Inside Schizophrenia Healthline Media

Schizophrenia affects approximately 24 million people worldwide. But does schizophrenia present the same way in every country? How do culture, religion, tradition, or even politics influence the presentation of schizophrenia?
Cross-cultural awareness of psychiatric symptoms helps us to understand our ever-changing global society. In today’s episode, hosts Rachel Star Withers and Gabe Howard explore studies and cases across the world and throughout history to discover how culture influences schizophrenia and its treatment.
Joining is guest Nidhi Sinha, a final year PhD student in psychology who has been researching thematic analysis of individual experiences of audio hallucinations in India.
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- visit the episode page.

Guest Bio
Nidhi Sinha is a final year PhD student in cognitive psychology at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), where she is exploring the affective, cognitive, and cultural cues of subclinical depression. She is also a visiting researcher at the Cognitive Science lab, International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad, India. As a former CBT psychologist, Nidhi has worked with people with mental health conditions, providing therapy and support. Her current research focuses on improving the psychometric properties of existing diagnostic systems while exploring the subjective experiences of people with mental health conditions, such as psychosis and depression. Nidhi believes that understanding the social, political, and cultural factors of mental illness is crucial in developing effective diagnostic and intervention methods. She advocates introducing indigenous and traditional healing practices, such as meditation and yoga, to name a few. Her work on mental disorders (qualitative and quantitative) has been published and presented in top national and international journals and conferences.
Inside Schizophrenia Podcast Hosts
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 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.
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One of the scariest things about schizophrenia is the very beginning, getting that diagnosis and learning that you — or a person that you love — has a lifelong serious mental illness. Especially in the beginning, it can be a difficult thing to accept. In fact, many people reject the idea that they're sick at all, often choosing to think, “Hey, I have a problem, but I don't need help” instead.
However, accepting a diagnosis of schizophrenia is the first step to getting treatment, which is the first step toward living a full and fulfilling life.
Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard share their personal journeys coming to acceptance of their diagnosis and ways that family, friends, and caregivers can help their loved ones in this episode of Inside Schizophrenia. 
Guest Leif Gregersen, writer, teacher, and public speaker living with schizoaffective disorder, joins to discuss his journey of accepting his diagnosis and his need for treatment.
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page.

Guest Bio
Leif Gregersen is a writer, teacher, and public speaker living with schizoaffective disorder. He currently has twelve books in print, three of which are memoirs of his lived experience with mental illness. His most recent book, "Alert and Oriented x3: A Snapshot of a Severe Psychosis" is available as a free download from his website, www.edmontonwriter.com.

Inside Schizophrenia Podcast Hosts
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 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

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been shown to be an effective treatment for people with schizophrenia, especially those with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. However, it’s not often brought up as an option for treatment.
Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard explore Rachel’s own past treatment with ECT, the intense side effect of memory loss, and why ECT is not being offered to more people with schizophrenia.
Today’s guest is “Ashley” who is currently undergoing electroconvulsive therapy and shares her journey of navigating ECT while being a mother.
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page.

Guest Bio

“Ashley” has schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. She had a series of acute ECT treatments 4 years ago and has been receiving maintenance treatments ever since.

Inside Schizophrenia Podcast Hosts

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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why are some people with schizophrenia able to live alone and others can’t? Why do some seem to recover while others have symptoms that persist for their entire lives? Why is suicide the leading cause of premature death in people with schizophrenia?
Many people say the answer lies in psychological resilience. So, does that mean some people have more psychological resilience than others? Does having a mental disorder mean your brain is less resilient to start with?
Hosts Rachel Star Withers and Gabe Howard explore the concept of psychological resilience and how it is connected to living with schizophrenia.
Dr. Nicole Washington, a psychiatrist and the co-host of Healthline’s Inside Bipolar, joins to give a medical perspective on psychological resilience.
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page.

Guest Bio
Dr. Nicole Washington is an ABMS board certified psychiatrist and the chief medical officer of Elocin Psychiatric Services, a primarily virtual practice where she focuses on the mental health needs of the busy professional. Dr. Washington has spent most of her career caring and advocating for people who aren’t typically consumers of mental health services, namely underserved communities and high-performing professionals.

Inside Schizophrenia Podcast Hosts
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.

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 family member receives a schizophrenia diagnosis, it can dramatically change the dynamics of your family. For example, one-third of people with schizophrenia live with a family member. Families can provide emotional support, financial support, and advocate for better treatment options.
Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard explore how schizophrenia can affect family dynamics in this episode of Inside Schizophrenia. 
Guest Elfy Scott joins. She is the author of “The One Thing We’ve Never Spoken About: Exposing Our Untold Mental Health Crisis,” a book that focuses on the silence and stigma that still surrounds complex mental health conditions. She shares her experiences growing up in a family with a parent who lived with schizophrenia.
To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page.

Guest Bio
Elfy Scott is an award-winning freelance journalist, presenter, and producer. Her book, “The One Thing We’ve Never Spoken About: Exposing Our Untold Mental Health Crisis,” is an investigation into the failings of Australia’s mental healthcare system, grounded in a personal story of a mother-daughter relationship.
Elfy grew up in a household where her mother’s schizophrenia was rarely, if ever, spoken about. They navigated this silence outside the family home too; for many years, this complex mental health condition was treated as an open secret.
Over the past two decades, we have started talking more about common mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. But complex conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and psychosis have been left behind, as have many of the people who live with these conditions and those who care for them.
Part memoir, part deep-dive investigation, “The One Thing We’ve Never Spoken About” is filled with rage at how Australia’s public discourse, emergency services, and healthcare systems continue to fail so many people. It is also a work of care, telling the little-heard stories of people who live with these conditions and work at the front lines of mental health. Above all, this timely, compelling book is informed by hope and courage, breaking down taboos and asking big questions about vulnerability, justice, and duty of care.

Inside Schizophrenia Podcast Hosts
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.

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

Coping techniques used by people with schizophrenia account for a 25% variance in their quality of life. Unfortunately, people who have psychotic disorders tend to use predominantly harmful or ineffective coping techniques. 
Hosts Rachel Star Withers and Gabe Howard are seeking to change that by sharing coping techniques for managing schizophrenia and help people understand why effective coping techniques can be life changing. 
Guest Michelle Mariscal joins who blogs about her journey with schizophrenia and shares some coping techniques she has found to work for her over the years.
To learn more, or read the transcript, visit the official episode page.

Guest Bio
Michelle Mariscal holds a master’s in psychology, a bachelor’s in sociology, and has much life experience dealing with a serious mental health disorder.
She resides on the Central Coast in California with her husband of 30 years, 4 children, and her granddaughter.
Read her blog by clicking here.

Inside Schizophrenia Podcast Hosts

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.

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