My Guestbook

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Have you heard of a new antipsychotic called abilifi? The spelling might be incorrect.
fritz johnson <fjohnson@bjvs.k12.oh.us>
dover, oh Canada -

Happy new year to everyone seeing this message!
Estefania
Canada -

This is a great site! As a social work student who have great interest in working with people with various mental health concerns, I found your site very informative. As a sister of two young men (my two younger brothers, aged 21 & 24) with paranoid schizophrenia, I found your passages empowering. God bless you.
Nina <ninjayee@yahoo.com>
Hong Kong, HKSRA -

It was really interesting for me to find someone on the internet with schizophrenia with a website but it was also encouraging. You seem to be doing well and getting better and I only hope that it continues to go that way. I have a brother who is schizophrenic and has been now for about two year maybe less. He has gottan alot better since his treatment and since he's been home. I pray for him all the time and hope that it will go away or at least gets to where he will not have to depend on the medication. Thankyou for creating this website of yours and I hope to hear something back from you.
Arlethia Austin <ArlethiaAustin@ yahoo.com>
VA Canada -

thank you very much for making this web site and being able to share your story with the world. i am currently making a movie for my psychology class that is based on a track star with schizophrenia and also ocd. we want to show ppl more about the diseases and that they should not be treated any differently so thank you for your wonderful story and i wish you the best of luck.
annie <jospheena@hotmail.com>
wi usa -

muguoooooooooooo
suleman <MUGU@GUYMEN.MUGU>
Canada -

really good site!! it helped me find out alot of infor for a skool project!! you did good!!
Danniebananie
mb Canada -

I did a web evaluation over this site for my Honors Introduction to Psychology class. I gave you a glowing review b/c I think your site is exceptional!
Sara Carlson
Siloam Springs, AR USA -

I enjoyed the site, i am a 24 year old schizophrenic living in albany ny, it's good for me to hear other peoples stories and hear that other people recover and do well
R. B. Eaton <koffeefrk@aol.com>
Albany, ny US -

Great site!
Logosharx Logo Design
Sparta, WI USA -

I have a 13 year old son with schizophrenia. He tried Risperdal and Geodon, now he is on Clozaril. He can go to school parttime now. Hid under his desk for an hour today though. Snipers in the heating ducts. Like your site, thanks. Keep on keeping on, Charles
Charles Singer <singercharles@aol.com>
W. Des Moines, IA USA -

is there any schools for wizardry? desto
deston <desto1776@yahoo.com>
?, Wi USA -

Hi everyone. I would just like to thank this guest book for allowing ALL of us to leave our various types of messages … A BIG THANK YOU !! “ Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chance for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” … ALBERT EINSTEIN… Best to ALL! S. N.
Shakira Nackt
Canada -

i'm intrigued that chovil studied anthropology. i have had an interest in that since puberty, except it was crushed by an overlyzealous grandmother who ditated religion.
martin baiada <martin@icpoems.com>
hamburg, PA USA -

I stumbled upon your site while doing research on schizophrenia. I am doing my research paper on this topic, and I hope your page will help me.
Teresa <icthus9000@hotmail.com>
Canada -

Hello Ian. Hello everybody. (^_^)�©a Japanese face mark.(^^;;; Sorry, I'm not good at English. So, I can't read whole contents of this page. My pen name "Kenju" means a "Cynic" in Japanese. Hokkaido is a north island in Japan. I suffered schizophrenia about 20 years ago. Now I'm 41 years old. I have no auditory hallucination and systematic delusion. I think my characteristic symptoms are depersonalization and a sense of ruin. I know about 15 web sites written by the person of schizophrenia in Japan. And there are well over 100 web sites about schizophrenia in Japan. We must face a problem of poverty besides the illness. I don't think that the schizophrenia will be a person's "identity". So, I identify myself as a Cynic. I heard that the ancient Cynics thought that the human happiness didn't depend on one's luxury, one's political power, and even one's health. I think this thought is suitable for us. Recently, I got a job as a tutor of a junior high school student. So I restarted studying English. So it is glad that someone teach me English, or study English with me. It is welcomed to send me an E-mail if you have time to spare. I want to be a good reader of English web sites. Good luck! (^_^)/~
Kenju <kenju@d3.dion.ne.jp>
rural(^^;;;, Hokkaido Japan -

Thank you so much for sharing with the world the details of your schizophrenia. I am a film-maker currently doing a film about a boy who develops schizophrenia as a senior in high school, and whose symptoms and characteristics are similar to yours. Reading your site helped me to better understand the disease and therefore caused me to make some changes in my film. Thanks again, your testimony will not be forgotten.
David Gage
Greenville, SC United States -

stay away!!!!!!!!
femi <ff@ff.com>
lome, kpalime togo -

This is a supurb informitive sute. I would like to thank you for putting such a site together to inform people of the real truth, and let ignorant people see the truth. I am currently in college and am studying threatre studies. We are putting a practical piece together on schizophrenia. I would be awfully greatful if you could email me at semiblondie201@yahoo.co.uk I reall would be so much help if you do have the time.
Kristy <semiblondie201@yahoo.co.uk>
England, England -

Your sharing of your life journey with schizophrenia has opened the doors of this disability internationally for understanding and compassion. I acknowledge the pain and hardships you experienced as you struggled to gain control over this 'disease'. The academic community is indebted to your contribution in understanding the complexities of this conditon and bringing hope to those with this disability. I consider you a valuable colleague in the mental health profession. Joan
Joan Laschenski-Claypoole,LSW <jclaypoo@uphs.upenn.edu>
Phoenixville, PA USA -

I just wanted to say thank you for all of the information that you could provide through your website. I also wanted to wish you the best of luck and let you know that you aren't alone..... Thank you
Meghan <Tappymeg@msu.edu>
East Lansing, MI United States -

Thank you for making your page it helped me with my psychology paper a whole lot.
Lindsay <LindsHack85@aol.com>
IN USA -

Your Homepage is very useful and nicely designed. Greetings from Germany Gerd Wallmann
Yello <Webmaster@namewinner.de>
Hamburg, HH Germany -

Hey, I love your page. One of the very few with some real content.
Anime
Canada -

I'm in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Occupational Therapy Program and for my Pyschosocial Dysfunction class we were to find a personal article or story on disorders we are learning. I picked schizophrenia because I have always been interested in this and found your website and decided to do my assignment on you. I just wanted to thank you for sharing your experiences with everyone and I think it's great that you educating people in the seriousness of schizophrenia and I thought your website was wonderfully created. I hope everything is getting better for you and I think it takes a strong person to combat what you have done-thanks for your experience!
Tina Potrykus <sunfirehottie@msn.com>
WI United States -

I must commend you on the great work. keep sharing your experiences so others can help cheryl
Cheryl Sankar <cherylsankar@hotmail.con>
Trinidad &Tobago -

a great site, God Bless you and I hope you are well
john <johnfitzgibbons422@msn.com>
woc, ma usa -

This is a nice page. Keep it up that way! Greetings from Malaysia :-)
andre guard
kelantan Malaysia -

Ted Williams <tedtedted60@hotmail.com>
Auckland, AK New Zealand -

Dear Sir, My mother and sister-in-law both have schitzophrenia. I is likely that my 16 years old son could have it as well? Many Thanks, gerard mcdonagh
gerard mcdonagh <gerardmcdonagh@vodafone.ie>
n/a, eire ireland -

I came across your site while condcting research for a school paper on schizophrenia. I am very impressed by the vast nformation you have included,and love the fact that you have included your personal journey. It always helps to have a personal touch. Great work. Keep it up!
Georgia Niarchos
Montreal, PQ Canada -

Good site! Very well done indeed. Enjoyed it very much. Best wishes! :-)
Smsbomber
Canada -

I have corrected the statement to read "some Scandinavian countries". It was my psychiatrist who told me this. I found it a bit hard to beleive, but recently saw a tv show on the program they have in Holland for disabled people. The women who make love for a living visit the disabled men where they are living on a regular schedule.
Ian Chovil
Guelph, ON Canada -

Dear Ian, I too came accross your website and found the following sentence: 'In Scandinavia disabled people are allowed monthly visits to the state approved brothels'. This is not true: I am not aware of the situation in all the Scandinavian countries, but I know that Finland DOES NOT have state approved brothels even for disabled people. I hope you will correct the misinformation. Best wishes, Paula
Paula <mepani@uta.fi>
Tampere, Finland -

Hi. I happened to come across your website while doing research on schizophrenia for a school report. I am very interested in studying mental illnesses and someday specializing in them. I would love to help treat people like yourself. Your story was an eye opener for me. You went through a lot of hard times and you should be very proud of yourself for being where you are today. Your story encouraged any intentions that I had of being a doctor. Thank you for the inspiration...Amy
Amy <ae_010@hotmail.com>
Columbus, NE USA -

Hi. I happened to come across your website while doing research on schizophrenia for a school report. I am very interesting in studying mental illnesses and someday specializing in them. I would love to help treat people like yourself. Your story was an eye opener for me. You went through a lot of hard times and you should be very proud of yourself for being where you are today. Your story encouraged any intentions that I had of being a doctor. Thank you for the inspiration...Amy
Amy <ae_010@hotmail.com>
Columbus, NE USA -

HI I HAVE SCHIZOEFFECTIVE DISORDER I LIVE IN A CARTOON FILLED WORLD THAVE ESCAPED FROM THE TV RATHER INTERISTING LOTS OF VOICES TOO LOTS OF FUN THANKS RICKY
RICHARD L MINTER <carolm194@aol.com>
USA, AZ USA -

It's raining in Germany and it's a very bad weather. I surf and find your fantastic homepage, bookmarked it and will be back! Thank you for the resources. Keep up the good work! Greetings from Viren
Viren
Canada -

I am currently studying special education at Jacksonville State University, and in one of my classes we have talked about schizophrenia. I just wanted to let you know that your website has helped me understand lots of things that I didn't before. Thank you!
Mahala Godwin <mahalag1@bellsouth.net>
Jacksonville, AL US -

I am using this site as a reference on my report on schizophrenia, and I have found it very useful as well as an accurate window to what many schizophrenics go through. More people should know about this illness and you are certainly doing a wonderful job with the information. It's great to see that you are well, and I'll refer this site along with many others to friends and family. tnx~KL
AKA "Lillith"
United States -

Hi Ian I also have schizophrenia. Its nice to see that you are managing to live with your disease. I am probably in what could be called complete remission right now, although the electroshock that I had one year ago seems to have effectively killed my journalism career forever by getting rid of my creativity as well as the symptoms of my disease. Still, I am at university full time and working part time and doing well at both endeavours. I don't know why schizophrenia happened to me, but listening to all of the not so happy stories I know that God is giving me a chance. May he be as merciful to every one of you. There are a lot of us out there. One in one hundred. Every time you walk into a party, staff assembly, or Canada fireworks show, please remember that. One in one hundred. We're all out there, and no one remembers us as we watch from the darkness. If every person with schizophrenia had to wear an armband in support of mental health awareness, we would be amazed at the numbers. Canadian mental health policy has to take a new approach for us. They have to focus on supporting us in our everyday lives through general health promotion instead of waiting for a disastrous psychotic episode to strike before they offer help. Anyway, enough ranting! The very, very best wishes to you and all schizophrenics who read this. Jam
Jam
Canada -

There is a cure for schizophrenia. www.lakehamiltonbiblecamp.com. In the upper right hand corner under spiritual resources click Deliverance Manual. Than scroll down to the words View the Deliverance Manual here, click and read the entire manual. There is a section on schizophrenia. Also, there is a book online called war on the Saints. Typed the words war on the Saints in any search engine. Click the web site that says....War on the Saints-Contents, then Scroll down until you see the words War on the Saints ...click on the words War on the Saints in big letters at the top of the page or anywhere you see it. You can e-mail me. If you have questions. I will even talk to you on the phone. Helena Helena bayonne, nj usa -
helena <read_the_bible2001@yahoo.com>
bayonne, nj usa -

I am a chinese father and my daughter have gotten schizophrenia for three years. The first episode was in 1999, we treated her with risperidone, the effects were not good. After near one year we choised another old drug sulpiride, the most positive symptoms disappeared. But the negative symptoms still existed.In 2001's spring she relapsed. We added penfluridol the postive symptoms disapeared again.But now the crux is she deny taking the medications. What can I do? I eager to get your supporting now. Help me please because she will relapsed again in the spring! Thank you in advance for the trouble you are going to take for me, I am your sincerely Zhao Dongjiang My E-mail: zdjicu@sina.com
Zhao Dongjiang <zdjicu@sina.com>
Xinzhou City, Shanxi China -

thank you so much for starting this website. Im a student in Secondry school and im doing a project on your illness. I hope that your story will enlighten my class. Good luck in the future and again Thank You. Cat
Catrina
Cork, Ireland -

What a tremendous human being you are! And courageous! Keep up the good work.
Susan Slepski <sslepski@earthlink.net>
Chicago, IL USA -

What a beautifully put together website on something so relevant to our modern day society. I thank you for your very informative help, I am helping a friend that has this illness. My biggest fear is loosing my friend to suicide. It is heartwarming to see sites such as this one that help us to understand this illnes and therefore we can help others that have the illness. Best wishes for the future. Shazz
Sharon Ibbotson <sibbot10@tpg.com.au>
coffs harbour, NSW Australia -

Hello ,i just read your account and very helpful to read indeed.. My Girlfriend also suffers from the illness ,she is a 33 year old who has been diagnosed four years ago ,i have been with her two years now ,we met and i thought what a wonderful girl so softly spoken ,gentle and lovely.. ,Kistie has been rejected by her family they just tell her to grow up and stop being silly ,they are snobs personally speaking and for anyone to say anything about my Kistie i would be very angry..Kirstie also has`nt a friend on this earth what she was on her own i don`t think anyone spoke to her for long time very lonely ,i Love her.. Can anyone offer any advise to Kirstie and me ,she feels like ending it all cause of all the voices and paranoia ,she is on medications but feels whats the point any advise taken very well thankyou. brian collins sarsfield64@hotmail.com
brian collins <sarsfield64@hotmail.com>
belfast, UK -

Dear Ian, Thank you for sharing your story. It's heartbreaking to read that you compare your life to others and feel a lack of richness. I think you are a person of great character to have come through all that you have experienced. I hope you find solace in the fact that your website has touched so many people. You should be really proud of that.
Maril Murray
Canada -

I would like to thank you for portraying this web site for the public. I found your info very useful for my research paper.
Matthew
Pisgah, AL USA -

Well done on your website its good to see acceptance of living with the condition. My Mother has schitzhophrenia too which I have grown up with and lived through the experiences with her. Unfortunately she does not accept that she has the condition and therefore refuses to accept the medication or go to the doctor for help, probably more due to the fact of being in fear of being sectioned; which has happened twice now against her will. This also means she cannot claim the benefits she is entitled to because a doctor needs to sign her off. A bit of a catch 22 situation. I find this very difficult as it appears in the family that I am the only person helping either from fear of the symptons or not being able to cope due to mental illness problems themselves. I just hope I can hold out, I used drugs in the past and found that whilst on them I started to develop the same sort of conditions. For example voices in my head, telepathic thoughts etc. I am OK now as this was a few years ago however I still have frequent nightmares and a lot of anxiety from the whole thing. Maybe one day I will fully come to terms with it all, but the feeling of responsibility is immense. One thing I do know is that my mother is a very strong and she has overcome 2 lapses now. Also she has many artistic talents and her ability to understand other peoples emotions is incredible all be it she takes the whole worlds weight onto her shoulders. All the best for now and the future, and I would just like to say to all readers that either have Schitzophrenia or are related to somebody that is. You are not alone in the World with this, there are many others and remember the remarkable positive qualities that so many have.
Marc <mcolenski@hotmail.com>
Netherlands -

i liked this site. I think that it is great that you put all this info in one site so people can learn about this disease. I found it very useful for my report on schizophrenia
misty <babydoll_thestar@yahoo.com>
conway, ar north america -

just wanna say i hope you are ok...good site..
anna <as@darc-art.com>
preston, uk -

thanx lots im written a report on this disease
DeLainey <Gym07girl@yahoo.com>
mckinney, tx united states -

I think that your site is VERY helpful. I am doing a Psychology presentation on schizophrenia and you site aided me a lot. Your courage and determination are very inspiring. Stay healthy and my god be with you!
kristi <weenkrs47@earthlink.net>
MT United States -

Your story is really intresting and i am glad that i foudn your webpage. I love the topic of schizophrenia and i find it interesting to hear about people's lives as a schizophrenic. I don't knw why. I just do.
Stephanie <littleb16@yahoo.com>
Seaside, 93955 United States -

Hi, I am a second year nursing student currently on a rotation in a psych. unit. Most of the things I see daily are people who severly ill with schizophrenia. You are an inspiration. Thank you.
Robin <n/a>
Barrie, ON Canada -

Great web site. I am a PharmD student doing a psych clinical and it helped me understand more about my patients. Thank you
sammy
philadelphia, pa usa -

Your story is very inspiring and scary. It is scary in the fact that there are so many people who have to live with this. I am a nursing student doing research on this topic and your story gave me a lot of insight on what it can do to a person's life. It is very different than what you read in the text books. Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!
Valerie Mays
U.S. -

nice website it really helped me out on my research paper.
pat <patadams66@yahoo.com>
columbus, ohio usa -

Don't lose another night's sleep due to snoring.
Snoreless, a Stop Snoring Remedy
Canada -

I was once like you with added organic brain damage also I have mental health records with me. NEVER took anything for it. Don't take drugs or drink. Married with two boys mabe we can talk sometime.
bill <speedydad1@hotmail.com>
toronto, ont Canada -

I
bill <speedydad1@hotmail.com>
toronto, ont Canada -

Hello Mr. Chovil! my name is Dawn and im a junior in highschool. I am writing a research paper on schizophrenia in my psychology class. I saw your site and have read most of it. I am really interested in your condition. I want to know everything i can about it. I would love to know more about it if you dont mind helping me out. Thanks for your time. Dawn
Dawn <eckohottie44@aol.com>
Colorado Springs, CO United States -

I just wanted to say thank you. You have a great & helpful web page in your hands.
Astrid
Thunder Bay, ON Canada -

I thought i was the only one! thank you so much, for you have put some light into my dark,lonley,and cold path! What makes the illness worse,and forms more problems is the fact of no help for human beings(and i speak for all schizo's)such as myself. I would like to voice my opinion! Rather it be the illness talking or by chance some truth. Is, we are the normal one's, and the others are the ones with a mental problem! What is normal anyway? sincerly, lost and confused!!!! marsha
marsha <marsha.jackson@sbcglobal.net>
amarillo, tx united states -

Your site was very helpful. Thank you so much!!!
Kristin <Sk8erBoiRawk@aol.com>
Hood River, OR U.S -

hallo finde es einfach schade dass die leute von geisteskrankheit sprechen das hört sich so abwertent an bin seit 1 jahr betroffen.bin sehr gut auf medikamente eingestellt die ich jetzt ohne nebenwirkungen gut vertrage. nebenbei mache ich noch eine gesprächsteraphie die mir geholfen hat mit beiden beinen im leben zu stehen mit freundlichem gruss u. beyer
beyer uta <beyeruta1@freenet.de>
oschersleben, deutschland -

Ich finde es eigentlich schade dass die leute von geisteskrankheit sprechen das höhrt sich so erniedrigent an.Bin seit 1 jahr von der krankheit betroffen bin sehr gut auf medikamente eingestellt auch die nebenwirkungen sind weg zur stützung mache ich noch eine gesprächsteraphie die mir sehr hilft und sehr geholfen hat wieder mit beiden beinen im leben zu stehen mit freundl.gruss u.beyer
beyer uta <beyeruta1@freenet.de>
oschersleben, deutschland -

Hi Ian, I must say I was inspired by your story. I just finished reading "Beyond Crazy". I couldn't put the book down. I love those kind of books. I have a brother who has been diagnosed with bipolar and I have a sister who has been dealing with a mental illness as well. It's good to see that people such as yourself are trying to dispel the stigma that goes along with mental disorders. I say to you keep up the good work. Sincerely, Terri Bear
Terri Bear <tbear@sktc.sk.ca>
Saskatoon, SK Canada -

Your website is great and very usefull. Keep up the good resources. Best greetings from Germany
Wer wird Millionaer
Canada -

I have discovered the way to cure schizophrenia and the biological basis of it.I suffered schizophrenia 14 years ago and I cured myself forever using a combination of vitamin 12 and copper and another vitamin.Pease e-mail to me.It is impressive. cansuun@yahoo.es
Richard Deli <cansuun@yahoo.es>
barcelona, Spain -

send me more information.
elaine pruneau <elaine.pruneau@target.com>
-

i think it is really brave of you to tell people of your own experiences. i am doing an assignment on schizophrenia at the moment and with your website it makes it alot easier, but i would also be interested to find out how schizophrenia used to be handled. When i am older i am planning to study either clinical pyscology or clinical physciatry. (I don't know how to spell either)THankyou for the use of your site and i hope all goes well in the future. Yours sincerely Jade Mari
jade mari
perth, W.A Australia -

Hi! My name is Lorraine and I would like to know if you know, when Schizophrenia was first diagnosed?
Lorraine
Adelaide, SA Australia -

I thought that your website was extremly helpfull in my research of schizophrenia. God bless and stay strong
bryant mormon <rap_star_83@yahoo.com>
chicago, IL USA -

I am retired from the los angeles police department. In my old department there was a mental health division. We supervised all the mentally ill in the city of los angeles. Apparently mental illnesses cannot be cured, only arrested. Anti-social personality disorder is a recognized mental illness. Modern methods of the treatment of criminals has long been recognized. The reasons for vagrancy and drug addiction etctera have been studied ad nauseam. The Hollywood portrayls of police work are quite a bunch of lies sold to the public. In real life it is not exciting, nor glamorous nor fun, being in law enforcement is a living hell, it makes you psychotic sometimes. Sometimes we have false beliefs and delusions also that so and so is guilty when in fact he is quite innocent. Many mistakes are made and we have to humbly admit our faults and stupidity. Policemen are not perfect either. We are not infallible. Some of us become mentally ill because of the job we do and have to be fired and retired or seek treatment ourselves. Some of us make mistakes and shoot innocent people or beat people up just because we are angry at the world. We wish everyone would behave themselves too. Our scientific investigation division is trying very hard to cure mental illness. There are many societies to join like the society for the cure of insantiy. The mentally ill have flooded our lock-ups. There is not enough money in the city treasury to take care of them all. That is why they are released back into the community to shift for themselves where they end up taken care of by the good Christian people of los angeles and the good jewish people and the good muslim people. The homeless shelters are dying for volunteers to keep them alive. As I write this letter someone is literally starving to death in downtown los angeles. The lapd sends out investigators who are like social workers to see what is going on out there and it is not a pretty sight. Some of our finest cops have had to be fired and have become homeless also. Its a heart-breaking decision for a supervisor to make. Some of our finest people have gone bad and have had to be arrested and do time with career criminals. Talk show hosts continually badger law enforcement and tear down morale. Many law enforcement officers these days are sick and tired of all the anti-cop talk and the gangsta rap. We're all ready to resign or just do a blue flu and let you citizens just---do your thing, cause you love freedom. We're tired of being the people's patsy. Don't like law and order??? Don't like speed limits??? Well, you can all go right back to the Jungle and live under Jungle Law then. In my opinion, mankind is going back to the Jungle, he is deevolving rather than evolving, he is going backwards now not forward. The music stations remind me of a bunch of natives out in the Bush. If your loved one has schizophrenia he needs a quiet place to sit with no rock music and needs lots of kindness and mercy. Many of them do recover, if they have the capapcity to be honest. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill is a good organization for them. Its for consumers, families of consumers and providers of care. Unfortuantely nowadays, the family is the prime caregiver. The government does not have the funds to provide for them anymore. No one wants to pay taxes. And the State is broke. Good luck. Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go.
Sergeant Friday <Yrret301>
Los Angeles, CA USA -

I really value your site and I hope it will teach a lot of people. I am also a paranoid schizophrenic and my symptons are very mild. I hope and pray for all my fellow patients. Don't forget you are not alone ...
Dimitrie Bohle <drw.bohle@quicknet.nl>
Hoorn, Noord Holland the Netherlands -

i need more mugu to sign this guestbook. Thanks
plato owulezi <plato_owulezi@yahoo.co.uk>
mbaise, imo Nigeria -

This is a very interesting website, I have added it in my favourites. Greetings Ed
Canada -

Your Homepage is very useful and nicely designed. Greetings from Switzerland
anonymous -

your site is brilliant and hugely informative. My son had sz and took his own life in April. The shrink said his illness was caused by taking drugs, is this possible - likely;? We know he smoked pot and took extacy and had amphetamines while at uni before he first heard voices. Eventually he thought he was an alien clone and going to become an alien. We also wondered where sz comes from as lots of sufferers do not have children. Is there some story about older fathers or grandfathers being a problem. Has anyone any knowledge about the liklihood of this. Our son had a grandfather of 54 years old. Any info on these would help us. Keep up the good work. gailworthy9@hotmail.com
gail worthy <gailworthy9@hotmail.com>
salisbury, wiltshire england -

There is a cure for schizophrenia. www.lakehamiltonbiblecamp.com. In the upper right hand corner under spiritual resources click Deliverance Manual. Than scroll down to the words View the Deliverance Manual here, click and read the entire manual. There is a section on schizophrenia. Also, there is a book online called war on the Saints. Typed the words war on the Saints in any search engine. Click the web site that says....War on the Saints-Contents, then Scroll down until you see the words War on the Saints ...click on the words War on the Saints in big letters at the top of the page or anywhere you see it. You can e-mail me. If you have questions. I will even talk to you on the phone. Helena
Helena <read_the_bible2001@yahoo.com>
bayonne, nj usa -

I have schizophrenia. I am on clozeril. I believe clozerli gives me severe stomach pain, however the doctor will not acknowledge that. He said he would acknowledge my stomach pain, and switch to Geodone sooner, if I can find evidence online that my medicine damages the body. anyone with simuliar experiences, i would appreciate u contacting me. Email: Yadeda@aol.com
Stacey Leigh <Yadeda@aol.com>
Portland, ME USA -

Thank you for your very informational website; I am a student and have to do a research paper on any topic I could choose in the health industry. I chose schizophrenia to help others and myself have a better understanding of how this disease effects people both young and old. Thank you again. All my wishes to you and your family.
Michele Karas <mkaras@town.winthrop.ma.us>
Winthrop, MA USA -

Congratulations on a masterly site. I found it while searching for information on when new generation psychiatric drugs would have patent expiry, so that generic atypicals would become more affordable / available. Thankyou for your excellent research and generous exposition.
siew chua <sechua@hkucc.hku.hk>
hong kong, china -

hi
ingridiento
Canada -

Great Site - Help Us if you Can!
Spina Bifida <guestbook@sbacf.org>
Heathrow, FL USA -

greetings sir, i am finishing caregiver student at shalom in las pinas city, and we are ask to report schizophrenia case. i myuself don't know what the illness is about and currently making a brief research on it. I found this web site and hope to get the information i need. I will look further on the illness and hope to find what i need. Am looking forward to hear from u and maybe share ur experiences. Roselle
roselle buzon-ting <lele11@hotmail>
manila, philippines -

Sir: Thank you very much for your efforts of helping people with Schizoprenia by putting a lot of information resource in your website. You are indeed a great sign of hope of this world. My nephew, I suspect, is Schizoprenic. I am tryig to understand this with the end of being able to help him live a productive life. I pray that God the source of your goodness will be merciful to you by healing you completely of your disease. Again, thank you.
Julito Oyan Tabalba <julitotaalba@yahoo.com>
Pasig, Philippines -

i am a schizo please send me info to help me
steph <little_madzy@hotmail.com>
Australia -

i am a former victim of schizophrenia i had it for 6 years before we could control it, i really feel for you guys send me any information you have please and i would like to hear from you.
Karl <farq_now@hotmail.com>
Australia -

your all insane
sane
iraq -

wow this is really a great site! **smoochies*** xoxoxo erika
>my free pics <erika3127@yahoo.com>
Canada -

Very good website I enjoyed it and it helped me with my u.i.l. debate report.
Dziuk
Poth, Tx. 78147, TX Canada -

I DON REACH HEREOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MAKE UNA MAITAINOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
GUYMAN <guyman@mugu.com>
COTONOU, ATLANTIIC benin -

Dear Chovil, Im going through yet another diificult time of my life and feeling on a verge of a breakdown every day, even though im on Paxil for major depression. Your courage and openness and website have given me a lot of much needed support. After reading your website & some research, I think I fit the Borderline personality disorder. It's hard to find support or treatment without the stigma/ difficulties looking for work where i live so i'm very hesitant about seeking help. But i know i have suicidal plans and do need help, especially after NOvember when i may not be passing my university exams. I have extreme difficulties with interacting with people without letting them hurting me and then I would go on punishing myself for letting them do so. I have tried so hard to break away from this cycle for the last 10 years but feeling that I'm on a verge of a final breakdown. I'm trying to hang on to your words that you can either choose to be bitter about having landed on Siberia or learn to enjoy it. GG
GG
Sydney, NSW Australia -

