It is with great difficulty that I confront the truths in your post, Christina. As you know, I frequently alter the dose of my antipsychotic or go off of it completely. Several years ago I bought a gun twice and was picked up by the police at home and at work, in front of neighbors and work associates. I was violent toward myself and could have been toward others. Recently someone (maybe here?) said that "It's not just about you." And they were right. I can't go on putting my selfish pseudo-self-interest ahead of caring about how my actions and decisions affect others. My family at times seems oblivious to what mental illness is all about, but that doesn't mean that what I do doesn't affect them, because it does. I need to be here for them, if not for myself.
My heart goes out to you all. I was committed several times after going off my meds. I was not violent, but the potential was there. During a psychotic episode, I felt that I had a lot a lot of power and for that deluded reason, needed hospitalization.
Here in BC, Canada our Mental Health Act has changed in the last few years. Years ago, an individual could be forcibly confined for 30 days if they were, in the opinion of two doctors, "a danger to themselves or others" In 2005 the time was doubled to 60 days. In 2008, the Law added to the committal criteria. From that point on, it includes that if you are "compensating" from any mental health issue, you may be committed for 60 days. The BCSS (my employer) worked long and hard for the passage of the radical recent change to the Act, but we are sure it will bear much fruit.
There have been several high - profile murders (including a serial killer) here in Canada that have been tagged "schizophrenic" The public tolerance in this country for the mentally ill is virtually nil. I am glad that you U.S. folk have a better track record than we do. I don't know why I wasn't born in the United States. Bad luck, I guess.
Don F.
I want to add a bit more.
Several years ago I was in the backseat of a squad car in handcuffs. I was in full blown psychosis. The part I want to add (please do not let this affect your taking of meds in any way this is just what happened to me)..was the fact that I was on meds and taking them as prescribed. I don't know why my mind snapped that day, but it was a horrible ordeal. I was sent to a psych ward and for the next three whole days have little memory of it.
I don't know what the percentages are for episodes like that one is. I assume its rare.
Thankfully I am on a good "cocktail" meds now. I ask myself sometimes if that will ever happen again. I hope not but I still wonder.
David
Days later I'm grappling with this news story.
It is true that we cannot predict who among us who stops taking medication will commit a crime.
Yet for people with a history of homelessness, violence or suicidal ideation it is certain these tendencies will not go away on their own.
You cannot tell me that homelessness is a choice and that people with SZ have the right to live on the streets.
Their actions are guided by their symptoms of schizophrenia which is a biologically-based brain disease. It like any other illness only the part of the body it affects is the brain.
I'm sure Arthur and Marian Bellucci loved their son very much. Apparently they tried to get their son help. All the love in the world couldn't prevent what happened.
The take-away from this story is that mental illness doesn't discriminate: rich or poor, black or white, Southeast Annadale or Harlem: schizophrenia steals mental health from everyone.
The star athlete is not immune. The stockbroker is not immune. Poets and writers are not immune although those folks' creativity tends to go hand-in-hand with SZ.
What does this mean?
We are all of us united along a curve of mental wellness and illness. So-called normals will have their own quirks and people with MIs will function in ways that impress outside observers who don't know our histories.
We need to seek common ground.
My next SharePost will be about schizophrenia treatment and offer links to my early writing here like Optimism and Hope for Successful Treatment Outcomes and Making Peace with the Diagnosis.
Stay tuned.
I recommend that if this news story leaves you feeling raw as it has for me that you talk to someone in person who you trust to respect your feelings and listen to you.
Facts (and fiction) about Kendra's Law, assisted outpatient treatment and the consequences of non-treatment come across my desk every day at the Treatment Advocacy Center. Christina's attention to detail on these issues makes her blog stand out from the crowd. The fact that she has experienced both treatment and the consequences of non-treatment give added weight to her words. - Doris A. Fuller, communications director
http://www.bringchange2mind.org/index.php/learn-the-facts/schizophrenia
It is very sad to me that so many people afflicted with schizophrenia seem as if believe one that battles with schizophrenia is more dangerous than anyone else within our society.
The truth is anyone could flip out and kill their Mom. Not just a man with schizophrenia. This has been proven throughout history. No one knows what this man endured or why he did what he did except for him.
IS IT NORMAL? NO! It is also not normal to stay in a home when someone is being violent towards you. I know I would not.
Seems to me that he probally should have been removed from the home if he was acting out violently towards those he should have been showing love for.
Obviously it was not healthy for him to be there, nor was it healthy for his mother.
BRINGS ME BACK TO MY POINT FAMILY EDUCATION SHOULD BE MANDITORY and if FAMILIES ARE UNABLE TO ASSIST IN THE REMISSION AND RECOVERY PROCESS THEN THE PERSON SHOULD BE MOVED TO A HEALTHIER ENVIRONMENT FOR THE SAFTEY OF EVERYONE INVOLVED.
There were several times I picked my brother up from my mothers in a schizophrenic state and brought him to my home, within an hour of so from calming down he was just fine. Never did I feel threatend even if he had just had to leave my moms for saying he was going to kill her. Which had happend before in the past. Do I believe he meant it literally, NO I dont. Anyone can be fed up and say something they dont really mean. He was in an unhealthty situation and he had a hard time dealing with it after so much. He wanted to talk about things and did not want to go back around my mother. I would let him be with me until he wanted to go. He would get over it and forgive her. She was hard on him. She did not understand his situation and mistreated him. Did she even realize it? NO SHE DID NOT. If you were to ask her she would have blamed him.
As a sibling that loves both her mom and her brother, I was able to view it from both points. Having said that my mom was behaving way more innapropriate than my brother with schizophrenia expecting it was going to yield a positive result.
ANOTHER FACT IS A PERSON WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA IS NO MORE OF A THREAT THAN ANYONE ELSE.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-myths-and-facts.aspx
The media is having a hayday when in reality it could have been any man not just a man with schizophrenia. When you consider that about 1% of the population suffers from schizophrenia and the low number of occurances similar to this situation, there is your proof.
STOP THE STIGMA! !!!!!!!!
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Christina & Janet and to all who read these share-posts,
First I want to extend my sympathies to the Bellucci family.
This subject is close to home. A couple of months ago my son called me in the middle of the night yelling and screaming that he was gonna take his life and others with him. I immediately called the police and he was committed for 6 days. After discharge he took his meds for a while then stopped. Now he is up and down and needs help. Since he isn't a threat to himself or others there is nothing I can do.
My biggest fear is that I will get another call saying that he has harmed himself or someone else. I also fear that he could hurt me. His anger is directed towards me. What can I do? Nothing! He won't listen to me or even look at me in a way to see how I overcame my thoughts to do harm to myself and my brother. I pray that he will get help.
I am going to ponder this more. My mind is swirling as to what I believe. I will write more.
David