Schizophrenia. The term used to describe many states of perception. If you believe delusions, see things that aren’t there, or hear voices in your head, you are deemed to be in a psychotic state. If this continues for years on end , it is diagnosed as schizophrenia. At least this has been my experience. You are admitted to hospital forcefully, and kept there until your mental faculties return. You are put on heavy anti-psychotic medication, something many patients disagree with. And you are expected to take it for life. At least , that has been my experience.
The core root of the problems are not investigated. At least, they weren’t by my psychiatrist. Promises are made, for instance, I was told I would be on this intramuscular xeplion injection for a year at most. Here I am two and a half years later, and I am still taking it monthly. The psychiatrists I have met with do not seem to believe in recovery from this disease. Yet online, there are lots of stories of recovery.
As a patient suffering from the disease, it is very confusing when you research it. One side are saying this, the other side are saying that, and nobody is saying who to believe. According to mainstream psychiatry schizophrenia is a degenerative brain disease that is genetically determined. But according to other studies, the antipsychotics are what is causing the degenerative effects, and the so called disease is nothing but a reaction to trauma the patient has been through in life. There are people saying that recovery is possible. And the only way to decide who is right is sifting through mountains of research and even then you will probably be left confused.
As a patient who has been admitted to hospital 5 times over the past 10 years, I have to say that the system needs changed. The intervention team coming to your house while you are psychotic and forcing you into their van, and into hospital is a very traumatic experience on its own. Then being kept in a ward with other patients that have unstable mental states is very scary. Being told that you can sign yourself in, but if you don’t you will be forcefully kept in there, is also , very confusing. Being treated like you are a criminal and locked up for losing your mind temporarily is not a pleasant experience.
Then comes the stigma surrounding mental illness. People often make fun of crazy people, you can hear references to it in most causal conversation, terms like, ‘your mental’ and ‘nut job’ are often fired around. People are scared of associating with a mental patient. Shows about serial killers don’t help either, since the killer is often schizophrenic. This creates a negative view of psychiatric patients in the eyes of this society. And it is the patients themselves that have to live with it.
Some see psychosis as a spiritual experience, and they are often happy , hearing helpful voices and staying positive about their ‘disease’. Those that are told it is an illness, often hear disrespectful and mocking voices putting them down, and feel at their wits end when everyone takes the psychiatrists view of the illness model. Theres no one to turn to in that situation. You tell your psychiatrist and they put your medication dosage up, you tell your friends, they don’t understand, they just think you need your meds. Patients can feel alone. Isolated and lost.
While there is no magic wand that will cure the disease, get rid of the stigma , fix up the mental health system and make people believe it is a spiritual matter rather than a disease, we must look at these issues and see what can be done. Psychiatry has come a long way since the middle ages, but a little known fact is that you can still be lobotomised. You have to consent, and a group of psychiatrists have to agree, but It is still practised.
What we can do as a people is explore ways to help patients cope with the disease, if that is believing that it’s a spiritual matter then so be it. Educate the population on the suffering involved with psychosis. Campaign to end lobotomies and other harmful medical practises involved with psychiatry and get the facts out there for patients to know the truth about the disease. Only then will we be able to cure or better treat schizophrenia, and psychosis.
I'm depressed myself. I do not wish anyone ... :( If it were not for internet, maybe I would not be in the world anymore.
UpVote Let it reach a lot of people.
Thanks for upvoting and commenting krutek90, i really appreciate the support. i am glad i reached you with this, and i hope you conquer your troubles, the internet is a life line to me too. have you read the art of happiness by the Dalai Lama? i am reading it now and it is helping me