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Schizophrenia has been around since the dawn of time but actually treating it has only been around the past 100 years. In this episode host and schizophrenic Rachel Star Withers takes you through the dark and disturbing evolution of schizophrenia treatments. From systematic euthanasia to hydrotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy to the infamous lobotomy.  Were these doctors "mad scientists" torturing the mentally ill or were they the only ones trying to help a population of people seen as a burden?   

A third of all people will be a caregiver at some point in their lives. Caregiving for people with schizophrenia presents challenges that many people are ill-prepared for.  Host Rachel Star and Gabe Howard break down the principles of caregiving and creative ways to navigate schizophrenia.  Dr. Sarah Kopelovich joins to share schizophrenia caregiver specific training. 

Can people with schizophrenia love? Can they date or get married?  Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard review their own past experiences.  Andrew and Stephanie Downing, authors of “Marriage and Schizophrenia: Eyes on the Prize” join and share their incredible journey and love. 

Rates of psychosis are more strongly influenced by ethnicity and socioeconomic status than any other mental health condition. In this episode of Inside Schizophrenia host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard discuss the impact of schizophrenia in minority communities. Guest Sakinah “The Muslim Hippie” joins to share her experiences in mental health care.

Some of the professionals that work most with helping people with schizophrenia are nurses. There are so many types with different skill sets. Host Rachel Star Withers and Co-host Gabe Howards learn who these often overlooked healthcare workers are. Dr. Tari Dilks, Professor and President of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, joins with insight on what goes into being a psychiatric nurse. 

Men and women experience schizophrenia differently; from the age of onset to symptoms and how society treats those with mental disorders.  Schizophrenic, Rachel Star Withers and co-host Gabe Howard continue the discussion of the differences from the last episode but change the focus to men. Jason Jepson, an author who has schizophrenia joins for a man’s perspective and Dr. Hayden Finch returns to explain the clinical side of the issues.

Often we don't really consider gender dynamics in treatment or medication. A lot of medications are only tested on men because of the risk of pregnancy, etc. This means there are whole drugs that have made it to market that may not have ever been tested with women. Schizophrenia affects women in many different ways than men. This episode discusses differences in age, symptoms, treatments, lifestyle, parenthood in the genders as they experience schizophrenia. Dr. Hayden Finch joins to explain the medical side. 

Comorbidity is the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with a primary condition. In this episode, host schizophrenic Rachel Star Withers with her cohost Gabe Howard will be discussing comorbidity with schizophrenia. Comorbidity is associated with worse health outcomes, more complex clinical management and increased health care costs. Occupational therapist and host of the podcast Occupied, Brock Cook, will be joining us to discuss ways that he works with people with schizophrenia to manage multiple health issues. 

Medication, Therapy, Hospitalization, Electroconvulsive Therapy- what are the treatment strategies for schizophrenia? How do you convince someone they need help? What if someone refuses treatment? Schizophrenic Rachel Star Withers with co-host Gabe Howard reveal different treatments they have undergone over the years with various outcomes. Guest Barbara Thompson, with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, shares support options for people with schizophrenia and their family in the community.

What exactly is psychosis? What happens in the brain of a person with schizophrenia who is hallucinating? Schizophrenic Rachel Star Withers shares her personal hallucinations and delusions and Dr. Joseph Goldberg, who specializes in researching what goes on in the brain when someone is experiencing psychosis, joins to break down how the brain functions during psychotic episodes. Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard delve into these intense subjects in this episode of Inside Schizophrenia. 

The word "schizophrenia" tends to conjure ideas of hallucinations, delusions, insane asylum in the general public's mind. Most people don't think of the boring parts that consume many with schizophrenia, like lacking the motivation to get out of bed, to make friends... Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard discuss avolition and ways to help motivate loved ones in this episode of Inside Schizophrenia. Family Counselor Ms. Breen joins to share ways to sort through dilemmas. And Rachel does an experiment on her own to address her lack of motivation in being social. 

Everyone complains about work. Having to go to work every day, working too much- working can be challenging for many reasons. Today's episode focuses on working while having schizophrenia.  Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard share antidotes from their own work lives and speak with fellow schizophrenic Michelle Hammer. Michelle, an award-winning graphic designer and entrepreneur, discusses her struggles in working full time. Cheryl Wallace the Vice President of Programs at Rose Hill Mental Health Center, also joins this episode and speaks about how Rose Hill facilitates programs to help people with schizophrenia rejoin the workforce after a psychotic episode. 

Schizophrenia does not just affect the person with schizophrenia, but their families, also. This episode of Inside Schizophrenia explores the family relationships impacted by schizophrenia, both immediate and extended.  Two guests join us. The first is Chrisa Hickey, who is the mother of an adult son with schizophrenia and started an online site for parents of children who have a severe mental illness. The other guest is Janel Star Withers, mother of host Rachel Star Withers. Janel shares her experiences with raising a schizophrenic daughter. 

In this episode of Inside Schizophrenia our hosts tackle the topic of early onset – or childhood – schizophrenia. Host Rachel Star discusses her personal experiences with symptoms as an adolescent and Dr. Joseph Gonzalez-Heydrich from Harvard Medical School discusses some of the latest research. Listen in now!

An in-depth look at violence and its relation to schizophrenia. Is violence a symptom of schizophrenia? Do mass attackers always have schizophrenia? Are schizophrenics dangerous?  Studies say people with schizophrenia are more likely to be a victim of a crime than the perpetrator. However, James Holmes, the movie theater mass murderer, was said to have paranoid schizophrenia. And a person can plead not guilty by reason of insanity in court. This seems to be contrary to the idea of non-violence in mental illness.   Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard delve into these intense subjects in this episode of Inside Schizophrenia.  Officer Rebecca Skillern, the senior trainer within the mental health division of the Houston Police Department, joins as a special guest to explain police protocol in answering crisis emergencies and what people with schizophrenia, and their loved ones, should do when an episode puts someone in danger.  Highlights [01:48] “Have you ever killed anyone?” [03:21] Stigma is not knowing. [07:10] Consequences of people finding out you have schizophrenia. [14:22] Not guilty by reason of insanity. [17:33] Paranoid schizophrenia and mass attackers. [24:00] Have I ever been violent due to my schizophrenia? [25:30] Guest interview with Officer Rebecca Skillern. [27:22] How is a mental crisis team response different than a typical police response? [31:00] What to do if I need help for a mental health crisis. [43:55] During a mental health crisis, what do I want to happen? [46:00] Confusion and fear during an episode.

Martin Scorsese’s 2010 Shutter Island portrays multiple views of delusional and unrepentant murderers, who seem able to choose fantasy over real life. Netflix’s 2019 Birdbox has protagonist Sandra Bullock repeatedly fighting the local escaped violent mental patients to protect her children. From pop culture’s view to Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, view of herself to a leading mental health doctor and professor’s view-What is schizophrenia really? What are the actual symptoms? What is the difference between a hallucination and delusion? What is it like to experience one? Are all schizophrenics violent? How do you manage it? Does schizophrenia present itself the same way in everyone? As media and social media evolves how are views of schizophrenia changing? In this first episode of Inside Schizophrenia, Rachel and co-host Gabe Howard with special guest Dr. Ali Mattu explore this often misrepresented mental illness.

Inside Schizophrenia is a podcast by people with mental illness for people with mental illness. Each episode looks at life through the unique lens of people living schizophrenia and psychosis. Exciting new episodes will appear once a month on your favorite podcast player or by visiting psychcentral.com/is. This is a brief introduction to the podcast. Our first full-length episode will be published during the third week of May 2019. Stay tuned and subscribe today!