stress and schizophrenia?

the biggest problem for me being "schizophrenic" is that i have great difficulty dealing with stress. i don't hear voices normally but when i get really stressed out i can. its easy to stress myself out. for example i'm fine being a hermit staying at home most of the day maybe doing something in town and going for a walk. but if i do a lot of activities i get stressed out. and then i just feel uncomfortable. i'm really castious being around new people i dont know. i get anxious and up tight. i'm planning and becoming more acive in life but im also scared of the idea a little. i want to move to a bigger city where i dont really know anybody. but so i can play tennis, got to school and maybe find a job. but i remember the last time i tried i got really lonely and stressed which lead to an episode. i never want that to happen again.

im also planning on quiting smoking ciggarettes i've been smoking them for 8 months. they have seemed to help relieve the stress. whats your guys's experince and opinions on the benefits or the harms of smoking ciggarettes when having schizophrenia. also if you have any opinions or experiences about handling stress better and avoiding stress? but i guess at the end of the day stress is a part of life and maybe the only way to aviod it is to live like a hermit if your schizophrenic.

I can identify with you. When under stress, the symptoms come to the surface. The way I deal with them is reality checks. Are they really talking about me? Am I really in trouble for something?

Regarding smoking, a study has shown that smoking helps with the symptoms of SZ. Having said that, I am sure that I don't have to tell you that smoking is bad for your health. Quitting is a good idea.

Stress is definitely a trigger for me. The more stress I'm under, the more symptoms become a problem.

I also started smoking again recently. I smoke on and off - I've noticed when things get bad, I want to smoke.... I'm sure my pdoc told me that nicotine actually has beneficial effects with regards to schizophrenia (don't take my word for it though - I might be imagining that!!) but for sure smoking does terrible things to a person. I will be giving up again soon.

Smoking can affect the way some meds work. I do know that at least. Not an issue if you're managing without meds though....

Wow Isme, you are managing without meds! I am a little jealous. I can't get by without the meds because the negative symptoms and paranoid thoughts get to be too much. Last time I went off the meds, I ended up in the hospital for a couple of weeks. It is true that.

Here is an article about smoking and SZ. It says that smoking is more addictive for people with cognative disorders because it helps with some of the symptoms.

enjoy
http://www.schizophrenia.com/sznews/archives/003154.html

No... I'm not managing without meds. I still take them. Will have to until I figure out how to cope with this without them... if I ever do.

creative came off the meds three months or so ago though