A woman who is frequently asked how she knew she had schizophrenia has answered the question on TikTok, racking up 720,000 views.
To put it shortly, Mackenzie Salmonson, then 24, had no idea she was suffering from the chronic mental health illness that disrupts a person’s ability to think clearly, regulate emotions, make sound decisions, and connect with others. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates it affects 0.25 to 0.64 percent of the U.S. population.
With no family history of the illness, Salmonson, who lives in Dallas, Texas, thought her paranoia—which went from bad to worse—was completely reasonable.
The 26-year-old told Newsweek about the turbulent ordeal. She said: “At first, I thought I was being tracked, but then it escalated, and I believed I had a brain chip implanted.”
On August 3, Salmonson, using the TikTok handle @blinzo22, posted a clip titled, “How did I know I had schizophrenia? (I did not).”
In it, she described her experience with psychosis and, after referencing a brain chip, concluded, “That’s how you know.”
She told Newsweek: “When the symptoms first started, I felt less real and less connected to reality. This led me to believe I was dead.
“Then came paranoid thoughts, and I thought everything was a sign pointing me in the right direction from the universe. For example, I could be driving down the highway and see a casino advert saying ‘win big,’ and I’d think it was tailored specifically for me.”
Eventually, Salmonson stopped taking care of herself and dramatically lost weight.
She feared she was medically ill, but mental illness never crossed her mind.
Instead, she spent her $10,000 insurance deductible on tests for cancer, heavy metal poisoning, and multiple sclerosis.
“I got tested for everything under the sun,” she told Newsweek. “It was a very expensive journey, and doctors thought I was a medical mystery.”
She is now in medical debt and has another bill to pay, as she was hospitalized in May 2023 and diagnosed with schizophrenia.
She praises her social worker for her “genius” way of getting her to go to the hospital and receive the help she needed.
“I was on the phone with a social worker I found through a free community resource, and I told her about the brain chip. She tricked me,” she said.
“She said she knew what to do, and I was so grateful because I wanted to know why I had it. She convinced me to go to the hospital and then asked me to put the phone on triage.”
In another video, Salmonson details the above events, racking up 2.2 million views.
I’m schizophrenic, what convinced me to get help? #schizophrenic #schizophrenia #schizophreniaawareness #schizophreniaadvocate
She told Newsweek: “They had to get a court order to give me medication against my will, as I refused.”
Salmonson was hospitalized for around 50 days. During this time, she didn’t ask about her diagnosis.
“I went to a psychiatrist appointment, and she sat me down and told me. I lost my mind and thought my life was over. I feared I might end up homeless. That is so far from the truth,” she said.
Now living with her parents and working in sales for a mental health telehealth platform, Salmonson uses her online presence to advocate for mental health awareness.
“I feel proud of myself,” she told Newsweek. “I lost a year of my life—all of 25, I was experiencing all these symptoms—but I have gained so much insight and life experience.
“I thought I missed out on going back to school and progressing in my career, but I’ve gained empathy for people I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
“People online have said I don’t look like I have schizophrenia and think I’m making it up, but I’m sharing my story to break the stigma and raise awareness.
“Medicine has improved and people can now live with this illness. I don’t have active symptoms anymore and I can enjoy a full, normal life in recovery.”
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