Top Schizophrenia Resources Online -- Add yours here!

Other than Psych Central, what are your favorite or top resources/blogs/news sites/etc. you visit regularly for this disorder or issue? Please reply to this thread and list a few of what you consider the best of the best online today.

Thank you!
DocJohn

My favorite is schizophrenia.com

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[*] Successful Schizophrenia

[*] Psychosis as Purposive

[*] When the Dream Becomes Real: A Conversation With John Weir Perry

[*] Schizophrenia Drug Free Crisis Center &amp; Helpline

[*] Recovery From Psychosis &amp; Schizophrenia

[*] Schizophrenia &amp; Recovery Resources

[*] mind.org.uk

[*] Furious Seasons

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The following account is from an individual who candidly and unashamedly shares his personal experience of psychosis and recovery from same...

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"In 1996 I had an experience normally called "mania" by most psychiatrists. At its peak, I was in such a state of ectasy that I thought I had died. The episode ended with me being handcuffed by two police officers and taken to Psychiatric Emergency because I had refused the officer's request to put my clothes back on, in the ballroom of a Toronto Hotel.

At the hospital, I could see that the doctors had no idea what was really happening to me. Obviously, they thought I had gone crazy. Their first diagnosis of me that night was that I had become "Bi-Polar" or possibly schizophrenic. My parents were terrified. Leaving the hospital 3 days later I refused to ever see a psychiatrist or traditional therapist again, although I did look for my own answers. That was the best decision I ever made.

A year later, I discovered the work of Transpersonal Psychologist, Dr. Stan Grof. In his book, The Stormy Search for the Self, I found a framework for exactly what had happened to me. He called it a Spiritual Emergency.

Now in 2007, I look back on this 'Spiritual Emergency' as absolutely essential for my personal growth, and as the most important and dangerous experience of my life."

Source: Bipolar or Waking Up?</blockquote>

For those who are interested in learning more, this individual has shared the chronicle of his breakdown and recovery via youtube:
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The following collection of links seem to be helpful for those who "hear voices":
[*] Intervoice: The International Community for Hearing Voices
[*] Redefining Hearing Voices
[*] Hearing Voices that are Distressing: Self Help Resources &amp; Strategies
[*] Hearing Voices that are Distressing: Techniques Readers Have Used

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Another terrific resource for voice hearers, compliments of mouse1184: Hearing Voices (Auditory Hallucinations)

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For those who are keen to better understand any medications they or a loved one may be taking (or considering taking) this online database may be helpful: epocrates.com

Credit goes to gardenergirl for sharing the link.

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<font size=4>The Experiences and Views of Self-Management of People With a Schizophrenia Diagnosis</font>

I came across the following article in my various wanderings and thought it served as an excellent introduction to individuals who have received a diagnosis of schizophrenia or psychosis and their caregivers.

What I thought was most rewarding about this article was that it allowed individuals to represent their own views and it presented a diverse range of concerns and behaviors -- everything from finding meaning in their experience to working with caregivers to practical considerations.

I've included a few introductory remarks and a brief excerpt from the opening. Those who wish to read the full article should click on the links at the end of the post.
[*] The Experiences and Views of Self-Management of People With a Schizophrenia Diagnosis

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The Icarus Project and Freedom Center, two peer run mental health support communities, are excited to announce the publication of a valuable wellness and recovery tool!

<font size=4>Harm Reduction Guide To Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs</font>

This 40-page guide gathers the best information we've come across and the most valuable lessons we've learned about reducing and coming off psychiatric medication. Includes information on mood stabilizers, anti-psychotics, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs, risks, benefits, wellness tools, withdrawal, support for people staying on their medications, a detailed Resource section, and much more.

The guide was written by Freedom Center co-founder and Icarus Project staff Will Hall, with a 14-member health professional Advisory Board comprised of medical doctors, nurses, psychologists and acupuncturists providing research guidance. More than 20 other collaborators from the survivor movement were involved in developing and editing. The guide has photographs and art throughout, and a beautiful original cover painting by Ashley McNamara.

