I have been diagnosed with schizophrenia since 2002. I have lived through an illness that can be very painful and deeply frightening. But I found that spirituality is an essential part to the solution. I have lived through migration, poverty, isolation, heartbreak, abandonment, death of loved ones, war and violence, etc. I reckon this was the reason for my schizophrenia and that spirit interfered to guide me. It started out with a spiritual experience (it is called “channeling” in the spiritual literature) and the more spiritual I have become over the years, the better my life gets.
I think I hear spirit, and that’s what the voices are. The main symptom of schizophrenia is hearing voices that no one else can hear. When I am not loving, I am in trouble, medication or not. When I am mean, or do wrong, I hear angry voices a lot, it can become really painful and frightening, and I might have nightmares. But spirit and God are very forgiving and give chances after chances. They even told me with the voices I hear to love to my utmost ability. The other day I heard very loving voices tell me that “love heals everything.”
They teach me to love, and the more I learn to love, the warmer and better my life becomes. Before, they taught me to write. That was a great endeavor too.
Learning to love and spirituality should be an essential part of treating schizophrenia (writing is optional, that is simply my profession and passion).
Love
The ability to love is essential in countering stigma, isolation, and loneliness. Since I very consciously learned to be a more loving person, to everyone around me, my circle of friends has expanded exponentially, and I am getting along far better with everyone and have finally found a loving partner, who is absolutely and truly amazing. The feeling of isolation and loneliness and shame and stigma has left me. And I am not afraid anymore to admit that I have schizophrenia. The fear of people, too, has left me. It is the most wonderful freedom I have found and very healing for my heart and soul. With the sentence “I love you” I can even chase nightly demons away. I sprinkle this sentence, and other compliments, liberally all around me on a daily basis, and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.
Spirituality
Prayer, meditation, faith, and kindness are essential parts in making the voices nicer. I am working with a 12-step program for this purpose. Spiritual deeds are often rewarded with nice voices. For me, this includes intellectual good deeds, finding and telling the truth, and working for peace. It also includes trying to love and respect everyone to the best of my ability, and being forgiving. When I am angry and resentful, for example after a drink, my symptoms might become negative and frightening. I started to pray daily and to volunteer at church, and to meditate, and since then I have more profound spiritual experiences. The voices tell me very often encouraging things. Such as, that I am a good person and they thank me, and that love is all that counts and such. They become an integral part of my spiritual life that I don’t want to miss. I really would not trade in the nice voices for anything in the world! They are proof of heaven and God to me. I even believe due to my voices that I am watched and protected by spirits every second of my life and in every step I take, and everyone else is too.
Music
Against the remaining disturbing voices, music is a wonderful antidote. Listening to music or talking to people or listening to people talk helps counter the voices. My house has become very musical and we listen to the wonderful Classic FM all the time. I am also a huge fan of Radio BBC 3 and YouTube meditation music. It can be very calming, cheering, and truly healing.
A Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle does help somewhat and probably helps against early death that is common for people with schizophrenia. It includes a moderation or abstinence from alcohol, something which I am personally working on, nicotine replacement therapy if not abstinence from nicotine (I use e-cigarettes and the gum), and a healthy diet (I am mostly vegetarian), and an avoidance of drugs. Exercise is good too. Vitamins might help somewhat; I have no definite proof. Maybe the only proof is that I am the only living scientist with schizophrenia, apart from Prof. Elyn Saks, and the only one who managed to write 6 serious books on world politics. I took the Abram Hoffer prescription for many years, since about 2008 more or less until very recently (Niacin, Omega 3, and Vitamin C in mega-doses of at least 1 g daily each). I think it did help me feel better and become better and think clearer. At the moment, I take only vitamin C, because it is believed to prevent cancer, and instead take the traditional psychiatric medicine.