I was just reading about someone sponsoring someone with schizophrenia on this website and i wanted to respond but can't find it again. First of all, I am not only a member of AA for almost 3 decades, but also a member of the national alliance of mental illness and I chair meetings in that org. to support families who have someone with serious mental illness in their family. Before someone in my family was diagnosed w. a serious m.i. I also was very ignorant about these things. People w. schizophrenia as a group, are much less likely to be violent than the general population- it is the STIGMA and ignorance and SHAME of our society that in general simply marginalizes people w. delusions, hallucinations, ... well, people many times dont know the person is having delusions, or hallucinations but simply know the person reacts slowly to things and acts kind of wierd so we simply avoid them and talk and snicker about them and play tricks on them or ditch them and laugh about it. We don't take their concerns seriously. We victimize them - steal their money and their stuff- talk them out of their possessions and money because it EASY PICKINS and they are many times lonely and long for friends. THEY SHOULD BE AFRAID OF THE "NORMAL" NONDELUSIONAL, NONHALLUCINATIONAL PEOPLE.. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND! Also, an extensive study was just reported in the NAMI newsletter (in broward county anyway) that the aforementioned diagnoses (in the heading of this blurb) are all genetically related. So if you have depression, you are more likely to have a child with autism, depression, bipolar, sz, etc. Interesting!
I think it was me that mentioned it. I did agree to sponsor the guy because I know what you are discussing all too well. When I was in grad school, I spent countless hours doing research with my advisor who was basically the leading publisher on the topic of Stigma and Mental Illness. Through a massive grant from NAMI, we were able to interview over 1300 persons with mental illness about their stigma experiences. Dr. Wahl also listed me in the acknowledgements in his book. I aggreed to sponsor that person because I am not ignorant about what you are talking about.
Here is a review/abstract of the book:
Media Madness: Public Images of Mental Illness by Otto F. Wahl Media Madness: Public Images of Mental Illness 3.4 of 5 stars 3.40 · rating details · 10 ratings · 1 review Winner of the 1996 Gustavus Myers Award for an Outstanding Book on Human Rights in North America "Media Madness is a most timely, readable, and useful book, exposing, as it does, the myths about mental illness that most of us live by--myths that are as destructive as they are pervasive. Wahl is especially good at showing, in detail, the many ways in which false views of me...more Winner of the 1996 Gustavus Myers Award for an Outstanding Book on Human Rights in North America "Media Madness is a most timely, readable, and useful book, exposing, as it does, the myths about mental illness that most of us live by--myths that are as destructive as they are pervasive. Wahl is especially good at showing, in detail, the many ways in which false views of mental illness, purveyed in the media, shape the ways even the most enlightened of us view the world around us. A most thoughtful, stimulating book, from which I learned a great deal." --Jay Neugeboren, author of Imagining Robert: My Brother, Madness, and Survival--A Memoir "An outstanding book . . . well-researched . . . it is 'must reading.'" --Laurie Flynn, former executive director, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill "The rampant inaccuracies about mental illnesses in newspapers, magazines, movies, and books make it clear that this is not merely stereotyping, but rather a pervasive ignorance. Dr. Wahl's book goes far to explain where the errors are and to educate and sensitize the reader to frequent inaccuracies. In addition, the book is very readable." --NAMI Advocate "What do the media have to do with one's perception of mental illness? Wahl takes an in-depth look a how unfavorable public images of mental illness are often inaccurate. Statistics show that one out of every five people in the U.S. will experience a psychiatric illness. With boldness and sensitivity, Wahl takes a powerful look at the inaccurate stereotypes created by the media." --Choice "Extremely well written . . . This book is a valuable contribution to efforts to overcome the stigma of mental illness and 'media madness.'" --Paul J. Fink, M.D., mental health consultant Otto Wahl is a professor of psychology and director of the Graduate Institute of Professional Psychology at the University of Hartford, Connecticut. He is on the advisory boards of the National Stigma Clearinghouse and the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, as well as a consultant for the Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma Associated with Mental Illness (ADS Center). He is also the author of Telling Is Risky Business: Mental Health Consumers Confront Stigma (Rutgers University Press).(less)
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I have been participating in 12-ste meeitngs starting from the AA program for a period of time. In the Big Book, its states in How it works that "There are those too who suffer from grave mental and emotional disorders, but they do recover if they have the capacity to be honest." And from this statement many other 12-ste meetings have developed. I have found that after I stopped drinking and then had to deal with the emotional and mental hurdles I developed over the years of insanity. I investigated other possibilities for dealing with these issues, and found Alanon, Neurotic Anonymous and Emotions Anonymous. I realize that these are not AA, and I am a grateful member of this group, but I found that EA has provided another arena of recovery. As it is important to remember AA is not affiliated with EA, we do cooperate. and, for me, ths does tend to embrace the whole of the program and change of lifestyle. The dry-drunk or Mr. Hyde, is becoming somewhat weaker with each day and practicing the 12-steps in all my affairs.
