VANCOUVER -- Schizophrenia is a very devastating and expensive illness. A Canadian report says hospitalization costs alone amounted to more than 1 point 2 billion dollars in 2004. And studies show schizophrenia patients stay in hospital longer than any other patients, except those receiving rehab services. So why are costs so high?
Renea Mohammad says, "I didn't recognize I was getting ill when it started."
Renea's symptoms began when she was at university studying for her masters degree.
She started to hear people talking about her all over the place. She started to feel watched and eventually she developed the idea that she was under surveillance.
Her symptoms quickly progressed to auditory hallucinations.
Renea says, "they were really clear, but there was no one there. They were running me down, talking what a terrible person I was and by the morning, they were daring me to kill myself."
Despite the signs, Renea didn't believe she was ill.
She thought that the reason no one else could hear the voices, is that the people who had me under real surveillance had special technology and that they were setting me up to look
Renea resisted taking medications for years. She didn't think popping pills would make the voices go away and she didn't like the side effecys of one of the first drugs she did try. She was hospitalized 3 times as a result.
Dr. Attwood says, "we know for a fact, that the more relapses you have with psychosis, the longer it takes to go into remission. Furthermore, with each psychosis you have, the less well you get the next time. What happens it becomes cumulative. First admission is a week or two, third or fourth is three to four months. Sometimes staying in hospital three to four months."
Early intervention and proper medication are vital, but sometimes pharmacare restrictions make it hard for patients to find a drug that works for them. Renea eventually found an effective medication. She re-trained as a community mental health worker and does a lot of public speaking about her illness. She was recently given the courage to come back award for all her efforts.
Renea says, "I consider myself fully recovered because I'm leading a fulfilling life. I'm doing work in the mental health system that's fulfilling and that I really enjoy and I have a great marriage. I live in a nice place and I've got a good quality of life and I'm happy even though I have schizophrenia."
Renea continues to takes medication to stay well. No one knows exactly what causes schizophrenia, but genetic and environmental stress are factors in the illness. If you'd like more information, the founder of Schizophrenia Digest, Bill MacPhee will be speaking tomorrow night about his own recovery and our mental health care system. The event takes place at the Eye Care centre in Vancouver at 7 pm. For more information, you can call (604) 247-1884
Tuesday June 13, 2006
