Advocating Understanding For Those Suffering From Schizophrenia

One thing that is close to my heart is people who suffer from Schizophrenia. I myself am a sufferer of it though I am now deemed by my Psychiatrist to be anti-symptomatic meaning I am now very stable in my condition. I see my Psychiatrist, once every 2 months at Mt Alvernia Hospital for a followup.

I would like to share with you, my blog reader, these facts about people who suffer from this condition:
1.) They are not mentally insane, just that the condition causes them to:
- Have hallucinations.
- Have delusions about reality.
- Do things that normal people won't do.

2.) They need professional help and not useless advice from people like:
- "Snap out of it, you don't have to be so depressed!"
- "Don't eat your medication, you don't need it."

3.) They get emotionally affected easily:
- This does not make them weak!
- It's just that their emotions get influenced by the thinking patterns brought about by the condition.
- Some people will find it hard to relate to them because of this.

4.) They need the love of family and friends and not judgement like:
- "You are suffering from this because God is judging you for your sins!"

5.) They need counsel and guidance:
- Their thinking patterns get affected by this condition.

I thank God that I have a loving family who accepts me for who I am despite of my condition, especially my dad who never gave up on me and did his best to help me cope with my condition.

If you know of any loved one/friend who is suffering from Schizophrenia, my plea with you is to be:
1.) Understanding
- It's not easy on the sufferer to have to live with this
2.) Tactful
3.) Patient
4.) Loving
5.) There

As quoted from the Scriptures:
37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
(Matthew 25:37-40, NIV)