Thank you so much for your valuable site. It was very useful for my report on Schizophrenia for Health class. I gave your site credit (of course) and recommended it to the class for furthur reference. It really is quite a website you've created here. Thank you again! -Mandy
Mandy <Mandy11588@hotmail.com>
USA -

Wow, what a site!
Webcams <anja-online@gmx.de>
Canada -

yep
suonerie e loghi samsung <samsung@yahoo.com>
Canada -

What a brilliant, candid look into someone's life. Your website covers in layman's terms everything there is to know on the subject of schizophrenia in the most personal way possible. Thank you for all the insight. I'm sorry that you gained it by having to live through it. You are however, helping so many people. I couldn't imagine what it must be like to have wanted to pick up the pieces of your life but to find that they are just fragments. Thanks for the site. It has helped me a great deal.
Yvonne <ylm10@hotmail.com>
Australia -

gREETING FOR YOU vERY HAPPY TO SEE YOU IN YOU WEB.i AM A PHYSICIAN WITH SPECIALITY OF pATHOLOGY GENERAL AND INTEREST IN PSYCHATRYY.i HOPE YOU TRY TO PRACTICE MEDITATION AND MINDFULLNESS OF BUDDHIST FAITH.YOU KNOW BUDDHA WAS THE FIRST COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPIST.I HOPE THAT THE SIMPLE MINDFULLNESS OF BREATH WILL BE OF MUCH HELP TO YOU AND TO SCHIZOPHRENIC PATIENTS.dEFINITLY ONE NEED MEDICATION;hOWEVER i THINK THAT THIS SIMPLEWITHOUT COST MINDFULLNESS AND MEDITATION EXERSICE WILL BE OF MUCH HELP. tHANK YOU AND i HOPE AN ANSWER
KORSHEED <KRTAHA@HOTMAIL>
FAIRFAX, VA USA -

Hello, I found you at Altavista. You have wealth of information on your site and a nice design. Greetings from Germany - Paul
Paul
Germany -

Bravo.I only came on this site to get a little info.I found however a man that has touched with care and knowledge through his teaching anyone that cares to listen.Thankyou for the story,photos and information that out shines all other similar sites. Daniel 12v3.
Manchester UK BA student
Canada -

this is a very cool website
foto <tom@yahoo.com>
usa -

Thanks for sharing your story with the rest of the world who may be sufferring in silence. Congrats, you have done a great thing here!
Michelle <mclynch@hotmail.com>
Fredericton, NB Canada -

Your site is great. I just happened to have a moment to surf the net and came across it. I like your web page I am going to tell my friends about it.
Anime
Canada -

I read some parts of your web site and visited a few links. I wanted to say to you that i find empathy for your position, though i would never disrespect your position for saying that i understand it. I believe that until i live and experience an impression of your life, i would never know, like Hume would say. I was thinking, through out my visit to your web site, that you are an intellegent man that has a positive outlook to the future. You disclosed so openly, giving us an opportunity to have empathy. That is courageous of you. I want to also say that those living with schitzophrenia are those with an illness, a mental health issue, however, they are people with personalities, dreams and hopes just like everyone else. I liked what a reader said, that delusions in the movie "Beautiful Mind" existed and yes, we all have delusions. I agree we do have delusions. We all participate in distorting reality as defense mechanisim to deal with our cognitive dissonace and reality. I have respect for those living with this disease and others like it or other type of illnesses. It is not easy. Thank you for sharing and also for letting us share. LOVE
Parmis Shafazand <parmis88@hotmail.com>
New Westminster, BC Canada -

Congratulations! Your site is great and I´ll be back soon! Greetings from Nackte Stars
Nackte Stars <nackte_stars2002@hotmail.com>
Canada -

great site
KPH
UK -

Greets & Best Wishes!
<anna.lieb@e-post.de>
Canada -

Hey man! I am what you are. I have been diaged since 1995 early detection. Trouble staying in AA. It was the first hit of LSD i think which was a major catalyst for later problems. I am 33 now and in the process of applying for social security. My therapist has fought me on it for years. I guess that is strong language but he thinks i can do without it. But I cant keep a freaking job. I like the space alien part of yer story. You seem very intelligent. I know its sad the incredible poverty. But, i have to laugh at some of it. I havent had any really strong positive symptoms since late 95 but when smoke the herb wheewew!! My therapist is really after me to do AA but i am drawn towards dark amusement and brinksmanship. Basically i am bored and my self esteem is at an all time low again after quitting my latest job at a restaurant. My dad will come back from his cruise down the St Lawrence and and Montreal (yer neck o the woods) and be freekin upset at me. I just cant keep it together. I am hoping to get social security before to long and then try to get back into AA once some of the financial pressure is off. Vivent les space aliens!! Ben
Ben Cri- <bencri@juno.com>
Baltimore City, MD USA -

After reading your story,one has to conclude that it is a extremely cruel world in which we exist.The ultimate hope is that of a future life in which all (and only) the best of the human race will be exhibited without disease-mental or otherwise.Many dismiss this idea as mere wishful thinking.But if we take the time to really look, there exists an overwhelming amount of evidence all around us-even within ourselves (as evidenced by your eventual upward swing from such a dark mental abyss)that there exixts a kind loving and inteligent creator who's love and beauty are beyond our comprehension at present.When it is all said and done nothing will have occured in vain.I'm 39 and have suffered from much dark depression,feelings of low self worth and have done many things out of these negative emotions that have damaged my life socialy and otherwise.I've nearly come to the conclusion that I suffer from bi-polar.I have never sought treatment though-partly because of cost and also because of the inescapable feeling that I would simply be a comodity and the likelyhood of finding a doctor who'd actually care would be slim.I want to get help but don't know where to start.Please send advice-any appreciated.
william meadows <bmead144@yahoo.com>
tennessee -

I have never seen so many guestbooks. Your site must be one of the most visited site on the net.
Herbsbee
Canada -

Thank you! I am a medical student and the information in this page have been a extraordinary resource to me to understand schizophrenia. Thanks again!
Carlos Salguero <casalguero@costarricense.cr>
San José, Costa Rica -

I dated a guy for a year when he was diagnosed with this disease and after that we stayed together for 2 more. I always wanted to understand what was happening so I could help him and reading your story really hit home with me and has helped me to feel the anxiety and pessimistic attitude many people with this disease have. I feel so compelled to help somehow and want to put together an awareness/fundraising campaign in my city because people define schizophrenics as crazy and that disgusts me. It seems like the people who should be helping can't take the time to evaluate this disease and understand what it truly means for those who have it. I hope to read new pages soon and that I'll be able to make a remarkable difference in the schizophrenic community of Winnipeg. Thank-you so much for you personal experience and insight.
Bekki <bex_boozey49@hotmail.com>
Wpg, MB Canada -

i would just like to say that your website has amazed me. i am currently working on a project on schizophrania for college and i had no clue what it was all about. your website helped me to relize just how serious this is. if you read this i am hoping you or another person could e-mail me and give me some info aswell. i need to present a movie any suggestions. i wish you luck in the futur and i hope all stays well. thank-you. i found your website by browsing and i am very happy i found it. ashley
ashley <achelchowski@hotmail.com>
on Canada -

We feel sad for people like you, and that guy in the movie... We're so glad that you did not kill yourself, that's neato. It makes us happy to know that you are getting help. You are a special person. We are not allowed to pray in school, but when we get home we will say some prayers for you. The sun will always shine, JESUS love you, this i know.
Mr. Jensen's Health class reps
ny usa -

Well done. A great site. Well organized. I too am suffering from the illness for several years now. I have lost everything that I have because of the illness. I use to have a family, a house, a good paying job, all the luxuries of life. Sometimes, I think that there no reason for me to live anymore. Now, I live alone, renting a small bedroom, always worrying about tomorrow. Always thinking that I might end up on the streets. Reading your story made me realize that I am not alone in this illness. There are others that suffer from it. All that I have experienced, others did too. Your story gave me hope that one day I might get back to a "normal" way of life. I hope the best for you and your love ones. Joseph
Joseph Montecillo <jmontecillo01@hotmail.c om>
-

Im proud that you didn't kill yourself. I think it will help people with schizophrenia want to live on.
Cameron Hancock <hancock5ca@yahoo.com>
napa, ca USA -

Your website is great and very usefull. I'm bookmarked it. Keep up the good resources. Best greetings from Germany - Helmut
Helmut
Germany -

I have undaiagnosed schizophrenia, I am 100% sure. I will get help once I can get the cash. But, this is something funny I notice about people with the problem I have. How come you all are so into god? You cannot rely on religion or prayers to save you, you got to do it yourself.
Joey Hibbard
Canada -

Hi!! My name is Victor.Have faith for faith as small as mustard seed can move a mountain leave alone Schizophrenia ,so have faith in GOD. I like your website design very much. You have wealth of information on your site. I recently got into learning web site promotion, submission to search engines for free and online internet marketing myself. I am doing research on improving my skills in search engine optimization and placement, keyword marketing research, and pay per click management. I have made small websites where you can buy discount inkjet printer ink cartridges, cheap refill kits, laser toners for HP Epson Canon Lexmark printers and another site where you can free direct tv dish satellite network. You may send flowers silk roses wedding bouquets to your loved ones, immediate delivery. I like to play and copy playstation and ps2 games and copy dvds videos cds divx decss. Don’t forget to visit my site if you ever need to buy discount remanufactured ink jet cartridges, cheap refills and laser toners for HP Epson Canon Lexmark printers . Thanks for your time and keep up the good work.
victor_ronald007@yahoo.com <victor_ronald007@yahoo.com>
LA, CA USA -

Thanks for sharing your story and keeping such a good website. I am 20 and was diagnosed with schizophrenia very recently and am still having a hard time coping with what that means. I take my medication (Geodon)everyday and have no psychotic symptoms and no side effects. In this respect, I am very lucky and I know I am. But I am also very lonely. Over the past couple years my relationships with friends have deteriorated and I cannot say at this point that there is anyone i feel close to. I desperately want a girlfriend, but I am too afraid to ask anyone out. Plus I think that even if I did ask a girl out she would say no or eventually get sick of me cause of my bad personality. Once I asked a girl out in highschool but she already had a boyfriend. She said it was "bad timing". Then I asked a girl out to my prom, and it was not bad, but we never went out again. Beside a few flings here and there, that's all the experience I've had with the opposite sex. I am in mortal fear that I will never marry and die lonely and miserable. It's like when I was a little kid I used to worry I'd never learn how to ride a bicycle. But I eventually did, so maybe I'll eventually feel better about myself and get married and have kids. If I do, I'd rather not marry a schizophrenic because the children of two schizophrenic parents have a 50% chance of being schizophrenics themselves. I wouldn't want anyone, especially my kids, to have to go through the misery that i have suffered. I see a psychiatrist twice a week and i suppose it helps a little. Its like a foundation around which i build the rest of my week (i know, its sad that i have no life). He says I need to start thinking differently about how my illness affects me, and this is very frustrating because its like he's telling me my experiences aren't real and that i have my head up my ass. He really does tell me i have my head up my ass. He and some of my friends have also told me that I am too serious, and don't laugh or smile enough. I guess I don't roll with the punches very well.... Well, I ended up taking a year and a half off school because of my illness. I go to college but I live at home now instead of the dorms because of too much social stresses. It really hurts to feel like I don't fit in with most of my peers. I hope to return to the dorms at some point because i don't want to turn into one of those guys that lives their whole lives with their parents. You have to be independent if you ever want to really feel self-respect.
Ben <bman94025@yahoo.com>
San Jose, CA USA -

Thank you for your helpful input.
Lynn Gooch <lynn_gg@hotmail.com>
Iroquois Falls, Ontario Canada -

PLEASE JUST LISTEN YO ME. I am alone and scared. My voices are tormenting me and i have no one to help me. I have yet to get help for my true problem. I,m so scared my boyfriend will be home and all he asked me to do was to record his foot bal game and i forgot. i just misssed the first 45 min. but i understand how important this is to him. I know when he gets home he will be angry and say things he may not mean. I don't think i can handle it i don't have any one to talk to or confide in besides him and he knows all my problems and is trying to help me. but he is alone too. please GOD help me of little faith.
Emily
U.S.A. -

Hello fellow labourers in the Lord's vine yard.Keep the Good news of our Lord Jeusu Christ flying despite all odds. God bless you all that Love Jesus today,always and forever.
Ehibe Solomon <ehibe_solomon>
Abidjan, Canada -

Hi, very well maintained site... I know how it feels... take care..
Prashant <psycofanatic@yahoo.com>
Pune, India -

Every once in a while I run across a site such as this. Too many webmasters spend so little time organizing their content that when I find a site like yours it's a treat. Personally, I operate a number of sites in the industries of: golf clubs, stair steppers, water filters, hair care, laptop batteries, cleansing diets, sunglasses and even inkjet cartridges. Good job!! 

Jack Moss <jack_moss@hotmail.com>
Vancouver, BC Canada -

God Lavished His Grace On Us To lavish something on someone is to give in excess with an extremely generous spirit, to give in exaggeration of what is really needed. Can you imagine? God has LAVISHED many great things on us! The American Standard Version of the Bible reads as follows in Ephesians 1:7-8: “...in whom we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence...” God assures us that we have been cleansed thoroughly in this passage. We are redeemed (made new) through His blood (the atoning sacrifice that pacifies the anger of God). Now when God sees us, He sees us as redeemed people. No longer does He see our sin, because we are justified in His sight by Jesus’ sacrifice. Isn’t that amazing! All of our sins are forgiven, past, present and future, when we remain in the grace of God. And teaches us that He has not just given us “some” grace---He has LAVISHED the riches of His grace on us. That is a lot of grace! I guess that’s how much grace we really need!! Now imagine, would you be ashamed of someone who has given you so much attention and has made everything new for you? I wouldn’t! I would want to share all these incredible and great things with everyone! How often have you thought of these things and shared them with those you work with or those you spend time with? How excited are you about sharing these things? Let God’s grace motivate you! The Preacher of the Good News asks, If Jesus were to come today, would you be ready to go to Heaven to be with Him forever?
The Preacher <cocabj@yahoo.com>
abidjan,ivory cost west africa, yop Ivory coast(west africa) -

Thank you. Know I know I'm not allone. I can see many parallels between our lives. But still I have to say that I'm too affraid to go to a doctor. I have an IQ of 145 but I'm to stupid to help myself. I'm going to die this weekend and nobody can stop me. This is the wrong world. I hope for the Third World War. Mankind is the worst thing God ever invented. C U in hell (?)
René Bürgel <Margot.Buergel@freenet.de>
Rendsburg, Germany -

Thank you so much for sharing this informatin I'm doing a research paper for a college psychology class and I've chose to learn about schizophrenia- I found the movie "A Beautiful Mind" very inspiring.
Linda <reyni17@aol.com>
Chesterton, In USA -

Great site and I like all the detail. I have a hobby and a project to do on this subject and I am glad to get a person whos lived threw its advice. This site is very informational
Diane <diben@2sweetforyoubaby.zzn.com>
MI USA -

I wish to present my humble thesis to the group for discussion at this time. In my humble opinion, the cause of world war 2 was schizophrenia. Schizophrenia must be cured if homo sapiens is to survive. Adolf Hitler, a beaten veteran, homeless and despised by all, overcame adversity to create the Third Reich with fantastic illusions of grandeur, a true symptom of paranoid schizophrenia. At this time, one of those types rules Iraq. He dreams of vast conquests, the restoration of Babylon to its former days of grandeur. He too came from very humble origins and believe Allah has given him the Divine contract to rule the Heavens forevermore. If Hitler had been given psychiatric treatment perhaps World War 2 never would have happened. If Saddam Hussein is not givenm treatment soon, world war three may happen. In my humble opinion a team of psychiatrists disguised as soldiers must sneak into the palace of Hussein and somehow medicate him and give him some good talk therapy and talk him down from his dizzying heights of manic-depression and paranoid schizophrenia. I know that this is a minority opinion. I know that the majority believe we should bomb the living out of him and all those countries. In Operation Anne Frank, what would all those who died senseless deaths in world war two have us do to prevent another holocaust??? I know this sounds like Donovan's universal soldier and a conscientious objector position but it is paramount to the issue of survival. I have had schizophrenia for most of my life and know the dizzying heights of grandiosity it has led me into. I was finally 'discovered" and treated at 18 years of age. I am now almost 52 years of age and after much hankie pankie and adventure i am almost a great great grandfather. We who have been through a mini Mein Kampf know that the struggle is long and hard. Well, its almost time for my medication. I wish all schizophrenics a speedy recovery and back to the daily grind of whatever you like to do for a living. If a research psychiatrist happens to read this message in a bottle or sos you must act before we all go kaplooie. There is not a second to lose.---
John Doe
Canada -

You are very ill, but i too, ha ha ha ha
Thomas <elmerromerro@aol.com>
gelsenkirchen, Germany -

this is a great site:)
jennifer <JSEJHALLS@MSN.COM>
Akron, OH United States -

i think this is really neat i'm doing a project for school and it's nice to se someone with first hand experience writing
liz
Canada -

Great website! Thanks for the information, I think it has made me more aware of my disease and the consequences it has on my life. Thanks a lot!!
Michiel Peeters <michielpeeters@hotmail.com>
Schijf, The Netherlands -

Great website! Thanks for the information, I think it has made me more aware of my disease and the consequences it has on my life. Thanks a lot!!
Michiel Peeters <michielpeeters@hotmail.com>
Schijf, The Netherlands -

Well, it's Monday and I'm sitting near my cat, sipping on coffee and surfin' for interesting sites. There are not many good homepages in german internet to this topic. Thank you for the resources. Keep up the good work! - R. Kredit
Ratenkredit
Germany, Germany -

What a thorough website, I found so much valuable info. to use in my work with chronic schizophrenics. I also am providing sensitivity training for the staff to the need of people with a mental illness. Thanks again, Lee
Lee <Ldaudt@msn.com>
Philadelphia, PA United States -

I liked your web site. I also have schizophrenia. I have had it since 1991 and Iam now about forty. Once again thanks for the good info. Steven Southern Oregon Coast
Steven <DOKA@webtv.net>
U.S.A. -

Help
Peter Cavanaugh <pcavanau@hotmail.com>
Kaneohe, HI USA -

It's raining in Germany and it's a very bad weather. I surf and find your fantastic homepage, bookmarked it and will be back! greetings from " Krankenversicherung Hans "
Krankenversicherung
GERMANY -

I realize that I may suffer the penalty of excommunication from the website for being so bold as to impersonate a writer and journalist of such stature as Ian Fleming. The Flemings are a very famous family. One of them invented the wonder drug penicillin. I beg of you kind chovil not to excommnicate anyone from the website for exercising the right of free press. In the Church of James Bond there are many saints. It seems to be rather Anglican. May your stocks and bonds be profitable. Saint Felix Leiter was of course the famous CIA agent who lost his arm in the story Thunderball and had to take a demotion to Pinkerotn's to keep horse racing honest. Of course there is the great saint of Diamonds Are Forever---Tiffany Case who was won over to the side of goodness and finally betrayed the archfiend who dared to launder diamonds and jewels. The US Naval Academy and West Point and the Air Force Academy and the Coast Guard Academy and of course the United States Space Academy are favorite targets of drug dealers and foreign agents. They wish to destroy us before we can even get off the ground. May they receive Divine Protection and then realistically may a shield be put around them to keep our cadets and future protectors safe. Some of the cadets will fall and fail. May there parents not be too hard on them should they stumble. May they fall back into the safety net. Thank you Ian Chovil for being part of the solution not the problem. You were targeted years ago on a war map. Remember your imaginary numbers men and women of earth. The square root of negative three is what. It is an imaginary number for a negative times a negative is a positive. This always bugged me. It just goes to show that unreality is in the set of reality also. Do the Venn diagrams. Don't forget to eat three meals a day if you have the money. If you don't have the money get Thee to a homeless shelter. In my opinion in the great Saga of Chovil, I think he should have gone home to his parents house admitting defeat. His story kind of reminds me of E.T., call home E.T. your parents wonder where you are and they are worried sick about you. Thank you ian chovil for your return to base of sanity, perhaps you will be knighted some day. Rise oh knight of the realm, right away sir ian, yes sir ian. All these have remained loyal. There is one for the Crown. Two to get ready and three to go. I wish I owned a Morris Minor. Out of gas, out of breath, broke and living entirely on charity---yours--ian fleming
Ian Fleming
Canada -

http://www.daviefirst.org
http://www.daviefirst.org
Canada -

I'm an cadet at the RCMP training Academy, and we're doing a quick project on mental illnesses and I found your site to be quite helpfull.
Lynden Morrison
Regina, SK Canada -

hello
hopmanhop
Canada -

Here is my address. I would like as much reading pamplets or info you can give me. I have schizopherenia. My address is Robert Wampner At: Martin-Boots Apt.s 619 W3rd Apt. 13 Marion Indiana 46952 Thank you for all your help. Bob
Robert Wampner <bobwampner@hotmail.com>
Marion, 46952 Indiana -

Thanks Ian for your presentation to the Schizophrenia Society in Ottawwa on Sept. 25. As family members we are concerned to hear from other family members about problems being experienced with ACT teams in Ontario. Through the course of our son's illness we have become strongly of the view that family members are an important part of the treatment team and should be considered as such. For this reason we welcomed your comment that, next to maintaining medication, the most important factor in helping people with schizophrenia keep their illness under control was family education and support. Unfortunately, there seems to be a trend in ACT teams in Ontario to exclude family members or keep them on the margins, even though many family members have many more hours contact per week with their relative who is an ACT client than the staff of the ACT team. This seems to run counter to the basic principles of Assertive Community Treatment as set down by the folks at NAMI in the United States. Do others have this same experience? Have some of your correspondents come up with protocols or methods by which they can be kept in the loop rather than being excluded from treatment decisions for their relative on the grounds of confidentiality or professional ethics?> Please keep up your good work - Mike Cassidy, Ottawa
Mike Cassidy <mkcassidy@sympatico.ca>
Ottawa, ON Canada -

Your generosity of spirit is so apparent in this website. Thank you so much for your honesty in presenting how this illness has affected your life. And, thank you for providing so much useful information in such a well written manner.
Pat
VA USA -

Hi I'm a pupil from Germany who red your sad story in a german website. I fell very sorry but I will pray for you today before I go to sleep,...
ISSA
Pforzheim, Germany -

I am swamped by so much information on schizophrenia. My boyfriend of 2 1/2 years had a psychotic episode 4 months ago (his 2nd in 12 years). He has not been diagnosed with an illness yet but is on stellazine and is suffering greatly from depression. I too am beginning to feel depressed as I don't know how to handle the situation. Can you recommend any counsellors/groups/contacts in England?
Andrea <andrea211071@yahoo.com>
Liverpool, L32 England -

SB271046 by GlaxoSmithKline, a 5HT6 antagonist, developed for schizophrenia (& Alzheimer's disease) is in phase II (out of III) testing trial. Hope this will be the medication for those, who are not tolerating or not responding to dopamine blocking antipsychotics. I have some info about other medications that are being tested, if someone is interested.
P. <longshine@pobox.sk>
Bratislava, Slovakia -

Hello! I have spent quite a while visiting your site and I think that it would be a fantastic addition to The Seven Wonders Of the World Website Competition! This is the place where you receive prizes when you win the highest level. We have lots of fun and plenty of teams to choose from. And great prizes! Come by and check us out . Scroll down the page and click the "Join" link. Press the graphic below to visit us. ...Tell them Lizz sent you!

Hope to see you there!

Lizz

Lt. Governor of Seven Wonders Of The World

Lt. Governor Lizz <LtGovernorliz@thesevenwondersoftheworld.com>
usa -

hello sir, my name is lindsay. i was researching for my psychology and came upon your site. i too deal with a dissorder such as your called dissosiative dissorder which deals with split personalities. i have started to lose faith in finding a cure. the sad thing is i am only 15. i have read your story and think it is remakable that you have made it so far for i have given up dozens oof times.suicide seems the only way sometimes, but i know better. thank you for being an inspiration.
lindsay
md united states -

Just surfing. A wise man will always change his mind . . a fool never will
Peter from Merchweiler / Saarland <Peter from Merchweiler / Saarland>
Germany -

Today is the first day that I actullay found out what schizophrenia is, and all because of a speech that I'm going to be given. I truly I'm amazed at some of the info that I have found in just an 1 hour. I have learned that it is not just a disease were people hear voices but much more. WOW!!
Jenny <jenny_bennett>
Brookfield, WI US -

Schizophrenia is a bad disease to have.I just can't wait for mine to go away.But you gotta have hope that it will.I just wish i could get some piece and quite,and i know when its over im gonna be happy 24/7.Thanks for readin this if you do. KEEP YA HEAD UP-TUPAC SHAKUR
Nicholas <nikenik20@aol.com>
Anadarko, ok U.S.A -

Dear comrades: I have been held in Union of Soviet America;s facility or gulag for some time now. I was arrested for impersonating a British Secret Service agent. I know that I am psychotic. You see comrades, my Dad had me read all the James Bond novels when I was 12 year sold. He wanted me to pattern my life after that of the famous British agent James Bond. I got so into the novels and the character and the music of the Bond movies that I totally flipped out and thought I was Bond, James Bond. You see when I was 8-13 and got out of acting in kiddie porn and got into straight movies like Danny Thomas and Inherit the Wind and the Birds I acted out so many roles of characters that were not me that I did not know what my own identity and character was anymore. It is a common symptom amongst actors, artists, writers and musicians. Sometimes we get soooo into our roles we become the character and cannot come out of it. Personally I feel that fiction is not good for the People. I recovered many times from psychosis by doing simple arithmetic problems and then progressing on to more difficult problems like algebra, geometry and trigonometry and calculus. If you have a friend or relative who has been diagnosed I recommend he not just lay around and watch tv and become more morose and psychotic but realize he has regressed to a child-like state of mind and needs to be re-raised. It is like a person who needs to be re-educated and re-trained from the simplest nursery rhyme back to reading very difficult material like the Wall Street Journal. I do not recommend the Daily Worker however as readinbg material. This is just my opinion. Perhaps you dear reader feel that your loved one has a political-religious psychosis, this is partly true. Perhaps he used to be into sex drugs and rock n roll. He wanted to be free. He or she thought of joining the armed forces, he did not quite know what they wanted to do in life and they began to question authority. Well in the Bond series, Bond's parents had been killed in a skiing accident in Chamonix and was raised by his Aunt Charmaine Pettbottom. Some of us out here are adopted. Some of us know that we are adopted others do not. Some believe life to be a tragedy, others believe it to be a drama, others a comedy. Perhaps as Shakespeare said: tis a tale told by an idiot. My grandfather was arrested for his political beliefs and nearly executed. And that was in the allegedly free country of the USA. There is much intrigue, and it can confuse and irritate and annoy people who wish things to be more simple. Life is very complicated these days and very stressful, but its better than plowing a field with a horse. The cost of living is very high. Class structure can be quite hard to endure. Thank you for listening. One of the masses.
Rick Westwood
Canada -

nice site! keep up the good work and best wishes from germany :)
tom
germany -

pls i don land here all guy men.
mugu <mugu@mugu.com>
lagos, nigeria Canada -

Great site!
Sergei
Canada -

http://stilltheking.tripod.com/index.html
http://stilltheking.tripod.com/index.html
Canada -

Hello from Germany, I have find your URL in "Kompetenznetz Schizophrenie" and I am searching for people like you to talk about schizophrenie. I hope you join my homepage...by Frank
Frank Schoenfelder <schoeni@fbe.hs-bremen.de>
Oyten, Germany -

My bestfriend has all the symptoms of schizophrenia. Last night i was with him and he kept referring to me as a "suit" and that i need to make the switch. He asked me to stop time, and to allow GOD to give him what hes asking for by tomorrow. I have tried to tell his parents but they are ignorant and basically shut me out. His only other friend that knows thinks its all spiratual and can overcome it on his own. How can I help him??? I told him that he probably has schizophrenia and he told me to stop talking. I know hes thought about suicide a lot and i am VERY worried.... Any suggestions??
Sara <saroakes83@yahoo.com>
Shelton, CT usa -

I am studying your life story as part of my theatre studies a-level exam and would very much appreciate it if you could e-mail me with a bit more infomation on your childhood so that I can understand you a bit better much obliged-David Watts
David Watts <wu_diddy@hotmail.com>
Chelmsford, Essex England -

There is a cure for mental illness in a deliverance manual in the upper right hand corner on the website www.lakehamiltonbiblecamp.com. Scroll down until it says view manual. than scroll down until you come to schiz section. The mind is in another section. The manual has over 350 pages...
helena <read_the_bible2001@yahoo.com>
bayonne, nj usa -

heart warming..i am doing my masters in clincal psychology and this was a very informative site.
barkha bajaj <barkhab@hotmail.com>
pune, india -

my boyfriend's brother is schitzophranic. he's been through a lot. before being diognosed, he would come home, and tell his mom how the rocks that he ran over yelled at him with pain when he rode his bike, and things like that. he was really frightened because he thought that if he left his home, someone would kill him. he has become very manipulative too. although when he was young, he had an abusive father, who is now dead, i think that the drugs that he did in high school were what did him in. things like meth, acid, speed, weed, and so on. it really f***s with your head you know? just some small addvice...don't let your controlling mother ruin your mind, or a drunk alcoholic father, and expierimentation is one thing, but to much can ruin your life. steve, my boyfriends brother is just now getting over his sudden fear of toilets which backed up his valves so much that he needed a caphider, and oral/anal enimas. it is pretty aweful. remember this: schizophranics do not have multiple personalities. Thanks! ~Allie Buell
Allie
Ca U.S. -

