June 29, 2005

Housing, Community Involvement, & Schizophrenia

Read more... Schizophrenia Coping

'My presence wasn't always welcome'

Lilith Finkler, is a Dalhousie University planner, who was recently given the "prestigious Trudeau Foundation Award to fund her doctoral research into opposition to group homes for people with mental illness." At the age of 17, Finkler was diagnosed with schizophrenia. And as a result, she spent time in two different psychiatric facilities. Finkler thinks that there's a misconception about the psychiatrically disabled population. For example, she states that, "there's an assumption that people with psychiatric disabilities are more violent than other people...But that (this has) never actually been proven in any sort of study...In fact, it's the opposite. People who have psychiatric disabilities are much more likely to be the victims of violence because they're so heavily drugged that they can't respond."

Such misconceptions have harmful effects. The psychiatrically disabled are often outcasts of the community, residing only in psychiatric facilities. Research has shown that (in developing countries) the deep involvement people suffering from schizophrenia and similar disorders have with their communities seems to have positive effects on both the quality of their life and their ability to manage their disabilities:
http://www.schizophrenia.com/sznews/archives/001993.html

However, according to Finkler, opposing group homes for the psychiatrically disabled also poses some problems:

Opposing group homes for the mentally ill could shunt them out of a city entirely. "This is the really painful thing," she said. "If you oppose the development of a residence in one particular area, the people who are sponsoring it might not have money to go anywhere else."

Source:
http://www.hfxnews.com/


Comments

My sister is schizophrenia and she has had different times were she will attack one of the famliy members and she is about 41 years of age like the other day she blow up for somthing dumb and tried to attack our farther and my dad he has very bad heart problems and he is dealing with cancer. So I was wondering is there a program we can get her into are some place were she could live. But were she can get some help. We live in edgewood new mexico. are can you give us some advise Thank You

Posted by: joe at July 28, 2005 09:42 PM

My brother is 23 and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He is living with my parents and hasn't been particularly violent at all. However, we are constantly how to help him to have a life he can enjoy. He obviously hates living with my parents and not being independent, but also doesn't yet realize he has the disease. We were wondering if there were any decent communities for people with schizophrenia that you would reccomend?

Posted by: Rory McEntee at February 28, 2006 02:04 PM

Have similar questions as to wondering if there is any active communities that actually accommodate to schizophrenia. Pressure is mounting at home. I am 26 years old with desires and dreams but there is so much stress and pressure that I often forget I have an illness and relapse.

Posted by: Graham Thomas at April 11, 2007 01:32 PM

Post a comment

Please enter this code to enable your comment -
Remember Me?
(you may use HTML tags for style)
* indicates required
Close