Based in "harm reduction" philosophy, the guide emphasizes personal choice and weighing risks and benefits for each individual. It offers non-judgmental support to people continuing to take medication or lowering their dosage, as well as people exploring coming off. The risks associated with psychiatric medication are discussed along with risks of emotional distress and mental health crisis. Years of advocacy at the Freedom Center and Icarus Project have proven the effectiveness of this approach, which is neither pro-medication nor anti-medication, but instead provides accurate information and offers choices and alternatives.

TO READ THE GUIDE AND / OR DOWNLOAD AND PRINT A COPY: You can read a .pdf copy of the guide online, download and share the pdf file, link to it from your site, and print it out here: Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs

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<font size=4>Pathways to Recovery: A Strengths Recovery Self Help Workbook</font>

What is this Workbook All About?
Unlike most other recovery self-help materials, this workbook does not concentrate on psychiatric disorders, symptoms or treatments. Instead, it focuses on how you can use your many strengths and resources to set goals and achieve recovery in broad domains of life such as:
[*] having a sense of home[*] increasing your knowledge and education[*] deciding what kind of work you may want to do[*] developing the kind of relationships you want to have with others[*] improving your sexuality and achieving intimacy[*] attaining higher levels of wellness[*] finding enjoyable recreational activities[*] unfolding your spirituality and other important areas

This workbook can be used along with other approaches to recovery that focus on reducing and self-managing disturbing symptoms.

This workbook guides you through the processes of self-assessment, self-discovery and planning that help you decide where you want to go in life. You will create personal vision, design long term goals and action steps to make progress towards your dreams. Pathways will help you use your own inner and outer strengths and the resources that are available to you to move you forward on your pathway to recovery. In other words, this workbook is about getting a fuller and more enjoyable life!

How to Use this Workbook
In Pathways to Recovery you actively venture onto the path towards recovery and learn from the successful experiences of others who have gone before you. Working this workbook is a little like having a travel agent or tour guide. By doing the readings and completing the self-assessments and exercises provided, you become much more active on your own behalf. As you work through each section you build the knowledge, skills and plans needed to make your journey a success. Exploration and finding out about yourself and your dreams requires a gradual build-up of activity, particularly if you haven't been actively involved in making important decisions for awhile.

Source (and ordering information): Pathways to Recovery

See also: How to Rebuild Your Life After a Breakdown

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spiritual_emergency said:
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The following account is from an individual who candidly and unashamedly shares his personal experience of psychosis and recovery from same......

For those who are interested in learning more, this individual has shared the chronicle of his breakdown and recovery via youtube:
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Number 5 seems to have been removed by the user.

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pachyderm: Number 5 seems to have been removed by the user.

I'm not certain why he might have chosen to do so but I do recall that the fifth video included a message that others who could identify with his personal experience should feel free to contact him. From what I understand, he received a lot of e-mail as a result. Perhaps he has chosen to remove it for that reason.

Meanwhile, Sean also crafted two new videos which may be of interest to those who are interested in exploring the "spiritual" aspects of their own experience:
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It should be noted that some people may be uncomfortable with this individual's experience of psychiatric care. It should also be borne in mind that his experience was very distressing and negative. I, personally, have had a somewhat more positive experience of psychiatry but I would not be willing for a moment to suggest that anyone should not be able to express their own experience. What I really enjoy about Sean's videos however, is his candor, honesty and sincere desire to share his own experience so that others may benefit.

http://www.comingoff.com/

A psychologist once diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia has helped launch a website advising people how to withdraw from psychiatric drugs.

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I've been enjoying this blog of late: Recovery From Schizophrenia & Other Psychotic Disorders

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A reader of my blogs shared the following resource with me: askapatient.com. The askapatient website rates prescription drugs on a 1 - 5 scale. It also allows consumers (not doctors or pharmaceutical companies) to share their personal experiences with prescription drugs including side effects, whether or not they felt the drug was personally helpful and if they would recommend the drug to others.

For example, entering the trade name "Prozac" in the search engine brought up 489 patient reviews and an overall rating of 3.4.