Are there any web sites dedicatet to alternative pharmacological treatment strategies for schizophrenia (incl. double-blind proofs etc.) ? I have read several sites about psychosis associated with dementia in the elderly and in many of them people are saying that 5-HT3 antagonists and cholinesteraze inhibitors may be effective also in normal schizophrenia, but there are no references in normal sites about schizophrenia about these; just antipsychotics. But when they fail ? I have seen many cases where it happened. It looks like that nobody really cares about these people.
P. <longshine@pobox.sk>
Bratislava, Slovakia -

A Special Person A close friend of my family lost a special person last year to schizophrenia. It a secret known only to his family, he refused to continue his meds and kept relapsing. The odd thing is that he was so psychotic, but he knew enough to keep certain things a secret and knew the consequences of his actions. A kind person and very discreet, it was only after his suicide that the entire story was revealed as all his friends and family finally got to meet each other and exchange stories. It is critical to be open to people that may be hurting and desperate but unable to explain what is happening to them. My friend believed that he was very alone, in deep, dark space with no body, but had a consciousness. Terrified, he sometimes held a gun to the door of his car while driving. Telling only told pieces of the story to different people; his friends did not really put it together or know how serious it was. He was a good-looking guy with many girlfriends that were close to him that met each other for the first time at his funeral. After this experience, I researched this type of thing; a good book is "The Man Who Thought His Wife Was A Hat". There are a truly person that have odd beliefs that are very real to them, that is what psychosis is. We all needed to educated on these matters and have been able to help him more. I am not sure if he thought there was nothing anyone can do to help him. According to his family, he would hold the pill and a glass of water for an entire day, debating and questioning about why and why not. While in the process of changing his medication, it was only afterward that his family found out that the new drugs would not be effective until weeks later. Falling into his abyss, with no one to help or understand, he killed himself. The police said that the gun he had was a police issued weapon. He was quite clever and resourceful. I spoke with him all night until the wee morning hours a week before he passed on and he didn't express a thing. The thing that bugs me is that he already knew what he was going to do but didn't say anything. Very coherent and kind, he was talking and listening to me for hours about a dating problem. An ex-girlfriend of his expressed that he had told her that he could not eat, sleep or clean his room for two months. Everyone, please educate yourself and people around you and take special care in these matters. Now I more clearly understand what my friend was experiencing. This site has the best information I have seen on this disorder. WORLDGATES 20/20 http://www.worldgates.net
Worldgates <worldgates@bigfoot.com>
Los Angeles, CA USA -

Thank You for information on schizophrenia.It has helped me with a research paper I need for school.My dad was diagnosed with schizophrenia when I was still a little girl.Researching on your website help me to understand my dad's condition.He is doing much better now and has been taking many pills since I can remember.Inever really got to know my real dad though.Keep up the good work and I'll keep you in mind!
Andrea <urebel87413@hotmail.com>
Kirtland, NM North America -

Hi.I was surfing the net for reasearch and I stumbled upon your site.It is very informative. THANKS!!
tanya <tanyanault@skaw.ca>
saskatoon, sk Canada -

i made a mistake on the website to access the deliverance manual with help for mental illness. It's www.lakehamiltonbiblecamp.com. Remember the deliverance manual is on the upper right hand corner. After clicking the deliverance manual scroll down to view all the info.
Helena <read_the_bible2001@yahoo.com>
bayonne, nj us -

http://attheplace.tripod.com
http://attheplace.tripod.com
Canada -

I am gay and I hate this website~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A.J. Malone
Columbus, GA USA -

Indeed, mental illness is highly stigmatized. That is unfortunate. I suffer from depression and take medication. However, I do not openly tell people this. My sister was diagnosed with paranoid schitzophrenia when she was 16 along with mild autism and retardation. Up until that time my parents were told that they were making my sister behave in this way. At fourteen she was labeled emotional disturbed. This was a frustration to my parents who did not know how to work with my sister in making her life better as well as theirs. So when she was finally diagnosed with schitzophrenia it was a relief to finally know. It was a starting point. The unfortunate thing is that limited information was given on how to work with her. It wasn't until I started to work in special education that we could better help her and our relationship with her. I believe with a better understanding of what causes her to lose her temper and what to do when she does has saved our nerves and relieves some of the pressure off her. We so need to educate people that mental illnesses range in so many different ways.
joanne Wells
Canada -

I think that your website is very helpful and interesting. I Hope everything works out for you.~Jenn~
Jenn
Columbus, GA USA -

Is there ANY hope for my son who is on the run from the police for not turning up for enforced medication whose side-effects he CANNOT tolerate and would rather stand in front of a train. I know there is in the long run, but this is urgent. Has ANYONE ever been helped by lawyers to gain the freedom to choose their own alternative healing? Haven't time to read all your letters. Perhaps SOMEONE out there may benefit from my little website dedicated to Carl Jung and OTHERS here in Australia trying to get the law changed. Thanks. Anne.
Anne Dornay <anne22k@yahoo.com.au>
Brisbane, QLD Australia -

Hey everyone reading this.....My name is Phillip and I have been diagnosed with a type of schizophrenia. Paranoid in the begining...But then diagnosed as effective. All I want to say is that there is hope for us and the family members that care for us all. In the begining of my treatment..I was sceptical that there was no illness worse than schizophrenia....But understand...we see the world in a different perspective than others...Our projected reality when we go through what we go through without the aid of medications to control it is more or less a gift from God...We see the world differentley than most...Does that not make you special? Medications are given to keep us in touch with reality...or from hurting ourselves. The mind of a schizophrenic= Gods way of showing a certin few a "different" reality. May he touch us all.
Phillip Farley <gotthecheezwha@yahoo.com>
Hinesville, Ga. Georgia -

What a great site - thanks for this valuable resource. I highly recommend E. Fuller Torrey's "Surviving Schizophrenia" for family members of schizophrenics. And a I agree with some of the other comments about a possible spiritual cause in SOME cases - no one is absolutely sure what causes this illness (it's probably not just one thing, but a cluster of things), so I wouldn't rule out demonic activity. I worked with schizophrenics for years and the predominant delusion my patients had were very frightening religious delusions, most often involving Satan. Who knows? I wouldn't rule it out. But I would recommend a combination of medications and prayer - it can't hurt.....
Amy <lance@1scom.net>
TX USA -

I know more today about the disease than yesterday thankyou for your input ( I am writing a research paper)
Michael Farey <charliefarley111@ aol.com>
Canada -

great
123 <cdavis@travelsavers.com>
NY, NY Canada -

thanks soo much for all of the information contained in this site! you have helped me more than you'll ever know!
Jamie Ruloph <crow3217@yahoo.com>
Hermiston, or usa -

http://rkwwkr.tripod.com/index.html
http://rkwwkr.tripod.com/index.html
Canada -

I got shizo when I was eighteen and i'm almost twenty-two now. It's been hard to convince myself that i need medication. I've tried to quit several times but then I can't sleep. Zyprexa is also sleeping pill that I'm addicted too now. If anything helps bring back my emotions it's a band called nirvana that I listen to sometimes. It's just the pain in his voice. I've learned that's it's much better to feel bad than feeling nothing. Another bad feeling i get is the awareness that time is passing very quickly and I'm not living any of those moments. It's like my life is slipping away. I've been getting better for several years and time has finally begun to lengthen to the point where I feel like I can live life. I used to be very sensitive and blush at everything and that's starting to return which is a good feeling. At this time I'm not so sure if I added up all the good and bad in my life that it's been worth living. For the remainder of my life I'd like to prove to myself life is worthwhile and there is beauty in it. Thanks to Chovil for a wonderful site. I'd like to start a site primarily for artwork and poems by people with this disease.
Steve <vohaul2376@aol.com>
US -

I find your site very interesting and informative. I will certainly visit it again when I have more time. Thank you!
Helene Thoms <helene.thoms@css.gov.on.ca>
Sudbury, ON Canada -

hey there :) its not my language and maybe thats the reason why i haven't yet read the whole page in hours...: greatfull and so nice to realize that there are people out in the world that experienced the same whole stuff like me - 4 years ago and it dured till now that i learnt to accept that illness. im luckely "healthy" now and i know i had the biggest luck of this earth - i didnt become very religious though, but im very thankfull i laid my priorities in aspects like caring for myself and so on. im so thankfull and one of the sadest things for me is in that moment that there wont be many people in this world that can understand such a big gratitude... but i have my family and some really special friends and someday ill loose my fears and become that part of our society i dream of *** -if someone would like to write me im really looking forward. it would be the best to learn the language your page is written in. that oneday i can overfly all textes... *CONGRATULATIONS* katrin
katrin <kw_katrin@hotmail.com>
switzerland -

Your website is informative and provides an insight into the nature of schizophrenia for sufferers and their carers which is invaluable. I was diagnosed in 1990, and put on depixol injections eventually due to non-compliance. I'm still on depixol, but a minimum dose, and have in the meantime returned to fulltime work, got married, and had a baby this year at the age of 35! My work colleagues are not aware of my condition, and I managed to get my job (Civil Engineering Assistant) just 1 week after being discharged from hospital after a particularly intense but short relapse in which I managed to get it back from insisting in being wrapped naked in a sheet because I was the first ever mummy to persuading one of the three required signatories not to agree to a 6 month section just the next day! This is how quickly some sleep and a return to medication can help you funtion as a normal human being - there is hope for the most deluded of sufferers with a little insight into your own condition. This insight can be gained from websites like your own - acceptance and understanding are key.
Vicki Garratt-Walters
England -

I have always loved this site. Way to go! I have a book coming out (about madness and me) that is available now. I don't want to SPAM here so if you're curious, e-mail me at JGrrr@juno.com to find out more. Julie Greene
Julie Greene <JGrrr@juno.com>
Boston, MA USA -

When we bring problems out into the open they tend to diminish. I hope you site helps.
David at Payday Advance Services
USA -

I like your site. You state that there are 2 kinds of people suffering from Schiaophrenia, those who take meds and those who do not. That is too simple for me. There are also two types of people who take meds, those who are rendered functional on meds and those who are not. Some people do not get enough relief from the meds to function in society. My son is one of those. Even on the optional dose of Clozeril, he is psycotic. He is worse off the meds but on the meds he has the side effects to contend with. He is now off the meds and is completely out of it. He is living at Queen Street so is physically safe. What would you do if you were in his position. Too sick to live without meds and too doped to be able to even put out your web page. Other than that; great site. Errol
Errol <errolyoung@sympatico.ca>
Toronto, ON Canada -

I am going through what so many of the letters describe with my 21 yr. old nephew who I've raised since his mother died five years ago. Right now all I feel is helpless and heart-broken. I don't know what to do. He won't take his medication and has regressed. On medication he was a "normal", happy person. Is there still hope for him? All I can do is cry. Nobody seems to care
Joe B. <bahrjoe@hotmail.com>
Winnipeg, MB Canada -

Hi. Thank you for this site and good luck to you. I have a brother with Schizophrenia and it has been the most devastating experience of me and my family's life. It's as though we have lost him and the person infront of us is no longer the boy we once knew. He had been taking Haldol but he just started taking a newer drug called "seroquel". I hope this works for him better. To all the dear people out there affected by Schizophrenia, PLEASE, PLEASE, TAKE YOUR MEDICATION. YOU WILL LIVE A HAPPIER LIFE.
Shirin
LA, CA USA -

I am interested in the similarity [or indeed difference] between schizophrenia and delusions of manic depression. I have manic depression, and I believe (and it is said that) manic depression is easier to deal with than schizophrenia . My trivial site includes http://www.geocities.com/totierne/hammer9.html . Thank you for putting this information together.
Turloch O'Tierney <totierne@hotmail.com>
Ireland -

Nice site, very informative and very brave. I hope to follow your example and produce a similar site as well. All the best, Chad.
Chad <sagacitoma@hotmail.com>
Regina, SSSSK Canada -

A great site; offering information to those struggling to understand this illness that steals lives. You shine a light into the darkness, allowing glimmers of perception that only can be shared by those who have confronted those dark caverns. Keep the light on and God Bless.
Dixie <dsorenson@snet.net>
South Windsor, CT US -

My mother has had paranoia schzophrena since I was 1 years old. I am now going on 23 and my poor mother is still dealing with this disease. I love my mom with all my heart,and I hate to see her go through all of this. My father has been there for her every strp of the way (they have been married for 32 years). Just recently they have found "new" medicine to help her out. But the thing is her dr retires and now she has a doctor that does care about her needs as a patient. It hurts my family and my mom to go through this over and over again. We want to help her as much as possible, but there is only so much we can do; then the drs have to take over. PLease can or if anyone out there has any ideas or drs. that we could contact,please email me ASAP. Thanks, Holly, VA
Holly <hollylh@hotmail.com>
herndon, va USA -

Very helpfull and thankyou.
T.Rawlinson <trawlinson@lineone.net>
Blackpool, UK -

Hello, My father is currently a director of the CIT program with the police department, Crisis Intervention Training, and what it does is teaches all of the other officers, medical, and fire staff about different disorders and how to defuse a situation and work with the individual. One disorder that particularly stood out to me was Schizophrenia. I am doing a pursuasive speech, what I hope to accomplish is for people to get involved and learn about this particular disorder. I also would like for them to not be afraid to interact. I currently work at a cafe' and there is a man that is a paranoid schizophrenic and he is one of the sweetest men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. This has sparked an interest in me and I wish to know more and would love to get involved. If you know of any organizations, volounteer groups or other affiliations that I could get involved in I would love to make a difference in someones life. You are a true insparation.
Janet <jtails20@attbi.com>
olympia, WA USA -

Your site is very well written, and I thought your story was extremely poignant and remarkable. I'm sorry you have been through so much. I certainly hope that you keep on looking up - you have a tremendous amount of courage and resiliency. Thank-you for sharing those difficult times in your life.
Emily
MA USA -

HI.im actually 15 and i was seraching for something related to the book "Sybil" after reading it and stumbled on your site. Just some comments on the book Sybil, maybe you would like to read it too. This is the second time im reading a book about a person with "split personalities". "sybil" and this other book by sidney Sheldon. The book has definitely brought about alot of questions and thoughts to my mind, and thank you for your site cos now those questions are answered. At 15, i don't know alot about life, but i definitely felt anger, fear and even a fraction of erriness. Then i foudn out that the book Sybil was actually made into a movie starring sally field, but i couldn't find the movie in local stores. Do you know where i could probably get the movie. LAst but not least, i wish you good luck and may God bless you always. love, nel
Nel <glad_168@hotmail.com>
singapore, singapore -

Enjoyed your articles. Very informative and insightful to may current condition. Thank you very much. Keep up the good work and very best of luck to you.
Keith Bolden <keithbolden59@aol.com>
Memphis, Tn United States -

I´ve Read your Story, and I can see so many same Toughts to my Boyfriend I hope Ican help him to get back to his life, like you, again. But while I was reading your Story it makes clear for me, that I have to go a long way with him. But I can´t leave him alone, I love him so I think it is my part to try everything to help him, even when it will be difficult or maybe impossible. Thank you, for writing your story, Julia
Julia <crazy_bitch_julia@web.de>
Halle/Saale, Germany -

Very informative site, has helped me a lot. Take care.
Dot <Dot@up.net>
Mi U.S. -

I know, I've being there...
Ginny <Ginny_timmins@hotmail.com>
UK -

Hello, I am watching the Debra Duncan show on T.V. right now and I just thought I would write and tell you that you have inspired me to follow my dream to be a psychologist. I just found out a couple years ago that my mom has had schizophrenia since she was 17. My family has kept it a secret from me. I grew up being paranoid though I think because she alwasy was. She never took her medicine. She has been in several Mental Hospitals and has tried to commit suicide several times. Currently she is homeless. Email me please, I think we can be friends, I am very intersted in learning more about it. Talk to you later!
Emma <Emmag143@aol.com>
Baytown, Tx -

Dear Ian, Thank you for making this very inspiring and informative site. After reading about you and your recovery I have realized that none of us are truly alone. Your work here IS meaningful to me, and I'm sure, many, many others. Thank You
Brian
ON Canada -

very nice site. as a person who is bipolar and who spent months trying to find information on what i was up against, i can understand the depth of the research you've done, and truly appreciate it. i just realize that a friend of mine is schizophrenic, yours was one of the first sites i saw, and i'm glad for that. you've given me much reading material, and i will be able to understand and possibly be there for her much more now. thank you very much.
misfitmongrel
Canada -

Thanks Ian, for a great site. My sister-in-law has just been diagnosed after her first episode but they are reluctant to call it schizophrenia for some reason. Thanks for the great insight you gave me. Now I feel I can help her more because I understand what she is feeling.
Mel <melly_w@optusnet.com.au>
Australia -

Thank you for sharing your life. My boyfriend has schizophrenia. Yes i knew before we fell in love. Many of the things you have shared makes me realize how difficult it must be for him to even have this relationship with me. He lives in France and me in Singapore so you could imagine how difficult the adjustments have been. He has recently returned back to france and I am not sure if he is doing ok coz he does not sound very well. You are probably not even reading this but i would like to hear from other care givers. I guess it helps to speak to someone who knows what we are going thru. Thank you again for your article. niki
Niki <jamayca11@hotmail.com>
Singapore, Singapore -

HI,MY NAME IS MINDY,I AM 17 YRS.OLD,I THINK THIS IS A GOOD WEBSITE,BECAUSE IT TEACHES ME SOMETHING ABOUT SCHIZOPHRENIA,BECAUSE WHEN I GROW UP,I WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A GOOD PHSYCIOTRIST,OR THERAPIST,I READ A BOPOK ABOUT SCHIZOPHRENIA,BUT THEN I WANTED TO BECOME A THERAPIST,BECAUSE I LIKE HELPING PEOPLE WITH THESE DISORDERS.
mindy <gurlychick129@yahoo.com>
floral park, ny u.s.a -

hi glad to know you have one of the more common mental disises . sp have you tried any natrual.sp cures such as herbal chinese or whatever bye
sandi j unhoch <luck@myvine.com>
claypool, indiana usa -

hi there, i love your site so far, was looknig through the net about schitsophrenia as my cousin has the disease... but he was a long time alcoholic but had stopped for 1 1/2 years and in the past few days he started drinking again after recieving treatment of shocks... i'm just hoping the best for him... i'm slightly scared for my self because i also was an alcoholic for a long time, given up 8 weeks now... was mentally hooked to cannabis for a long time aswell also upto 11 ecstacy in one night as well as gambling problems...just smoking a little hash now and then... off harder drugs for over a year i havnt been to see about help... i just feel more antisocial, i'm highly stressed now but also depressed. My uncle also commited suicide about 9 years ago and my family keep telling me that i remind them of him by my life so far.... do you really believe that there is only a hair line of difference between insanity and genius, because my uncle was the smartest man i knew but paranoia took his life away. i'm returning back to university to study psycology in november.....
lloyd <L_L_O_Y_D@hotmail.com>
Canada -

Thank you for your work and effort in uncovering and providing support for those people suffering from schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses. I have schizo-affective disorder and have taken med.s for over 10 years. I think it really helps to have others speak about their inflictions. Thank you kindly. Jason.
Jason F. Ganz <Jganz7@aol.com>
Boise, ID USA -

Very nice and usefull site. Found you on Yahoo dir.
Carl <Carl>
LV, Nevada US -

I wear golf shoes, I am so popular
muz <muzwhite@hotmail.com>
Newcastle, Australia -

I have voices in my head and need help now and like myself
muz <muzwhite@hotmail.com>
Australia -

Could you help me please I am desperate
Jacob <gowie11@hotmail.com>
Newcatsle, Australia -

I have voices in my head and need help
muz <muzwhite@hotmail.com>
Australia -

I found the entry on this site about family and social support as part of a larger search I performed on "google." I am a graduate student at the University of Illinois and am currently researching the topic of social support. While the discovery of statistical significance between social support and our mental and physical health is exciting, it is also very frustrating because invention is very difficult. Researchers and practioners need to work together to develop programs that improve our social interactions. Suggestions? What types of interventions are helpful?
Michelle Gabris
Champaign, IL USA -

I'm still confused about a lot I've realy suffered alot from my schizapherina,(Kan't spell)so much has happened since i was 13 got married at 24 got great kids Know I 've been branded for life because there was an alterkation with my wife and i don't remember a thing and life hads turned upside down for me i read your story but got questions for you. My wife is afraid of me and I don't want her to be She has been looking for some anwers but they are all bad ie Like is this goin to happen again even though you are heavly suddaited on meds she also wants me to stay away from her, because shes scared i'll hurt her our my kids and i don't want to hurt anyone I just want some clue as to what could be good four us. thx
alexander <rngmtr@netscape.net>
Anchorage, AK USA -

Thanks for all the great insight, you can study hard, but it is always best to get knowledge from those who really know. Best always Mel
Melissa <mel65@bigpond.com>
NSW Australia -

i really like the web site.........it is very interesting and has a lot of information on the subject i got exactly all that i needed thank you very much sincerely
yasmine singh <yasu_yours@hotmail.com>
kathmandu, nepal -

Thanks Ian. Your work is interesting and rigorous. I DO think it possible to recover to funtionality from psychotic illnesses. I attended a lecture where the speaker had recovered from bi-polar ie functioned without medication (10 years) and I have had much evidence from nurses and doctors that patients have recovered to differing levels. I know many people who've had one psychotic breakdown and recovered enough to live without medication. A difficulty is long term side-efects as well as immediate ones. eg carbamazapine causes cancer in rats and mice.
John Ellis
London, UK -

I must compliment you both on your site as well as your activity in education about schizophrenia. The links page is especially valuable. Given your experience, I would appreciate your comments and suggestions re: a User's Guide for Consumer/Survivors and an article I wrote on 'positive' self-disclosure for those with mental health issues. I would like to email them to you if you would be so kind as to let me know the correct address. Again, you deserve kudos for your work on behalf of consumer/survivors, not only in Ontario but Canada and beyond. Dave Jackson davjack2001@rogers.com
Dave Jackson <davjack2001@rogers.com>
Toronto, ON Canada -

test
Ian
Canada -

My 28 year-old son has attempted suicide 3 times in the past 2 years and is now at Homewood again but very resistant to antipsychotic meds and counselling. His psychiatrist, and now you, have given me some hope for the first time in years but I pray it's not too late for my son. Thank you for maintaining, and for your insights. I wish you peace of mind and large measures of joy. You are making a difference! xxoo
Cookie <cookies@sentex.net>
Cambridge, Ont Canada -

Thank you for your site!! In the last days I met two persons with a disease "borderline", one is in the thirties, the other is 19 years old is Schizophrenie like borderline?see you!! Ki.
Kirsten <KiKroening@aol.com>
Germany -

My son is a schizophrenic who recently tried to commit suicide. He tried to hang himself and was very close to death when my wife and I found him and cut him down. He has been at Geauga Hospital in Chardon, Ohio for almost a month. He will be released this Friday. He is 20 years old and has a medicaid card. He also is working with a case worker through our local Cornerstone agency. Could you offer a possible course of action? He has had this disease since the age of fifteen; however it went undiagnosed until recently. He also has abused street drugs the past 5 years. He is currently taking seroquel and an antidepressant. My wife and I are very apprehensive as to his fragile state of mind. He is somewhat better in that he is calmer than before, but he seldom speaks unless spoken to and is given to long preiods of quietness. The psychiatrist at the hospital thinks he is well enough to come home. We love our son dearly and we have had many ups and downs with him the past 5 years. He has left our home of hus own accord and we have asked him to leave on a few occcasions. We think this could be our best chance yet to help him get back his life. Fritz Johnson Dover, Ohio
fritz johnson <fritzj@tusco.net>
dover, oh usa -

Your candid story and website are inspiring. I am currently pursuing my goal of becoming a psychotherapist, focusing on art therapy - what are your thoughts about art therapy?
Vineca Gray <vineca.gray@sympatico.ca>
Toronto, On Canada -

Thank you so much for this website, I'm in a psychology class. This website helped me gain insight. Thank you so much.
Elizabeth
Canada -

I was raised by a schizophrenic until 12 years old. She was very antisocial & irrational. I watched her have a breakdown right in front of me once. I was sent to a foster home, that was very tramatizing for me. Our family had parted ways with her, she maintained no real relationships with anyone. As I got older I felt like she was trying to drive me crazy, so I left. Her crazy stories of the church putting computer software up people's genitals so the church could keep track of your sex life. I never really understood until that her brain was actually deterioating. I was angry that I never had a "normal" mom, I got over that but now it is impossible to even maintain a conversation with her. My dad also suffers from the same ilness, he was an alcoholic, I saw her maybe 4 times in my whole life. She was 36 when she had me so she was well into her illness by then. She loved me but she never taught me much, I still don't know alot of things. I have 4 kids now & she is in a nursing home, she cries over everything. It is hard for me & my kids to see her. I don't get up alot, it costs alot, travel, lunches. I have alot of guilt, I haven't been much of a daughter at all & I'm trying to support my kids & have my own life. It is a very sad illness & the pain it has caused in my family is great. I have spent many years terrified that it was going to happen to me. It's good to know such advancements are being made in case some of my children suffer from it, now I know what to look for thank you.
sheila pickering <chaos1995@hotmail.com>
scarborough, ontario Canada -

hello together! nice site! keep up the great work! bye
kontaktanzeigen
-

Good site. Lots of helpful information. Keep up the good work. Susanne
Susanne Matthews <jandsmatt@sympatico.ca>
Cornwall, ON Canada -

I HAVE BEEN SCHIZOEFFECTIVE FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS ON AND OFF MY WHOLE LIFE I CONSTANTLY HEAR VOICES AND SEE THINGS LITTLE CREATURES THERE EVERYWHARE I ALSO HAD IT ROUGH STILL DO THANKS TO GROUPS AND RISPERIDAL IM BETTER IT ONLY TAKES THE EDGE OFF COLERS ALL ELSE REMAINS TRY NOT FIGHTING IT SO MUCH GO WITH IT DONT DO WHAT THE VOICES SAY EVILS ANYWAY I EVEN HAVE HOBBIES AND CAN GO OUT AND NOT FEEL WEIRD NOBODY KNOWS WHATS WRONG UNLESS YOU LET THEM KNOW THERE IS HOPE YA KNOW I EVEN FOUGHT DEMONS THATS PAST ME NOW I THINK TO THEM TO KISS MY BUT AND THAY GO AWAY RELAX IF YOU SEE AND HERE THINGS AND WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT EMAIL ME carolm194@aol.com thanks for listening take care oh great web site RICHARD LEE MINTER SR
RICHARD L MINTER <carolm194@aol.com>
wellton, az USA -

very nice site
Eleanor Bales <jstudlo@new.r.com>
Marinette, WI usa -

Thank you very much Ian, your Site was the best help to understand and to believe what I can´t for a long time. thanks
Holger Schauer <holger.schauer@t-online.de>
Rastatt, BW Germany -

just diagnosed bi polar affective
mauricecurry <mauricecurry@hotmail.com>
Craigavon, ireland -

Thanks for your guestbook! I can't believe how I can relate to so many of the entries on here. Sort of a virtual conference room for the mentally afflicted. I too have been diagnosed with paranoia/schizophrenia and am experiencing voices. It's wierd that the only visual symptoms I've had are seeing two angels. I could'nt believe someone else saw angels also! This leads me to further believe that many of us assumed to be schizophrenic are actually experiencing PSYCHIC / SPIRITUAL activity. But it cannot be proven, so there you go. My God voice told me I had been possesed by Satan against my will by my father before I was born or shortly thereafter, and that was why I am experiencing these manifestations. I firmly believe this is true, as my voices, both evil and good, have receded with vigilant prayer to God and Jesus Christ and through their continual comforting words and assurances in voice that all this would work out and "go away" as soon as they dispossessed me of satan and his damned demons, and also corrected the damage and mutation the devil had done to my brain over the years! My voices are almost gone completely now, with and without medication, for this is a spiritual problem for me. I can only speak for myself regarding this subject, for there are those who seem to have more "mental illness" type disorganized thoughts and voices that are more distorted and not clear about things, etc. and my heart goes out to them. It's scary and destabilizing to have this , to say the least! Also, I was recently put on Geodon, and also have been sick to my stomach every day and also experienced a type of unsettling dissociation from my surroundings and my normal feelings of well-being, so I decided to quit it today. It also has a risk of sudden death due to heart failure as well as messing up the natural heart rythyms, leading to palpitations, etc. That's scary side effects. It seems to me the pharmaceutical industry, with all its billions of dollars could come up with something a helluva lot better than Geodon!!! Anyway, I can always go back to Zyprexa if need be, it's about the best drug for this I've tried along with Seroquel. Thanks for your guestbook and thank you all for reading my little experience and God bless you all and I wish you each all the best! Psychiatry in moderation is good. If you think you are being mistreated, try another psychiatrist! /Don't forget to pray,either. You might be surprised how much better you get, especially if you have the type of condition I have had!
Mike E. <michael@canehdian.zzn.com>
Somewhere-in, TX USA -

