Inside Schizophrenia Healthline Media

Treatment for schizophrenia is a tough journey for people with the illness but also for caregivers and loved ones. Due to cognitive symptoms, hallucinations, and delusions, a person with schizophrenia may not be able to make decisions on treatment or take care of themselves.
When should caregivers step in to legally take control over a person with schizophrenia?
What are the types of involuntary treatment?
What are the other options available to people with schizophrenia and caregivers?
Host Rachel Star Withers, a person with schizophrenia, and co-host Gabe Howard discuss involuntary treatment options in schizophrenia and the moral issues around forcing treatment on a person. 
Guest Nicole Drapeau Gillen joins the discussion. Nicole was an IT executive and chief marketing officer turned caregiver and the author of “Schizophrenia & Related Disorders: A Handbook for Caregivers.” Nicole recognized that caregivers like herself often find themselves thrust into this challenging, complex, and stressful situation with little guidance on how to help a loved one with a serious mental illness.
In this episode, Rachel speaks about psychiatric advance directives. You can find more information at the National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives at www.NRC-PAD.org.

To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page.

Our guest, Nicole Drapeau Gillen, is a caregiver and the author of “Schizophrenia & Related Disorders: A Handbook for Caregivers.”
Nicole began her journey as a caregiver in this world of schizophrenia in 2020 when her daughter became sick. After thrashing about for a few years, finding herself frustrated and desperate for information, she wrote the book on caregiving for someone with a serious mental illness.
In her book, “Schizophrenia & Related Disorders: A Handbook for Caregivers,” Nicole addresses a myriad of issues caregivers face, including:
• From the Beginning of the Journey: Treatment — medication primer, treatment primer, etc.; hospitals, case managers, and more; and doctors (working with, talking to, finding)
• Ongoing: Communication, definitions, family and friends; support groups — for yourself and your loved one; and creating your ongoing paper trail
• Could Happen Anytime: Housing/homelessness; navigating jail and police; and crisis — suicidal ideation, arrests, run away, etc.
• Getting The Right Support Setup: Legal — advanced directives; legal — power of attorney, conservatorship, guardianship; and financial — SSI, SSDI, other government services
• Long-term issues: Budgeting — estate planning, trusts and letter of intent; and transition to self support for your loved one
• And so much more!
As a caregiver, our journey is ever-evolving and fluid. No sooner do we get our loved one on a good path, then things take another twist and turn. This book aims to give you the fundamentals on how to help your loved one no matter where they are on their road to recovery. With clear steps and compassionate insights, you'll find a lifeline in your caregiving journey.
https://schizophrenia-caregiver.com/
Schizophrenia & Related Disorders: A Handbook for Caregivers

Rachel Star Withers creates videos documenting her schizophrenia, ways to manage and let others like her know they are not alone and can still live an amazing life. She has written Lil Broken Star: Understanding Schizophrenia for Kids and a tool for schizophrenics, To See in the Dark: Hallucination and Delusion Journal. Fun Fact: She has wrestled alligators. To learn more about Rachel, please visit her website, RachelStarLive.comm.
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People with schizophrenia have a 10% rate of suicide compared with the general population population’s 1.3% rate of suicide.
Suicide is the biggest reason for the decreased life expectancy of people with schizophrenia.
Around 40–79% of people with schizophrenia have reported having suicidal thoughts.
Why is the rate of suicide higher among people with schizophrenia?
Are there specific risk factors that have been identified for our population?
And most important, how can we prevent suicide and keep going?
Host Rachel Star Withers, who has schizophrenia, and co-host Gabe Howard discuss suicide in relation to schizophrenia in this episode of Inside Schizophrenia. Rachel shares her chronic struggles with the desire to end her life and how she has learned to keep going.
Guest Tim “The Sack Man” from SackLifeOfficial joins to share his journey of finding an interesting way to cope with his depression and suicidal ideation through punching bag training. He now travels the country in a VW bus, providing free training for communities.
A warning about this episode of Inside Schizophrenia. It involves a frank discussion about the topic of suicide.
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- visit the official episode page.

Today's guest, "Tim “The Sack Man” from www.sacklifeofficial.com:
My name is Tim The Sack Man, and punching bag training has allowed me to overcome clinical depression and suicidal ideation, come off medication, and out of therapy with approval from my doctors. I travel the country in a VW Bus with a punching bag attached, providing free training for communities, and I host a free virtual class every day. I donate a portion of the profits to The National Alliance on Mental Illness. I would like to create free public-access punching bags around the world. By following @sacklifeofficial, together we can leverage our numbers to advertising companies so the ads you see will fund free mental health care for all.

