Coping with Schizophrenia

by Frank Tallis

This self-help manual is for sufferers of schizophrenia and their families. Taking a positive and practical approach, the book tells what schizophrenia is, the possible causes, what treatment is available, and what the social services can do to help. It explodes many of the myths about schizophrenia, for example, that a schizophrenic breakdown is permanent, that violence and aggression are common amongst sufferers, and that people diagnosed with the illness, suffer from a "split personality". Topics include the role of good communication in the family, the importance of a healthy lifestyle, stress and anxiety management, dealing with insomnia, knowing the sufferers rights, what treatment is like, and a description of the new non-drug approaches to sympton management. Advice is included on developing social skills and community care is emphasized.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 13, 1994

About the author

Aka F.R. Tallis.

Dr. Frank Tallis is a writer and clinical psychologist. He has held lecturing posts in clinical psychology and neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry and King's College, London. He has written self help manuals (How to Stop Worrying, Understanding Obsessions and Compulsions) non-fiction for the general reader (Changing Minds, Hidden Minds, Love Sick), academic text books and over thirty academic papers in international journals. Frank Tallis' novels are: KILLING TIME (Penguin), SENSING OTHERS (Penguin), MORTAL MISCHIEF (Arrow), VIENNA BLOOD (Arrow), FATAL LIES (Arrow), and DARKNESS RISING (Arrow). The fifth volume of the Liebermann Papers, DEADLY COMMUNION, will be published in 2010. In 1999 he received a Writers' Award from the Arts Council of Great Britain and in 2000 he won the New London Writers' Award (London Arts Board). In 2005 MORTAL MISCHIEF was shortlisted for the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award.

Reviews

[William Schram · Rating 4 out of 5]

So you might be asking, why this subject of all things? Well, I have a confession to make; I was diagnosed with a form of schizophrenia when I was 21 years old. It isn’t extreme, I control it with medication, and I have a job that I support myself with. Many people are not so lucky as I in this case. I have a supportive family, I was diagnosed relatively early, and I have no doubts that I have the problem I have.

Coping With Schizophrenia is a book that is meant to inform the person with schizophrenia and the people around them about this mental illness. There is a great deal of misinformation out there about schizophrenia, and the media doesn’t really help all that much. I can think of movies that display schizophrenics I suppose, but then again, I don’t really watch movies. The book is really well done, it provides support and referrals to different organizations that can help you out. Most of the support is based in Great Britain, which makes sense. Steven Jones and Peter Hayward are both practitioners from the UK, but they do offer some help from the US as well.

The first thing to take away from this book, 1% of the population falls on what they call a continuum of schizophrenia. In this way it isn’t that you have it or you don’t, it isn’t a binary situation. Rather than that, it is more like Autism or Asperger’s. Also, note the 1% part. This means that 1 out of every 100 people has some form of schizophrenia. So if I think of Earth as having seven billion people, that means that around 70 million people out of the population will have it in one form or another.

The second thing to take away from this book is that treatment does exist. The book lists different ways to deal with this illness and the drawbacks associated with it. So it talks about medications like Lithium, anti-depressants, mood stabilizers, and many more. The book also discusses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This book is from 2004, so I don’t know much about any of the developments of these treatments. I never underwent such treatments, and as such have no real opinion.

Schizophrenia is easily stigmatized. This is probably due to its perception in the public by the media. Then again, this is another thing that I don’t know anything about since I don’t usually watch the news. Either way, I assumed that I received such a reception back when I first got this mental illness. I think it was part of the reason I was fired from a job, but I don’t really know all the facts. The key to that is that it was in the past. I hope that I moved on beyond that feeling of being sorry for myself since that does nothing to help anyone. So all you can do is realize that you are not alone and that there exist places and people qualified to help you out.

[Mindi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book for anyone, really, to learn how to cope with schizophrenia. Balanced, encouraging, realistic advice. I highly recommend it.

[Inge Minkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fair overview of the basics, treatment, and practical impacts of schizophrenia – meant for everyone impacted by that diagnosis. This book is unfortunately out of date – as it lists different “types” of schizophrenia – aka catatonic, paranoid, hebrephenic – which has been done away with in the latest DSM update. Its also a bit UK centric, with most of the jobs and benefits advice befitting a UK audience. But despite those limitations, it covers a lot of territory to try to offer some help to those suffering and their respective care team. For a diagnosis of schizophrenia carries a lot of weight and stigma, and this book helps to unpack what all that word means, and tries to paint a fairly rosy picture that not everyone who receives it will be without hope eternally. Unfortunately, I think that comes across more as toxic positivity than anything else. It also doesn’t help that the book is rather cold in tone and that the syntax is overly complicated and its easy to get lost in the jumble of what they’re trying to get across. But overall it intends well, even if written by two people who don’t suffer themselves – thus making it feel a bit like speaking to a clinical psychologist – they might know their stuff, but they also have a bit of smug edge to them – knowing that they don’t actually know what its like to live with it. They try to balance this with some perspectives of actual sufferers sprinkled in – but I felt like they were also a bit too cold for my liking. So while it is an outdated but useful guide to understanding what schizophrenia is about – it comes across as too clinical and distant, even if I do like certain elements.

[Lorrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful book for those dealing with schizophrenia.

Important facts are:

- only 1% of the population suffers from schizophrenia, while 50% of the 1% have reoccurring symptoms after diagnosis and proper treatment--the other half are symptom free.

- persecutory delusions could be belief of being followed, investigated, or harmed.

- grossly disorganized behavior includes catatonic symptoms which are extreme levels of activity (excitement) or inactivity (stupor) unrelated to stimulation provided by the immediate environment. It also includes difficulties with activities of daily living such as dressing, hygiene and sexual behavior.

- depression is common among those with schizophrenia, with those who agree with their diagnosis being even more depressed than others. Those who see this as a biological illness over which they have little or no control are thus even more depressed.

- "clozapine" is found very effective in treatment but may cause blood disorders. It's important to maintain blood checks.

- mood stabilizing drugs can be prescribed since they are also used for bipolar disorders. The two are so very similar and difficult to separate. Bipolar disorder patients can experience strange ideas and voices, although these generally seem different than those of the schizophrenic. The dividing line is not often clear and the diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder exists for people who do not seem to fall into either schiz or bipolar clearly.

- it is important to have regular activities and routines with a plan for daily tasks.

- recovery rates of 50% or higher is believed to be associated with those patients who move past the stigma associated with mental illness.

- many people with schizophrenia receive money from the state for their illness to help with daily costs.

- symptoms can be worsened due to family/friend reactions, stress, fighting, etc.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for both caregivers and those who have been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia. It is a book that spells out this complex disease in a way that both parents and their children can understand what is taking place on a daily occurrence. All aspects of diagnosis, treatments, myths, medications, and education are covered. Some of the information may seem a little outdated, since the book was written in 2005. However, this does not take away the importance of the facts covered by the authors. I highly recommend this book if you in search of supportive material for yourself or loved one.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat helpful.

[Cloay · Rating 3 out of 5]

- available in SG NLB 616.8982 (ChengSan)