Hi - The big step after finding out your diagnosis is acceptance. I think psychiatrists are helpful & most people with schizophrenia need to go to one. I am a Christian and I really dislike reading that someone believes the cause is demonic spirits. I believe that it's physical.
Emily
ON Canada -

I was just surfing the web to see what others have done. I thought yours was cool so I figured I'd sign your guestbook and let you know.
Johnny <stymiee@hotmail.com>
Pine Hill, NJ USA -

I've read a few of your entries, and I agree about Physchiatrists (some of them wouldn't know an illness if it bit them in the posterier region)I also agree about demonic spirits bothering people. HOWEVER, I recently read on a website about a virus which affects the mind, is thought to be the source of ME,Chronic Fatigue, and is often mis-diagnosed by the phyc teams as a mental illness. You should all take time to read the information at this web site www.ccid.org and check whether the symptom, or some of them correspond to the ones listed there. Its quite a big website, don't be put off by that, just work through the symptoms and some of the stories. This Doctor Martin thinks possibly 85%of mental illness and dimentias could be this virus thingy. He is a virologist, was head of the virology dept at a big US hospital, is a pathologist by profession so knows what he is talking about. So have a go.
Katie Hope <katie@uranium.gen.nz>
Wellington, New Zealand -

Iam the 270.000 th Visitor of Ur Homepage, And i want say you: You have a great Fantasy
Andre Berg
Canada -

Okay, this may a touch controvesial I am an RMN (for those of you across the Atlantic, that's a specialist trained mental health nurse) and, having read through a few of the entries to the guest book, I have to say I'm shocked and a little disgusted by how many of you accept unquestioningly this "diagnosis" of schizophrenia. To be quite clear here, (and in full acknowledgement of the fact that I speak from an outsider perspective on mental health issues) I'm not taking the line of hardcore anti-psychiatrists (Laing, Szasz et al - anyone who hasn't already, I strongly reccomend you look them up)who made the mistake of re-framing psychosis as a higher, almost spiritual state. The fact as I see it though, is that the single biggest evil afflicting mental health care, and impeding the advancement of understanding of mental health issues, is the myth that what we call mental ilness is in any way allegorical to physical illness. This is the lie, originating from, and perpetuated by those that hold the real power in psychiatry (guess who) that keeps all treatment and research on the subject centred around a medical model. Why? The major way in which doctors maintain their position of absolute power in psychiatry is by teaching us that the people they treat are 'ill' (and, incidentally, comfortably apart form the rest of us in 'sane' society) and that this illness can be diagnosed and treated by medical intervention. Bullshit. I meet a lot of people in my job, each of then is an individual, with entirley individual problems, challenges and resources, no two the same, indeed no two anything like as similar to each other as, say, two ulcerated legs or two cancerous lungs. Diagnostic categories (schizophrenia, bi-polar affective disorders, hypomania, personality disorder etc) are entirely arbitrary lists of symptoms tht allow the psychiatrist to pidgeon-hole an individual in an attempt to simplify a shattered life to the level of a broken leg. I urge anyone who can to get hold of acopy of DSM (Diagnostic Statistical Manual) or ICD-10, they make interesting reading. The most stable and psychologically well-balanced of people can diagnose themselves with virtually anything. I could rant on for hours, maybe I will, but not now and not here. What I will say, though, is that it is vitally important for the future advancement of mental health care that the tyranny of the medical model is challenged. Don't just take what your psychiatrist says as gospel They are human too, and know only what they have been taught within a biomedical framework. They are not all knowing, unquestionable in fact, take it from me, some of the are ignorant wankers.
Al
London, UK -

Thank you for the info!
Chris <dicks@yebo.co.za>
Durban, KZN South Africa -

hi i have scitzophrenia I don,t get out much and would love to accomplish what you have accomplished. I find that i am scared of people don,t like or enjoy going out with people. Sometimes i enjoy solitary life sometimes I so wish i had someone to speak to. sometimes i can,t speak because it makes people angry with me or I just feel i,m not allowed to speak. My mother has scitzophrenia too. I seem to live in the community quite well, I might add seem to. I usually go out on my own just to say that i,ve been out. My calling card in my case of scitzophrenia is when i think there are satanic cults after me then i know somethings up lol. I can,t seem to get on in life I think i will be alone forever which i probrbaly will, i am frightened of going to drop in centres because of being bullied by someone or made to take drugs or drink etc so i won,t go there but in the long run i think i,m doing ok :S I wish you all the success in the world whoever you are. You look good you are good and you,ve accomplished alot god bless Sammyjo
samantha kerr <sammyjo@cableinet.co.uk>
bristol, England -

Gentlemen, This is my first contact with the Ontario Schizophrenia Society. Our family just got the information about one of us is suffering of MDS (Maniac Depressive Schizophrenia) and now we are looking for better information about it. I have few questions that probably you have the answers, so please let me know what to do... 1st question: In the Society opinion, what is the best book, in a simple language, for lay people, that we could find for familiar support? 2nd question: There are a similar Society here in Brazil? It is connected to you? 3rd question: Besides being a Psicologist, I have no tools to handle this situation, first because the familiar links and second to the lack of simple (lay) literature about it. Thanks for now. Awaiting for your answer at the address above. Cibele D'Angelo Barretto - July 4th, 2002
Cibele D'Angelo Barretto <cdbarretto@ig.com.br>
Sao Paulo, SP Brazil -

A very close friend of mines has just been diagnosed with schizophrenia hence the reason I came across your website. I am looking to find out as much as possible and trying to understand exactly what my friend is going through, your website has enabled me to do exactly that. I wish you every success in the future as you very much deserve it. Keep up the good work - Dawn xxx
Dawn <dkane@ecosse.net>
edinburgh, scotland, scotlland -

I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO HAS TAKEN, IS TAKING, OR KNOWS SOMEONE TAKING GEODON. I AM DOING RESEARCH ON THIS MEDICATION BECAUSE MY SISTER & DAUGHTER TOOK THIS MEDICINE.
KY United States -

i was investigating for a friend what schizophrenia was, and came across your story...i laughed and cried, the story was incredible..your experiences with the tibetains, strawberry fields, maharishi, aliens, i could relate...i hope your life is peaceful today, namaste
devi
ca usa -

my wife has been presribed paxil as an additional help as she is 0n rebetron treatment for hepC if you could send me any info about side efeects and or any other info that we should know
brian hutchinson <brian5744@yahoo.ca>
toronto, on Canada -

please help me find money for the treatment. Thank you. My info is: Account bank: PRIORBANK MINSK, swift: PJCB BY 2X Acc. 6111007295017 Beneficiary customer: PRIORBANK, MOGILEV Branch Details of payment: For Morozova Klavdia Pavlovna
Alex <reifen@mail.ru>
nn, Belarus -

I am a student currently studying Psychology. I found your site to be extremely helpful thank you.
Liz Jones <Lizcljones@aol.com>
Bath, England -

elaine you wrote wrong e-mail
Alex <reifen@mail.ru>
gg, BY Belarus -

I think I'm schizophrenic, please send me all your info.
elaine <skiis01@hotmail.com>
palm beach, fl usa -

Good page. May be here is people who can make good work for me and help me finances. I'm ill of schizophrenia too since 1998 and i'm very tired. Thank you.
Alex <reifen@mail.ru>
hh, BY Belarus -

I thank you very much for your website. Being a close friend of a 21 year old schizophrenic male, information like this is extremely appreciated. I am also a psych. student working on a case study and the information provided is sure to be a big help. I thank you again, and wish you luck on your endeavors.
Shanna
Detroit, MI USA -

Hi, I am doing a research paper on Schizophrenia and I found your web site to be helpful, it is wonderful for the accomplishments you have made in your life. May God forever bless you and keep you.
eunice <ascandi@aol.com>
Buffalo, NY USA -

I made a mistake the book with information on Schizophrenia is ...Annihilating the Hosts of Hell II by Win Worley. Sorry
Helena <read_the_bible2001@yahoo.com>
Canada -

There is proof of what Schizophrenia is in the Bible. A cure is also mentioned in the Bible as well. Win Worley is an excellent author on the subject especially his book "Annihilating the Hosts of Hell I " If you have any questions, I have 20 years of research experience with mental illness. Love to you all Helena
Helena <read_the_bible2001@yahoo.com>
Bayonne, NJ United States -

Hi again, This is a brief message for the man called Joshua who is paranoid schizophrenic, so am I, and is married and wants to know if his children will inherit schizophrenia. I already had two children by the time I was diagnosed and hospitalized, and I worried terribly that they would develop the illness. Thankfully they did not. I know have two little grandchildren - a wonderfully lively 2 year old grandson and a newborn baby granddaughter. So I started worrying again. I've checked it out, however on a very reliable internet site and have learned the following facts; the children of schizophrenics have a 12 - 13% chance of developing the illness, grandchildren and children of brothers and sisters of schizophrenics have only a 2 - 3% chance. So its not quite as probable as many think. I hope this helps Joshua a little. It made me feel better. Lots of love and good wishes to all people with or recovering from mental health problems and to all who care. Maureen.
Maureen Selwood <maureenselwood@hotmail.com>
New Malden, Surrey England -

Hi. My cousin has not been diagnosed with this illness, nevertheless I am more convinced than ever that he does has it. I really hope my aunt realizes and is not in denial. My cousins has dillusions that can be harmful to himself or his parents. This has been very painful for him and for all of us and learning about other experiences will help the family cope with the fact. Thx.
Monique <freekgirl@bolt.com>
TX US -

Hey, neat. Luck to you! And all with Schizophrenia. I'm a late-teen with DID, and found your site while studying 'mental disorders'. Way to go -- tell people about it. Keep up the great work!
R.V. Convey <wolf_xau@yahoo.com.au>
-

Hi, Like you I am schizophrenic. I had some experiences in my teens and some hints of it in my childhood but actually started to hear voices in a dramatic way in my twenties. I was hospitalized in my very early thirties. I spent 6 months in hospital then and it seemed like the end of my life. I made a very concerted effort at suicide, but was 'saved. I had two young children and I was very lucky not to have them taken away and put into care. My ex whom I loathed at the time, took care of them and as soon as I left in-patient care I had them andmy old home back. It was very tough, but I survived somehow and did a college course in fine art printmaking - etching particularly. I had been an artist since my teens and had trained at a London art college. I struggled somehow on Stelazine, This was then the eighties, still heard voices for a lot of the time, but managed somehow. I kept out of hospital for many years. Unfortunately, following my mothers death, becoming unemployed, working too hard at a vouluntary organization and being arrested several times on demos for Act Up an AIDS campaigning group, (interestingly in the light of your own 'delusions'!) I became increasingly obsessed by my growing delusional beliefs. They included ; Being the chosen one of the great goddess the high priestess of the sacred flame, believing that I was an extremely powerful witch and also that I was being oppressed and hounded by several covens of witches, and most terrifyingly of all that I was being pursued by the devil. The voices that I heard were awesome. I also saw some terrifying visions. Needless to say, by that time I was not taking any medication. One of the worst experiences was the time that I, very rationally decided that I need Stelazine again. I made an appointment with my doctor, but unknown to me she was away and a locum doctor had taken her place. Sadly this doctor, who I later discovered was a Christian fundamentalist, in reply to my account of fearing I was being pursued by the devil said that I probably was! She offered to take me to a minister for exorcism! This was definately not what I had expected! Fortunately, she decided to flick through my notes and on seeing all the entries on mental illness changed her tune and said she was going to contact the local psychiatrist. I was badly shaken by all this however. No professional has ever believed it . They all have said I imagined it. Anyway, I very soon ended up in one of the few remaining Mental Asylums in this country. Like most it was built in the Victorian era, was well away from any inhabited area and was dark, full of long gloomy corridors, very forbidding! To cut a long story short there followed some grim years. I have studied your site on medication and it seems to me that it is meted out in much larger doses here. At first it was dear old Stelazine again, but 45mg per day! The depot injections, Modecate was the worst. For about 7 years I was just a zombie, I could hardly speak and could not communicate at all. It was terrible. My life really seemed to be over, then I found the courage to refuse my depot. Although the doctors disagreed they relented and it was back on an aweful lot of Stelazine again! Still it was better. I became chair of a local group for what we call here users of the mental health service. It was run for us and by us. I put a lot into it. Anyway this story does have a happy ending, I went onto Olanzapine about 3 years ago, and my thought processes started to come back fully, I rediscovered my creativity and last year had a London show of my paintings, Olanzapine made me put on a tremendous amount of wieght however, and it started to affect my physical health, so the Medication was changed to Seroquel. I am on 600mgs a day. I have lost 3 and a half stone, about 50lbs in about eight monthsand I'm still losing it. Although I have now got several physical problems, Epilepsy was eventually diagnosed in 1990 and recently Asthma and Osteoarthritis, I enjoy my life as much as I can. I am studying for a degree in Humanities with the Open University and though there are sometimes setbacks I am now more at peace with myself, and I can think clearly again! Sorry this is so long, your site is absolutely wonderful! I think you are great. Lots and lots of good wishes for the future. I am now 55 but intend to make the most of what time I have left. Love - Maureen.
Maureen Selwood <maureenselwood@hotmail.com>
New Malden, Surrey England -

hi i only found out today at the age of 31 after being misdiagnosed since childhood after raiding the net for 3 hours for the first time i am not alone or an alien its a relief to find out and that people can survive from personal experience i know how crap this can be and how it can rob you of weeks of your life but there are posistive points too thank you for standing up and bringing this to peoples attention good luck with the future in what ever dimension you find yourself
s.stanley <k.stanley@bt openworld.com>
newquay.cornwall, england -

Just looking at your story. Its a scary illness and its no wonder people are afraid of it. I am thirty one and have been diagnosed with schizophrenia for allmost four years now. I live in the US and am taking risperdal. I love to hear about other's dillusions and about their psychotic experiences. I have had some real winners my self. I though I was going to be crucified,tortured for a thousand years,had an alien in my brain, Thought my mother was an alien, thought aliens were in my ceiling reading my brains contents from my whole life,I saw an angel materialize in my room, I saw spirits of native americans, I heard auctioneers voices, I was electrocuted by an unseen forcefield, I was going to be killed by God, I thought aliens were taking over the planet and were "imobilizing" everyone psychicaly, I thought the Russian mob was taking over America, and this is only a sample of some of my delusions and psychotic experiences. I also had some episodes of mental illness in my adolescence, even signs of it in childhood. But I started hearing voices in my twenties very mildly. Then I thought people were following me around messing with me by talking to me from out of sight. Years later I finally had a full blown psychotic break. I thought I was dead, going to be dead, or die at any time. I was litteraly pissing myself. I wrote my will and left my money to my dad and my truck to the local masonic temple. (I have no clear understanding why) But somehow God never actually Killed me and somehow I managed to call for help from my mother (no longer an alien) and eventually ended up with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. One thing about this illness is that no one seems to understand. Sure the psychiatrist nods and says um hmm... but do they really get it? I thank you for the effort to talk about your experience. Its strong, its powerfull, thats all I can think to say. Good luck, Ken.
Ken <alahoo@yahoo.com>
Or USA -

My best friend was just diagnosed with schizoeffective disorder. She has been prescribed Geodon, and can barely stand to take it. She becomes paranoid and sick, and at times seems worse off than without it. Are other people going through the same thing with this drug? Is there other options? What can I do to help?Is it possible to function in ths world with this disease?Please anyone with answers, please reply.Thank you.
Siana Sonoquie <eskimom24@hotmail.com>
Chico, CA usa -

Great site.........thanks
Christina <christinajml@yahoo.com>
NJ U.S.A. -

Great story!! You have done great things with your life instead of letting the disease take ahold of you.
Tammy Mealing <tammy_mealing@hotmail.com>
Calgary, AB Canada -

My step son has this disease and is now being treated in our state hospital. My husband ask me yesterday how do we have a relationship with him, how do we treat him. I stated as long as he takes his medication we treat him like we do our other kids. Is this correct or should we treat him with kid gloves.
Lori Zimney <lozimney@jc.edu>
Jamestown, ND USA -

My step son has this disease and is now being treated in our state hospital. My husband ask me yesterday how do we have a relationship with him, how do we treat him. I stated as long as he takes his medication we treat him like we do other kids. Is this correct or should we treat him with kid gloves.
Lori Zimney <lozimney@jc.edu>
Jamestown, ND USA -

You've put a lot of effort into this site. I'm impressed with it. It's very informative. My mother is schizophrenic. It started when she was around 36. She's 59 now. My father died last year, and she's not been doing well. All these years, and still no insight - so she won't take her meds. The doctor wants to put her in a retirement home, so I'm online looking for options. Thank you for your site, and your story. Best of luck, lynn lynn
toronto, Canada - Canada -

Very good webpage you have here, and best greetings to all your visitors. Have BIG fun...
Akranes, ICELAND -

.... wonderfully well done....
A. H. <AishaHaadi@yahoo.com>
NYC, NY USA -

Man i read your site. You dealt with your problems like a real man. In fact you are the man. I am glad that you have showed us all that mental health is important but it does get better. Thanks for the insight.
Rick <rickcav@hotmail.com>
Toowoomba, QLD Australia -

Sure this isn't anything you haven't heard, but to keep going through that shit you are an amazing person. I really admire your candor with your life story and your persistence in life.
Nick Chase <squadleader5@hotmail.com>
Eugene, Or USA -

I think you are inspiring, and this page is very useful, as I am doing a project on Schizophrenia. :)
Karyn <FitsOfGloryFanClub@communities.msn.ca>
BC Canada -

I would like to know about the latest research findings about schizophrenia, medication, the use of enzymes to cure it or improve it? etc.
Juan Antonio Gonzalez-Mayo <MayoYankee1@aol.com>
Woodhaven, NY United States -

I was diagonsed with a schizophrenis type pschycosis(I thought I was a witch and would you believe it the creator...yep me GOD)I do not take any medication for this because I find it does not work for me. How I have combatted the problem is by remaining positive and filling my mind with good thought. I thankfully was not suicidal at all, and got through it ok. I really empathise with you, you have come along way. It is so frightneing because it seems so real. only one who has experienced can understand. I am hold a 'normal' life and get by day to day. My message to you is never to lose sight of your dreams and goals, they are what make us without them we would all be thoughtless, and there is nothing wrong with thinking even though sometimes with this illness it would be nice to switch off. I could keep on writing and writing but don't want to fill up your page. Anyone out there who reads this and would like to discuss what they went through I would really love that I think by talking it makes it so much easier to deal with. I don't think anyone will ever understand schizophrenia until they have lived it. Here in Australia I haven't been able to find many discussion groups if anyone knows any let me know. Cheers to you all and happy thoughts:)
Sue <smcfallan@austar.com.au>
Darwin, NT Australia -

Hi, I stumbled onto your website because I am trying to research Schizophrenia. I think that your story is so awesome. I'm wondering, have you read "The Day the Voices Stopped." By Ken Steele? It's a good book. But I just wanted to say hi and I'm glad you are getting through it. Keep up the good work.
Ashley <Jesus_Saved_me_Fq@hotmail.com>
Small town, OR USA -

your other personality says hello.
Rachel
Canada -

Queer
Face McGee
Canada -

I am doing a reasearch papper on schizophrenia and your site has helped me a lot. Thank you for helping me. I hope that you feel better
MATHEW BLAHA <cyberplayer18@hotmail.com>
salinas, ca U.S.A -

my sister suffers with schizophrenia and i'm trying to find some information such a long time. it was very lucky for me to find your webside. thank you very much and wish you all the best
renata <nata.m@seznam.cz>
Prague, Czech Republic -

Through reading your report it gave me a lot of info for the case study i am doing thanx. Oh yes by the way not all women are looking for a man who earns more money than them i would be happy to find one that is a bit of a real man not a bloody know it all. Thanx again!!!!!!!
Kate <k_chant@cwmrhymni.biblio.net>
Cardiff, mg Wales (Britain) -

i do not want to sound like a know it all but in one part of this site you used the words "split personality"... i would like you to know that there is no such thing as "split personality". it is called Multiple personality (D.I.D.). split personality is a term used by people uneducated in the field of psychology. other than that your site was awesome and answered many of my questions. thank you
Megan <surfer_hick_chick@hotmail.com>
va us -

This site was very useful! I appreciate all of the work you've put into this site.
Renn Christianson <psychoskater1@google.com>
vancouver, WA United states -

Good Luck , You deserve it!
Paul Cons <pwacons@aol.com>
Canada -

Very informative, well done.
Ruth Simson <res45@student.canterbury.ac.nz>
Christchurch, New Zealand -

.....wonderfully well done.....
Aisha Haadi <aisha@egyptian-witchcraft.com>
New York City, NY USA -

nice page
Dennielle Lacroix <to_hot4_u16@hotmail.com>
Orangeville, ON, ON Canada -

Ya'll get a reprint of the Dec. '99 issue of DISCOVER magazine in which German researchers use the anti-flu medication Amantidine. They think that the Borna Disease virus causes much of our mental disorders. I'll bet a dollar to a donut that they are right!
Gilbert Jacoby <gjacoby@grayce.net>
Marble Falls, Tx. Texas -

I am 18 and I am just looking for someone to help me help my 16 year old sister. Please email me if you know something that will help.
Shalemarr Bolon <shaydog_0802@hotmail.com>
Orofino, ID United States -

I have looked over many websites that involve Schizophrenia, and I have found yours to be one of the most informative.
Griffin
CA US -

Ive got a 7th grade project to do and you've really helped me in my research in this. After studying Schizophrenia, I know what your going through. Keep on fighting, dude!
Dayton O'C <psps@erols.com>
Bethesda, Md U.S.A. -

Thank you so much for your honesty,openness, and compassion. Never give up. May you have much happiness and success in all that you do.
Melissa Czarnecki <melissa@mbay.net>
Carmel, CA United States -

Thankyou for your honest account of your life struggling with the symptons of this complicated illness. I am a mother of a 20 year old son who has not yet accepted his condition. My only hope is that he realises before it is too late, as he repeatedly puts himself in danger by self abuse. He has already spent months in hospital and admittedly came out zombie like but more like his old self. Gradually though he has dropped all prescribed medication and is self medicating with alcohol and goodness know what else...I am continually looking for answers and though I may not always find any,it gives me comfort to hear of others stories and how such people as yourself have managed to overcome many of the difficulties and live relatively happy lives. Thankyou for this opportunity.
Nettie <nettiejaneau@yahoo.com>
Perth, WA Australia -

I admire you!!! You are really something!
Norma <casanovanorma@hotmail.com>
Canada -

I am a distant relative of Ian Chovil and came to this web site on accident. Because of that, I have a new pen pal/relative I never knew about. Great site Ian.
Viktor Chovil <VChovil_01@msn.com>
Burlington, WA United States -

i am 18 and doing a senior english research paper and schizophrenia is my topic. I found your website full of information. don't worry, it is all on my works cited pages. thank you for sharing your experiences.
jenn <jenntc02@yahoo.com>
IN United States -

i totally know how u feel-i am 13 and i see and hear things all the time. they say its because i havent been sleeping so my mind still dreams when im awake. its pretty scary. and embarassing. i hope we soon both- and everyone else out there recover from our illness! god-bless -cori-
cori <crazygirl8239@aol.com>
tx united states -

http://www.human-nature.com/nibbs/issue49.html Schizophrenia - The notion that some schizophrenics do recover, and can live out their lives without medication, is increasingly accepted. That inspiring story drew millions of Americans to the recent film ''A Beautiful Mind,'' in which the mathematician John Nash emerges slowly from a fog of delusion.
Philip Yim <cwin97@hotmail.com>
Hong Kong, Hong Kong -

Chaos and the Logistic Map http://www.math.pitt.edu/~gartside/math0450/chaos/studentReports/PatrickIrvin.html The chaotic characteristics of brain waves may be the causes of shizophrenia. You may find more links by Google using this "chaotic brain waves and schizophrenia" I have just seen Dr. John Nash's experience of Schizophrenia in a documentary movie. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/nash/peopleevents/p_jnash.html But he became normal gradually by rejecting his own delusion (but after 30 years.) and become normal without the help of medicine. I remember some researches have suggested Chaotic influence. I guess that he had changed his own circuity by re-establishing his own internal connection. The article on this. Normal operation of the heart and brain seem to depend on seemingly abnormal rhythms. Cardiac arrest and seizures can be detected when the rhythm of the heart and brain waves begin to line up in clock-like synchronization. It appears that these things need occasional irregularities in their rhythm to keep themselves in cadence. Seizures can sometimes be triggered by flashing or flickering lights, or even geometric shapes or patterns. This fairly rare condition is known as photosensitive epilepsy. (NSE) I would conjecture that the regularity of strobe lights and beats in music can cause the brain activity in photosensitive people to line up because their brain can't override the incoming signals, which triggers a seizure in them. The non-linearity of the beats can be explained with help from chaos theory, which deals with non-linearity. The most orderly synchronous activity can be represented by strictly periodic signals of low complexity. Less synchronous activity, reflecting a less orderly state, can be represented by signals of increased complexity with multiple frequencies, quasiperiodic signals, and increasing chaotic behavior of the signal. (EC, 3) It appears that seizures take place when chaos in the brain breaks down to linearity. Chaos theory can also help to explain the causes of schizophrenia, by examining the mechanics of a schizophrenic's eye movement as he watches a slowly swinging pendulum. Following a slowly swinging pendulum with one's eyes is an ostensibly simple task which most people have no trouble with it, but a person with schizophrenia cannot do it, their eyes jump about in disruptively small increments, over shooting or undershooting the target and creating a constant haze of extraneous movements. Whereas the tradition analysis has been from a physiological point of view, chaos theory introduces the idea of small errors begetting large errors (disruptive eye movements). It also introduces the possibility that there are universal elements of motion (Chaos, 276) rather than just a boatload of body parts working together to produce a result.(Chaos, 276)
Philip Yim <cwin97@hotmail.com>
Hong Kong, HK Hong Kong -

Great site. My son 27 has Sch. He got it at age 5 and is in Queen st. I am not sure that he will ever leave. errol
errol <errolyoung@sympatico.ca>
Toronto, ON Canada -

Thank you. You have really helped me on my research.
Devon Sherman
Quincy, ill. U.S.A -

my mother has schizophrenia and i would just like to say that i'm am glad that people like you are putting this important stuff on the internet .but there are some areas where you could improve your page i would like it for you to by putting something on here like about the medication called ( i doubt that i'm spelling this right )larazopan
Chrsissie
toronto, ont Canada -

i am looking for help on my school project/report. is there anyone that can help me? if you can, please email me the information. thank you very much! Heather
Heather Lieber <recordings19@hotmail.com>
Seattle, Wa Washington -

I was doing an interview on Schizophrenia and I was wondering if I could talk with you. I'm done with my interview but I wanted to know a few things more about the disease, if you were willing enough to tell me somethings. If not I understand. I dont want you to feel uncomfortable or anything so when your ready, I'am, too.Thanks
Kelly Warren <crazysexygagirl@hotmail.com>
Thomasville, Ga United States -

i was wondering if i could interview you for a research project about schizophrenia. Please reply ASAP... i would really appreciate it.
Bonnie <bonbon1423@aol.com>
MI USA -

Hello. I'm a 34 year old house wife that was recently diagnosed with sichizoaffaffective disorder. I have been trying to find information that shows a corralation to swimming as a use for theropy. If I can get to the rec center and get to the pool the voices stop instantly. We don't have one so half the year I have no pool to use. I was just woundering if it was just me or weightlessness really helps. Your site is wounderful, very informative, thank you so
Maggie <Trissmaggie@aol.com>
NLV, NV USA -

Hi, I went to your site to learn about schizophrenia for a research paper on it. I saw your site and thought this would kind of give me an indepth look at how a someone with the illness would behave and try to cope through everyday life. I think your a really brave and gifted person, and i really would enjoy talking to you, i have some questions that id like to ask. I know you probably wont email me but i would be thrilled if you did. I really dont know how to end this so i think i ll just email you. Thanks for all the great information. and i hope you continue your struggle.
Natillie <acid_lip_gloss>
buffalo, ny usa -

I was doing a report on Schizophrenia and as I got more into the research I started finding more and more personal sights about this illness. It was only after this one that I could begin to contemplate what effects this disease can have on a persons life.
Alexis Layman <Lex3838@aol.com>
USA -

thank you for your story. I am having to do a report of chemical imbalances, because of my own story to tell. I had no idea there was so much information on the web and that I'm not alone. I have the effects and feelings of allot that you had wrote, with mood-swings and depression. I found your site checking out "ask jeeves" Thank you for having the courage to speek with other, I'm finding it really hard just to speak in front of the class I'm in. Hearing others are also in my boat (or I in theres) it makes it much eaiser for me to keep my head high and keep going forword.
Leza <leza@hdo.net>
Alturas, ca usa -

