursing student who sometimes works on psych wards, I would suggest trying to control positive symptoms, like delusions, through medication and/or psychotherapy, because I believe positive symptom control (especially during adolescence and young adulthood) is associated with better long-term functional outcomes, like employment, living independently, being married/partnered, etc.

I know it can be tough to find someone trustworthy. And I'd imagine that if I had schizophrenia I might feel attached to my symptoms and have some pause about trying to eliminate something that feels like a part of me. I'd probably try to honour/ preserve those symptoms in my memory (maybe through art or journaling), while trying to therapeutically address them for the sake of my bigger-picture life goals. On that note, maybe a peer (support, maybe self-identifying) group would be helpful, to hear perspectives from people who've been further down that road?

<3