Dr. Phil and Schizophrenia.

[DawnCt1]

I have been watching the "trailers" this week advertising Dr. Phil's inteview with a schizophrenic woman and frankly, I almost felt that it was exploitive. I have just finished watching the first 20 minutes and I think that he has done a remarkable job. The woman he has interviewed is obviously doing well. Her affect appears fine, she is articulate and can describe her symptoms very well.
I think the point that she was able to get across is that the symptoms, delusions and the hallucinations she has are as "real" as her reality. I hope that this will be helpful when people say that Andrea Yates knew what she was doing was wrong and yet she did it. It illustrates that the voices for the schizophrenic are more demanding and threatening than any consequence that society has to offer.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

The woman he has interviewed is obviously doing well. Her affect appears fine, she is articulate and can describe her symptoms very well.

And still, probably not a good canidate to be given the task of Homeschooling and raising 5 children under the age of 7.

 

[tinkerrn]

I want to stress to all who read that mental illness is a very serious matter!
Having schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, depression, etc.. is like having diabetes, hypertension, asthma, etc.. They need to be treated by a professional who specializes in their area of expertise. They are all diseases, they all affect functions of daily life, and all can be life threatening if not compliant with treatment. Compliancy with medication is a huge problem with all health problems, along with follow up treatment.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

Having schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, depression, etc.. is like having diabetes, hypertension, asthma, etc..

No actually it is not just like diabetes, hypertension or asthmas. I can't think of any asthma patients who have gone on a murder rampage after not following their prescribed treatment.

I certainly haven't seen her in recent years, but I have to suspect Andrea Yates is receiving far better care as an incarcerated guest of The State of Texas than she ever got while living with her husband.

She needs to stay where she is.

 

[DawnCt1]

No actually it is not just like diabetes, hypertension or asthmas. I can't think of any asthma patients who have gone on a murder rampage after not following their prescribed treatment.

I certainly haven't seen her in recent years, but I have to suspect Andrea Yates is receiving far better care as an incarcerated guest of The State of Texas than she ever got while living with her husband.

She needs to stay where she is.

I agree with you on all points. The first woman interviewed on Dr. Phil, who is holding a job, raising a child and functioning within her marriage, as well as she looks, and as much insight she has into her disease, is still ill. She has to focus not to hear the voices that are still there, even though she is optimally medicated. The woman that was featured in the second segment was an older woman with schizophrenic like symptoms. She became psychotic after the age of 40 with a lot of 'stressors' in her life. It is easy to see mental illness in a woman who gets messages from her refrigerator, is disheveled, rambling and paranoid. Its the person who responds to medication that often appears more consistantly in control than they are. I recall an addage that seemed to hold true; "No matter what the diagnosis, no one is crazy 24 hours a day".

 

[tinkerrn]

They are all diseases that need to be treated medically. I am not even bringing up Andrea Yates. That is where you are misleading the thread. I am just stating that mental illness is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly. They require medical treatment and are diseases, as diabetes and hypertension are. There is still a stigma among the ignorant about mental illness. You would be surprised at how many people are being treated for a mental illness; could be coworkers, family, even yourself. Compliancy with medication is a vital part of treatment, as is insulin with diabetes or an inhaler with asthma. If one is not compliant with their medication they start having hallucinations, delusions,or fall deeper into depression, etc.. If one who is diabetic does not follow their prescribed insulin, diet, medication, etc., they get very ill. Again, I am not making a political statment, just a medically professional one.

 

[SEAlla]

My ex boyfriend had schizophrenia (not while I was dating him... came on a couple of years later) He was on medication and everthing. He could tell you exactly what was happening to him and knew well enough that the voices weren't real, etc. He even told his parents that he wanted to be locked up because he was afraid he would hurt himself or someone else. They thought it was just another episode.

He ended up shooting his housekeeper in the head and then taking his own life.

I guess my point is, on the surface, or on a good day, they can appear normal, but it is an ongoing battle that will affect them for the rest of their lives.

 

[DawnCt1]

They are all diseases that need to be treated medically. I am not even bringing up Andrea Yates. That is where you are misleading the thread. I am just stating that mental illness is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly. They require medical treatment and are diseases, as diabetes and hypertension are.

You are absolutely correct. The primary reason for readmission to mental health facilities is due to failure to continue medication.

 

[tinkerrn]

My ex boyfriend had schizophrenia (not while I was dating him... came on a couple of years later) He was on medication and everthing. He could tell you exactly what was happening to him and knew well enough that the voices weren't real, etc. He even told his parents that he wanted to be locked up because he was afraid he would hurt himself or someone else. They thought it was just another episode.

He ended up shooting his housekeeper in the head and then taking his own life.

I guess my point is, on the surface, or on a good day, they can appear normal, but it is an ongoing battle that will affect them for the rest of their lives.