Thanks- this site was obviously a lot of work -and is extremely well designed - i find it hard to believe it was created by a schizophrenic as the "Disorganized Thinking" is the sympton I really relate to. I'm 46- just diagnosed now- after living for 3 years convinced I was being spoken to and guided by Angels ( or some 4th dimension of the collective consciousness). You have tremendous courage - I pray that you can see that that your glass is at least half full- and it is full of a wonderful life-enhancing liquid. Don't rob yourself of happiness by comparing your insides to the "ousides" that you see of normal people. Most people have good periods and horribly times in the course of their life. For me though -your site is full of great info- I wish you health and continued recovery. Thank you Jo-Anne Ottawa
Jo-Anne B <jkb2000@rogers.com>
Ottawa, OT Canada -

Thank You, I needed to know about schizophrenia. Thank You again.
Dave
Sydney, NSW Australia -

Hello sir, I am and 8th grader that is doing a science project on schizophrenia in school and I stumbled upon your site. This gave me much inspiration and a lot of information on schizophrenia.Your story is very insightful, and sad, but I am glad you are feeling better!! Thank you very much, and I hope you are still recovering well. I was just wondering.. what kind of schizophrenia were you suffering from? catatonic? paranoid? of was it disorganized? You see.. This project is worth a lot of points, and I am so glad i read your site. Thanks again!! :-D
Mandy <mikklepikkle13@hotmail>
Overland Park, KS US of A -

Thank you for sharing your story.
Sarah <menovello@hotmail.com>
north andover, MA USA -

Thank you for all of your information. My brother is 23 and is very sick, any information that you may have PLEASE email it to me. God Bless Tara
Tara <TaraB10@hotmail.com>
Somers Point, NJ USA -

I would like to know more about schizophrenia. I have few friend who suffer it and be with them is like been in a magical world. Thanks
Pilar Sosa <pilarsosa41269@hotmail.com>
Edinburgh, Mithlothian United Kingdom -

Hi I'm studying psychology and I'm so happy to see that the work that other people like me do is helpfull for people with some personal problems and illness like schizophrenia. Your site is very good and gives a complete vision of what the illness is and much more important gives your personal point of view. Thank you for sharing your experience with me.
Karen <kartovlu@hotmail.com>
Mexico, Canada -

Hi, Everyone, I suffered American Government crime while I study in the USA. Not only the secret agents abuse me, but also the TV stations - they watch me. Can anyone provide witness and be legal to the court, please contact me. Thank you very much! Minzhi
Minzhi Shi <minzhishi@hotmail.com>
Canada -

Dear Ian---Thank you for this site. As part of the self-help movement, it is almost part of the patients duties to police themselves. I am not an anarchist. I am for law and order. When I was on the wards, I stopped a few rapes of the women inmates and of a few of the newer inmates who who were scared to death to be on the wards. Sometimes the psych techs and the drs. just don't get a damn about the patients. It is sort of like the story Lord of the Flies where we have to take care of ourselves. In the War on Terror, all of us are terrified but will never admit it. It is my theory that many of the Middle Eastern problems are related to delusions of a grandiose nature. Were the people who flew the airplane into the WTC psychotic??? Should they have been involuntarily hospitalized before they committed this act??? Is Osama Bin Looney Laden a dangerous psychotic who would benefit from medication and psychotherapy. The World Psychiatric Association is remiss in its duties to identify and treat psychotics. As a person who at one time was psychotic and recovered and have lived with fellow psychotics I understand that they usually need someone to love them, someone to care for them. They are lonely and have no one. Remember what it was like ian, out on the streets, nowhere to turn but jail or a hospital. It seemed as if no one cared. Sometimes I would feel like screaming out to the stars---Help!!! Here is the U.S. bombing the hell out of all these countries, planning on bombing Iraq soon, maybe your country is next, and we sit idly by whilst more people die hideous deaths. Oh yes, politics figures in psychiatric treatment also. There is a lot of politics in psychiatry. Psychiatry is used for deprogramming a person from a cult or a political crackpot ness. What I am trying to say is, do the Al-Qaida need anti-psychotic medication and psychotherapy before the entire planet blows up. They would probably say that our country needs anti-psychotic medication and psychotherapy before the world blows up. I've seen these types of arguments in bars and coffee shops and aa meetings and lunatic asylums all over the world. We owe it to future generations not to sit idly by and let psychopaths of any political, racial, ethnic or kook group to blow up the world. I am not a peacenik. But is war the only solution. There are alternate solutions to violence. I interpret your whole psychotic episodes as awareness of the environment and then, stop this planet, i want to get off. We are fleeing planet earth in our spaceships. However, for those of us who remain here, we are trying by law and order means to --like rodney king said---all get along. If we don't, there will be no one left here to get along. Think of all the innocent animals and plants who would be destroyed. We must prevent Armageddon somehow. It is up to us to do it. Well Ian, i know i am kind of grandiose, thinking we can be the dutch boys with their fingers in the dyke, but we must try. Perhaps hopefully world war three can be avoided. Many have just resigned themselves to the fact that its just going to happen. I refuse to admit defeat in that matter. The planet will survive and so will its offspring. Forward to the Stars!!!---Terry Cordoba
Terry Cordoba <Corby301x@aol.com>
San Marcos, CA USA -

Hey, you rock...keep on truckin. -Krysta Marie
Krysta <xtremelyobeseman@yahoo.com>
Wichita, Ks US -

Hey - great site! I'm writing a story about a woman with schizophrenia, and your site was a great help to me. Keep up the good work, and I wish you the best of luck in your life :) God Bless you.
Shannon <Brn2BHyper@hotmail.com>
Augusta, GA USA -

Hey - great site! I'm writing a story about a woman with schizophrenia, and your site was a great help to me. Keep up the good work, and I wish you the best of luck in your life :) God Bless you.
Shannon <Brn2BHyper@hotmail.com>
Augusta, GA Canada -

I am doing a psychology report over schizophrenia. Iwould greatly appreciate any information that you can provide for me. I am considering a career in psychology after graduation and schizophrenia would be what I would like to have an emphasis on. I would like to know what kind of feelings you felt, how your behavior changed, and the type of scitzophrenia you were diagnosed with. Al of oyur help is greatly appreciated and will be put to good use. Thank you for all of your help. Lacey Cheatwood
lacey Cheatwood <invme2003@aol.com>
chandler, ok united states -

YOU SOUND LIKE A RETARD TO ME!!!!
MAVIS <LILJ523@YAHOO.COM>
TALLMADGE, OH U.S.A. -

Hello, Just wanted to tell you that I think you are a very brve person for putting your story on a website for the world to see (and hopefully) learn from. I am a diagnosed Manic depressive, I am now finally in a stage in my life ( I am 19) where I am willing to admit to my disease. After many suicide attempts, being hospitalized for years, and on every drug possible, I still realize that the best way to recovery is to have positive input. And thats just what you have done for me. Thank you and God Bless.
Sarah Steinlicht <djsarahdawn@netscape.net>
Gettysburg, pa usa -

I am doing a short research project on schizophrenia. My son is a schiophrenic. It was amazing to me that you said a lot of what I had already wrote. I especially liked your site, because you expressed yourself. Most of the time I read what doctors say. They are very knowledgeable, but don't have the insight that you have. You have expressed yourself very well. Thank you so very much!!
Mary Gale
United States -

hi! im pooki and im 15. i just wanted to say that i really liked your site. im doing a research paper on psych, and i needed some info on schizophrenia, and the info you gave really helped me. thank you so much!!!! buckets of love and hugs forever!!!!
pooki <pookija21@hotmail.co.m>
los gatos, ca USA -

I highly recommend you see "A Beautiful Mind" the story about John Nash, a brilliant college professor/mathematician who suffers schizophrenia but is strong enough to cope with it.
Julia <Showbiz166384@aol.com>
MA USA -

Great website! I'm doing a speech on Schizophrenia for school and your information and story helped me a lot. Thanks!
McKay
NE U.S.A. -

good information, but wot do u do when a schizophrenic has a attack and wot approach would u take face to face how would i talk to him or her. i ask this because i av just started a new career in surport work for mental health.
jeana <rosetta107@hotmail.com>
Canada -

I am interested in learning more about schizophrenia for my psychology classes.
Kevin Bevis <kdcbevis@yahoo.com>
Carneys Point , NJ USA -

After reading about your experiences with Schizophrenia, I realized that my best friend is suffering from it as well. I visited the site in hoping that his condition wasn't this bad, but it is. Each night he would tell me what he was thinking, and I would sit in shock as he talked about how people could hear what he was thinking and that he could get clues about the future from TV and radio. I'd really like it if you would email me, I'm afraid he's at a stage where he might hurt himself because he always tells me that if he dies that I'll know who to blame.
Robert <Slobert502@aol.com>
Chattanooga, TN United States -

Thanks so much. Leads me to think I've done a few things right with a loved one who has this disease.
Nan
Canada -

dear Iam thanks for your wonderful website. I am 40 years old and a diagnosed schizophrenic. I have been on respirodal for the last 3-4 years.I live in a veterans family care home in Lowell,MA. From everyone here:THANK YOU!!!!
Bill Manning <hieros441@yahoo.com>
Lowell, ma USA -

dear Iam thanks for your wonderful website. I am 40 years old and a diagnosed schizophrenic. I have been on respirodal for the last 3-4 years.I live in a veterans family care home in Lowell,MA. From everyone here:THANK YOU!!!!
Bill Manning <hieros441@yahoo.com>
Lowell, ma Canada -

This was a very informative web site. I have been to several web pages that only contain facts about schizophrenia. I think I better understand the illness now that I have read your own personal story.
mel <mel_turner16@yahoo.com>
Jasper, Ga United States -

Hi Ian, wir finden deine Homepage sehr interssant. Wir finden es sehr mutig, wie du mit deiner Krankheit umgehst. Wir wünschen dir noch alles Gute für die Zukunft. Tschüß Melissa und Nina
Melissa, Nina <blueluna18@web.de>
Germany -

Thank you for sharing your story, it always helps to know that there is others out there that are dealing with the same things. You are a very positive person. Keep smiling
Elizabeth <radiantbunny>
Australia -

Hi Ian, Thank you for taking the time to put together this site. I have been diagnosed with schizo affective disorder and I can relate to some of what you have experienced, because I have lived it. Other parts of your story touch my heart because I think with mental illness life can take twists and turns and at time be out of control. Stay well and take care. Thanks again.
Linda
Canada -

I found your website to be extremely insightful on a variety of issues that deal with schizophrenia. I commend you on a fine job. As a student of abnormal psychology and wanting a career in psychology I find myself drawn to this disorder and intrigued by it. It also hits close to home with a very close family member of mine who has shown many symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia and I feel helpless on how to get her help because she will not admit there is a problem or even consider the possibility of getting help. I am extremely concerned not only about her, but also her children. She has gone from a totally functional person to totally dysfunctional. Unfortunately because of the way the whole field works she must be willing to get help, or committ a drastic behavior or a crime that shows a disposition of danger to herself or someone else. I know it's only a matter of time before she does something drastic. Anyhow, thanks for such an insightful website.
David <ndavidn@hotmail.com>
Tucson, AZ United States -

Heeelo ferllow schitzo, sry bouttt thats my borther. I am fromm the hoood tooo! lets go outt to lunch my home-ieee! C-ya later broooo!!! Bey bey
Schitzo <schitzo@schitzoland.com>
Retard, LALALA Canada -

We are just like youuu adn ew lorved to eb lgoumved like youiuuu and we wantrt ot meest yopuuuu, ooo by thess wayyy im am dislecsic tooooo! bey bey!
Retard <lalalalala@aol.com>
Scackland, Ut Canada -

Hi Ian, I still think your site is pretty much the definative site for descibing this illness. Keep up the good work. Doug/Zaphod
Vasya <Pupkin>
Orlando, OR USA -

Dr.No,It is in you'r best interest to stop the meds.The doctors are killing you with the meds.There are no phsycotropic drugs that are goog for the human body!The communist doctors want to control you and take away you'r rights.And they use the meds. to do it.Wise up!!!!!And get out of town and go where noone knows you.Get off you'r meds. they will KILL YOU!!!!Read again everything I said before.I study the medical books written by doctors for doctors and I know what they say.This is everybodies warning.DO NOT FOLLOW THE TREATMENT PLAN OF ANY PSYCHIATSIST.They seek to oppress you as long as you live and takw away you'r God given rights and the ability to function properly.Anybody can learn to fuction hearing voices.I can and so can you.Don't be hoodwinked by the doc.!!!!!!!!!!!
nowhereman <nowhereman@nowhereland>
nowhereland -

I am not sure if I have schizophrenia. But, I hear voices, and have all the symptoms, like disorganized speach. I see a psychiatrist weekly and am on antipsychotics, Geodon. I am really scared about the long term affects of this........i don't want to be homeless...I want to go to law school. My cousin was getting his doctorate in math and physics from MIT, but had to leave with only a few exams left, because he was schizophrenic. It's real sad. Am I losing my mind? AHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAH.........and i laugh out of context all the time.
Martin <mlevens1@ic3.ithaca.edu>
Ithaca, NY USA -

I sincerely apologize ian. I know that this is your site and your guestbook, but sometimes i just cannot resist the impulse to be a donkey. Yes, twas I impersonating Dr. NO. Yes, I take my medication too. When I was 21, I believed I was Paul of arrakis of the sci-fi novel Dune. I became extremely dangerous and realized it and thank God I got into the hospital before I hurt somebody. I was medicated and hospitalized for one week and then released as an outpatient for six months. Unfortunately, i decompensated again and again and now am living on charity. If it were not for charity I would have starved to death. I am a member of NAMI and the California Network of Mental Health Clients. If not for involuntary hospitalization I might have done something wrong. Nowhere man, perhaps you are in control. I was not in control and my medication helps me stay in control. Thank god for the doctors and the medications, the asylums and the hospitals. When the unreal becomes the real it can be terrifying. I apologize again Ian. I don't know how to remove something from the guestbook should I lose control and start to say something I later regret. We real live mentally ill, are so glad to be relieved of most of our symptoms. Schizophrenia is a living hell for the patient and those around him and often goes unrecognized till it is too late.---terry cordoba, southern california
Terry Cordoba
The Milky Way -

Your comments are right on target nowhere man. I am on medication now though, so you cannot really trust what I have to say. I am in an asylum within the compound of Dr. No. If I refuse to take my medication I will be put to death. I have been waiting for James Bond to come and rescue me from the clutches of Dr. No, but he never arrives and so it is another day of being a guinea pig, for Drs. No, Mengele and others. The psych techs here will beat me up if I am found in the staff lunch room, sneaking off an e-mail and reading www.chovil.com. It has been declared verboten. I'll rush off this message in a bottle to the free world if it still exists and pray the u.s. cavalry arrives like in the old movies i used to get to watch before the communists take over still yet another country. By the way, hurray ian, for giving us an outlet. The psych techs are on to me, i'd better sign off before i am caught and taken to the shock room. over and out---an inmate of the asylum
Dr. No
Caribbean -

I was not finished but the spys cut me off.They whatch everything that I do on this computer.I am sopost to only be on this compputer for 90min.and then they cut me off but I am smarter than they I get all the time I want.Yes the doctors have said I have schiz.But I am smarter than them.I read there dsm the III and the IIIR and the IV and they are idiots if they think they can control me.I have talked the judge out of court orders and He knows that I am smarter than the doc..If you take you'r psychotrpic drugs you will be under there control all you'r life.You will be there ginney pig.They will ruin you'r life.so what I have shciz I understand computers,html java script cgi and all that.I have never taken a class on computers and I don't need one I am smarter than the doctors and smater than these computers.I study relgion,physics,mathamatics and work on the computers all day.Colledge cant offer me nothing I can learn anything on my own.Don't let those doctors control you or think for you.You can learn to think for you'rself.challenge everything they say use the PDR and read up on the meds. you take.A complete study into the system you will find that those doctors are dangerous and there wepon of warfare is the meds.Believe me I know what I am talking about.I have been on those meds.and can't function one iota.Can't think can't sleep right can't walk right.My intire body is stiff and my eyes are glassed over I developed targivdiskoniva and could not even eat.The doctors are of the devil they work for the communist party to control people and to ursup authority over the general population.I don't need any of there meds.and niether doese anybody else.The voices that you hear and the people that you see are real science verifies that they are real study physics.For every possible situation that can exists does exists within its own dimmention and reallity,sometimes these reallities merge with ours and we can see and hear what is going on in that reallity.Also the past,present and future coexist and sometimes we can see things happening from another time.You have to learn how to cope with these phanominons.So what I have problems typeing and with spelling.I can speak 25 different languages read and write them aswell.This too I have learned on my own.Doctors can't explain how I can accomplish the things I am able to do.They think that I am unable to think.But I can think better with hearing the voices than they can think without hearing the voices.The doctors are stupid and are against people who hear voices and see people from other worlds.Thats why everytime a mother kills her children(like andrea yates)They rush to the wittness stand and claim that this whored crime was because she had schiz.when they know themselves that the stats show that people with schiz are no more likely to be violent that those without schiz.schiz. is not the issue with the murdering of children.the fact is that andrea yates is evil.anybody that purposely hurts anybody with the exception to self defense is evil and should be put in prison never to be let out to the streets again.Schiz and deppression do not cause people to hurt children but the doctors are always claiming that they do.They demonize us publicly inorder to get public funds to support there profession and the billion dollor a year drug companies.These doctors and drug companies can't make a decsent liveing doing anything else because they are stupid people.They think they are smarter than me but I have news for them and everbody else that believes them.They show me some ink blots and ask me what I see.Now that is really stupid.What do you think I see?I see an ink blot!Then they give me other stupid test desinged by stupid people.Stop takeing you'r meds. they are poison.They are not good for any part of you'r physical anatomy.They will eventually kill you.I am you'r friend that is why I tell you these things.I have no reason to mislead you.I have nothing to gain by telling you these things.I just want to save peoples lives and warn people about the dangers of certain doctors and there psychotrpic drugs.
A real nowhere man <nowhereman@nowhereland>
In a real nowhere, land -

Stop takeing you'r meds.they are poison.the doctors are spys for the communist and are trying to control you with the meds.
lgkjhortnw;ntg <oierg[o@;srhbosairjt>
nowhere, Canada -

Who cares about your stupid story...there are thousands more out there....I am one of them
Mary Ann
Canada -

Great site! i think it good that people can read your story to get a better understanding of what happens! thanks for the information!
Gretchen
MN USA -

Great site!! I think that its a good thing for people to be able to read this and get a personal insight to what really happens. thanks for the information!!
Gretchen
MN USA -

hi. i'm a college student and i'm having a project on this topic. ur website has helped me alot in many ways. thank you so much! and please take a god care of urself.
may
america -

Thank you for your website. People need to be informed on this topic! My boyfriend was diagnosed bi-polar Schizophrenic, yet denies being Schizophrenic. As his future wife, I'm informing myself of all factors involved with the illness. Thanks again!
Erika <erikalove22@yahoo.com>
Huntington Beach, CA United States -

Read yr site. I am facing this problem since 1985 and still not recoverd fully . Looking for some more advice from u.
ramesh <smc_bsp@indiatimes.com>
mumbai, , MS India -

GOOD
KAYLAR <HTTP/WWW.FOKIMA.COM>
WHITBY, CANADA KANADA ONTARIO -

I NEED PIC OF WHAT EATING DISORDER CAN DO TO YOU I DOING A REPORT ON IT FOR SCHOOL MOST LY CAUSE I KNOW GIRL WHO ARE SUGGULING THANK IRENE
IRENE <CARRASCO_IRENE@YAHOO.COM>
MORGAN HILL, CA -

I was wondering if you could e-mail me back as soon as possible. My final project for my college class is on schizophrenia and I need some info. Thanks
Kathryn Loessel <Squam690@hotmail.com>
Saginaw, MI U.S. -

Ian, You did a wonderful presentation in my Social Deviance class at the University of Guelph in March. I just wanted to tell you how interesting and informative it was. I also wanted to condem you on your efforts to get correct infomation out to those who need it. Best wishes!
Shannon
Guelph , Ont Canada -

I really enjoyed your website. It was very helpfull to me. I had to write a report on Schizophrenia and it was an awesome source of information. I was also really interested in learning more about schzophrenia because my grandfather died of it when I was only 6. It was very helpful! Thanks!
Tanah <pickle_gurl@hotmail.com>
USA -

Hi, Nice to find your site. I am diagnosed as having bipolar affective disorder in 1997. But I have some kind of scizophrenia symptoms. I am wondering if anyone got my symptoms. I could actually feel the presence of someone making love to me in hypomania or mania period. Psychiatrists told me that I was having hallucination or delusion. In fact, every time I have this love-making feeling, it's the time when I like or love a guy... I start to develop a belief, though not scientifically proved, I can feel other people's sexual fantasy or dreams on me. And I did feel. To be more vulgar, I could feel the size of the penis or the force that one uses. (Not really a good feeling.) So, I am just wondering if anyone got similar experience and I would be glad to discuss with you. Just email to me. Thanks Zoe (zoemok1@hotmail.com) 16-4-2002
Zoe <zoemok1@hotmail.com>
Hong Kong, Hong Kong -

Your site is absolutely wonderful and I enjoyed reading your story. I'm currently suffering from severe depression with psychotic features and am on Paxil, Seroquel, and Risperdal. I had a psych evaluation last Friday and am getting the results back this Thursday. I have 2 Schizophrenics in my family and fear that I might be the third. Your site is wonderful.
Anna <Venom75@msn.com>
Louisville, KY United States -

Hello IAN My name is Jennifer and I must say Thank you for sharing your story with everyone. I am a freshman in college and I am doing a report for my psycology class and my group was assigned to schizophrenia so all this information will be really helpful. Thank you Jenn
Jennifer <wrsooy@bellsouth.net>
palm beach, fl USA -

Hi´ Ian !!! I was very impressed and wrote an add to your current guestbook but it didn´t apply to be seen . What went wrong ?
Klaus Blass <nc-blasskl@netcologne.de>
Cologne, - Germany -

Hi´ Ian !!! I already found your report on your schizophrenic experiences at a german Homepage about this subject . I asked myself several Times , if me as well were schizophrenic ... since I guess 12 years now !!! Because I receive acoustic comments and messages about my person and whattodos and whattodonots !!! I do also have conclusive imaginations of a paranoic type , such as I were controlled and surveilled of the house and people I live in , and the house were controlled by minicams and mikes in each floor and room ... The city and the citicens all know me for sure and try to disillusion me all day . But I found by reading your report I am just an orphan compared to your experiences !!! Well , bye for now Klaus from Cologne /Germany nc-blasskl@netcologne.de
Klaus Blass <nc-blasskl@netcologne.de>
Cologne / Germany, Germany -

this site is wonderful, thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us. I am a student and was doing a placement at a mental institution until the strike, but i was so amazed by this disease and it's affects. Now I am doing the rest of my placement where you see those who where in the hospitals, are now in the community. Tomorrow i will be doing a presentation on schizophrenia. You Site has helped me a lot...thanks for the help!
renee <renee_deslaunais@hotmail.com>
North Bay, on Canada -

This web-site is really good, I have recently been told that a friend of mine has schizophrenia and its nice to read about it from some one who really knows what its like. also this site has helped me alot with my school project, so thank you very much.
Christine <blackblink182@hotmail.com>
Melbourne/Upwey, Victoria Australia -

it was very interesting to read your story you have been through and overcome so much the mind is a fascinating and mysterious thing thank you for sharing i wish you luck and lots of happiness you've made it so,so far!!
siobhan
st paul, mn usa -

I was happy to read not only this site but defenitly this guestbook, I feel that I am not alone in this world. I am currently in the process of being diagnosed, but my doctor believes I am bipolar. I am currently on Zoloft, geodon and topamax. I used to be on prozac and paxil(out of antidepressants) which i didn't see any effect of. My depression only sunk deeper in. It would dissapear everyonce ina while in exchange for anger or happyness in a manic or euphoric state. I couldn't control it at all , hell i didn't even notice what i was doing. Eventually i got caught up in drugs and i got hospitalized and was put on the drugs in addition to zoloft(which i have been on for awhile at the time) resperdal and depakote. Now, i really despised them, due to the fact of obesity. I weighed 150 in october and by march i weighed 220. Created enough problems in itself. Eventually i was switched to a new doctor and switched me to geodon and topamax, names kind of amuse me, but I like these, don't really have a problem with them. Only mood stabelizer that I actually heard of that makes you not want to eat! Anyway, the point I'm trying to get at is, I'm so greatful there are other people out there and i'm not alone and I'm glad that there are doctors out there and everything because I'm sure I wouldn't of been able to of seen my 15th birthday(which is in a few weeks) If it wasn't them. Anyway, you can contact me on AIM at -aLothix
jen <quqqies@hotmail.com>
Ambler, Pa United States -

Hi , I'm sorry for my bad school-english, but I want to try to find the right words. I read the story of your life after searching for informations about schizophrenia at a "search-machine" (Google). so I came to www.kompetenznetz-schizophrenie.de and read your story in German. I did this, because yesterday I saw the film: "A Beautiful Mind" in cinema because my grandma also had this kind of disease. i saw a lot of contexes to this film, and I was (and am) really impressed and agitated. so I think this film is very commandable! thanks for this interesting view in your life!
Yelli <Yelli@worldoftitus.com>
Hannover, Germany -

Ian; Thanks for sharing information and your experiences. Our son was just recently diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder; bipolar type. He has just turned 23 years old and is in complete denial. Last December prior to his official diagnosis, we took him, to he Pfieffer center in Chigago. They primarily work with autistic children but also work with patients diagnosed with biochemical imbalances. After a complete battery of testing he was diagnosed with pyroluria and high histimine. The treatment protocol consists of mega doses of viatamins, minerals and amino acids individually formulated to restore biochemical balance. Although his local diagnosing pyschiatrist presribed reperidol (5 mg) he has not taken it do to concerns with both side affects and long term dependency concerns. Your web site discusses briefly alternative methods for treating shizo.... disorders with out much advocation. I believe there has been double blind studies competed by several reputable clinicians with support for the efficacy of viatamin... therapy. I believe this was supported through the Canadian Schizophrenia society???? Are you familiar with such studies and their results?? I have also read stories about this being quackery and user beware. This obviously lends to much confusion and questioning wether we are on the right course of treatment. Jimmy has been on the viatimins since February of this year. We have seen some improvements with negative symptoms (was on prozac as well)but still has dillusions of granduer, paranoia and reference.We are still noy certain about the hullicinations if and when. The Pfieffer specialists have indicated that it will take sometime ~ 6 months to one year to see sustainable improvements? With documented research on the need for early atypical antypychotic medication we hope we are not jeapordizing his chances for longterm remission or recovery. He continues to go for councelling twice a week to apease us but I do believe he is also beginning to see some value. Any assitance, thoughts, experiences from self or others are welcome. Thanks in advance and for what you are doing to promote awareness. This is not a well understood or accepted disease by the masses. Sincerely.. Jim Ellis
Jim Ellis <jellis@gt.rr.com>
Orange, Tx U.S. -

I just wanted to tell you how appreciative I am of this web site. It has helped me out alot with my term paper. Thanks!
Sandy Russell <sandy_usmc18@msn.com>
Dumas, Tx USA -

I'm a student at Fife College and your web site was very helpful as part of an assignment I have. Thank you.x.
Ian Scott
Kirckaldy, Scotland -

Man, you have overcome a lot of really scarry things, and that takes a very strong person. Thanx for making this website, it has been very informative. I am 16, and hope to be a writer some day, and I am writing a book right now. The main character in my book has schizophrenia, and you have helped me understand it a lot better. Thanx!
Chantal Gregory <Chantelly_05@hotmail.com>
Steamboat, co USA -

Here is a jounral article abstract that I thought people might be interested in. It claims that schizophrenics are better at reading people's emotions. If true, it may be *part* of the reason why schizophrenics feel that they are "telepathic;" they can sense what people are feeling better, some of the time.

J Abnorm Psychol 2000 Aug;109(3):445-50 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

Recognition of posed and genuine facial expressions of emotion in paranoid and nonparanoid schizophrenia.

Davis PJ, Gibson MG.

Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.

ABSTRACT: Most previous research reporting emotion-recognition deficits in schizophrenia has used posed facial expressions of emotion and chronic-schizophrenia patients. In contrast, the present research examined the ability of patients with acute paranoid and nonparanoid (disorganized) schizophrenia to recognize genuine as well as posed facial expressions of emotion. Evidence of an emotion-recognition deficit in schizophrenia was replicated, but only when posed facial expressions were used. For genuine expressions of emotion, the paranoid-schizophrenia group was more accurate than controls ("normal people"), nonparanoid-schizophrenia patients, and depressed patients. Future research clearly needs to consider the posed versus genuine nature of the emotional stimuli used and the type of schizophrenia patients examined.


