3 Hidden Struggles of Living With 'High-Functioning' Schizophrenia

Many of us wake up in the morning and face the day with invisible weights on our shoulders. We manage to get through the day somehow without anyone knowing something is wrong.

I’ve been diagnosed with schizophrenia and there are many things I was not prepared for as time went on. Here’s a few things other people may not know about being “high-functioning” with an “invisible” disorder.

1. The fact no one else can tell is sometimes too much.

They’ll equate it to a “bad day,” not realizing it’s every day for you. The inability to truly relate to someone can often leave you lonely and feeling misunderstood.

2. You’ll quietly deal with things that no one else really knows about.

This morning, I woke up to a hallucination of dead bodies of humans and dogs. At first, I believed I was dead, too. I had to talk myself through this because I had to get to a lesson and then work a nine-hour shift. I quietly tried to deal with ongoing hallucinations while also trying to smile at work. Many of you may deal with things like that, or physical pain. It is not easy for anyone.

3. People might not believe you.

My mother had lupus and because she didn’t “look sick,” no one believed her. Because I am not sitting, muttering and drooling, no one believes me. Many of you may have been told things like “you’re faking” or “you’re lying.” What you are experiencing is very real and you are not being “dramatic” or “negative.”

There are many things we’ll all face day to day in a battle to merely exist that the world will never comprehend. This I tell you now, you are not alone.

You are valid and you are amazing.