Overcoming Paranoid Schizophrenia
One of the biggest causes of homelessness and poverty is paranoid schizophrenia. Many patients do not realize they have a serious mental illness and therefore don't treat schizophrenia accordingly. Some of the signs of early psychosis may be social withdrawal, distorted perception and anxiety. If untreated, then more serious symptoms almost always appear, including hallucinations and a feeling of utter helplessness and dread, that something or someone may be "out to get" the sufferer. In some cases, things can go terribly wrong for the paranoid schizophrenic. But in other cases, people have overcome their serious mental illness to lead relatively functional, productive lives.
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Frederick Frese had his first breakdown at age 25, while working as a Marine Corps captain guarding atomic weapons in Florida. He developed a delusion that enemy nations were trying to take over US weapons, while American leaders stood by -- hypnotized. A year later, Frese believed he could shape-shift into animals and he became extremely nervous that he was inside an atomic bomb that was being loaded and ready to launch.
He became homeless for an entire year before cops found him, threw him in jail and finally diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia. How does this story end? Did Frederick Frese become an ax-murderer, a serial rapist, a uni-bomber, or suicidal? In fact, Frederick Frese became a Chief Psychologist at an Ohio mental institution and is now married with four children and a doctorate degree!
"Where a blind person may have a cane or a seeing-eye dog, the deaf may be helped by a hearing aid, and the crippled may be helped with a wheelchair or a crutch, we too can be helped by artificial means. Because our disability is one of a biochemical imbalance, it is reasonable that our "crutch" is chemical. For us, our crutch is the neuroleptic medications that we take," Frese explains. At one of his stays in a Veteran's Hospital, he began taking Risperdal, a common drug used to treat paranoid schizophrenia. Though the side effects - often called "Extrapyramidal symptoms" -- were often painful and movement was either difficult to initiate or control, Frese still managed to attend college and hold several jobs.
He met his future wife, Penny, while in graduate school. Though she was initially unaware of his condition, she wound up making a terrific companion - always eager to learn more about mental health treatment and coping with the medical symptoms. She also says that she trained herself to not feel personally offended if her husband couldn't maintain eye contact or finish a complete thought. She adds that it's important to avoid making accusations or causing heightened emotions if her husband begins to describe a delusion. Instead of reacting harshly, she will say something like "Tell me more" or ask him if he would like another Risperdal to ease his fears.
As it turns out, a genetic link was found in the family, with Frese's first cousin diagnosed for paranoid schizophrenia as well. None of the four children have been found to have the illness, but they are all currently on anti-depressant medication and their parents are always on the look out for signs of early psychosis. Frederick Frese says that denial is common and that many sufferers don't understand their emotions, or feels responsible, and as a result, don't get the help they need. "As you get older, you are better able to spot the symptoms and to cut them off," he adds.
These days, Fred Frese works with the Summit County Recovery Project to help people with mental illness find jobs and also works with the Campaign to End Discrimination, which helps people with paranoid schizophrenia and other disorders end discrimination in housing and employment. At his website, FredFrese.com, he stresses: "As more and more of us are becoming open about the nature of our disability, we have an obligation to share with others as much as we can about mental illness so that there is less fear and greater understanding and acceptance. To help counter the negative images, it is of course helpful to have positive images of the mentally ill to put forth."
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Today's Tip On Schizophrenia
The clinical psychology profession has grown from 20,000 to 63,000 practitioners between 1974 and 1990. Research of medical symptoms and mental health treatment is paramount to successful recovery. Ideally, a patient will participate in psychotherapy and behavior therapy sessions, in addition to visiting a medical doctor for physical issues. In the instance of severe mental illness such as schizophrenia, it is especially important that the patient consider anti-psychotic medication, career counseling and support groups to cope.
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