Timothy <timothy@zd.wakwak.com>
Japan -

it's good to finally hear a first hand experience. Not just an opinion from someone who thinks they know what it is like. I sent you an e-mil entiltled pleeeeeeease read, i hope you can find a moment to give it a look.
Lanii Baxter <lmbax1@student.monash.edu.au>
Victoria, Australia -

would to congratulate you on a very informative site which has helped me with a term paper that is based on schizophrenia. i have been looking for case studies and your website gave me all the info needed to write this paper.
Adele <adbub@webmail.co.za>
jhb, gauteng South Africa -

I would like to thank you for your informative site and congratulate you on your progress. I am writing a book now on my ex boyfriend who was a serial killer. We lived together for over six years and he was either schizophrenic or manic depressive (which he told me had was diagnosed with. I'm trying to understand your illness as he probably had it. He had delusions of gradeur, his voice and personality would change, he was very violent and prone to depression and thought I was trying to poison him on more than one occasion. He did not fit into society and used other people to get by. He seemed to have no conscience and couldn't fit in to the world. So I have empathy for it, but it was terrifying to live with. I can't determine which illness he had. He was heavily into drugs as well and is now in prison. He killed probably 40-60 women a horrifying thing. I'm lucky to be here. So, in writing what I'm writing, another angle is living with someone who has a terrible illness and is a killer. I wish I could determine if he was schizophrenic or manic depressive. Is there one prevalent symptom of one over the other? Thank you for your helpful site and good luck. Jennifer Simon
Jennifer Simon <jannsimon@msn.com>
Chicago, IL USA -

I really enjoyed your site. I am not on medication or anything but reading all this it makes me think that I came, close to needing some, since...

(Do Html Tags work?) For instance the "aliens broadcasting things into people's brains idea"

It seems to me that it is a shame that we have not reached more of a compromise between what schizophrenics think when they are not on medication, and what "normals" and schizophrenics believe when they are. I don't believe in aliens controlling our thoughts, but, as a metaphor for the way in which humans are in a sense controlled by "the voices in their heads" it does not sound like such a bad analogy.

Humans are said "to narrate themselves into existence" (look up narrative psychology, e.g. recent Jerome Bruner on the internet), or the way that by 'narrating oneself to oneself' one enevitably sees oneself from the point of view of society (look up James Mead and the "generalised other" in "mind self and society", or try and grind your way through Jacques Lacan - no don't bother), then this propensity that normal people have for having a "narrative self" is a way which society (not aliens, quite) has control over us (for the better, *mainly*). And some say that it is the part of our brain that controls self-narration (Tim Crow of Oxford University here

http://www.absw.org.uk/Briefings/schizophrenia.htm)

, or at least self observation (Frith, 1992) that fall apart in schizophrenia.

Tim Crow on the page, called "SANER VIEWS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA" above writes: "If healthy subjects imagine an alien voice saying the same sentences (to mimic schizophrenics hearing alien voices), their brains show activation in a region of the temporal lobe which monitors internal speech and differentiates between it and external speech. Schizophrenics, on the other hand, when asked to imagine alien voices repeating hallucinatory messages, do not activate this monitoring area of the brain. This suggests that the brain of a person with schizophrenia fools him or her into thinking that an internal message is coming from the outside."
,BR> Dr. Crow's comments do sound very "sane" but...what does "from the outside me"? If we are a product of our self-narratives, then another narrative "inside our brain" is still outside the self. Also, are normal people aware of the extent to which language (surely something from outside the brain) is from outside the brain, even as they identify with their self narratives. It seems to me that part of the reaction of schizophrenics "voices in the brain" may be the realisation that voices in the brain are always more external than normal people realise. In a sense, hearing one voice inside ones brain (as we normal people do) is also hearing a voice from outside, or perhaps (as Mead seems to be saying) hearing from the outside (as the generalised other) inside our brain. Who is being fooled?

I shall stop before I become psychotic.

Some questions: Are there any more schizy views of the world, or schizy philosphies (other than Buddhism)? If society were more Shizophillic and hearing voices were not stigmatised, might being schizophrenic be bearable? I would certainly not encourage anyone not to take medication now, the way things are, but is there anyway that the external environment could change to make being schizophrenic no longer painful (I read of schizophrenics being trained to be "shamans" - some sort of counsellor in Okinawa, southern Japan)? Or is it simply better on medication?

Love and strength to you all. Tim
Tim <timothy@zd.wakwak.com>
Kurume, Fukuoka-ken Japan -

Congratulations on your continued successes. I too was diagnosed with schizophrenia in the early 1990's. I had a relapse in the year 2000 that wasn't quite as dramatic because my family recognized the symptoms early on. I have returned to a 37.25 hour work week; two years ago my doctor told me I would never work again. I really don't like to be told there is something I will never do again. I could write on and on about this illness and its effects on my life! Do take good care of yourself. I send my love. anon
Edmonton, AB Canada -

I am very inspired for your story and using as reference for an opinion piece I am doing. You have come along way and I congratulate you for coming through everything like a champ. Another book on schizophrenia is called "My Sister's Keeper:Learning to Cope with a Siblings Mental Illness" by Hallmark Hall of Fame.I hope you can add this to your list. Keep up the good work!!
Amber Yates <yatesamber@hotmail.com>
Oshawa, ON Canada -

Excellent work - your strength is inspiration for those of us who carry no such weight. You carry it with grace; the power of your spirit is evident. Thank you for adding so much to the world.
James
US -

I recently learned that a friend of mine who was diagnosed with schizophrenia about 20 years ago is relapsing and not getting any help. I talked extensively with her daughter and I am trying to find out as much as possible so that I can help her help her mother. Your web site is absolutely fabulous and extremely helpful. Unfortunately, I will have to locate support here in San Diego although I'm not entirely sure what I can do for her. Thank you so much for being a bright spot in the universe. Together Natasha (the daughter) and I will make it through this.
Joyce Nichols <nichols-j@adelphia.net>
San Diego, CA USA -

Nai, will you please e-mail me. I would love to share some information with you that will help your sister.
Kathie <dkazmitchell@aol.com>
Tucson,, AZ US -

Ian, it is very inspiring to read your story and it gives me hope. I am 21 and my younger sister was diagnosed/hospitalized with a bipolar disorder two years ago after suffering a manic break induced by Paxil. She was 15. Two years later her mood is stabalized(thanks to Olanzipine), but her phychotic symptoms have only worsened. She has tried almost all of the atypical antipsych's,none have worked for the psychotic behavior. She is totally out of it. Unable to do the most basic tasks. Her huge weight gain has hit a plateau. But she is confused by the voices in her head. She talks out loud, and won't believe me or my parents when we reassure her that no one can read her mind,and the CIA is not after her. Her disorientation is worsening progressivly. She is too out of it to protest taking any meds we give her, and she is starting to have momments where she can say I have a mental desease. She has mindlessly picked her face into large wounds and can't remember to stop. My parents are devistated and drained. I feel like I have lost my sister. They don't want to diagnose her with schitzophenia as well until her 18th birthday, but from everything I (and my family) has read it looks like that is exactly what it is. It gives me hope to read your story and others who are able to have jobs and marriages- even if it is difficult. Right now- when brushing her teeth and getting dressed is a big production, getting through the days are hard, she is isolated, we are all sad, it is amazing for me to be able to hold on to some hope. Thank-you so much for setting up this site- I, and my family will be back to it looking for possibilities. One day at a time, trial and error, until we find some peace in living with this disease. We will love her for who she is, and we will not abandon her.
nai
BC Canada -

Thanks for the great website. I got diagnosed with mild schizophrenia and spelling disorder in Febuary 2001 when I was 21. It had been building up for a few years. At the minute I might be dropping out of uni becuase the stress seems to make the old voices and delusions come back. Anyway, I'm ok ish now and thanks very much for sharing your story. So much of what you wrote rings true with my own experiences. Best of luck for the future, if you or anyone wants to drop me a line then please do so: fletchernoo@hotmail.com Cheers, Ian
Ian Flett <fletchernoo@hotmail.com>
Manchester, England -

I am checking out your site becuase I am doing a project on schizophrenia. I am also thinking of being a pshyciatric nurse. Your site has hepled lots with the project. But, I need to find a time line. Thank You
melissa <missyflower@hotmail.com>
kitchener, on Canada -

I was diagnosed as schizoaffective back when I was 17. I forget what I took back then other than zoloft for depression. I now take risperidol cogentin and inderal. THe cogentin seems to take care of most of the side effects although I have weight gain and nervous shuffling of the feet. Fortunately I haven't had the tardive dyskenesia. I had delusions and hallucinations before I went on the risperidol. I've been on the risperidol for a year now and haven't had the tardive dyskenesia so that's encouraging. My psychiatrist is lowering the dosage from 6mg to 3mg. Does anyone here take risperidol and did you reach a point where the weight gain stopped
Aaron <aaronms@comcast.net>
Columbia, MD USA -

This a very useful site for student mental health nurse Thank you
tony holborn <tonyjholborn@btopenworld.com>
leeds, United kingdom -

I have schizoprenia! I almost lost the one person I love, cause of it! I've had it for year and a half! If I have children does that mean they are going to have schizoprenia? I sure hope not! thank you
Trish <southern_angel2001@yahoo.com>
Shreveport, La USA -

My husband was diagnosed with schizophenia some years ago. Inspite of the difficult times we had 3 wonderful children and had many happy times together. In May 2000 he was prescribed Olanzapine. While taking it he became very ill---phsically.In June 2000 he wasdiagnosed with serious Heart Failure and after almost 2 years of sadness and ill-health he died. I know how painful Schizophenia is to live with and most important is to have love and support. I also know that medications can really help people but I have to let everyone know that these anti-psychotic medicines can have major adverse reactions---don't forget they are new products. Cathy
Cathy <catherinefrench@btopenworld.com>
UK -

no comments
kanan <kannoy420@redifmail.com>
columbus, GA Canada -

Thank you for your very comprehensive and thought provoking web-site. I appreciate you sharing your experience in such an honest way. -Susanna Wyatt
Susanna Wyatt
US -

Hi , thanks so much for a refreshingly informative web page which actually not only tells me what it is like to live with Schizophrenia, but informs me about all other aspects eg meds, housing, prognoses etc, and the frustration that is obviously endured by the sufferers at the hands of us patronizing "carers" Regards Sally , Mental Health Worker , Acute Inpatient Unit, Australia
sally haskett <sashaskett@hotmail.com>
melbourne, vic Australia -

Dear Ian I think your website is wonderful. I am 25 years old and have been dealing with Schizophrenia since just before my 17th Birthday. Over the years I have stayed mostly in a closet for fear of rejection and the painful stigma and stereotypes that come with the territory. But recently I have been coming out in hopes to help those that are in the shoes that I was in when I first became ill. I am now volunteering at the canadian mental health association in my city and it is such a fulfilling experience. I have also used my art as a coping tool and have recently donated pieces to the c.m.h.a. I would just like to say that I am greatful that their are wonderful people like yourself making a difference with your very inspirational and informative webpage Thanks Kyle
Kyle Reynolds <KylebReynolds@Yahoo.ca>
st.catharines, ON Canada -

Thankyou for taking the time to put together such an informative and eloquent website, it is obviously incredibly appreciated. I have a couple of questions or topics that i am interested to hear peoples opinions on. They are entirely seperate, so anyone with interests in one may not have any comments on the other, but all are welcomed: A) I am interested to hear from diagnosed schizophrenics and hear the various methods that were used by their famillies, friends and doctors in introducing the idea to them that they had this dissorder, and their methods of initially dealing with the possibility. My brother is currently in hospital for the first time in London, he has been sectioned. It is 99.9 % sure in both my and the doctors minds that he is suffering from schitzophrenia, but at the moment it is an effort in itself for all involved to keep him hospitalized and take the medication against his will, while they confirm a diagnosis. He of course wants to get out and is adamant that he is not unwell and will not continue the medication when he is released. His delusions are very apparent and it is clear to me that any compliance on his part at the moment is just part of his 'plan'. This is fine by us at this stage, as long as he takes the medication. However, i am abroad and am hearing second hand information from relatives. It seems that the subject of having 'schitzophrenia' has not yet been brought up to him by the doctors or anyone. I feel that the sooner this topic is approached, the better, but totally understand the delicateness of the current situation and would appreciate some feedback. B) I have used (though am NOT reccommending or condoning the use of) numerous drugs, phsycedelic and otherwise. Amongst other things, I have experienced 'phsychotic' behaviour myself that offers me, i feel, a unique perspective (along with others) in understanding many aspects of schitzophrenia, and i feel great empathy towards suffers, and also am gratfeul to have a still mind at the moment to recognise the difference between what is real and what isnt ( or the difference at least between varying realities ;) ) . I am interested to hear other peoples views or to learn of sources where any links between the two types of psychosis are discussed or investigated further. Forgive the lack of appropriate vocabulary. Many many thanks again for everyones input to this site. Francesca
Francesca <ccesca@hotmail.com>
LONDON, UK -

If I have a child someday, what are the chances he/she will have schizophrenia? that is a question that me and my wife need help on . I want children and as far back as I can rember I have been a really bad parnoid schizophrenic. I didnt read all of your commits because my mind drifts when I try ro get focused on one thing too long .I quit going to my shrink I didnt feel to comfortable with him. So I'm looking for someone else . hopefully someone closer by than 50 miles away . But if you could help me with that question or you just want to chat fill free to chat with me thank you for what I got to read it is nice knowing I'm not the only one .well hope to here from ya soon JOSHUA McCullough
Joshua McCullough <REGULATER76@aol.com>
Dickson, TN USA -

I found your website to be very informative/helpful. My 31 yr. old daughter is currently hospitalized with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and schizaffective disorder. She is beginning to come out of the psychotic episode that put her in there. The illness came on quite suddenly and we (her father, her husband, and two small children) are confused, scared, feeling helpless, etc., etc. etc. Your explanation of your coping skills and lifestyle have been helpful in making me see what might lie ahead for my daughter and those who love her. Thanks for taking the time to put the word out on mental health issues.
Sharon Grubbs <Sharon.Grubbs@mail.state.ky.us>
Frankfort, KY USA -

Hi Ian, I still think your site is pretty much the definative site for descibing this illness. Keep up the good work. Doug/Zaphod
Douglas Sandor <pan-galactic@rogers.com>
London, On Canada -

Stopped by this website to gain some insight on schizophrenia. I am a psychatric nurse back in school for my degree. I am currently working on a concept paper that has to be written in first person. I chose to research schizophrenia as if I was afflicted with the disease. I found your website very helpful. Good luck to you and may you stay well.
Monika Yadrnak <bigbertha1@earthlink.net>
Canton, OH USA -

Dr. Mr Chovil, My name is Kim Nelson and I am writing a report and creating a pamphlet on the disease Schizophrenia. Me and my partner Sarah were wondering if you would please send us some or any information that you have on the disease, effects or anything about the disease in general. Thank you very much sincerely, Kim Nelson
Kim <KimyKim8@aol.com>
chicago, Il Chicago -

Thank you for this site and all you are doing. I have a brother diagnosed with this condition and we are hoping for the best. He is only 21.
Jestina Hodge <HodgeJS2@state.gov>
Manila, RP -

thank you for taking the time to put this page together...it has given me a greater understanding of what people with this condition go through... it was a great deal of help writing my term paper for college..thank you
jessica <cookiecrum2000@stny.rr.com>
ny united states -

this is a good site.
michelle miller <kornlover3000@hotmail.com>
fc, ia USA -

It is encouraging to see the new century begin with a long look around inside. Perhaps we can begin to view medical science as a continuum of health instead of a segregation of the diseased. Thank you for stepping up and contributing to the general understanding.
Glenn Knowles <glenn.knowles@worldnet.att.net>
Austin, TX USA -

Hi I read your fantastic text and I can identify myself with it very much! I am 16 years old and I my interests get smaller,too! My note in Latin got down from 2 (12 points) to 4-! I dont feel well in this world and have so far no ideas for my future! I`m so bored of all!
Jan <eddg65@t-online.de>
Bad Bentheim, Niedersachsen Germany -

Please consider reading the following books: Annihilating the Hosts of Hell I and Annihilating the Hosts II, Evicting Demonic Intruders by Noel & Phyl Gibson and Pigs in the Parlor by Frank and Ida Hammond. I ordered them at a Christian book store and they have much information on Schizophrenia,Depression,BiPolar and many mental ilnesses. The books tell you how the illness start and how too get rid of them. I have 20 years of research experience with mental illness. I have other information if you like . You can e-mail me anytime. I am a Christian....Love too all of you and don't worry pray to God the Father in the Name of Jesus. by Helena
Helena <read_the_bible2001@yahoo.com>
Bayonne, NJ united states -

Hello. I just saw "A beautiful Mind". I don't anything about schizophrenia, however, I think it is without trying to sound disrespectful an interesting illness. I wonder if it is possible for people to "create" schizophrenia upon oneself or if it is a physical/mental problem only? Sincerely, Lennart Falk
Lennart Falk <lenfal@hotmail.com>
Los Angeles, CA USA -

THANK YU FOR YR STORY. KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT!!
PATRICK BOUGHAL <PBOUGHAL@AOL.com>
montice, ny USA -

I enjoy this website. I have been diagnosed with major depression with psychotic episoded for about 11 years. They are trying to decide if I am psychoaffective or not. No matter what the label I know I am a human being with an illness. I hear voices that tell me to hurt myself. I take risperadal and haldol to control them. It helps alot. I like your site.
Karla <karladyer@msn.com>
Kokomo, IN U.S.A. -

Thank u for putting up this website... it gives me a lot of information that gives me a better understanding ! Now i can begin to write my research paper!
ari <aRI2601@YAHOO.COM>
MANHATTAN BEACH, ca usa -

Great website. The information and insight on the disease is outstanding. i am a struggling college student who is trying to write a indepth research exam on the subject of shizophrenia and the people who suffer from it. your sight gave me ideas and information that will certianlty help. thanx, Jake
jacob aulner <atjjkms.cox.net>
omaha, ne U.S.A -

It's almost been a year since my diagnosis with Bipolar I disorder with severe psychotic effects, which I think could be a misdiagnosis for schizophrenia. I wound up in the hospital this time last month and it took me a while to get out of the hospital. I had to quit school. I'm only employed part time. I have little hope for the dreams I once had. Right now I would settle for anything better. I'm on meds and I think they're helping, but I'm not sure what they're doing. I sometimes they may have mis-diagnosed me, but I'm not really sure. I have family history of schizophrenia on both sides. But I understand what it's like to have hallucinations and delusions, it's really scary. I don't really understand everything that has happened to me and I can't describe it all to my psychiatrist. I saw A Beautiful Mind with my mom. It was very good. It gives me some hope. And I know they are coming out with better treatment all the time. I think it's good that you have a site like this.
Michelle <cosmo_shine@yahoo.com>
Canada -

Hey guys. Thanks so much for this website. It's nice to know you're not alone! I am 22 and was diagnosed with Schizophrenia at the age of 13.Like you, I am on 10mg Olanzapine and coping as best I can. If anyone out there has any questions about what I'm going through as well, I'd be happy to take questions at my email address as well. I'd love to hear from people who also have schizophrenia. I find it hard to make friends, so any given to me would be a treasure! Thanks again. From Lisa.
Lisa <lisadoueal@hotmail.com>
Australia -

Hi Ian, I want to tell you that I foud your website very interesting.I am really interested in shizophrenia, actually, I hope, I will someday be a psychatrist and investigate it.I just wanted to tell you, that if you need somebody to talk to, I can be there.
Cynthia <eowcyn@hotmail.com>
Vaughan, Ontario Canada -

i'm doing a presentation on schizophrenia & your site has been very helpful.thank you for being so willing to share your life's experiences.
robin <d_23robin@yahoo.com>
ct usa -

Dear Ian, thank you for your website. I was diagnosised with paranoid schizophrenia ten years ago. I was already disabled this made it worse. I'm taking medication and it's helping. the side effects are bad. I'm gaining weight. well, again thanks for your website. Sincerely, Mark from Kentucky USA
Mark Salyer <salyer_mark@yahoo.com>
Paintsville, KY United States -

I think your experience is wonderful God bless you and thank you in all you do. Yes, I think making a website like this is powerful and especially from a schizophrenic experience we can all share in the understanding of how it works. If we only did alittle more research here and there and add up what we've done, we would be in heaven. Thank you for this website and your time.
Crystal Oteyza <crystal7_@hotmail.com>
Surrey, B.C. Canada -

Great website. My mother has had schizophrenia for 32 years and now she has decided not to take her meds. She refuses to go into treatment in the hospital. Do you have any suggestions?
Regina <hltinc@millry.net>
Millry, AL USA -

Thank you so much for sharing your story I have a friend who is in denial and has not yet seen a doctor. We are currently trying to get him too see someone but he disappears everytime that we start to think he may go. It helped me alot to see that with help he may be able to live a normal life again.
lauren <lpolisso@hotmail.com>
roseville, ca united states -

Hi Ian - I have read most of your website, (except some of the charts), and find it very interesting and cheering. I am a mental health consumer (recovered) also. I saw some of your series on McLean Hunter some years ago. And am glad for anything about people with mental health problems. Keep up the good work. -Emily emilym000@hotmail.com
Emily
Canada -

your site was really heplful for my 8th gr. health project. thank you
alyssa <ahc6900@yahoo.com>
mn u.s -

i have recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia. i cant get response from the website. please, i have questions only you may be able to answer. please contact me.
buster <bustercan@hotmail.com>
toronto, on Canada -

Dear Ian, Thank you so much for sharing your story. It has helped me gain further insight into schizophrenia. I am presently very involved with my best friend & her family. She is diagnosed with chronic paranoid schizophrenia. It is hard for everyone to relate to what she is experiencing. Presently off medication, refusing to accept her illness or any treatment she is most difficult to be around. Your site offers the most information. I have printed much of it. Congratulations to you for overcoming your illness. I will be forwarding your site location to her family. Sincerely Suzanne
Suzanne Korfhage <skorfhage>
Louisville, Ky Canada -

I would like to thank you on a job well done and your insight. I do not have this disease but I'm doing a school project and it has helped me a lot Thanks alot Brendan
Brendan Ryan <rya05@ballaratsc.vic.edu.au>
Ballarat, Australia -

I'd like to say that I love your website. It's very nicely laid out and easy to navigate, and *extremely* informative. I discovered it while looking for resources on a paper for my Psychology class, and found it invaluable to my research on schizophrenia. Thanks a million for letting us read about your personal experiances in dealing with it! Good luck with everything in your life! =)
Rebecca <RebeccaMoondog@hotmail.com>
Anchorage, AK USA -

Dear Ian I enjoy going to your guestbook to check out the latest comments. I'm glad that you're educating caregivers and the students. I also have schizophrenia, but have told very few people about it. Luckily, I got the "illness" some years after graduating high school. Also, I was able to start a long-term relationship which has lasted 25 years. So I'm grateful for that. Good luck. -Emily emilym777@hotmail.com
Emily <emilym777@hotmail.com>
Canada -

Thank you for developing this site! I am an 18-year-old high school student doing a research project about schizophrenia for my psychology class. Your site has been a huge insight into the world of this disease. Hearing about it from the point of view of a schizophrenic helped me to understand it that much more. Thanks again!!!
Simone-Marie Blue <bluemoze@yahoo.com>
-

Dear Ian, Thank you so much for sharing your story. The man I have loved all of my adult life who is the father of my children suffers from Schizophrenia. We have been friends for more than 30 years. When on medication he is caring and loving. Not on medication-abducted our children, hit me and hated me. He was recently released from jail and unlike before his medication was changed to Risperdrone. Either he is not taking it correctly or not at all as now he hates me. He has taken up with a woman from the community mental health clinic and I and the children are devasted. I've tried so hard to help and he thinks of me as so cruel and evil-after professing undying devotion just a month ago. After reading your story, I am more tolerant, maybe he just can't relate to me anymore. Maybe I can't help and care for him anymore. Thank you and I wish you peace. Debbie
Debra Nickens <firestop@prodigy.net>
Manassas, VA US -

Great site Ian. I too suffer from schizophrenia and also have major depression.I take risperdal 2 mg's daily.This is a devastating brain disease,hopefully more progress can be made in the future.
Steve Dawson <Doss2s@yahoo.com>
Des Plaines, Il. USA -

Thanking you so much for all your insight into skitzaphrenia. Thank you for letting me share your experiences with you. I am a 21 (f) with a 38 year (m) old partner (best friend) and we both have been through very much the same experiences in boarding houses in Sydney living in high rent one bedroom accomodation filled with cockeroaches which dropped into my ears from the ceiling and infected my ears quite severly when I was sleeping. The caretakers of the boarding houses which we lived in were heroin atticks which caused for problems. We both had a drug abuse problem (amphetamines) which we have successfully beaten, god bless. We also suffered in that time from pychosis and were committed and sedated. Today we are making extremely small steps at a time trying to improve the quality of our lifestyle. We have moved from Sydney to Queensland, Bribie Island for the best. We both suffer from skitzaphrenia, paranoia and are currently being treated.We are the only ones which seem to understand each other so we stay close and look after each other. Seeing the picture of yourself and your partner reminded me instantly of us... It is uncanny the complexions and the outer bodies of yourself and your partner are very much the same as us.. I wish I had a scanner to send you a photo. Visiting your page has now given me hope.... We are not alone. Thank You ... Thank you... thank you..... P.S Whilst on my journies through those hard times I secretly had thoughts about the government and society which were very much along the same lines as your thoughts. An example of one of mine was "radio transmitters being placed into peoples heads to control them..." via microwaves. Or hypnotherapy to create assassins to kill and then they would not remember.... Anyhow I don't know if what I am saying is crazy so I'll sign off now,, God bless....
Sherrie Harwood
Brisbane, Qld Australia -

Hello Ian, Good work on the site. It looks great and is very informative. I recently did a project in college on schizophrenia, as part of the occupational therapist assistant's program. I "stumbled" across your video at the local library while doing research for another project. Your story fascinated me, and was thrilled to see that you have a website. I had to visit immediately. I have also forwarded the link to my teacher, whom I think would be interested. I think your video (speaking at the Rotary club) would be a great tool in the classroom. Perhaps when I rejoin Rotary in a year or two, it might be an idea to have you come speak to our club, if you still do that sort of thing. Thanks for your efforts to educate the public. Keep up the good work! Tina
Tina <tina@easyfocus.com>
Shelburne, On Canada -

Thank you for an excellent and moving website. There is a history of schizophrenia in my family, and your site has helped me to understand what family members must be experiencing.
Jeffrey Wilson <jwilson@lmu.edu>
Los Angeles, CA USA -

This website was very helpful when a partner and I worked on a project for an education course at Winona State University. Thanks for making your disease more easily understood with a real-life point of view.
Nicholle Michels <nicholle_green@hotmail.com>
winona, MN United States -

I was looking for some information about schizophrenia and this page really helped me alot. Thanks. Its a report in science i need to do. Graduation Standard to be exact. Cya Later
Anyomus <Anyomus>
Woodbruy, MN USA -

I really like your page. It helped me a lot. My dad is a schizphranic and I really didn't know too much about it since I was so little when he was diagnosed. Now I'm in high school and we are assigned to do a research paper and I wanted to find out more about it. Thanks to your wonderful cite I am more informed then I was when I started researching.
Jessie
SD USA -

I've just been skimming through the contributions to your guestbook and noted that the overwhelmingly majority find your courage inspirational, just as I do. I pity the few thickwits who've contributed snide remarks like "sucks", or recommended lemon juice, or shared their joy in stomping on small animals. They're the real crazies! Thanks and regards.
Stuart Haigh
Canberra, ACT Australia -

Dear all, I do not have schizophrenia, but, I am a caregiver. My husband was diagnosed 12 years ago with paranoid schizophrenia and my son who is 14 years old was diagnosed 2 years ago with schizoaffective disorder. Many times I have heard a doctor say that this is the best it will get. He's going to have to learn to live with it. And, many times David has felt like giving it up. Being the optomistic sort, I started looking for help. And, help is out there. There are so many new treatments out there. And, so many new ones coming. David enrolled in a phase IV drug trial for aripiprazole. It was like on the 4th day of treatment that David woke up and was David again!! It was awesome. I hadn't seen that guy I married in a long time and it has been great to have him back again. My son has stabilized on geodon. It is another awesome drug out there. Thankfully I have a good doctor who helps us out with drug samples because the new stuff is so expensive. The doctor who runs the drug trials is also wonderful and it is the best treatment David has ever received. And we had tried alot of antipsychotics and alot of doctors before we found them. It may not be for everyone--but the phase IV drug trials might be something that could help if nothing else has worked. ( Personally I wouldn't let David go into a trial before a phase IV--by the time they reach phase IV mainly they are setting drug dosages and getting in a trial before approval ) But, right now, both are stable and I am able to work, which is nice. Don't know how long it will last, but, I have good family support of my two oldest sons and others which is wonderful. I also saw A Beautiful Mind and was impressed by it and recommend friends and families of those who have one of the schizoprenias to see it and read the book This is a great website and hope people can find help and hope for dealing with this shattering illness Renee Adams, a family fighter in the war against schizophrenia.
Renee Adams <adamsfam@texhoma.net>
Healdton, OK USA -

