Caring For People With Schizophrenia

Submitted by tonyplant on March 23, 2006 - 21:11.

The excellent Dr. Crippen has posted a remarkable account of an elegy he gave at the funeral of his friend Emma, whose life came to a premature close after years of living with schizophrenia. The account of Emma's life would be incomplete without talking about the destructive force of schizophrenia, from the time when she was a teenager until her untimely death.

Schizophrenia. Perspectives on it vary so much. There is the demonising view of some popular news reporting that implies that all schizophrenics have the potential to become dangerous to all those around them. And yet, historically, it was not that long ago that schizophrenia (like severe depression) carried a romantic air about it - it was seen as the fine line between madness and creative genius. Schizophrenia has become the universal metaphor for conflicted duality. It stands for self-indulgence and stoicism, inferiority and perspicacity, alienation and virtuosi of empathy, victim and persecuter.

The eulogy is a poignant summary of Emma's life. Dr. Crippen's charts the decline of Emma with respect and much affection. It is particularly sad to read of the gradual loss of those activities that she enjoyed: and to learn that someone who loved reading so much gradually found herself unable to read. However, we learn to admire her resilience and that she retained her humour, and sometimes mined the vein of her insight into her condition:

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What's The Best Opening For A Eulogy?

Submitted by tonyplant on March 1, 2006 - 12:59.

The Cheerful Oncologist has applied his corrective lens to the latest accounts of a drop in annual cancer deaths in the US. I am indebted to him for his observation that

reports such as these should serve mainly to remind us of the need to take better care of ourselves, to stop lying to ourselves that enjoying a post-double-cheeseburger cigarette while driving our electric cart from the restaurant to our parked car is probably not going to lead to anyone starting the eulogy at our funeral with the phrase, "What a long life he lived".

What is the best opening for a eulogy? A reference to our longevity? A reference to our happiness or a description of the happiness that we brought to those who knew us and loved us, and those whom we knew and loved?

When happiness has such an impact on our success, longevity, physical, mental and emotional well-being, why can it carry overtones of dilettantism and superficiality? It was interesting to see a recent discussion in the Sunday Times that contrasted spending on cancer drugs and happiness. The article argued that the NHS may not be able to afford all of the cancer drugs that are becoming available. Rod Griffiths, president of the Faculty of Public Health asserts that the public purse is limited, and we should therefore have the courage to question whether expenditure on cancer drugs is the best use of available funds. Griffiths is quoted as saying:

Many other treatments are better value for money than some of the cancer drugs. Cognitive behavioural therapy for mental illness, for example, as well as some anti-depression drugs would probably produce more happiness for the money than many of the cancer drugs.

Affording new treatments for cancer is related to the issue of economic growth and its contribution to social and political development. However, it is interesting to see a new take on the health care return on investment for quality of life.

read more | add new comment | resilience | happystance | happiness | eulogy | cheerful oncologist