All-Star Schizophrenia And Cheerleading

[gagecheer]

I've been thinking about trying out for a half year open team, but I've recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia. I don't know any schizophrenic cheerleaders so I was wondering if any of you do and if you think it would be safe. I don't go catatonic or anything, I just have hallucinations and mild delusions, what do you think?

 

[xtremeteal4life]

I think you need to talk to your dr first sweetie. Tell him (or her) that you'd like to continue your athletic endeavors and when he/she asks what you do, be sure to tell them EVERYTHING involved with regards to this sport, and tell him/her your concerns. For example, "will I be able to tumble w/o hallucinating", is it safe for me to base another girl if I suffer from mild delusions and possibly hallucinations, etc.?
Please talk w/your dr first though!

 

[njallday]

I'm with @xtremeteal4life - definitely talk to your doctor and maybe even bring a video of a routine (some doctors just don't realize everything all star cheer entails.) if you are going to be starting any medications, I would also give your body some time to get used to them and any side effects. You don't want to be holding someone over your head the moment you realize it makes you dizzy/nauseous/vomit/etc.

That's not to say its impossible, we just want you to be safe :)


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[cheermommaRN]

Also keep in mind the atmosphere of a cheer competition in regards to amount of people, lighting, loud music, ect.
What do your parents think about it?


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[gagecheer]

Thank you guys, I go back to the doctor next week so I'll definitely talk to him about it. My mom seems to think that it won't be a problem, but I'm not as confident.

 

[L5cheermom]

Schizophrenia, like many psychiatric disorders, exists within a spectrum. There is a wide variety of functionality associated with that diagnosis. One very significant factor in how a patient is able to function normally is how compliant they are with their treatments. I agree that a discussion with you doctor is important as is your commitment to do EVERYTHING he/she recommends in order to stay well. Good luck


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[laughAlittle]

wish you luck on learning some more information! keep us updated : )

 

[gagecheer]

I'm trying to get in this week, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to because of the holiday. I'll definitely keep everyone updated!

 

[quietmom]

You absolutely need to talk to your doctor first. I would strongly suggest you find a gym with a special needs team. Not because you need to be on one, but because those gyms are most likely to work with and have experience with athletes of all abilities, developmental levels, behavioral levels, and medical needs. The staff is more likely to be sensitive and understanding to your issues. @ACEDAD would be a good resource for finding a gym with a special needs team near you. Start off small. Do tumbling lessons and get a feel for the gym before you join a team. You and your mom should go to some competitions before you commit to a team so that you can see what happens there and get a feel for the noise levels. Competitions can be very overstimulating and exhausting. You need to make sure that will not be a trigger for you. I also strongly think you should get used to the medications and how they interact with your body. Best of luck! :)

 

[ACEDAD]

I'll be glad to do what I can. Tag me here or email me at [email protected]

 

[MomMomMamaMom]

Depending on your symptoms and if you elect to take medications, high levels of All Star Cheer could present a lot of challenges for you. The side effects of most of the medicaitons include rapid heart beat, extreme drowsiness and dizziness, all of which would be tricky while trying to stunt and tumble. These are also frequently side effects of some ADHD medicaitons, and I have personally known people who take these meds and do fine in all star cheer. But keep in mind, that when you ask a doctor if you can cheer, he/she will most likely not know what is entailed in Allstar as compared to "side line" cheer and you will want to make sure that they know what the differences are. Also make sure to mention what is stated above regarding flashing lights, pounding music, overstimulation etc... so you can be sure if any of them are triggers for you. If you choose to take medications, they may suggest you take some time to adjust before starting anything new.

 

[gagecheer]

Thank you, everyone. I talked to my doctor today and since he was switching up some of my meds he told me to wait at least 2 weeks to make sure I know how it effects me. He told me that I need to make sure my coaches understand that if I start to get dizzy I really need to sit out for a minute and that I should only be around the competition floor when mandatory as stress, and loud noises have proven to be triggers for me in the past. He seems to think that if I have a hallucination I can ignore it long enough to get the job done. I have done all star cheer in the past but that was before I started having symptoms, and now that I'm 19 there's only one gym in my area to go to. I'm hoping they can work with me on this, it's something I really want to do.