Did you see "A beutiful Mind" and what did you think? I am doing a paper on this in college and i have done 4 prior to this. A doctor tried to tell me that i had Schizophrenia and after i did 4 research papers on it, he decided that I didn't.
Parker Watts <plasticorpaper@hotmail.com>
Aiken, SC USA -

MY NEPHEW WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED...
LUISA <MINOR914@AOL.COM>
DIXON, CA USA -

Response for Joe Brown of Texas:The mental health community is, your right, screwed up. I was diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic and my experience is that the illness is not half as bad as what idiots in the mental health system put you through. I had a bigger problem with the mental health system then with the illness. Its sad that they seem to put more time into to destroying peoples lives rether then helping people. You are not alone. I know what your going through.
Loris P. Siano <lsiano@optonline.net>
Edison, NJ United States -

This Is a great website. I was diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic many years ago however my experience was somewhat different then yours. I am very interested in creating my own website along the lines of yours, however my website building skills are not so great. I can do the static text like your home page, but how do you create a page where people can add information to the page like your My Guestbook page. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Loris P. Siano <lsiano@optonline.net>
Edison, NJ United States -

Dear Ian, I was inspired from your story even though i do not have schizophrenia, I activly have panic attacks and at times think i can't hold on. Like you I have survived. Darwinism: survival of the fittest. thank you very much sincerily, jason
Jason Watson <JayD567@aol.com>
Marysville, MI United States -

sucks
dsadsa <sadasdas>
asdsdsas, ab Canada -

thanks for the information, its nice to know im not all alone, with this illness. reading your story maybe relize even more how far off your thinking can become with this illness thanks for your effort Bruce
Bruce Masterson <bhm@prodigy.net>
Cape Girardeau, Mo. USA -

I found your website quite informative and it really helped me to understand schizophrenia to a much better degree, although I have not completely finished reading the website, I did not see anything about preventions of schizophrenia, so my question is, is there any way to prevent schizophrenia before it actually happens?, if you could please reply asap I would be greatly appreciative
Steve <JokerH2o@hotmail.com>
Bayport, Ny United States -

Thank you for your openness and courage. It has helped me and my family tremendously. This is very hard to deal with and acceptance has been my biggest fear. (*(*(*(*(----Big Hug! )*)*)*)*)*) wispr
wispr
ca us -

how long will it take someone to come home if they took off before they know they did something stupid or hurt some one emotionally
mindy <corrine sharp @aol.conm>
muncie, in united states -

I found your page while researching my term paper on schizophrenia. I chose this as my topic because this past January my friend was killed by her mother who suffered from schizophrenia. My need to understand how this could have happened was cause for me to choose this as my topic, and I wanted to let you know that your page is full of valuable insight and information that has helped me.
Allison <webera@kirtland.cc.mi.us>
USA -

A great site. Your information is excellent and does obviously assist health professionals gain a greater understanding of a subject - which we have limited knowledge - thank you
Graeme Rayson <rayson.graeme@saambulance.com.au>
Murray Bridge, SA Australia -

Ian Thank you so much for putting together your web site. My wife has this illness as well. We have been married for 10 yrs. and to say the least it has been one heck of a roller coaster ride. Reading your story brings tears to my eyes. I seem to be doing something wrong when I try to learn and understand. But, the Mental Health Community Professionals are such pompas jerks that often they leave me and our son out of the picture. I often feel left alone, and when she relapses it becomes a battle of wits to get her the help she needs. I cry because I love her, but I have given up and filed for divorce. Now I wonder if I have done the right thing. See...Always wondering what you should and shouldn't do. I wish you continued success. Write me if you ever desire. God Bless you and yours Joel
Joel Brown <JoelBrown@attbi.com>
Lewisville, TX USA -

I really liked your page. It helped me to better understand schizophrenia. I had to do a report about it and your page really helped me. Thank you best of luck.
Mandy
Bismarck, ND USA -

hi! i am 16 years old and i live in germany but im british. i just came home from the cinema and i saw "a beautiful mind". the movie showed me another perspective of shizophrenia. i first thought they were crazy people but after the film i logged on to the internet to get some information. i feel really happy for you that you are recovering. my uncle has the same disease than you... he thinks japanese scientists are controlling his brain and he doesnt even dare to walk down the street because he thinks everyone is insulting him. for our family it has been quite difficult to handle with him. anyway im just glad you have been succesful and i admire you for your honesty! take care, John
John
Canada -

Wonderful, informative and inspirational site. Thanks.
KarenHand <wr-act-khand@on.aibn.com>
Cambridge, ON, Canada N1R 7S9, Canada -

Thank you so much for sharing your tale. It is very informative for a school project we are doing, and my group would like to thank you...yours was one of very few cases we could find.
Caitlin <indiecait@hotmail.com>
Lansing, MI USA -

this is a very informative website. i learned a lot about schizophrenia. thanx and good luck!!!
aimee hotel <tempter14@hotmail.com>
Lawrenceburg, IN United States -

I am a recovering sktizo who loves to stomp on small animals. I enjoy eating squirels too!!!!!!!!!!!!
Trevan <chaotic_forlorn_utopia@hotmail.com>
Mechanicsville, MD U.S.A -

I have enjoyed reading your story. I lost my brother to your disease this past September. He was included in the 10% that do not make it. He struggled for a long time. And he never had a mean bone in his body, not even if his sickness would have prompted it. Thank you so much for sharing. My brother could not recognize his issue and therefore, could not talk about it. Thank you so much for giving me an understanding for his actions. We did give him love and I hope that was a comfort in his life that was too short....Bless you....Marcy
Marcy Parrish <marcym@mindspring.com>
Woodstock, GA USA -

my life has been filled with many problems.i was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 26.for 1 year i stayed on the meds and did fine. i stopped taking the meds when i got married . with me i found that the thoughts were very crreative and i had a good marrage due to it. un fortunatly the marriage ended not due to me but to her abusive behavior. i continued to live without medication and found that i was very creative using my thoughts in a constructive way. i am not saying it all has been easy and a piece of cake but i have managed. the real problems for me come when people just plain treat me bad or are unsensitive.when that happens i become afraid of that person and stay away from them doing my best not to have any contact with them .guess you may say i am running but in the 20 years now i have been off meds this situation has only come up 2 times. it is my opinion that finacial stability and good friends can make a big diffrence. i also have developed sevral methods to cope with the overwhelming thoughts. some of them are activities like sports, just plain working on projects around the house,i find going into chatrooms and just being crazy also helps.for me all it seems to take is some kind of distraction to get my mind off my thought process.i think this may be something to look at for other patients with a less of a degree of schizophrenia. i would be interested in any comments you may have on to what you think. thank you mike
mike v <mavadakim@hotmail.com>
oregon usa -

Hey. Its only been a few months since my big brother got out of the hospital with the unfortunate news from the doctor that he has what they call "minor schizophrenia". This is a very scary situation since my dad committed suicide when I was 12 (I am 21 now) and he also had what the doctors called Bipolar Schizophrenia. Whether that is the right diagnosis or not, I will never know. I am a Junior in college and have opened my apartment to my brother, since there was really no other alternative for him. We are in the early stages, and he is currently taking Seroquel and Depokote. I am afraid for his life. He is convinced that his family is conspiring against him and is also convinced that he is a telepath and can hear conversations that the family has even when he's not around. His story is ever-expanding, anything we tell him just adds yet another chapter to this fantasy world his mind has created. He tells me that he is dying, and that the men in the black coats are coming to get him and that they are going to make him do what they made dad do to himself. His newest is that he won't kill himself but that he aches all over and that he can feel himself dying on the inside. He is so sad all the time, sometimes I can hear him crying himself to sleep and it breaks my heart. He is only 26 years old and has a 4 year old son. He blames his problems on everyone else but himself and tells me that it is not him that is crazy but the rest of the world. I am scared for his life and that history may repeat itself. He was supposed to be living with me so he could keep his job and continue paying his bills, I don't think he can function much longer like this. I have never seen someone so unhappy. It feels so helpless. He says that there are rules for telepaths to follow, and that my dad was a telepath but he died too soon and so my brother never was able to learn these rules. I feel like I won't be able to deal with much more, and that I will have to put him into some kind of home soon, that scares me too. He's my big brother and I feel like the brother I used to know has died and now I have this new brother who I don't know at all. If anyone reads this and has shared a similar experience, please email me. I just want him to be happy. I can't lose my brother to this too, my heart aches everyday for him. I am only 21 years old, but I feel like the family has put this weight on my shoulders because they don't know how to deal with it. I am so lost as to where we go from here. Can anyone help? I can't lose him too, I just want to stop his crying and his stress and his pain.
his little sister <reneetury@hotmail.com>
MI USA -

I am a schizophrenic and I have lived with it for 6 years, I feel your pain. I am really crazy too. I never told anyone else but you, so I hope that you don't let my secret out. None of my friends know that I am like this, but they have a clue because I always joke about being a "Schizo". I don't know what to tell them. For anyone that reads this, write me back, and share your stories with me.
Harry Peeno <big_sk8pimp@msn.com>
Covington, Ky United States -

Hi Ian! Had a second so I thought I'd post. Things are going well! It's 95 days clean as of today. Still can't believe it. Schiziness has been acting up since I got back, but seems to be more or less under control for now. I'll write you more later (I still don't have my own machine). Take care!
Selene <sister_crystal@hotmail.com>
B.C. Canada -

Your're a true star...this site must be an inspiration to many people. best wishes, anne.
anne <as@darc-art.co.uk>
preston, uk -

Your Web Site is certainly inspiring. After twenty years I recently had my first open discussion about the illness with my brother who has been schizophrenic for the past 22 years. Now I am researching the posibility of a book to assist families to understand what the illness did to my family and my brother because we were not informed and properly supported. Keep up the good work. Chris.
Chris Spies <merafongces@iafrica.com>
Carletonville, South Africa -

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Hi Ian, Thanyou for your sight, I'm 16 and am being reffered to a psychiatrist by my doctor as he suspects that I have schitzophrenia. I'm scared though not as scared as I was at first. I looked at a few websites before yours and found yours the most informative. It has a good mix of your honest and deeply personal story as well as sound medical information on schitzophrenia. I hate it when people use the word 'schitzo' as it immediatly conjures up thoughts of psychopaths with split personalities. I thank you again for creating this site, you've been a tremendous help.
Rik <angusyoung@rock.com>
Manchester, England -

Hi Ian, When I was first diagnosed with Schizo, I found your site and I started laughing. I thought, hey, Schizo's aren't really "crazy," we're actually very smart. Your site made me feel better because the word "schizo" just sounds so horrible. But, anyway, I had been through a torrorizing "schizo" episode which lasted about 3 months before I got help. I'm still "schizo," just wondering if you still get delusions and horrible physical effects and I'm still paranoid thinking I'm being set up and people are "controlling" me, but I'm not in "panic" like I was before. The physical effects is what ruins my life the most at this point. Oh well, I made up a site, come visit when you get a chance: http://www.geocities.com/wings4nangel1/cj.html
Caroline <Wings4NAngel1@yahoo.com>
USA -

Hi, Ian!! I want to just say thank you for the descriptive insight on this bran disorder. Me and my friendm Lourdes Garcia, are doing a presentation 2 weeks from today and i needed all the information on this subject as possible to make my presentation a success. i'm sure that you can help me on this. i need to find the following information on diagnostic testing and procedures, diagnosis, and the treatment and prognosis of schizophrenia. I also need some statistical information on the survival rates for it as well. Please feel free to contact me as soon as possible. i will be checking my mail for your response every hour. you can also reach me at xxyknikxx@aol.com; xxpinay85xx@hotmail.com... waiting for your response. Thank you, Ian.
Kathrina Leano <kleano@hon.heald.edu>
Ewa Beach, HI USA -

Ian - thanks for sharing your story. My husband has paranoid schizophernia. I did not really understand of his illness. He told me he could hear voices, he was a very important person... FBI was following him...disorganized speech and thought. Still I could not accept the reality that he was sick. All I knew that he was lazy, kept quiting his full time jobs and being as an irresponsible person. We used to love one another so much, but once he got this illness - his love for me was vanished. Life has been so hard for us and especially for my daughter-20 months old. She has been missing her daddy's love and present. My husband could not stay for more than 6 months with us, always comes and goes. As I read your web site, I felt I can understand his situation better. Your story made me realize how difficult people with this illness. It made me so bad that I could not understand him all these years. I want him to get medication once he comes back and lot of prays for him. Thank you so much for your information, we need more people like you who think for others.
Lynn Y.
CA US -

I read most of the website with great interest. I appreciate the mix of your honest personal story and a good medical explanation of this medical disease. My brother and I are in our mid to late forties. My brother has schizophrenia since the early 1970's and I don't. Both of our parents are dead. All we have left is family. Translate that into siblings-family. I work closely with my brother and his doctor to keep him as independent as possible. Yesterday when he was younger, he managed his own finances and lived in his own apartment. But today, those days are gone. As his disease has progressed, he has less discriminating judgement skills than yesteryear. A few years ago, I decided not to force him into other arrangements. He stayed with another family for awhile that was not good for him. They took advantage of him essentially for his money. As long as they did not physically hurt him, I did not intervene. But I insisted that he must call me every week/month. I also saw him every so often to maintain our sibling ties. I'm glad we stay in touch. One night I got a desperate phone call from him to help him. I came and got him out 20 minutes later. Since that time, he moved himself into a sober living home. The home has 24-hour personnel on the premesis. He rents a room that includes utilities. I take him shopping at the beginning of each month and he cooks his own food in the community kitchen. After paying his rent and buying his food, he has a little left over for a regular allowance twice a week. He checks in with me twice a week by telephone or by visiting, and I help him maintain his finances. We came to this agreement together to help him prevent other people from taking advantage of him again. I have much more contact with him now and I'm much more involved with his life than before. Over the years, my brother has had several psychotic episodes requiring hospitalization. Each time something happens with him, I learn a little something more. As his disease progresses, we will be involved with each other lives as we get older together. We believe in each other and trust each other. He is my brother and I am his sister. We are family. I would like to tell you more, but I find this difficult to write. I will return and tell you more later. There is so much more to tell you. Again thank you for your website. I certainly appreciate it. Linda
Linda Clark-O'Brien <lfobrien@planning.lacity.org>
Lancaster, CA USA -

Thank you for leaving so much information out there to find. I have recently been dianosed with schizophrenia, and don't quite know what to do. Thanks again
Olivia <liquidambition@ureach.com>
wa USA -

I have a son who is schizoaffective age 21. He has been in and out of treatment and no medication are making any difference. He has began cutting self but not to deep. We don't know what else to try. As you know its a hard road for him. However we really don't want to see him committed but they really don't do that any more but its not safe for him.
Annette Owens <aowens5671@aol.com>
Nashville, TN USA -

Hi i am a suffering schizophrenic, on risperidone. Found your website well interesting and informative. Couple of questions for u 1. do you experiance any degree of synchronicity with your surroundings. 2. Do you find life to be not all what it seems even without the halucinations? weird questions i know but its been troubleing me for some time now and everyone i seem to ask seems to have no idea what i am talking about. thanks steve
Stephen Galton <stephen_galton@email.com>
bath, england -

Hey there. I'm really glad to have found this website. I'm doing a research paper on schizophrenia for my biology class. I don't know anyone who has the disorder, but I know that I want to understand so that one day I can help those with mental illnesses. When you research a topic like this, you find mostly the biology behind it, but not the experiences or the trama. Well, thanks for making this website. If you have any info you think might be useful for me, go ahead and email it to me. Hailey
Hailey <punk_o_rama72@hotmail.com>
Kapa'a, HI USA -

i came to this website to learn a little more about schizophrenia for my college psychology research paper and i have learned so much. there is so much information and i am just overwhelmed by everything. thanks
Sarah Sheary
WA -

i came to this website to learn a little more about schizophrenia for my college psychology research paper and i have learned so much. there is so much information and i am just overwhelmed by everything. thanks
Sarah Sheary <s_sheary20@hotmail.com>
Raymond, WA USA -

I came to this site for homwork i left with a better understanding of not just Schizophrenia (what a long word) but of life.
Kylia <Kyliak@aol.com>
USA -

Ian - my fairly recently acquired stepson was hospitalised, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, in August 2001.While he has been given various atypicals his insight into his condition has been virtually nil, and I'm struck by how closely his delusions mirror what you went through in the early days. 4 weeks ago,he was given a depot injection of one of the older anti-psychotics (against his will because he thought there was nothing wrong with him). Two weeks later he (as he describes it) "woke up" in hospital with perfect recall of where he had been, and an increasing acceptance of why he is there.Over the last year or two, he has been the Master of the Universe, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Satan, and numerous other charismatic beings - all on a mission to save the world. Now, suddenly at the age of 21, I am meeting for the first time a (very frightened) **** - his name doesn't matter - who is kind,intelligent, thoughtful, caring and feeling guilty and alone. Your website is the best I have come across in months of web-searching, and I have printed some of your pages off to take into him. Thank you so much for creating and maintaining it. I wish you much luck (and love) for the future.
Sheilagh G <Hardenfree@aol.com>
West Yorkshire, England, UK -

You have a nice thing here, I was just lookig for info on schizophrenia. Thanks Will
Will Northington <ev1@northig.net>
Houston, Tx U.S. -

Hi Ian, I kinda stumbled across your site while researching a movie I just watched. After a thorough read I am now leaving your site feeling somewhat touched by your story and your courage and new found enthusiasm on life. You are a brave man, thankyou for opening my eyes to the illness which I didn't know much about before and thankyou for making me feel good about the simple things in life. All the best in the future.
Matt <matt@hatchdigital.com>
Sydney, NSW Australia -

Dear Ian It is comforting to hear that you are recovering with some success. My son 31 is schizophrenic and has been in and out of hospital for the past 7 years. Since Oct. he has been in and out of jail as well as the system shuffles him around. He is now in a psych hospital in B.C.. He continues to try and get himself decertified, and has been on and off his medication for almost a year. More off than on. He still has no insight into his illness. I have researched this problem in hopes that we might help him. I have written letters and spoken to everyone I can to have him remain certified, as he will not take his medication otherwise. Finally I believe we have some support from his doctor, social worker and probation officer as he has remained certified after his last review panel. There is so much more to his history that I could write a book. Because of all my efforts to help him, he now has disowned me and will not talk to me although he still talks to his father and sister. We were so close and for many years I was the only one he trusted. We continually try and second guess ourselves as to whether or not we have done the right thing. Our heads say one thing and our hearts another. I don't believe we will ever give up on him, but right now there is nothing more we can do for him. We must let the doctors and medication do their work. We hope that one day he will come back to us at least partial whole. It is encouraging to hear a successful story. And yes, you have been successful, you are respected, you give other people hope and courage to continue the fight. Thanks for sharing your journey and may God Bless you and keep you strong. Lucille & JeanGuy
Lucille & JeanGuy Langlois <jgl@windsor.igs.net>
Stoney Point, Ont Canada -

I don't like the word disease!
Sara C (again!)
Canada -

I looked at this web page to do some research on Schizophrenia, i have to do a presentation and i am using some of oyur pictures to state that people with Schizophrenia look like everyday people. Thanks for the info! i shall visit again.
Sara C
A.C.T, Australia -

As i was reading some of the letters in the guestbook, I see so much of what I want to say and I express. i just got my own computer, so i have been "searching" for many sites. this is the first time i have come upon yours. i think god truly led me to this one. i am struggling with lots of anger because the more i learn the more i know my symptoms were expressed to my family and seen. such as staying in my room doing nothing but staring or 'thinking", would getnoticed by family members reprimanding me to do something or asking,"what's the matter with me?" but i know they did not have the education available now and i have printed out some things off of your page for the few that i still talk to and know i'm suffering. ther was so much info and questions i had. i was able to block alot out and 'fight",achieve so much. no i feel like i'm going downhill, it's more than just a stuggle to fight to keep what i've worked hard for. also the stigma and not wanting people to find out and wondering if they truly understand when the say they do. thank you for sharing your information with us all!
Tammy Ayers <tayers28@hotmail.com>
Iowa US -

You are amazing .... if this is you in 'recovery' you will be phenominal when 'recovered'. Give credit where credit is due .... your glass isn't half empty nor half full - It's overflowing !
Reader
Phoenix, AZ USA -

Ich werde mich melden, bin 47 Jahre habe Schizophrenie nehme Medikamente muss zuerst englisch lernen bis dann Brigitte
Brigitte Hager <brigitte.hager@bluewin.ch>
Ch8738Uetliburg, CH Schweiz (CH) -

I have come to this Website on a few occasions to glean some sort of understanding of the issues from the MH consumer's viewpoint. I am active in my community in helping Family Members address the issues in and around mental illness through education, understanding and mutual support. I find this Website to be very well presented, approaching topics logically and thoroughly. I think that you are providing a vital public service and I commend your efforts. Well done.
Linda Burchill <ldburchill@hotmail.com>
Richmond, BC Canada -

Read, "How to Cope with Schizophrenia," or some similar sounding title, by ABRAM HOFFER. It is a magnificent book.
Nomada <nomada@stories.com>
United States -

Dear Ian, Thank you for sharing your struggles and triumphs. My brother suffers from schizophrenia and most of what I have read is from a doctor's study and not the patient's POV. I found your website extremely informative. Your success is encouraging to everyone that schizophrenia touches. Gratefully, Roe Leone
Roe Leone <RoeLeone@aol.com>
Burbank, CA US -

Thank you for the very organized easy to navigate and informative web site. My father was a maniac depressent and did receive shock treatment.Unfortunately i inherit many of his genecy abnormalities as well as other behavioral traits. I served in the Vietnam war and am just now reieving my mental evaluation and it has sent me into further chaos.My God,the stigma of psychosis and schizophrenia have demoralized me and i am becoming worse daily. I only see my VA doctors once every two months and it is not enough for me to cope.I am also diagnosed with full scale PTSD, My question is what is wrong with my brain. I feel defenseless' I also have major depression. The Va will not put me in intreatment unless I threaten to kill someone or myself. My visual and audio hallucinations are becoming worse. Am i to die or kill myself to end the anguish and pain, is this what life holds for me?
Lou The Loner <nobody2u00@hotmail.com>
Illinois, USA, Canada -

Dear Ian, This has been an experience! Your courage to share and help other people is heartwarming. I teach Mental Health Nursing and will refer my students to your site. It is only when we see the person living in the situation that we gain a true understanding and then we are better able to form a menaingful partnership. Keep the hope.
Idalia Venter <gnvkiv@med.uovs.ac.za>
Bloemfontien, Free State South Africa -

Thanks for the information on Schizophrenia. I am doing a project in school over this and your website has been great help. Maybe I can email you and ask a few questions if you dont mind?!?! Thanks again, Karissa
Karissa <KKJ2003@aol.com>
Irving, Tx USA -

Hi. I really liked your site. It was very helpful. I wanted to right a story about a boy that had schitsofrenia (spell check) and your site was very helpful. But, i was reading the part of your site "what is schitsophrenia" and found it very interesting. but sense i'm only 13 i hardly understood any of those big scientific words. Do you think you could tell me about schitsophrenia in terms i could understand. I really don't know anything about schistophrenia and i'd really like to know more. I guess i'm kind of interested in this kind of stuff because my dad suffers from manic deppresion. Do you know anything about that? I can't bring myself to ask my dad. i wouldn't know what to say. But if you could tell me some stuff about schitsophrenia and manic depression i'd really appriciant it. Thanks very much. ^_^ Sacha
Sacha <vegetaswoman88@aol.com>
USA -

Are there many residential treatment facilities in Canada?
Deborah Gramling <dgrament@grnco.net>
Paragould, AR USA -

I apologize that the guestbook script wasn't working. It is now.
Ian
Canada -

Congratulations on your fine web site. Unfortunately, my brother who had suffered from schizophrenia for some 25 years, just took his own life a few weeks ago. Although I knew he had a sad life, I was happy to know that he was institutionalized because at least then he had a roof overhis head and food to eat. He also had a drug problem and many in our family couldn't seem to get past the drug abuse and see how much he suffered from the mental illness. In my attempts to come to terms with the loss of my brother I have been trying to understand his illness more. Your website has done so much to help me understand the disease and how it affects people. One of my biggest regrets, however, is that I didn't know more while he was alive. I often looked down on him for staying in bed all day, and his drug abuse and now,thanks to your website, I realize that he couldn't help it. I wish I could have the chance to make it right. I blame much of my suffering now on the fact that I didn't have the right counseling as to what to expect in terms of my brother's illness. It sounds like things have changed a lot since he got diagnosed but he was still receiving care from the state and I have once to have a counseling session on the disease. I really feel it would have made a world of difference for our whole family. While it's too late for to help my brother, I hope I can help others by bringing more information available to the public about this disease. Your website is a wonderful tool from both a scientic point of view as well as the more personal side of the illness. I have already recommended it to several people in my family and will refer others as well. Thank you so much for helping me come to terms with the disease. Celeste Snyder
Celeste Snyder <celestesnyder@hotmail.com>
Kuwait, Kuwait -

Hello. I just wanted to tell you that your site was extremly helpful to me. That is because I have been doing a paper on Schizophrenia for school and your site helped me out alot! Thanks! Elyse
Elyse <ada_elyse@hotmail.com>
Ky United States -

Hi my name is Laci Leslie and I have Schizophrenia and I'm 14 years old and I've had a lot of problems in my past that are now coming back after being in placement for some of it. I didn't know you could get it as such a young age.
Laci Leslie <Kujo_laci@yahoo.com>
Griswold, Ia USA -

I am a Freshman in college, currentally doing an essay on "A Beautiful Mind" and research on Schizophrenia. This is how I found your webpage. I was touched that you created this site yourself, to inform others of the disease at hand, that unfortunatly many of us have no knowledge on. Thank you, I am glad I had the opportunity to study this serious topic. I wish you the best in all you do...
Jennifer McQuaide <jennifer3983@aol.com>
Tampa, Fl United States -

Im a nursing student currently assigned to a client w/schizophrenia. By reading your site, I have a better understanding of challanges a schizophrenic person faces with ADL(activity daily living). Something text books just cant give us. Thanks for opening your life to cyberspace.
Pettra
USA -

Without people like you, schizophrenia is just a list of symptoms and statistics.
Stay <tenthirteen_1013@hotmail.com>
LA United States -

Hello ! Want to say hi to you ! I am from Norway. Thank you for this site !
Lene
Alta, Norway, Norway -

I have a personal expirience with schizophrenia (on 05/01) and now I decided to make some web-sites about non-toxic psychosis in czech. Your site is great inspiration for me. I dont want to copy your pages, of course, and I have an idea how my ones should look but I will be greatfull if I can translate some pieces of text from your sites into czech. Even if no thanks again for inspiration. Well done!!! Martin, Czech rep., Prague
Martin <mq_mobile@hotmail.com>
Praha, Czech Republic -

We had to do a little project on schizophrenia and your cite really help us out a lot. So... Thank you very much!!:)
Katie and Emily
ME USA -

I saw 'A Beautiful Mind' a week ago, ever sence then well, I've been thinking about it... how lucky people are who don't have the illness. Thier SO lucky. DON'T take life for granted...remember you only one life to live...or so I think....God as blessed every1 of you out there. Every1 has a gift...find it( Believe me..you will. Sooner or later,you will.) That was a very inspiring story....don't give up on your self. I might be young,but I know what I'm talking about.(I'm 14) I think I'm different...I sit in class. Pay very close atenttion to what being taught,while my follow class mates gaze into thin air or chat. And when I'm at home my family fight while I just sit in my room thinking and thinking. I hear vioces. Maybe it's just because my house is haunted or because I want to hear them. I only have one friend at my school and a couple out of state. Sometimes it feels like I'm the only person on earth. I always take things with faith and determanation. When I become an adult I want to be either a Life Science teacher or an actress(big step!) Thank you so much for our story( it has a point,but do I?)... you don't know how Beautiful you are..... Believe. Love always, ~Salena Rose~ P.S>If ne1 want's to Email me feel free...I'm always open..
Salena Rose <SalenaBLoom@yahoo.com>
Princeton, IL. U.S.A. -

Hi, my name is alexis and i am a Freshman at platte valley high school in Kersey colorado. I was studying about schizophrenia in health and i couldn't quite find the answers that i needed about schizo until i went to your site and got every piece of info i needed on it! I think that you have had a very hard life from what i read about you! and yea i guess you can say that i have too! i don't have any mental or health problems but still! well that is all that i wanted to tell you and thanx for your help about schizophrenia! sincerely, Alexis Roth
Alexis Roth <Volleybalchic05@yahoo.com>
Greeley , CO United States -

Hallo Ian, I read your Story in the german net "Kompetenznetz-Schizophrenie". I am schocking. The best of your Story is the End. Its a happy-end. Greating from germany, Kati
Kati
Frankfurt, Germany -

