I found this excellent article extremely hopeful. And sad at the same time. It talks about what appears to work in the treatment of schizophrenia. And why the United States doesn't use these techniques in the way it is needed. Here is the article: http://huff.to/1OxOjM8 The title is: "Stop the Madness." And that is exactly what it is about. How can medical science stop schizophrenia? What have we learned about the way that the schizophrenic brain functions that can be used to make the lives of those living with this horrible disease more functional? I have seen the impact. As I've said, when I went looking for answers about what happened with Maxine, I was told that there was a possibility of schizophrenia. As I watched my Mom sit on the couch and smoke cigarettes, while gazing off into the distance for hours and hours...what was going on in her mind? Was she hearing voices? If so, what did those voices tell her? Is that why she was convinced her children were 'sluts' and her husband was 'queer'? Is that why she was suspicious of most of the people around her? Of course, I don't really know. There was never a diagnosis. My Mom was twenty-six years old when I was born. And she was in her thirties by the time her symptoms were obvious. Schizophrenia tends to start at a younger age than that. And did she actually have a psychotic break? When did it happen?
When I worked professionally, I saw actual diagnosed schizophrenia. I've spoken about a client who started showing symptoms in her early 20's. And by the time that I worked with her (mid 30's), she was pretty much incapable of functioning in a 'normal' way. She wasn't cooperative with medication. (She hoarded medication instead of actually taking it.) She was frequently hospitalized. And, of course, there was no possibility of creating enough recovery so that she could function in a job. What this article talks about is the fact that the earlier you catch the schizophrenia and the more comprehensive the services provided, the more likely you are going to be able to see sustained improvement. If you are able to catch a person with a combination of medication, case management, therapy, and support....you might even be able to create a future. And that is pretty much what I have spoken about in this blog.
Here is the catch: In order to do this, you have to treat mental illness for what it is. It is a biochemical disease. Actually, in order to treat it, you have to recognize that it is something pretty similar to physical disease. You also have to catch it quickly. If you wait until the person has had multiple psychotic breaks, it might already be too late. The reason this is important? Because at a certain point, the voices become entrenched. There are stages to this mental illness. Just like with cancer. And if you've reached stage 4....there is little chance of change. Like I said, this article is hopeful. And it is also a discussion of why treatment for schizophrenia is hopeless in this country. Why? Because we don't treat mental illness like it is the biochemical and physical disease that it is. Stigma has led us to believe that it is something that people choose. Even with changes in the availability of insurance as a result of the Affordable Care Act, mental illness isn't treated comprehensively. Mental health care is an after-thought with most insurance plans.
When I think about my former client and Maxine, I recognize what a waste it was to not have adequate treatment. Two lives lost. Two lovely women who were forever scarred by their disease. My Mom didn't have a chance. And neither did my client. The irony is that they were both absolutely wonderful women underneath the disease. Maxine was a gift to me. Even severely and chronically mentally ill. And so was my client. Both of them were funny. Both of them were sweet underneath it all. Both of them were talented. So much potential forever gone. Isn't it time we change this? What do you think? Sending lots of love......
Please read the article. This will help you understand quite a bit......
When I worked professionally, I saw actual diagnosed schizophrenia. I've spoken about a client who started showing symptoms in her early 20's. And by the time that I worked with her (mid 30's), she was pretty much incapable of functioning in a 'normal' way. She wasn't cooperative with medication. (She hoarded medication instead of actually taking it.) She was frequently hospitalized. And, of course, there was no possibility of creating enough recovery so that she could function in a job. What this article talks about is the fact that the earlier you catch the schizophrenia and the more comprehensive the services provided, the more likely you are going to be able to see sustained improvement. If you are able to catch a person with a combination of medication, case management, therapy, and support....you might even be able to create a future. And that is pretty much what I have spoken about in this blog.
Here is the catch: In order to do this, you have to treat mental illness for what it is. It is a biochemical disease. Actually, in order to treat it, you have to recognize that it is something pretty similar to physical disease. You also have to catch it quickly. If you wait until the person has had multiple psychotic breaks, it might already be too late. The reason this is important? Because at a certain point, the voices become entrenched. There are stages to this mental illness. Just like with cancer. And if you've reached stage 4....there is little chance of change. Like I said, this article is hopeful. And it is also a discussion of why treatment for schizophrenia is hopeless in this country. Why? Because we don't treat mental illness like it is the biochemical and physical disease that it is. Stigma has led us to believe that it is something that people choose. Even with changes in the availability of insurance as a result of the Affordable Care Act, mental illness isn't treated comprehensively. Mental health care is an after-thought with most insurance plans.
When I think about my former client and Maxine, I recognize what a waste it was to not have adequate treatment. Two lives lost. Two lovely women who were forever scarred by their disease. My Mom didn't have a chance. And neither did my client. The irony is that they were both absolutely wonderful women underneath the disease. Maxine was a gift to me. Even severely and chronically mentally ill. And so was my client. Both of them were funny. Both of them were sweet underneath it all. Both of them were talented. So much potential forever gone. Isn't it time we change this? What do you think? Sending lots of love......
Please read the article. This will help you understand quite a bit......
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