brother

Story topics: alternative, brother, schizophrenia, treatment

When my brother experienced the onset of schizophrenia last year my family immediately started looking everywhere for help.  At first it seemed like there were many institutions and programs available.  But then as we looked closer we found that the programs were all underfunded, or overcrowded and not actually available to help him.  He was in a crisis care center for a week when they determined him "ready" to be released which was followed by a psychotic episode that landed him in jail.  

At the beginning of the new year I set out to find some creative alternative ways to help him.  I want to help him produce his music so that his voice can be heard and raise funds for private treatment.  I hope that his story will show how much of an asset he and others with mental illness can be to society when given good treatment.  I've created a website to follow his progress and creativity www.savingpat.org.  It is my hope that by finding what helps him we can help others.  

- Jenny O'Connor
Story topics: brother, crazy, depression, family, helpless, jail, laws, mental illness

What do you do when your son goes crazy?  You read and learn everything you can. 

What do you do when you are helpless to help your crazy family member?  You wait until they harm themselves or others. 

And this is OK.......

Wait, wait, wait, 10 years go by......

Mom shines a hot spotlight on the issue.

Dad is in total denial.

Brother is detached and sympathetic.

Son is missing a part of life and wonders where his friends are.  Blames MOM for all the events.

Mom suffers depression and helpless in her own misery.  

Wait, Wait, Wait

Read the paper.  Another crazy person goes to jail for committing a stupid act.  Family was trying to get help.  People ask, "How can this happen?" 

Wait a minute.  Aren't we in America?  The land of the free. 

Ok so if we know how to treat the symptoms of a severe mental illness, why can't we change the laws and create a new way to deal with mental illness before the individual is harmful to themselves or others?

 

 

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Story topics: brother, family, schizophrenia

On Monday night I was lucky enough to view People Say I’m Crazy and I want to thank you for making the film.   I am 34 years old and have an older brother who was diagnosed as schizophrenic over 10 years ago.  As with John he has good days and bad days and as with John his illness has brought our family closer together.  We are at a point where he has found some better medication and things are far better than they once were. Hopefully my brother's darkest days are behind him.

I cannot imagine the courage it took for John to push ahead w/ this film but it has really helped me out.  It reminded me of my own family and I saw many parallels between John and my brother’s lives.  It brought back memories of the fear, pain and confusion that I felt as I watched my brother first face his disease.  The film also reminded me of how far he's come and how much more he has to live for, and to be mindful of the difficulties he continues to face.  I catch myself losing patience w/ him at times as he may write down word for word some piece of advice I have given him on how to handle a situation but then I saw the same behavior from John in the film.

One of the best things was that it just felt good to see that my family is not alone. Thank-you for that.

- a brother in Vancouver