I was hospitalized three times while suffering from mental illness. Each time, I had different needs and different levels of insight into my condition. It sometimes felt like I was being guided to different destinations along a journey to recovery. Denial: I am not sick, and I don’t fit in here. My first stay in […]
Schizophrenia and My Wish List
When I was homeless, I regularly entered an abandoned building and slept there during the night. I considered the building’s unlocked side door to be miraculous provision from God because my thinking was confused due to mental illness. Sneaking into an open side door made more sense to me than asking for help from anyone. […]
Experiencing Schizophrenia: Disclosure
I am very grateful for the many kind people in my life who encouraged me after I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Many of my parents’ friends took the initiative, treating me like I was no different than any other person, and ignoring my medication-induced drowsiness and comatose appearance. Friends took me to lunch, on walks, and […]
Experiencing Schizophrenia: Mental or Physical?
Is schizophrenia a mental or physical illness? By definition, schizophrenia is a disease of the brain. It is both a mental illness and a physical illness. This distinction is not made with other diseases of the brain, such as Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease. It is also not made with brain tumors. Patients with these […]
Experiencing Schizophrenia: Violence
Frequently, I am asked about the relationship between schizophrenia and violence. Unfortunately, the media sensationalizes the mentally ill, often inaccurately portraying them as a threat. The reality is that being killed by a crazed stranger is less likely than dying in an earthquake, drowning in a bathtub, or being killed in a plane crash (1). […]
Experiencing Schizophrenia: Diagnosis
When I look back to the time when I was diagnosed with schizophrenia, I consider it to be both one of the worst times in my life, and also the time I am most grateful for. Being diagnosed with a mental illness, especially schizophrenia, can feel embarrassing. The fact that I had schizophrenia did not […]
Experiencing Schizophrenia: Labels
Many people with schizophrenia are especially careful to refer to themselves as persons “with schizophrenia,” and never “schizophrenic.” But even the term “schizophrenia” is associated with a great deal of stigma. Since 2007, the diagnosis “mentally retarded and developmentally disabled” (MRDD) has changed to “intellectually and developmentally disabled” (IDD) or simply “developmentally disabled” in many […]
Experiencing Schizophrenia: God
It is widely known that many patients suffering from mental illness become confused about God. Some experience delusions where they believe they are prophets or gods (or other people). I am friends with a bipolar university student who believed he was Jesus before beginning treatment. Today, on medication, he is scoring high grades and […]
Experiencing Schizophrenia: Stigma
I recently submitted this to “End the Stigma.” It can also be viewed on their website, here. After I graduated from the University of Cincinnati, I spent two years writing about my unexpected and full recovery from schizophrenia, which eventually became the book Mind Estranged. During those two years of writing, I spoke confidentially to groups of […]
Experiencing Schizophrenia: Homeless and Needing Help
I recently received this message from a nurse: I understand your goal of wanting everyone to have access to psychiatric evaluation/care, and to a large extent, I agree with you! But there are laws by which police and hospitals MUST abide, in order to protect every citizen. In order to be admitted to a psychiatric […]
