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

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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)

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It's a hard reality that mental illness and substance use often coincide. Combine these factors with poverty and social marginalization, and you have the snowballing problem known as "concurrent disorders." Dr. Bill MacEwan has spent the last 20+ years working with patients in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, a neighbourhood that is home to around 20,000 people with almost 25% of the people suffering from mental illness. He's also the medical lead for the city's Downtown Community Court psychiatric teams. Host Faydra Aldridge speaks with Dr. MacEwan about the intersection of mental illness, drugs, and the criminal justice system.
Additional Resources:

• Dr. Bill MacEwan Bio
• Mental illness and significant cognitive impairment among marginalized adults in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
• Profound suffering at the heart of our beautiful city seems to defy all attempts to relieve it
• The Hotel Study: Multimorbidity in a Community Sample Living in Marginal Housing
• Building Community Society - for more details about next steps
• Visions Journal: Concurrent Disorders (2004, Vol 2 (1))
• Homelessness, Mental Health and Substance Use: Understanding the Connections (Canadian Institute of Substance Use Research)

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In this episode of Look Again: Mental Illness Re-examined, host Faydra Aldridge dives into the complex world of treatment-resistant schizophrenia—a condition where standard antipsychotic medications fail to alleviate symptoms like delusions and hallucinations. Joined by psychiatrist Dr. Diane McIntosh, they discuss why over 30% of those diagnosed with schizophrenia don't respond to typical treatments and explore alternative options available. From long-acting injectables to combinations of medications to ECT, Dr. McIntosh offers insights into promising strategies for people living with treatment resistant schizophrenia and the importance of comprehensive care, including social support. Learn more about current research, the challenges, and the hope for better treatment options for those living with this difficult condition.

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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!

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