What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger
"My sister has schizophrenia, can she lead a fulfilling life?"
Yes, she CAN!
Schizophrenia is an abnormal behavioral disorder that causes severe paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions for the patient. The most common hallucinations are hearing voices and noises, seeing images and people, sensing smells, and feeling hands and fingers grabbing for them; all of which do not exist. The delusions this illness may cause include bizarre beliefs that are nonsensical, but can and will make perfect sense to them. Paranoia will lead them to believe that all those around them are against them and plotting to cause them harm.
However, despite the hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia, their emotional outlook and other aspects of mental health are completely sound- their brains function and process just like everyone else's. Although they may have mood swings, their tendencies towards violence to others are low, and they may lead completely happy lives. On the other hand, their paranoia and hallucinations usually involves persecution from others towards themselves as seen in a raised suicide rate for the small population of patients. 10% of patients in America end their lives through suicide, and many may resort to substance abuse, such as alcohol addiction, drugs, and smoking, with nicotine ranking as the main addiction for patients with schizophrenia.
With all that said, schizophrenia can develop into a serious disorder, and can possibly lead to a inability to lead as normal a life as possible. In all efforts to prevent this from happening, get her the help and emotional support she needs. Take her to see a doctor, and if symptoms worsen, ask the doctor for prescribed medication that can help reduce them.
Throughout the treatment process, and even after, build a trusting relationship between you two. Remember that schizophrenia is an abnormal behavioral disorder that is based around distrust and a false world that only the patient sees. If you want to help her to achieve a fulfilling life even through this condition, support and trust between the two of you are very important. Keep in mind that they will believe in everything their illness shapes for them, and that you must be patient and accepting towards their disillusions. Remember that love is patient, kind, slow to anger, delights in truth, protecting, trusting, hoping, and persevering. Be loving and know that the Bible teaches us to love and accept everyone, regardless of their race, mental states, spiritual stance, and social standing. The best treatment for their disorder is your love and support.
In short, people who have schizophrenia may not be able to keep normal jobs or be put into a normal education system- however, they can lead fulfilling lives if they get the right treatment and keep their illness under control. For example, Broadway star Meera Popkin was diagnose with schizophrenia in 1997. After going from limousines and center stage to serving food at Wendy's, and undergoing an ordeal that resulted from misunderstanding of the disorder, she is now happily married, has two daughters, managing local theaters in Bloomington, Indiana, and is a co-writer for a musical about her tumultuous experience with being diagnosed with schizophrenia, and is set to star in it. Who says those who have abnormal behavior disorders can't lead a fulfilling life?
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