Our host, Rachel Star Withers, creates videos documenting her schizophrenia, ways to manage and let others like her know they are not alone and can still live an amazing life. She has written Lil Broken Star: Understanding Schizophrenia for Kids and a tool for schizophrenics, To See in the Dark: Hallucination and Delusion Journal. Fun Fact: She has wrestled alligators. To learn more about Rachel, please visit her website, RachelStarLive.comm.

Our co-host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an A*****e and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author.
Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without. To learn more about Gabe, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.
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There is a huge gap in how people with schizophrenia are expected to recover and then integrate back into society. Many of us are in active treatment and managing symptoms. Now what? How do we function in life? How do we fit into society? We all want friends, to have a purpose, to belong.
These desires fall under community involvement. Integration into the community is recognized as an important component of recovery for those with severe mental illness. It is also one of our biggest challenges.
Hosts Rachel Star Withers and Gabe Howard explore different programs all over the world that work to assist people with schizophrenia to integrate into their local communities.
Faydra Aldridge, CEO of the British Columbia Schizophrenia Society and host of their podcast, “Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined,” joins and shares the programs and goals of the BCSS.
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page.

Our guest, Faydra Aldridge’s career has spanned over twenty years in the fields of communications, stakeholder relations, and project management in both the private and public sectors. Before joining the BC Schizophrenia Society (BCSS) as the Chief Executive Officer in 2019, Faydra held a leadership role with one of the largest health research institutes in Canada where she oversaw the Stakeholder Relations portfolio. She has experience as a CBC Morning Show Producer and has held executive positions with national and international community health organizations. Faydra draws on this experience in her role as a host of the BCSS podcast “Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined.” She is honored to work with such a dedicated team devoted to increasing awareness about serious mental illness and supporting families across BC.
About the “Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined" Podcast:
Navigating and understanding serious mental illnesses can be complex — both for individuals living with the illness as well as their loved ones and community. Hearing firsthand stories can bring comfort in knowing we aren’t alone. 
“Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined” is a resource to help expand your understanding of the many dimensions of mental illness — and you can go listen to the latest season right now! 
This show covers it all. It dives deep into the 'big questions' that families can face during different stages of the mental illness journey, from recognizing initial symptoms to the pursuit of a diagnosis and the search for effective treatment. It shares personal stories from individuals living ‘close’ to schizophrenia or other serious mental illnesses, as well as insights from experienced researchers and medical professionals across the globe.
Recent episodes explore topics like social media's influence on mental illness stigma, first-episode psychosis intervention, using virtual reality to treat psychosis, the untold challenges of mental illness care, and tons more!
Learn more about serious mental illness - check out “Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined,” an original podcast from the BC Schizophrenia Society, available on your favorite podcast app.

Our host, Rachel Star Withers, creates videos documenting her schizophrenia, ways to manage and let others like her know they are not alone and can still live an amazing life. She has written Lil Broken Star: Understanding Schizophrenia for Kids and a tool for schizophrenics, To See in the Dark: Hallucination and Delusion Journal. Fun Fact: She has wrestled alligators.
To learn more about Rachel, please visit her website, RachelStarLive.com.
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Impulsive thoughts to harm yourself or others, confusing delusional thoughts, thoughts commanding you to do things — all of these are terrifying to experience. A breakdown in the thought process is a hallmark of schizophrenia. When does an intrusive thought become delusional and something a person might act upon? If a person has disturbing violent thoughts, are they dangerous? 
Host Rachel Star Withers, who has schizophrenia, shares her personal struggles with disturbing, intrusive, violent thoughts. Rachel is joined by guest Kassie Love, who is a marriage and family therapist specializing in working with people having unusual thoughts or experiences.
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page.

Guest Bio & Inside Schizophrenia Podcast Hosts

Therapist Kassie Love, MMFT/MPH
Hi there! My name is Kassie Love. In my line of work as a mental health provider, I’ve come to understand that what most people really want is to be heard and supported. Nobody wants to feel like they’re being judged or criticized, especially when they open up in therapy. My patients often tell me they appreciate my compassionate and relatable approach, which they find both valuable and effective. Learn more at www.kassielove.com.

Rachel Star Withers creates videos documenting her schizophrenia, ways to manage and let others like her know they are not alone and can still live an amazing life. She has written Lil Broken Star: Understanding Schizophrenia for Kids and a tool for schizophrenics, To See in the Dark: Hallucination and Delusion Journal. Fun Fact: She has wrestled alligators. To learn more about Rachel, please visit her website, RachelStarLive.comm.