Thank you ian for commenting on my comments. I agree with everything you said. Sadly I too, remain in poverty, alone and basically homeless if it were not for my parents. I'm just trying to work out some way of keeping world peace. I prayed the rosary while on conservatorhsip for four years for world peace. I've been taking medication, anti-psychotic for the most part since I was 18. It does help me in my behavior and in my thinking. As Leary had great hopes for lsd, so many have had great hopes for their particular theories also. Originally, I believe Leary believed that lsd could cure anti-social personality disorder. Their were hopes that it was a treatment for alcoholism. Again, I wish to thank you for your concern and involvement in answering my query. It was most kind and generous of you, and i think you are much improved on medication. Keep up the good work. Even if God doesn't exist, but rationally he must, and according to Pascals laws of probability he must also, God bless you and homewood and all fellow sufferers who are improving somewhat. It is probably a delusion of mine that we all need anti-psychotic medication. Thanks again, over and out.
Paul Eastman
USA -

Actually any medication is only the lesser of two evils. The untreated condition is the worst. People take medication to improve the quality of their lives. I agree that everyone is delusional if they think they know what is real, but the central qualities of a mental illness are (a) disability and dysfunction (b) loss of human relationships and (c) risk of suicide or self injury. Basically with an untreated schizophrenia you lose the ability to care for yourself, you become homeless or end up in jail if you are not treated, which often includes hospitalization. With schizophrenia you often lose the ability to know you need treatment. It is apparent to many other people though, so you need to have some trust or faith in people you love. With an insidious onset of schizophrenia you can lose all the human relationships you have and end up in psychosis alone and homeless. that is what happened to me. I disagree that everyone needs antispychotics. Even the most devout religious person functions day to day quite well. I think religion is a bit weird too but it seems to be therapeutic to the people who beleive in it. They function well in day to day life, and may even be happier than people who are atheists. How can you argue with that? Even with medication people with schizophrenia have historically remained quite disabled. Something like 90% never marry, 90% never work fulltime. They live rather solitary lives of poverty. Someday I hope there will be a better treatment, a preventative treatment, maybe one that doesn't involve medications, but that isn't the reality we live in now, and that's life as we know it.
Ian Chovil
Guelph, ON Canada -

My mother is a mild case. My father is a mild case. My uncle takes zyprexa. My first cousin takes zyprexa. I have a second cousin who murdered his father and is now living in a hospital for the criminally insane in arizona. My grandfather committed suicide. My great-grandfather lived in a New York State Hospital from 67 till 84 when he died after fracturing his skull. Many of my aunts had psychotic delusions all their lives but were functional. Alcoholism and substance abuse is rampant in our genetic line. Our family tree. I have another cousin who committed suicide who was diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder. I have an uncle who died at 59 of alcoholism who smoked marijuana and played in the Big Bands back in the 30's and 40's. I have the typically crazy family. What constitutes a true delusion??? I believe everyone is delusional about something. The definition of a delusion is a false belief. Some people believe that if you do not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior that you will fry in Hell for all eternity. Many people do not share this belief. Is this a delusion, a false belief. Who is telling the truth here?? For example, I might believe that my answer on a test is true, only to find out later that it was false. I was delusional at the time and believed I had the true answer, however, my answer was false. Does that mean I need medication that will correct my false belief. I don't think we know absolute truth or ever will and people will aruing forever and ever about what is true and what is false forever and ever. Some people don't believe in life after death, others do??? So who is telling the truth on this. Can you prove there is no God??? Can you prove there is no life after death??? Some people are atheists, some are theists??? Who is delusional here??? I majored in Philosophy at the University of California at Santa Barbara when I was 17 and 18 so I have concluded that everyone deludes themselves daily and that we are all delusional on planet earth and need anti-psychotic medication to improve the general mental health. Just think of how much money the pharmeceutical companies could make if it was required that everyone in the world take anti-psychotic medication??? Timothy Leary was a firm believer in lsd. I am as much of a firm believer in anti-psychotic medication for everyone by official mandate. My parents refuse to take their medication. We must get the world and especially psychiatrists to take anti-psychotic medication so that they will think more clearly. Obviously, with world war one, world war two and now perhaps world war three, it is essential to the survival of the homo sapiens species, that everyone take anti-psychotic medication as part of internal medicines, preventive medicine. What do you think of this opinion.???
Paul Eastman
USA -

Hello i really need you to send me an email answering these questions. it is for a school project and to get an A i need an interview. also i need it before tomorow.The date now is jan 31 2002 and i need it today. -At what age did you start getting symtoms? -What were your hallucinations? -do you take medication?if so what is it? -how long have you had schizophrenia? -What is your life like now with family and friends? -do you have any other mental illnesses?if so what are they? -do you go to any kind of psycoligist or did you and what did they tell you? -how long have you been living with this disease -did you have any sort of outbursts -are you able to work -lastly did you ever try to comitt suicide
Brandon keel <b_keel@hotmail.com>
ns Canada -

was looking 4 info. on schiz. & stumbled onto your very informatinve site; THANKS for sharing.
Seb
US -

I have always been interested in mental health and have always been intrigued about schizophrenia but have never really understood about the illness. I am 18 and waiting to start my mental health nurse training and am reading up on the areas which are of most interest to me ur story was very touching and has gave me more determination to suceed at university so i can help people like yourself to get better! thankyou very much from nicola x
nicola louise <NAUGHTYNICOLA58@HOTMAIL.COM>
DERBY, ENGLAND -

Hi there I found your sight and read through some of your paper. Very real and hit home I think. Im trying to find out what I can on schizophrenia because, my cousin has been told he has it. Now his story is different to the ones my aunt tells me so I wondered if lies were a part of this illness? If you would let me know I would be grateful. For now Im off to read more of your story thanks for having it here to read. Amy
Amy <aimless34@hotmail.com>
nwmrkt, on Canada -

WOW!!! this has helped me and my partners research on Schizophrenia a whole lot and I hope that you have a speedy recovery and to be normal but don't forget to be proud of who you are do not let anyone get you down about your disease.
Tawnie Sturgell <t53sturgell@gaggle.net>
Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan -

thank you for this website, i never knew the extreme of this disease until i saw the movie a beautiful mind. that movie has inspired me to do an informative speech on this disease in my public speeking class, and learn more about the disease from websites like yours.
michelle petro <sizac79@yahoo.com>
Canada -

I would like to learn more about Schizophrenia.
Cyndy Jean <Jeanc@cmf.org>
Greenfield, NH USA -

What a moving story you have. It helps me to understand this disease since I believe my mother has schizophrenia. She believes that aliens contacted her several years ago to use her to gather information about humans. She also believes that a spirit guide in a form of a buddhist monk visits her and gives her directions and advice in her life. I have grown up with these beliefs and adopted them as my own until just recently when I realized her stories no longer made sense to me. What I'm not sure of though, is that she functions normally in life - she is an owner of a very respectable business firm. She has always been big about keeping her private life separate from her business. She doesn't necessarily seem to get worse. I'm wondering if her daily use of marijuana helps keep her in check - even though she maintains she gets messages from aliens and her spirit guide. Is it possible for her to actually function so normally while maintaining such complex delusions, or in some way, is she not schizophrenic at all? Please help a very confused and saddened daughter. Thanks,
Aurelia <rajah@pon.net>
McKinleyville, CA Canada -

I'm a Christian who can help anyone with Schizophrenia. Are you tired of medication that never cures Schizophrenia? The Bible tell of Schizophrenia and how to cure it. I would like to suggest some books that have information on Schizophrenia. They are "Annihilating the Hosts of Hell I" ,"Annihilating the Hosts of Hell II" by Win Worley, " Pigs in the Parlor" by Frank and Ida Hammond. If you want to e-mail me please feel free to do so. Read the Bible Daily.
helena <read_the_bible2001@yahoo.com>
nj united states -

I have read your site with great deal of interest, I have schizophrenia myself controlled by clozoril, and can relate to this info, I would like to thank you for what I have learned at your site. Darren
Darren <dbates@lineone.net>
Canada -

I, like many others who have visited your site, am doing a project for school. The area of schizophrenia has been a topic of interest since I started working at CAMH - Queen St. Site, in the schizophrenia and continuing care program. I found your website very informative and I am glad that you have found something not only worthwhile to do with your time, but also something that is a great service for others. Keep up the good work.
Sarah G <sarah_shadow@hotmail.com>
ON Canada -

Hi, Your website was very informative, I am in the process of writing a novel in which one of my characters has schizophrenia. I wanted to find out how someone who has the illness is affected by it, and I found out a lot of useful information. In writing my book which is a phycological thriller I aim to make people as aware as I can about the condition. As I don't suffer from this and don't know anybody with it personally your website proved very useful, although I will still carry on with my research to find out as much as I can. Thank-you for sharing your story and making this website available for viewing.
Pauline Lennox <sn0wyowl@aol.com>
ayrshire, scotland -

athis site has been the most informative site i have visited my 16 year old brother has schizophrina his is basically catatonic in his..i have a personality disorder which is much easier to handle.anyway thank you for the information on your site it has been most helpful in fully understanding how to help and deal with my brother in his time of needing understanding......
theresa willis <theouterlimits2000@hotmail.com>
lk. panasoffkee, fl. florida -

I believe your persistent delusions ian. I must be delusional. I agree, world war 1 was caused by a virus. So was world war 2. Ergot rye fungi caused all sorts of odd behavior in the Middle Ages. Our job as scientists is to track these viruses and destroy them before they all get together and get us to destroy each other and the entire planet. These viruses are very intelligent. They know how to invade, make us angry, make us violent, make us hate each other and ourselves. Penicillin was a wonderful cure for me for awhile, then the bacilli got wise to me and beat up the penicillin and I was helpless again. A Dr. Horobin in Canada investigated the penicillin rose water cure and found it very beneficial. Some people are allergic to penicillin. My favorite drug is penicillin. God bless fleming for inventing penicillin. In Surviving Schizophrenia by E. Fuller Torrey M.D. there are so many many things that can cause schizophrenic like symptoms including stds and head trauma, ad nauseam. I don't think what you call a delusion is a delusion at all, but a theory that has been rejected by the majority of the scientific community. The part about atlantis is a little far out. I've had delusions about atlantis in my life too. I saw a movie when I was about 13 about atlantis and it really affected me. I believe that the western hemisphere is the lost continent of atlantis that there were legends about but it was not destroyed. Geology says that the continental plates have shifted over millions of years. How many times has life evolved and then been destroyed on earth??? Probably many times. At this point in earth history the dominant species, homo sapiens, is now heading out into what we call outer space. Beam me aboard scotty, there is no intelligent life down here. LOLOL. My applause to all the good students and good decent people who come to this sight to practice their reading skills and their scientific expertise and who are generally, getting involved
Rick Westwood
USA -

Thank you for sharing.
xenamtz
NM USA -

ocd is worse than sckizophrenia.help ocd sufferers
john
usa -

I see dead people!
Joe <danidrunk@yahoo.com>
U. S. of A. -

I was diagnosed with this disease and was looking up information about it. Thank you for explaining this disease and its treatments to me. I hope it will help me to cope as I struggle to overcome this problem.
Emily <emmy_sue@hotmail.com>
United States of America -

hey thanx a lot i'm doing a research report on the disease.
Adrianne <Adrianne@cfl.rr.com>
Orlando, us -

This site is the reason i got an A on my report Thanx
Ryan Hunt <Ryan2989>
naperville, IL U.S. -

I have seen the movie A Beautiful Mind, it was my favirote movie.. I am doing a report on Schitzofrenia, and i wanted to know if anyone can send me info i can understand about it, im only 13. I have all these books but i dont understand the words they use.. Thank you
Jordan <Pyro1659@aol.com>
Owings Mills, Usa -

I found this site doing a search for info on schizophrenia for a research paper. I found it very helpful and also fascinating. Thanx for making it available!
Melody Schmidt <Egyptscrush@aol.com>
Milwaukee, WI US -

I just wanted to say thank you for writing your story and letting people read it.I am 18 years of age and I have been diagnosed with schizophrenia. I have medication that I take but it is hard going out on the week ends and not doing drugs or drinking but I try. U gave me some hope and I am no longer going to be with the people that have been doing drugs around me. I am going to try to live a better life. Thank you so much.
Dava Savat <gizmo@gaggle.net>
Poplar Bluff, mo united States -

Dear Mr Chovil I am writing to thank you for your excellent and informative web page on schizophrenia. I was diagnosed with the illness a year and a half ago and have only recently accepted the diagnosis after 3 psychotic episodes with the third resulting in hospitalisation in the UK. It was was worst experience I have ever been through and I'm determined not to end up in hospital again. I was very interested in your website, particularly your own story and how you said you had delusions involving Tibetan Lamas and Buddhism. I too believed I was telepathic with Buddhist monks and nuns and was totally absorbed in my 'conversations' with them all day and night. I believed I was going to become enlightened and that once I had attained Nibbana (Nirvana), all other monks and nuns around the world would follow suite. That was just the tip of the iceberg. I also resonated with your comment that your experience while you were ill was something like that of the film 'The Terminator'. I had exactly the same, or very similar experiences where I believed I was a heroine who would save the world (with the help of the Buddhist monks) and felt like, or experienced myself as the woman in The Terminator. I am currently on the medication Risperidol (1mg) and was taking Olanzapine but found the side effects were terrible. I have gained so much weight from this drug which I have been unable to lose. Once again thank you so much for your website and it has really helped in my recovery in terms of understanding the illness and the types of treatment available. Best wishes and much loving- kindness to you, Barbara Murray.
Barbara Murray <Barbra_murray@yahoo.com>
Perth, WA Australia -

Lemon juice is good to help with schizophrenia
steve
Canada -

Hey thanxs for posting this. I have to do this report for school on something and I thought this would be insteresting since my aunt has it. I am not able to talk to her though so I don't know much on the disease. I have a few questions about it like what are the chemicals in your brain that are mixed up if there are any and what do you take to help with it. If you would like to help me on this I would appreciate it. My email is that ericaj@usd444.com Thanx
Erica <ericaj@usd444.com>
Little River, KS United States -

Dear Mr. Chovil, Thank you for taking the time to write down all your experiences. I have a younger brother who is a paranoid schizophrenic. I don't understand him and I'm trying to. He is 28 and having a rough time getting treatment. He is alcoholic and has dabbled in various drugs. He has been occassionly violent with family members. His pain is affecting the whole family. I applaude you for your perserverance and I'll keep you in mind when I say my prayers. God Bless you and thank you. Esperanza
Esperanza <OnlyOneEsperanza@aol.com>
Scotts Valley, CA USA -

Hi- Interesting site/story. 20 year old male living in england. Question: do you think cannabis use precipitated your condition? Starting to run into some problems myself. I've woken from the dream.I hope to be able to reabsorb one day. Good luck with the work your doing.
mike <vicarage5@hotmail.com>
england -

Very complete and informative. I think that individuals such as you are most vital to the management and understanding of schizophrenia. I, personally, appreciate the effort and thoughtfulness that has gone into your site. I plan to steer more people to it. Thanks again.
Paul M. Hamilton, MD <texcareinc@aol.com>
Dallas, TX Canada -

wel i just wa t thank you for puting your persnal stuff on line, yur web site as well as your story really helped me get a better understanding of schizophrenia. And it als helped me a lot with my report.
Guadalupe Venegas <NotoriousLupe@aolcom>
chicago, IL United States -

My boyfriend has this and i'm trying to read articles about it to understand better. Your article was very easy to read and understand. Thank you so much
linda galeana <www.dalingal@yahoo.com>
imperial beach, ca usa -

I suffer from schizoeffective disoder.Sometimes it feels like i am living in hell.Most of thetime I hear voices.the other times i am very paranoid.tried various drugs they only work for a short time.I hate the sideeffects of most drugs.right now i am doing good.Hope it lastes for a while.
Lisa Newman <SCHIZOTAZ@netscape.net>
Lock Haven, PA USA -

thank you for your helpful web site. I am doing research on Schizophrenia and you provide the information I am looking for. Thank you and all the best.
E.D.B.
Canada -

Hi Ian, I am an occupational therapist working in the mental health unit of an acute hospital inpatient, patial and outpatient program. I understand that you have already tried mega- vitamins etc. in your search for an effective treatment. I have recently learned of a wonderful technological breakthrough in the area of minerals. There is a new Co. that has developed a technique to produce pure minerals ( ie. pure calcium vs calcium carbonate, pure chromium vs chromium picolinate, etc. and the partical sizes have been reduced to a size in which they can be taken directly into the cells. Rather than getting only 5-10% benefit as in the vitamin/mineral pills on the market, your body gets 99.5%. No digestion needed, immediately absorbed into the blood stream, and taken into the body's cells within minutes. It is VITAL to take supplements these days, as our farmlands are 85% depleted of minerals, so we are not getting what our body needs from even the freshest produce. We are made up of minerals and they are the building blocks of the cell where all takes place. They are directly involved with hundreds and hundreds of bodily functions, and when we do not have these building supplies, our body cannot function properly, thus all the illness and disease prevalent in our country, and in younger and younger people. I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue with depression, which had worsened so quickly over the past 3 years that I was barely functioning mentally or physically, and was realizing that very shortly I would be totally unable to work or do much of anything. My chiropractor told me of these minerals, and within 3-4 months on them, I have almost totally regained my health again. I ran out for a short time and began developing all of the symptoms again untill I got started again. I know Schizophrenia is not fibromyalgia, but I believe all illnesses involve mineral and vitamin deficiencies to some degree. It takes minerals to produce the brain chemicals that make the brain function normally. There have been promising results with depression and ADHD, but this is so new that there is no research data yet. There is a study using these Eniva minerals about to start at the Mayo Clinic, though probably not involving mental illnesses. I met one gentleman who was dx'd with schizophrenia who told me it was actually a boron deficiency, and that with supplementing these bio-available minerals he improved. I do understand that this is not proof, though it is encouraging. I have not been able to tell any of my pts. about these, and there is no data to show the Dr's. But I can tell others, and I wanted to share that with you. E-mail me if you would like more info. Hang in there! Donna Ament
Donna Ament <dament56@hotmail.com>
Canada -

Hello, Your job is so wonderful!. You give me understand about this real serious Mental Illness. I been though 2 different Mental Illness names shift to others to others for past few weeks. Can you give me better understand on this very serious Mental Illness for me?. I also have other Pysical Disablities. Thanks, Michelle
Michelle Trzecinski <trez@ticon.net>
Cudahy, WI USA -

thatx for all of the great information, it helps a lot when you need to find info on important things.
Theresa Theis <DrummerReese19@wmconnect.com>
Cold Spring, MN United States -

Thanks I enjoyed your website, I am 27 with Schitzophrenia amd just learning more about the illness. I am a christian and am still undecided whether these evil voices I hear are actual demons or it is a purely brain malfunction. I know that the voices torment me try to get me down. I also hallucinate and have lost all motivation, will and determination. I am lazy and lathargic. Im trying to change but Im finding it increasingly difficult. I have found that God defends me from these voices and hallucinations, that he is my constant help through my battle. It is imperative that if you want help battling evil voices to make Jesus Christ the Lord and saviour of your life and pray for his protection from them. Ive folund Jesus and he has helped me endlessly in my battle. God bless you all, Hope they find a cure or these symtoms dimminsh quickly. Ciao
Joey Jo Jo Jo Gabberjew <joeyc@who.net>
Sydney, Australia -

thank you for making your site. it really helped me on a school project we were doing on genetic disorders and i picked schizophrenia
Joe Sykes <joe11788@hotmail.com>
Coffeyville, KS USA -

Your site isa cool
Joe Sykes <joe11788@hotmail.com>
Coffeyville, KS USA -

Dear Ian, I just want to say thank you for making your website. It has helped me out in many ways for a school prject that I am doing for my Education and Child Development class. I am very thankful for being able to read your story. Dear All-Else Who Read This: my name is Chrissy and if you are doing a project about schizophrenia, feel free to e-mail me and I would be more than happy to help you find any information. I "feel" for all who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia and I have been affected greatly in my research. Thank you! :)
Chrissy Vernon <Bubbles654321@aol.com>
Modesto, CA United States of America -

Thank you for making all this information available. I have learnt a tremendous amount. I have just started working as a nurse in a mental health unit.
Ruth Triggs <e.triggs@mailbox.uq.edu.au>
Brisbane, QLD Australia -

Fellow sufferers---and interested parties---thank you Ian for this opportunity to express myself. I was diagnosed at 18 by a professional. I constantly diagnosed myself all my life as something wrong but I don't know what it is. I was scared to death of my diagnosis, I wanted to kill myself. I didn't want to live as a schizophrenic. Then I adopted a better attitude, well, so what, get on with your life best you can. At least you are not blind, deaf and dumb, crippled or have spina bifada. It could be much worse. Consider yourself lucky, now you don't have to go to vietnam and kill or be killed. You can get a deferment and stay alive. Just take the medication which you can't stand and take the pain and tough it out. In the old days there was no anesthesia for operations, no air-conditioning. Being sick is no fun. The prognosis in 1969 was much the same as it is today. Much better than it used to be in the days of lobotomy and electroshock. Okay, so most people will shun me because of my diagnosis and my oddness. Okay so I'll get tardive dyskinesia eventually. Okay so I probably won't be able to work full-time for the rest of my life, get married, have children and have a 401 K. I was very realistic when I had my first hospitalization and diagnosis. I tell you it was devastating to me and my family, like I had died. Well, I might have had a car accident and had to sit in a wheel chair the rest of my life. I tried to get off the pity pot about the whole thing and just work anyway. I would last a little while and then have to leave the jobs. I worked as a ditch-digger at union wages, bindery worker, postal clerk, extra in movies and tv, owned a skateboard shop, accounting clerk, tax consultant, clerk-typist for the los angeles police department. I would always end up too stressed out and have to leave the jobs was usually poor. In 1984 after a suicide attempt I was committed to our local state hospital and was going to stay there, but I escaped for one more try at it. After spending all my savings I was homeless and penniless and taken back to the hospital by the police. Then at age 34 I received disability payments and was conservatorized by the state of california. My dear father took the conservatorhip responsibility. I had truly become incompetent to manage my own affairs. At age 38 I got on a low dosage of medicine and tried again at marriage and work. I did okay for awhile but eventually I failed. She was a patient also that I had met in group therapy. She was a fantastic artistic genius. She's remarried now to a Brinks armored car guard and doing well. I'm 51 now almost ready to go home to be with the Lord God anytime now. I say Lord God in whatever way you wish to interpret that. Its been a real treat to see this page and the wonderful people of canada. I tried to flee to canada during the vietnam war, but at the los angeles canadian consulate they said i must remain in the usa. I'm glad I stayed in my home country to try and make it a better country. I think it is a much better world now than it was in 1969. I tried the new atypicals but they did not work for me, probably because I had taken the old anti-psychotics for so many years. Mellaril was my favorite. i did well on a lithium prolixin combination but became toxic on the lithium. I've been mostly takiang haloperidol for the past 17 years. Its no fun, its no picnic but it beats being psychotic. When I don't take my medication I begin to believe all sorts of far-out things, become psychotic. At one time all of reality became the book Dune, by Frank Herbert. I'm not kidding you, I thought my parents were Paul of Arrakis parents in the book, they even looked like it. I barely hung on to my sanity that time before I was hospitalized and brought back to normal. Well anyway, thank you again pharmeceutical companies, chemists, researchers, caring, compassionate people and capitalists and of course taxpayers for paying for my medication. This page has literally saved my life.---Territo I've met some nice people here. Hi marcia caputo and patricia zoie. Sorry I haven't written, I had a car accident on veteran's day and became agoraphobic. Territo Cordoba
Territo <Corby301x@aol.com>
San Diego, CA USA -

Hi..I am a 7th grader and I have to do a project on schizophrenia. One of my requirements is to interview someone. Can you email me so I can ask you some questions...By the way I am emailing you to so some way you get my message.
taylor <writersblock12@yahoo.com>
baltimore, MD U.S.A -

we are currently going thru my brother possibly being diagnosed as having schizophrenia and i have been searching out info. your site is very helpful and informative. may i email you with questions? our family isn't sure how to answer some of the things he says he is going thru, and he's trying so hard to deal with this until they are positive that's what it is. he has had some very upseting episodes and tries not to let it happen around us, but i can see the torment his mind is going thru. thank you
Toni A. Lietzau <mumnky45@aol.com>
KY United States of America -

My research on schizophrenia was limited until i found your story and it inspired me to think about those who have this disease yet fight it everyday. Thank you.
Annabell Mayse
P-Town, KS USA -

I think that you are a very brave man, suffering from a disease like this and overcoming it is amazing to me. I am a senior in high school and am writing a research paper on schizophrenia. Your info was very helpful and I want to thank you for informing people. Keep on working and I will pray for you.
Chelsea Johnson <c_h_e_l_s_02@hotmail.com>
Mt. Carmel, IL U.S. -

I just wanted to let you know that your not alone. I will pray for you as hopefully you will me. With great love.
Nicole Mosier <sliverrose7510@aol.com>
wagoner, ok us -

I am currently being taken off Haldol after taking it for five years. I believe I can be of some help in treating this disease. I would love to tell doctors what I have done to stabilize myself and find my way back to reality. The keys to my success was to get off street drugs and alcohol, gain a support network of friends and family, finding God, and a method of relaxation techniques which I think can be useful to other patients. These techniques I believe are closely related to the Chinese art of Chi. I think however that it is more of a knitting of nerves throughout the entire body. When I was a teenager I saw a psychologist named Hanita Kossowski and she taught me self-hypnosis. It was a way to relax the nerves starting with the forehead and progressing though the entire body. Not only did my chronic headaches go away, but I have used the method to battle the stresses that I deal with having Schizophrenia. I understand my brain is making too many chemicals. My method balances the entire body of these chemicals. To me, my head feels like it constantly stressed, as is with Schizophrenics. The stress tightens all muscles in my head, but I have learned to relieve this. I believe there is a way to let the stresses flow from the head, and from the body. I do this by relating the "stresses" something I can control. As I let these "stresses" go, it seems like I have a less cloudy perception. I in essence try to spread the "stresses" in my head to other parts of my body where they are dissapated. I believe this brings a balance to the body and mind. I guess in a way my head is blocking myself from reality because it is too harsh to look at in the full light. However, I am striving for the full view. I am training myself to accept the real world, it's just that I'm a little scared to look. Every day is a clearer picture, though, and it's not that bad. I believe that during my life I built walls in my mind and then the walls just became too thick to follow society's rules. I started taking meds and it pointed me in the right direction. I then started feeling things and perceiving things I hadn't since childhood. It was like a dream come true. Now I am striving to see things in the full light and it seems to be bringing me back to reality. Since going on meds I have graduated with a B.S. in Information Science and have a full-time job in my field with the brightest future in my department. I am learning things as fast as I did in childhood when I was in gifted classes. I recently learned additional skills in my department and am currently using Computer Based Training for certification. I live on my own, have a nice car, and pay for everything. I am thinking more clearly and am acquiring romantic relationships. I am 29. Do I fall into the 10-20% that naturally have remission? I don't know. I believe I worked for it, in mental ways. I beleive that along with the medicine I found the way to open a Shizophrenic's mind. Anyway, I would at least like for my story to be known. Thank you, Brett Teacher
brett <gonnagolf9@hotmail.com>
PA USA -

I hear the voices all the time and I can see the figurines and I can't understand why this is going on. I read your story and you came through with alot of hope. I am looking out for the same for me I'm 31 years old and a female.
michele <Mkulper@Hotmail.com>
columbus, IN USA -

I wanted to thank you for your site. I am a mother of a 16 year old diagnosed with schizophrenia a little over a year ago. She has been hospitalized twice in the last year first for diagnosis and the second time for medication change (we live 125 miles from the hospital that can deal with this). It took me quite a while to find a doctor and therapist that had a positive outlook rather than a dooms day attitude. I truely appreciate your sharing your story. It has given me more insight to my daugter and what I can do to help her live in a positive world. I have book marked your site and plan on recommending it to her as well as her emotional disabilities teacher. Thanks again for your candor and insite. Michelle
Michelle <chelleak@ptialaska.net>
-

your story is very informational and uprising it provides hope for those like your self you are battleing with this illness. thanks you for taking the time to share with us your story. i hope your life continues to keep getting better and that you can overcome schizophrenia.
megan <meggymay04@aol.com>
mn U.S. -

A female had first episode age 17. After LSD . My entire twenties homeless, in and out of jail and nut houses. Normal for last 17 years no medication... Godd stable, routine, not boring job.
portia <portia@eudoramail.com>
Canada -

nice page go to mine
megan <buffbabe333@yahoo.com>
Canada -

Hi, my name is Doug, i am 12 years old. I just wanted to thank you for some useful information. I am doing a school project on schizophrenia and I needed some info., don't worry though, I have it all on my works cited page!
doug <djjunkyard12@aol.com>
midland, mi US -

Dear Ian -- yours is a very sad and moving story, but in the end a courageous and hopeful one. Thank you for describing and sharing your experience. -- Dr. Peter Luykx, Ph.D. Biology Department University of Miami
Peter Luykx
Coral Gables, FL USA -

Great site.The battle against schizophrenia and severe mental illness is a constant torment.I know,I have it,and only wish the torment would end.Yet it never does,but only hope and faith can help you carry on.
steve doss <doss2s@yahoo.com>
glenview, il. Canada -

test
Ian <chovil@sympatico.ca>
Guelph, ON Canada -