More threads by HA

HA

Member
I appologize if I have said anything that anyone has found hurtful or offensive. If I do so in the future I hope that people will speak up and question what I have said or let me know that it bothers them.

It's difficult for me to talk about or debate the antipsychiatry views. It's too painful. This view comes up a lot in schizophrenia topics. Sometimes it is because of symptoms (my son has believed that psychiatrists are trying to take over the world by using medication) which are frightening and believable to the person. Sometimes it is people trying to sort out their experiences and their pain, like the rest of us, and sometimes it is professionals who for whatever reason follow this philosophy.

We would never consider standing in front of families with autism and telling them that their loved ones condition is due to their parenting or society/culture even though we don't have a definitive cause for autism. We used to say that to parents but the public is more educated and has been exposed to people with autism through the media and literature. We still say this or wonder about it where schizophrenia is concerned though.

My family certainly has had many bad experiences with mental health professionals and medication. I could write a book about it. In the end, it is the mental health profession that has given us the most healing and hope. What has been most harmful for my family has not been the evils of psychiatry but the inability to access the treatment it has to offer. This inability to acess treatment has taken more of a toll on our family than the illness itself.

My exhusband was not diagnosed with bipolar until a year after my son was diagnosed with schizophrenia. His diagnosis came too late. The inability to get his son treatment has taken the greatest toll on him. He is now on disability from the stress. My sons father has good insight into his illness and since he has had a full assessment and good medication says, "Now I know what normal is. I have lived in a fog my entire life until now", and he is saddened that he was not diagnosed and treated earlier.

Then there is my son's sister, grandparents, cousins, aunts......who were all very affected by seeing someone they love suffer without treatment and having their hands tied to help him.

If all of us who have been touched by schizophrenia can talk about our experiences both good and bad, in public, without shame, that is how stigma will be reduced and more understanding and support will be forth coming.

It is those with schizophrenia who have experienced fulfilled lives and talk about their expereinces that reduce stigma. It is also those who are experiencing a great deal of disability that talk about their struggles and experience that will reduce stigma.

I have experienced some of the negative aspects of untreated schizophrenia, I hope that I can learn how to talk about these experiences in public, without creating more fear and stigma. I hope to be able to provide support and receive support, with others, who are travelling this journey in life.

Cheers anyway
Judy
 
I just wanted to say thanks for sharing what you have. I have not been through what you're going through so I cannot even imagine how hard it must be.

I agree with this: "In the end, it is the mental health profession that has given us the most healing and hope."

I don't have experience with schizophrenia. I have struggled with many mental problems since I was a child and I feel so bad about putting my family through things that I have. And the stigma is hard. People thinking that you can just somehow make yourself better is hard. I always want it to be that easy, but it isn't.

I hope that you will keep sharing here and I hope that you will feel support too.

I hope I am not out of line here because I have no experience with schizophrenia.

Janet
 
Judy, I would like you to keep posting on these forums. As a person who has family experience with schizophrenia as well as my own mental health issues, your input is important. Please don't let the views of others bring you down. In a free and open society we are allowed to disagree, as well as voice our disagreement. Stand up for what you believe in and you will be that much better for it.
 

HA

Member
Janetr,

Thanks for your support! It is true that one of the main problems with stigma is that people think those dealing with mental health problems can just pull up their socks if they wanted to. Don't we all wish it was that easy. If it was, then we would not have any mental health issues. I don't think there is one person on this forum who would want themselves or their family and friends to have a mental health problem. Mental health problems are not chosen by people.

I don't know your family, Janet, but the families I have met have been frustrated by not knowing how to make things better for their loved ones. I'm sure your family loves you and only want what's best for you. Most families would not want you to further burden yourself with their pain. They will survive and it is important to know that family members go through various stages of emotional responses to illness in their loved ones too.

I am one of many family members who teach a peer led Family Education course on mental illness. I will post some information about this program that is available in some provinces in Canada. Your family may want to take it.

Please feel free to come to this board and ask questions or post your thoughts.


Steve,

Thanks for your advise. I do need to stand up for myself without falling over. I'm getting there.

I'm no stranger to the anxiety and depression that comes from stress. At one particularily stressful time, I had said to my son's father, "I'm surprised that I don't have a mental illness myself after dealing with this". He replied "You do". :~}

It is true that mental illness is very much just a part of being human. It's just that some get more of it then others!

Lets get on with the support part that this website was meant to be.

Cheers
Judy
 
Thanks, Judy.

:)

I don't know if it is like this for people who have schizophrenia, but I blame myself a lot for not being able to just get over this. I feel angry at myself for not being able to just paste on a smile and go on without all this pain. And so many people suffer from these problems that it seems the stigma would go away, but it doesn't.

Janet
 
David Baxter said:
Janet:

I just had a look at the Photography link in your signature.

You have a good eye!

Aghh! Thanks! I am such a dork. I put it in the wrong place and didn't realize it would show up on all my posts.

I enjoy, actually LOVE photography and taking pictures of nature and animals. It's fun and if someone enjoys them then that's even better. I live in fear though of the old, dead tree falling over. It makes such a nice foreground for sunset pictures.

:)
 

HA

Member
I enjoy, actually LOVE photography and taking pictures of nature and animals. It's fun and if someone enjoys them then that's even better. I live in fear though of the old, dead tree falling over. It makes such a nice foreground for sunset pictures.

Well, your love of photography certainly shows in your photo's, Janet. They are beautiful.

I was so excited when I was given a very "good" digital camera. After spending money on a card reader and then a new card, I realized it was obsolete! Arghh. I have a small collection of antique cameras starting with the Brownie that my parents had when I was a child. The digital camera is going on the shelf with the others. The first antique digital camera. Sheesh.

I really wanted to take pictures of my two new kittens and they are sitting on that camera with no way for me to get them off unless I spend more money. I would have to buy the cable, which can only be used for this camera from Olympus. Which I won't do.

Happy Snapping,
Judy
 
Thanks, Judy. :)

That is too bad about the camera. I haven't gone digital yet. It's a little scary to me. Plus I'd probably just lose all the pictures anyway. :O

:)
 

HA

Member
Janet,

I'm not a photographer but have an interest for the purpose of saving memories and I appreciate good photography like yours. I think you would really get a lot from a digital camera. You can take a picture over and over and over until you get what you want. You just keep erasing the ones you don't like!

Cheers
Judy
 
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