The Daily Struggle

» RebaStar - Schedules, hygiene

Dear Ian,

I don't have a regular schedule imposed on me like a ''normal'' person--but I do impose one on myself--get up whenever I wake up, get breakfast, get on the computer, have lunch, listen to Dr. Laura or do housework, laundry etc (whatever needs doing) read Bible, feed fish, write stories if muse moves me, go for walk, eat dinner, watch TV, take bath, prayer time with husband, snack time, bedtime...I think that's all..oh,yeah, water plants if needed...both outdoor and indoor.

So, I am not cut adrift with nothing to do--frequently, I add visit friend to this, and on Sundays and Wednesdays, church. And there are doctor and therapist appointments.

Having schizophrenia doesn't mean not having a life, at least for me...

Your friend,
Rebecca
xsaul@kdsi.net

-- posted by RebaStar

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» chovil - teh daily struggle

Hi reba,

I don't mean to imply that everyone with schizophrenia has a daily struggle, or that everyone with schizophrenia has trouble with personal hygiene. There are few things about schizophrenia that you can generalize to all people, except maybe hearing voices at some point in their journey. I've heard that is pretty universal, but even that doesn't only happen to people with schizophrenia. The negative symptoms of schizophrenia, which can look a lot like symptoms of depression, include a loss of motivation, and a discontentedness from other people. They can stop caring what other people think of them. Personal hygiene can be a fairly good indicator of response to medication.

Sometimes I think the main motivation ordinary people have is the mortgage, the family and the car payment. I was surprised reading the article that I talk about in the column to find ordinary people having trouble keeping up their personal appearances when they worked from their home.

I believe in discipline but in moderation. I try not to do things I don't enjoy. After all the years I lost, it seems tragic to spend the rest of my life doing things I don't enjoy. Sometimes I think it would be nice if I could spend some time doing things that I enjoy. But the truth is that I get less enjoyment out of the things I used to enjoy. That's schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a hard illness to survive and adapt to. Other things that people take for granted are difficult for someone for schizophrenia, and that often gets forgotten, hence the title "the daily grind".

-- posted by chovil

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» vvlsullivan - Schizophrenia

My educational background is Psychology/Human Services - BA Marymount University, Arlington, VA and 30 grad hours in Social Work - 30 in Attachment and Bonding,Foster Care, Adoption. Work background/ all ages and groups with special training in children's residential care. I was discouraged in my interest of schizophrenia by professors who said it is the most researched topic in the field. Nonetheless - I continue to study and write about it.

I would like to know your opinion of Dr. E.Fuller Torry's ideas in his book "Surviving Schizophrenia - A Family Manual". I am particularly interested in your thoughts about the his presentation of the numbers of people with schizophrenia and his characterization of it as being a common disease.

Vicki

-- posted by vvlsullivan

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