Posts by Linda Hernandez

The real issue is that there aren't any actual recovery or rehabilitation centers available, let alone anything focused on breaking those habits..
It feels like most facilities exist just to restrain people and force them into what society labels "acceptable behavior"..

They all hide behind the excuse that someone might be a danger to themselves or others..

In that way, society punishes any behavior that doesn't fit the mold, starting from preschool all the way through adulthood..

To be honest, I don't truly understand what those symptoms feel like or what it's like to live with schizophrenia. I have a friend who deals with it, and I've seen her go through certain paranoid phases. I've witnessed how it can look, even if it wasn't quite like the episodes you described..

Besides, no two people on this planet are exactly alike, right?

What I'm trying to say is that I can't possibly know what you're going through. But I do believe things are incredibly difficult for you. Really difficult.

Are you mentally healthy? You likely are if you genuinely enjoy the company of most people you know, especially those closest to you, like your family and friends. Generally speaking, you actually like people and find yourself wanting to help an unhappy relative, friend, or coworker feel better rather than pulling away. You tend to live a life with minimal stress, laugh often, and rarely accept pain as an inevitable part of existence the way so many others do. You embrace life and have no trouble accepting that people are different from you. The last thing you'd ever think to do is criticize someone or try to force them to change. You find creativity in your pursuits and discover you can reach your full potential far more easily than you ever imagined. Finally, even when things get tough—and let's face it, nobody can be happy all the time—you understand exactly why you're feeling down and take steps to address it. Even someone living with a physical disability, much like the legendary actor Christopher Reeve, can still meet all these criteria.
William Glasser ("Psychiatry Can Be Dangerous to Your Mental Health")

Hi briskgull27!
It’s wonderful that you’ve already crossed paths with William Glasser. I just started his book yesterday, and honestly, one of the first things that caught me off guard was his take on brain chemistry. He argues—and it isn't just his opinion—that there's actually zero scientific evidence proving that psychosis is caused by some kind of biological or chemical dysfunction in the brain. He claims the brain itself is perfectly fine, and that the idea of chemical imbalances is just an old, scientifically unproven (unmeasurable) concept. Apparently, modern psychiatry clings to these ideas simply because they don't know any better, and because Big Pharma makes massive profits off the medication.
According to him, the only true mental illnesses are things like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, or epilepsy, but schizophrenia, depression, or bipolar disorder? Not according to him.

His perspective is that schizophrenia might just be one way a person copes with their own misfortune. He explains the reasoning behind those specific symptoms later in the book, so I haven't reached that part yet, but he seems quite certain. He even insists that recovery is possible and that anyone can achieve what he calls "mental health" if they put in the work (he even claims to have helped many people find healing without meds).

He bases his whole theory on relationships. He argues that our happiness or misery stems directly from our connections with the people closest to us, so that's where we should focus our efforts. I'm going to scan his definition of mental health later; I'm genuinely curious to see how few people would actually qualify as mentally healthy under his criteria!:-)

By the way, he doesn't suggest stopping medication abruptly or on your own, as that could be dangerous. He believes therapy is essential and is highly critical of the modern psychiatric view that therapy is useless for those on antipsychotics.

I truly believe we all have the capacity to invest in our own improvement; the struggle is just knowing how. With physical health, there are endless tips and guides available. But with schizophrenia, the biggest hurdle is the stigma and the general consensus that nothing can be done. Once you label something and box it in, doesn't the possibility of changing or understanding it start to fade?

It seems clear that the current system isn't working, and perhaps for some, this status quo is actually quite convenient.

It’s me again with another book recommendation! I’m actually holding it right now and thinking it might be worth your while. Since my schedule is a bit tight lately and I can't spend much time on the forums, I figured I'd just share this shortcut...

I’m not sure if you’ve come across it yet, but you might want to look it up.

Sending my best wishes!!

Here’s a link to a great book. The author is fascinating; his perspective feels quite liberating, and he offers a really unique theory regarding schizophrenia..

It's truly intriguing.. why not take a look?

http://laplaza.org/~paxton/Mexican/s...nt_SADRZAJ.htm