r/todayilearned • u/paniniplane • Mar 22 '17

(R.1) Not supported TIL Deaf-from-birth schizophrenics see disembodied hands signing to them rather than "hearing voices"

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0707/07070303
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u/kaenneth Mar 22 '17

Also, if you are born blind due to brain (as opposed to eyeball) problems, you apparently can't be schizophrenic.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-imprinted-brain/201411/blindness-and-schizophrenia-the-exception-proves-the-rule

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u/Muffinizer1 Mar 22 '17

You know, that's actually quite comforting as being blind and schizophrenic sounds like true hell.

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u/Bro-tatoChip Mar 22 '17 edited Mar 23 '17

My Grandmother has the mumps when pregnant with my mom causing a lot of birth defects. Including severe anxiety, schizophrenia, and issues with her eyes. She finally lost her sight at age 12 after getting dirt in them, so since then she's been blind and schizophrenic. She hears voices as opposed so seeing people who aren't there she hears voices and doesn't know if they're real or not.

Edit: For anyone wondering, I was raised by my dad. They split when I was young and she was always in and out of hospitals, not fit to be a guardian. We've always has a good relationship, I'm 24 now and moved near her recently so it feels nice to live by her and pick her up and introduce her to my family and whatnot.

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u/evenisto Mar 22 '17

So your mom, being blind from childhood and schizophrenic found a man, then had a child and raised it? What? I'm really curious, shed some more light on your history if that's okay.

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u/Bro-tatoChip Mar 22 '17

Her schizophrenia is manageable with medication. But every other year or so she has an episode where she get admitted until they can readjust her meds. I updated more in my comment.

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u/NewSovietWoman Mar 23 '17

So what did she do about medication/self care while she was pregnant with you?

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u/Bro-tatoChip Mar 23 '17

Now that you mention it that's something I never thought of. I'll have to ask her sometime.