Recent reports from the BBC highlight the complexities of helping people with psychotic illnesses – specifically schizophrenia, live symptom free and positive lives. 

The first story “NHS ‘failed’ over cannibal killer” presents an all too common media response to the extremely rare and thus somehow newsworthy bizarre homicide involving a person suffering from a mental disorder and the problems encountered in better understanding and assisting such individuals from people working within the mental health system.  While better training and more careful assessment procedures are in and of themselves important, it is hard to see what such news stories accomplish – except to perpetuate the stigma against people living with a mental illness and those who treat them.

The other story “Embracing the dark voices within” describes the approach (one that is unencumbered by evidence) of a person described as psychologist Rufus May.  What I can glean from this story is that the so called treatment involves getting in touch with your psychosis (voices) in the absence of medication.  Oh dear – here we go again.  This is nothing new and we have seen the chaos and destruction of lives and families that such idiotic ideologies have created in the past.  Those of us old enough to remember the psychoanalytic schools of living through the psychosis or the negative impacts of community circles or the strange world views expressed by the popular “philosopher” R.D. Laing in his books: Bird of Paradise and Politics of Experience or the sad “treatment” described in the novel “I Never Promised You A Rose Garden” shudder when we see history repeating itself.

Schizophrenia is a highly complex and disabling brain disorder often striking in the teen years.  We have good evidence on how to provide treatment – evidence based on solid science and many years of improvements and the integration of biological, psychological, social, vocational and civic engagement strategies to promote recovery.  Regressing into the darkness of the uninformed past is not news – just as the rare and bizarre homicide is not news.  Neither serves the better understanding of mental illness and its optimal treatment. 

I would really like to see some stories about how young people have coped with and overcome their disability.  I would really like to see some stories about how families have struggled with the adversities wrought by the illness – and have come out on top.  I would really like to see some stories about the human relationship between care providers and those living with the illness – the relationships that have gone on for years and have provided the basis for recovery and success.  Now, who can we find to write those stories for the BBC?

-Stan