I am very sorry to hear about your ex boyfriend. It is a very devestating disease, that affects evryone around them. There is no 'quick fix' or 'magic pill' to cure schizophrenia. It is a disease that must be treated evry single day of their life. The problem is, sometimes they don't thik that way. They feel they are fine and stop taking their medication. Then you have some very dangerous and serious problems.

 

[DawnCt1]

He ended up shooting his housekeeper in the head and then taking his own life.

I guess my point is, on the surface, or on a good day, they can appear normal, but it is an ongoing battle that will affect them for the rest of their lives.

Excellent point. Of course its the minority that go on to become assaultive or homocidal. Most simple schizophrenics lead lives on the edge of society getting by.

 

[KAMLEM]

I guess my point is, on the surface, or on a good day, they can appear normal, but it is an ongoing battle that will affect them for the rest of their lives.

They are normal, they just have an illness. Would you say that someone with diabetes is not normal?

 

[SEAlla]

They are normal, they just have an illness. Would you say that someone with diabetes is not normal?

Ok maybe a poor choice of words...

"Normal" in the context of not being about the disease itself or the person with the disease more about the chemical imbalance it can create.

 

[tinkerrn]

Mnetal illness is an illness, it is an illness that must be treated. An insulin dependent diabetic has an illness that they must seek medically teatment for the rest of their lives. They must be treated as does a person diagnoised with schizophrenia. Granted they are very different illnesses. They become very sick; many are suicidal/homicidal. It is a very dangerous and delicate situation with many.

 

[froglady]

They are normal, they just have an illness. Would you say that someone with diabetes is not normal?

In a physiologic sense, diabetics are not normal. If they were, they wouldn't have a disease, and could lead a perfectly, physiologic speaking, life without any intervention. Some MAY be able to function untreated for decades, others start having adverse effects relatively early.

Normality, in this case, is having a perfectly functioning organ. Obviously, if you're only speaking of normality in a psychological sense, diabetics are normal, schizophrenics are not.

 

[SEAlla]

In a physiologic sense, diabetics are not normal. If they were, they wouldn't have a disease, and could lead a perfectly, physiologic speaking, life without any intervention. Some MAY be able to function untreated for decades, others start having adverse effects relatively early.

Thank you, Froglady. Very well said...

 

[DisneyPhD]

They are all diseases that need to be treated medically. I am not even bringing up Andrea Yates. That is where you are misleading the thread. I am just stating that mental illness is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly. They require medical treatment and are diseases, as diabetes and hypertension are. There is still a stigma among the ignorant about mental illness. You would be surprised at how many people are being treated for a mental illness; could be coworkers, family, even yourself. Compliancy with medication is a vital part of treatment, as is insulin with diabetes or an inhaler with asthma. If one is not compliant with their medication they start having hallucinations, delusions,or fall deeper into depression, etc.. If one who is diabetic does not follow their prescribed insulin, diet, medication, etc., they get very ill. Again, I am not making a political statment, just a medically professional one.

Very well said. Many times people with mental illness often feel resentful towards their medications and go off them. To explain that is a medcail condition that needs treatment the same as any other is helpful in understanding it. The stigma agaisnt it often lead to people who need and can greatly benifit from proper treatment not receiving it.

Saddly programs are being cut for treatment leading to making it more difficult to get and more people falling through cracks. Mental illness does not go away if we ignore it. The sad resluts show up in our emgergancy rooms, courts, prisons, morges. Only through education and treatment can we see improvments. The good news is there is good treatment programs there where people who do suffer from mental illness can lead very productive and satisfiying lives. The great majority of people who a mental illness are not volient or dangeours people. Alcholal and drug use makes it wrose (and most people with a untreated mental illness turn to this for self medication.) It also masks the signs and symptoms of it so people don't recive help because the substances alone are blamed for the problems.

Improvements in treatment (both medicaiton and programs such as ACT programs and other intensitve treatment centers) has changed the out come for many people with mental illness (and their family members). However if the stigma continues it is difficult to get treatment for people in need.

Education and undstanding can make a big difference in improving this.

Most people know a number of people who are being treated for mental illness with good results. It is the people who are not reciving treatment that is the major concern.

 

[KarenC]

I know a woman who has a schizophrenic son and who also lost her adult daughter to cancer. While she was devastated by her daughter's death, she said dealing with it wasn't as hard as dealing with her son's mental issues. I always thought there was nothing worse than losing a child (and so did she) but she found that wasn't the case.

 

[DawnCt1]

They are normal, they just have an illness. Would you say that someone with diabetes is not normal?

No because schizophrenia affects the way they enteract with family members and within society. The symptoms interfere with their ability to percieve the world and respond to it in an appropriate (normal) context. Schizophrenia affects about 1% of the population, which makes them "not normal". Diabetics have to adjust their diet, medication or insulin. That is the only thing that makes them "different". One could say however that their pancreas is not normal.