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Key to ratings for prozac: (ratings are sorted by date; click column heading to change display order)
5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.
4-Satisfied: this medicine helped.
3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat.
2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction.
1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

Individual consumer reports are listed below the overall rating.

Source: askapatient: Prozac


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The askapatient site will be useful for those who are currently taking prescription drugs or considering taking them. Although everyone will respond somewhat different, the askapatient site can help consumers determine if a drug will be helpful for them and identify troublesome side effects.

In addition to consumer ratings, the website also offers a wealth of information in regard to drug information, patient rights and legal assistance and reports such as this one which lists all antipsychotic medications and links directly to their ratings.

Overall, a terrific resource. The home link is here: askapatient.com

I thought I'd already included this link but apparently not...

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Making sense of coming off psychiatric drugs - mind.org

Why are so many people taking these drugs?
Current psychiatric medical opinion encourages doctors to treat problems they have been taught to regard as 'illnesses' with medication. This means that if you have a psychotic episode, your doctor is likely to treat you with antipsychotic drugs (also known as neuroleptics or major tranquillisers) as quickly as possible. If you are diagnosed with schizophrenia or another psychotic condition, you might be prescribed antipsychotics for life; if the diagnosis is manic depression (bipolar disorder) you might be on lithium or other mood stabilisers for the foreseeable future.

You're likely to do slightly better if your problem is anxiety or depression. Doctors won't usually expect you to need medication for very long. No one should be taking a minor tranquilliser such as benzodiazepine, to treat anxiety, for more than four weeks continuously. However, some doctors still think that a person with depression needs ongoing antidepressants, in the same way that a person with diabetes needs insulin. This is a poor comparison. Diabetes is a physical condition with clear causes that are well understood. Insulin is a natural hormone with a very specific role in the body, and shouldn't be considered a drug. Taking it by injection causes few side effects. The same is not true of any psychiatric drug.

Experts are still not sure about the role of psychiatric drugs in controlling moods, emotions and other aspects of the life of the mind. We don't know how they interact with life events and other environmental factors. The most problematic group of psychiatric drugs, the antipsychotics, developed simply because they were seen to work. On the basis that these drugs seemed to have a helpful effect, a key theory about psychosis – the 'dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia' – was constructed. In other words, the drugs were not developed to meet an error of chemical activity in the brain that was already identified, and there is still argument about whether this theory is correct. (See below for information about brain chemicals.)

The pharmaceutical industry has always been very active in encouraging doctors to use their products, and society, in general, puts pressure on people to use medication. Much of the media, through ignorance, still circulates the mistaken idea that mental health service users who decide to stop taking their medication are putting society at risk. Doctors in Western Europe and America tend to be cautious about helping patients find other ways of coping with their mental health problems. It's rare to find doctors who are willing to take a different approach or help people withdraw, and who are well enough informed to support them in this. Your doctor may be anxious that if you stop taking your medication, there will be nothing to put in its place and that you will become ill again. (See What sort of support should I look for?)

Read the full article here: Making Sense of Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs


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i go to schizophrenia.com for my loved one. i don't know if it's the best site but i use it regularly. i do find however that this forum has a more active community as far as getting input from others.

SE, it is me Thecat. I'm going to watch your videos when I get time. I've begun reading again now that I'm on geodon. I'm going to borrow the power of myth dvds from my mom.

Thecat

The site that I have gain the most insight from is Mahoney's. He has his whole book posted there. Warning though !!! the material at this site can be very ego unfriendly so don't go here if you have a hair trigger.
Maybe just forward this link to Kempf's paper to your psychiatrist or psychotherapist. Ask them to pay attention to the phrases " psychological miracles " & " social recovery with insight " Best wishes, Shoe
http://www.schizophrenia-thebeardedl...com/kempf.html

I came across this link in my latest batch of wanderings. It may be helpful to those who cannot afford the medications they identify as helpful to them: http://buckeyepsych.wordpress.com/2009/02/22/cant-afford-your-psychiatric-medications-try-these-programs/