Recent reports from the BBC highlight the complexities of helping
people with psychotic illnesses – specifically schizophrenia, live symptom free
and positive lives.
The first story “NHS ‘failed’ overcannibal killer” presents
an all too common media response to the extremely rare and thus somehow
newsworthy bizarre homicide involving a person suffering from a mental disorder
and the problems encountered in better understanding and assisting such
individuals from people working within the mental health system. While better
training and more careful assessment procedures are in and of themselves
important, it is hard to see what such news stories accomplish – except to
perpetuate the stigma against people living with a mental illness and those who
treat them.
The other story “Embracing the darkvoices within” describes the approach (one that is unencumbered by
evidence) of a person described as psychologist Rufus May. What I can glean
from this story is that the so called treatment involves getting in touch with
your psychosis (voices) in the absence of medication. Oh dear – here we go
again. This is nothing new and we have seen the chaos and destruction of lives
and families that such idiotic ideologies have created in the past. Those of us
old enough to remember the psychoanalytic schools of living through the
psychosis or the negative impacts of community circles or the strange world
views expressed by the popular “philosopher” R.D. Laing in his books: Bird of
Paradise and Politics of Experience or the sad “treatment” described in the
novel “I Never Promised You A Rose Garden” shudder when we see history
repeating itself.
Schizophrenia is a highly complex and disabling
brain disorder often striking in the teen years. We have good evidence on how
to provide treatment – evidence based on solid science and many years of
improvements and the integration of biological, psychological, social,
vocational and civic engagement strategies to promote recovery. Regressing into
the darkness of the uninformed past is not news – just as the rare and bizarre
homicide is not news. Neither serves the better understanding of mental illness
and its optimal treatment.
I would really like to see some stories about
how young people have coped with and overcome their disability. I would really
like to see some stories about how families have struggled with the adversities
wrought by the illness – and have come out on top. I would really like to see
some stories about the human relationship between care providers and those
living with the illness – the relationships that have gone on for years and
have provided the basis for recovery and success. Now, who can we find to write
those stories for the BBC?
-Stan
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