Hope and Learning, Our Journey with Schizophrenia by Linda Snow-Griffin {Author Guest Post}
Hello Readers,
Today I have a special Author Guest post from Linda Snow-Griffin, the author of Hope and Learning, Our Journey with Schizophrenia. There is a Virtual Book Tour for the book currently being held {all the details at the end of this article} and I hope you find this article interesting and consider picking up this book.
I am a retired psychologist living in Ohio and the mother of a son who diagnosed himself with schizophrenia 21 years ago. The book, Hope and Learning, Our Journey with Schizophrenia, is about my son Jacob’s recovery and what we have learned along the way. It isn’t that we found all the answers to recovery or that we found the best path that everyone should follow but I think that what we experienced was normal and what most families experience: fear, confusion, stigma, and the maze of trial and error to find out which treatments work for him. Knowing that these feelings are common and can be part of the road to recovery may help others as they go through this journey. In addition to being a memoir, the book includes up to date information about schizophrenia and the recovery process, stereotypes, family impact, and caregiver needs.
As part of the Online Book Tour for Hope and Learning, I am grateful to Louise for asking me to share my thoughts about our journey and the process of writing this book. The goal for writing the book originally was to find ways to connect with families going through similar challenges and share what we learned along the way to recovery. As I began writing, I became aware of how misunderstood the illness of schizophrenia really is and that I wanted to also encourage even those not directly impacted to learn facts and avoid perpetuating stigma. It has now become a door of opportunity for me to advocate for families and individuals impacted by schizophrenia.
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that can be characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking. Being there at the onset of my son’s illness, I was able to observe first-hand how overwhelmed he was by the voices in his head that had grown so loud they were impossible for him to ignore. At the time he was eighteen and preparing to graduate from high school. How he had been managing to attend classes and to study, I will never know! Disordered thinking, in his case, showed up more in his writing than when he was talking to others. In Chapter 2, he allowed me to share parts of his journal which illustrate the confusion going on in his head at the time of his diagnosis. He was also frightened that he would lose his memory and began taking photos of things that he wanted to remember. I found a stack of photos in the corner of his closet of very ordinary things such as our dog sleeping on the couch, my husband’s workbench in the garage, me reading a book, and many pictures of the inside and outside of our house. He wanted to hang on to as many memories as he could. What a traumatizing experience it must have been for him!
Recovery has been more complicated than just finding the right medication or the right psychological intervention. There was no “magic pill” that could quickly cure all these symptoms in a short period of time. His recovery has been a gradual process and has included some relapses. But thanks to early interventions, newer medications, and more enlightened treatment approaches, he has reached a level of recovery that I would never have expected.
In the past, people seldom recovered from schizophrenia. Until the mid-20th century, many patients lived in institutions and were subjected to experimental treatments that were often brutal. With the discovery of anti-psychotic medication in the 50’s and 60’s, institutionalization was no longer necessary for many patients. Unfortunately, these early medications had side effects that prevented most from living productive lives. My graduate school training during the 70’s presented a very dismal picture of schizophrenia. I had a lot to learn and “unlearn” about the illness after Jacob was diagnosed. Initially I was expecting the worst. Fortunately, science has been on his side and the prospect of recovery is hopeful for most individuals today.
Even with the positive outcome, writing this book has been a challenging venture. Making Jacob and our family vulnerable to the world was a big risk considering so many people fear or misunderstand the illness. For instance, surveys indicate that many people are afraid of individuals with schizophrenia and do not want to live near them, work with them, or have them marry into their family. Many believe that someone with schizophrenia is dangerous or will suddenly “snap” into a murderous rage. In reality, the majority of people with schizophrenia are far from violent and are more often victims of violence rather than perpetrators. An important way to break stigmas such as these and create understanding and acceptance of issues related to mental illness is to take the risk to share our experiences.
Also while writing the book, I found it painful to recall some of those early times. Looking back, I honestly wonder how we survived the immense stress at the beginning of the journey. The first years seemed like a blur of activity and decisions. It could be helpful for families to know that the turmoil in the early treatment stages does lessen. Usually if relapses occur later, a treatment team is in place to help pick up the pieces more quickly.
One of the most interesting results of writing this book is how many people have told me that they have a relative or friend with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Almost every time I mention that I have written this book, someone will take me aside and share their personal story or email me about their experience. I want to continue to encourage that sharing. I know there are still a lot of people who feel isolated and need to talk. As the cloud of silence surrounding schizophrenia or mental illness disappears, it becomes much easier for people to talk more openly about their stories, to seek treatment, to find needed resources, and to live in an accepting community.
I hope Linda’s piece has moved you to find out know more about her special book, which you can do by visiting her website. If you’d like to catch up on the reviews during the Book Tour, I’ve listed everyone’s social media handles, along with their tour dates below.
10th January: Suzanne ~ @bookread2day
11th January: Karen ~ @un_lucky_clover
12th January: Beth ~ @beth_readsbooks
13th January: Emmie ~ @oncemorewithreading
14th January: Nets ~ @netsreadsbooks
15th January: Kelly ~ @tbhonest_uk
16th January: Claire ~ @scotsbookworm
17th January: Paula ~ @paulalovesmaps
19th January: Emma ~ @bobsandbooks
20th January: Lesley ~ @janelesley
21st January: Katie ~ @currentlyreads
I just want to say a huge thank you Literary PR for reaching out to me regarding this book and to Linda for agreeing to write a guest piece for me. I wish you every success with your book and the tour.
Stay Safe, Read A Book.
Louise and Linda
