Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined

Most people have seen movies or TV shows that have used schizophrenia as part of their story. But how often do we stop to think about what those representations actually mean or look like? Do they portray the experience of people living with schizophrenia accurately? As studies have shown, schizophrenia is one of the conditions that the general public views most negatively and generates a lot of stigma. Societal stigma is one aspect, but for those living with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia, there's an additional challenge of managing their own internalized stigma when it comes to being diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, there are people living with schizophrenia who are trying to change that. One of those people is Adria Roberts, who works as a mental health peer support worker. It's a job she says gave her hope and helped her regain her life after her diagnosis. In this episode, she shares how she came to terms with her diagnosis.
Resources:

• Lost in Reality: Hearing Voices - Adria Roberts' TEDxChilliwack Talk
• Read: Into the Eye of the Storm - The Chilliwack Times (pp: 1, 23)
• Follow Adria on Twitter: @adria_the
• Watch Adria on CBC's 'You Can’t Ask That' – S2E4: Schizophrenia

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’re the child of a parent who lives with mental illness, you can be faced with a lot of tough challenges. You may feel overwhelmed, sad, scared or even angry. You may resent your parent for not being like the other parents. Or you could also wind up as a caregiver and try to fix everything. In her lifetime, Dr. Grace Cho, author of her memoir Tastes Like War, says she has had three mothers. The mother of her childhood, before schizophrenia. The mother of her adolescence, a woman who is visibly deteriorating mentally. And the mother now, a woman trapped by schizophrenia and the voices and delusions that it brings. In this episode, Dr. Cho reflects on her journey from teenager to adulthood and how her mother’s schizophrenia shaped the direction of her life and her work. She talks about the social factors that left her mother feeling vulnerable and the stigma that prevented her from getting treatment. And how she found a way to build a loving relationship and connect with her mother.
Resources:
Grace Cho's Book: Tastes Like War
KIC Children's BookletKelty Mental Health Resource CentreSupporting Children of Parents with Mental Illness in the Classroom (Heretohelp)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final episode of our World Schizophrenia Day series, we revisit a deeply personal episode of Look Again. Host Faydra Aldridge shares her family’s journey with Schizophrenia.
Before her sister, Carissa Lynn, was diagnosed with Schizophrenia, Faydra thought it was something that happened to others. In this powerful episode, Faydra is joined by her mother, Linda, and they revisit the challenges and heartbreaking moments of a family living with the realities of severe mental illness.
Follow Look Again to be notified when our show returns with new episodes. Until then, share your thoughts with us here. Leave a review so others can find our show.
Resources:
Learn more about BCSS Family Support Groups
Listen to the “Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined” episodes touching on anosognosia:
The Truth Behind Psychiatric Medication
Hearing Voices

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this third episode of our World Schizophrenia Day series, we revisit eye-opening discussion about how our misconceptions of schizophrenia and other severe mental illnesses can fuel the misunderstanding and stigma that people living with psychosis face.
While there's no way to predict whether a person with a mental illness will become violent, depictions in media, TV, and movies sometimes perpetuate a conception that they are unpredictably violent. But how accurate is this belief, and how does it affect those living with mental health conditions?
Dr. Rakesh Lamba, Medical Director at BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia, discusses how family and caretakers can assess risk factors.
Follow Look Agan to hear more informed discussions like this one that break down misconceptions and paint a more compassionate portrait of living with mental illness. Until then, share your thoughts with us here. Leave a review so others can find our show.
Resources:
Schizophrenia - Warning Signs of Violence
Dr. Rakesh Lamba’s bio
PHSA Forensic Psychiatric Services

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get ready for Season 4 of Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined. This season, we're diving deep into the 'big questions' that families can face during different stages of the mental illness journey. From recognizing initial symptoms to the pursuit of a diagnosis, navigating the complexities of symptoms to the search for effective treatment, and addressing the daunting task of dealing with serious mental illness.
Host Faydra Aldridge, CEO of the BC Schizophrenia Society (BCSS) along with co-host Melissa McKenna, Marketing and Communications Manager at BCSS, bring you personal stories of individuals living ‘close’ to schizophrenia or other serious mental illnesses—providing a unique and personal perspective. That's not all – we talk to experienced researchers and medical professionals across the globe who will shed light on the latest developments in the field.
As we unravel these narratives, we'll start to see how they're intertwined with broader questions about the social impact of mental illness and the role it plays in all our lives. The journey begins in the New Year on January 3rd. We invite you to join us. Stay tuned and hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.