Gabe Howard is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an A*****e and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author.
Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without. To learn more about Gabe, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.
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Living with a diagnosis of schizophrenia means that you and those around you will experience multiple losses as you navigate the disorder. It can take away relationships, employment, education, performance, independence, and sense of self.   
Will I keep getting worse? 
What happens if I have another psychotic episode? 
What will my life look like in 10 years? 
What if I can’t take care of myself? 
It’s normal to grieve the life you or a loved one lost to schizophrenia. But, what does that grief look like and how do you keep going? 
Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard explore grieving the life you lost due to schizophrenia in this episode of Inside Schizophrenia. 
Guest Paulie VonEdWærd-Benjamin, owner of Earth Star, Heart Root, specializing in holistic, soulful, metaphysical self-healing, joins to share how their life has changed multiple times through living with schizophrenia and how they keep going.  
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- visit the official episode page.

Guest Bio & Host Bios:

My name is Paul VonEdWærd-Benjamin. It is a great honor for us to have this opportunity to tell you a bit of our story so we can help people like ourself with mental conditions, illnesses, and diseases of the brain — and the mind.
We see our diagnoses as very good things. They helped set us on a path that was much easier to tread and see and feel toward who We are today. We are stronger because of the knowledge of our symptoms and suffering, not in spite of them. We’ve chosen not to ignore negativity nor pretend it doesn’t exist, but to make it something We and We alone perceive to be positive.
An example is when We hallucinate sights, sounds, and intentions (sometimes called “thought insertion”). In the past, these things would scare me. Examples: That person winked at me — why? The song on the radio is intended to convey some special meaning just for me — what is it? I heard a whisper that what I was just thinking about is a good idea — who said that?  
Now, instead of fright born of surprise and confusion, We’ve trained ourself to see, listen, and pay attention to these things — and then let them go. Perhaps that person did wink, but they’re 50 feet away from me, we’re in a crowded room, they’re talking to other folks, and there’s a fan blowing on them. Perhaps that song resonates with me in a good way, helping give me perspective I haven’t had before. Perhaps someone did just whisper, but my mind heard what it wanted to — or maybe it was just the wind after all!
Get it out in the sunshine and let’s reveal our shadows together so we can *all* heal. That is the purpose We feel driven toward. And have some fun with it!

Our host, Rachel Star Withers creates videos documenting her schizophrenia, ways to manage and let others like her know they are not alone and can still live an amazing life. She has written Lil Broken Star: Understanding Schizophrenia for Kids and a tool for schizophrenics, To See in the Dark: Hallucination and Delusion Journal. Fun Fact: She has wrestled alligators.
To learn more about Rachel, please visit her website, RachelStarLive.comm.

Our co-host, Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an A*****e and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author.
Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without. To learn more about Gabe, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a mental health crisis hits, it can catch everyone off guard—the person experiencing the crisis and those around them. For many with schizophrenia, this is a person’s first psychotic episode. As a caregiver, friend, or loved one, how do you get help for them? And how does the system work?
Today, host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard are discussing navigating schizophrenia as a caregiver. Their guest, Scott Joffrion, father of an adult son with schizoaffective disorder, also joins to share what he wishes he had known when starting this journey of navigating schizophrenia.
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page.

Our guest, Scott Joffrion, is a father of a son with schizoaffective disorder.
“My personal mission is to give my loved ones the best possible recovery they can have and to help other families do the same for their loved ones. I want to make a meaningful impact in the region for awareness and education with outcome-based solutions to equip future caregivers.”
“My son is my best friend that has been through hell and back with me.”
www.nami.org

Host Rachel Star Withers, creates videos documenting her schizophrenia, ways to manage and let others like her know they are not alone and can still live an amazing life. She has written Lil Broken Star: Understanding Schizophrenia for Kids and a tool for schizophrenics, To See in the Dark: Hallucination and Delusion Journal. Fun Fact: She has wrestled alligators.
To learn more about Rachel, please visit her website, RachelStarLive.comm.

Host Gabe Howard, is an award-winning writer and speaker who lives with bipolar disorder. He is the author of the popular book, "Mental Illness is an Asshole and other Observations," available from Amazon; signed copies are also available directly from the author.
Gabe makes his home in the suburbs of Columbus, Ohio. He lives with his supportive wife, Kendall, and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted, but now can’t imagine life without. To learn more about Gabe, please visit his website, gabehoward.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices