Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that affects less than one percent of the U.S. population. When schizophrenia is active, symptoms may include psychosis, delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, trouble with thinking, and/or disorganized motor behavior, among others.
Psychosis refers to a set of symptoms characterized by a loss of touch with reality due to a disruption in the way that the brain processes information. When someone experiences a psychotic episode, the person’s thoughts and perceptions are disturbed, and the individual may have difficulty understanding what is real and what is not.
(Definitions from the American Psychiatric Association.)
The Collected Schizophrenias by
Schizophrenia is not a single unifying diagnosis, and Esmé Weijun Wang writes not just to her fellow members of the 'collected schizophrenias' but to those who wish to understand it as well. Opening with the journey toward her diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder, Wang discusses the medical community's own disagreement about labels and procedures for diagnosing those with mental illness, and then follows an arc that examines the manifestations of schizophrenia in her life. In essays that range from using fashion to present as high-functioning to the depths of a rare form of psychosis, Wang's analytical eye allows her to balance research with personal narrative.
The Edge of Every Day by
Marin Sardy's memoir traces the path of the schizophrenia that runs in her family. Against the starkly beautiful backdrop of Anchorage, Alaska, where the author grew up, Marin Sardy weaves a fearless account of the shapeless thief--the schizophrenia--that kept her mother immersed in a world of private delusion and later manifested in her brother, ultimately claiming his life. Composed of exquisite, self-contained chapters that take us through three generations of this adventurous, artistic, and often haunted family, The Edge of Every Day draws in topics from neuroscience and evolution to the mythology and art rock to shape its brilliant inquiry into how the mind works. In the process, Sardy casts new light on the treatment of the mentally ill in our society.
The first episode of psychosis: a guide for young people and their families by
The book covers a range of topics essential for young people and families facing the challenges of psychosis. Topics covered include early warning signs, symptoms, types of primary psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and schizophreniform disorder, evaluation, treatment, and healthy lifestyle choices. Worksheets helps readers to track and better understand their own experiences, and to openly communicate with care providers. Optimistic, practical, and recovery-oriented, The First Episode of Psychosis will help young people and their families take an active, informed role in their care as they take steps towards achieving their goals.
Surviving Schizophrenia, 7th Edition by
In clear language, this much-praised and important book describes the nature, causes, symptoms, treatment, and course of schizophrenia and also explores living with it from both the patient's and the family's point of view. An indispensable guide for those afflicted by schizophrenia as well those who care for them, Surviving Schizophrenia covers every aspect of the condition and sheds new light on an often-misunderstood illness.
In this video, we share a compilation of answers from people who are living with schizophrenia to the question, "What do you wish people knew about schizophrenia?"
This video provides information on psychosis and available resources to help.
Psychosis is not one disease but a symptom that can occur in many psychiatric and also medical disorders. Dr. Oliver Freudenreich, Co-Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Schizophrenia Clinical and Research Program and Director of the MGH Fellowship in Public and Community Psychiatry, will describe our current concept of psychosis so providers can better recognize a psychotic patient.
Welcome to our new series, Talking with People Living with Schizophrenia! Join Lauren, Vicki, and Peter as they discuss topics concerning what it's like to live with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.
At 23 years old, David Harewood had a psychotic breakdown and was sectioned. As he puts it, he ‘lost his mind’. On World Mental Health Awareness Day 2017, David took to Twitter and spoke publicly about his experiences for the first time. He was overwhelmed by the response. Now David wants to tell the full story – to piece together what happened to him and help other people understand what it is like to experience psychosis.
"Is it okay if I totally trash your office?" It's a question Elyn Saks once asked her doctor, and it wasn't a joke. A legal scholar, in 2007 Saks came forward with her own story of schizophrenia, controlled by drugs and therapy but ever-present. In this powerful talk, she asks us to see people with mental illness clearly, honestly and compassionately.
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