Schizophrenia and Suicide

Schizophrenia and Suicide

by Kevin Caruso

Four in ten people who suffer from schizophrenia attempt suicide.

One in ten people who suffer from schizophrenia dies by suicide.

Thus, the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia should be considered an urgent matter.

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that affects over 2 million Americans. People with schizophrenia often have hallucinations and/or delusions. They may hear voices that no one else can hear, believe that other people are controlling their thoughts, believe that others can read their mind, or believe that others are plotting to harm them.

And these problems oftentimes make them fearful and cause them to withdraw from people.

The disorder is caused by genetic factors and is not caused by a response to negative experiences, stress, alcohol or drug use.

Schizophrenia is not a "split personality" or "multiple personality" disorder, as some erroneously believe. But it is a type of psychotic disorder that causes people to have difficulty interpreting reality.

The illness affects both genders, but the onset is normally a few years later in women than in men-- it typically strikes men between 15 and 25 and women between 25 and 35.

Schizophrenia affects people of all ethnicities, in all countries.

Treating schizophrenia consists of prescribing medication; some people will experience a complete elimination of symptoms with the medication, while others will experience a lessening of symptoms.

Therapy should be sought in conjunction with medication, but not as a replacement for the medication.

Again, people who have schizophrenia need to take medication. Period.

The symptoms of schizophrenia are divided into "positive" and "negative" symptoms. Positive symptoms are those that distort normal function. Negative symptoms are those that cause a lessening or loss of normal function.

Positive symptoms

• Delusions
• Hallucinations
• Disorganized speech
• Grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior

Negative symptoms

• Low energy
• Lack of emotion
• Low motivation
• Difficulty of Inability to speak
• A blank facial expression
• Inappropriate social skills
• Inability to make or keep friends
• Social isolation

Cognitive symptoms

• Slow thinking
• Disorganized thinking
• Difficulty understanding
• Poor concentration
• Poor memory
• Difficulty expressing thoughts
• Difficulty integrating thoughts, feelings and behavior

In short, if anyone starts acting in an unusual way, starts to withdraw, or experiences hallucinations or delusions, he or she should see a medical doctor and a psychiatrist immediately.

The suicide rate is very high for people with schizophrenia ,and thus if there is the slighteset possiblility that you or someone you know has schizophrenia, get help immediately.

Please take immediate action if you need to.

Thank you.

And if you or someone you know is suicidal, please read the information on the home page of this website and take immediate action.

Please click below for additional informaion.

Most People With Schizophrenia Do Not Take Their Medication as Directed; Are at Risk For Suicide

Take care,

Kevin Caruso

song that describes tim ..by shinedown

What A Shame
Two packs of cigarettes a day
The strongest whiskey
Kentucky can make
That's a recipe to put a vagabond
On his hands and knees
I watched it all up close,
I knew him more than most
I saw a side of him he never showed
Full of sympathy for a world that
Wouldn't let him be

That's the man he was,
Have you heard enough?

What a shame, what a shame,
To judge a life that you can't change
The choir sings, the church bells ring
So, won't you give this man his wings?
What a shame to have to beg you to
See we're not all the same
What a shame

There's a hard life for every silver spoon
There's a touch of grey for every shade
Of blue
That's the way that I see life
If there was nothing wrong,
Then there'd be nothing right
And for this working man they say could
Barely stand
There's gotta be a better place to land
Some kind of remedy for a world that
Wouldn't let him be
That's the man he was,
Have you heard enough?

What a shame, what a shame,
To judge a life that you can't change
The choir sings, the church bells ring
So, won't you give this man his wings?
What a shame to have to beg you to
See we're not all the same
What a shame

God forgive the hands that laid you down
They never knew how, but your broken
Heart can break the sound
And change the season
Now the leaves are falling faster,
Happily ever after
You gave me hope through your endeavors
And now you will live forever

What a shame, what a shame,
To judge a life that you can't change
The choir sings, the church bells ring
So, won't you give this man his wings?
What a shame to have to beg you to
See we're not all the same
What a shame, what a shame
'Cause we're not all the same
What a shame, what a shame
'Cause we're not all the same

beyond the gray sky

It is a gift I know

A moment of bliss that we hold
A firecracker flash of light then on
To the next plane soul remain
Come along if you dare
It's gonna be that you're scared
Lovely life I thank you
For the reason to see the pain through

Light a candle for the dead
The wick is burning returning what we have
It's who we are
We'll reach you if you're beyond the furthest star

Don't give up the fight to stay alive and even if
you have to
Find the reason of another's pain if they lose you
If not for your self then those around who care
like I do
One day you'll see the clear blue

Beyond the Gray Sky
Light a candle...
The wick...
It's who we are...

One day you'll see the clear blue
Beyond the Gray Sky

I can't believe you didn't call
What made you want to end it all
Wasn't there something I should have tried
To help you see beyond the gray sky

my brother ...what are you doing...i love you

tim.....

ive been going over and over in my head what could i ahve done....why didnt u let me try to help u? if i had given u the car..... or bought u groceries more ....if i had found ur dad when u were alive.....if u had some pictures of all your family in your room would that have helped to be able to look at all the pics we have of us with u and u to see how happy we were to have u in our lives.....if i put pics up in your rooom.....if i went to court to fight for the boys.....if you could live here with us....would any of that made a difference???? would it have helped???? i wish u had opened up with me i would have tried to help u more and if it didnt work and u still felt u had to do this i would have held u through it....i think of u alone at night and alone the night u died....i didnt want u to die alone i would have held u and said its ok i understand !! i would have talked to u about stuff and how much we all loved u and are proud of u and hugged u tight till your last breath ...i love you so much my heart breaks for the pain u must have been in ....im so so sorry i couldnt protect u !!!! what do we do how do we live with out you? i know we will but every min will hurt and i know as the days and years go by the hurt will fade..and we will adjust...but know that the memories and the love will be there forever.....i hope where u are u are at rest and peace and not hurting.....i hope u know how much u are missed ...i hope when u were here u knew we loved u

why is it that when someone is alive we take them for granted and just assume they know we love them and assume they are ok and stay busy with our own problems and our own stuff...then when they pass its all we can think about they consume our every word, thot and breath .......i think that we need to reverse that

Daily Golden footprints

Daily Golden footprints

Friday, May 9, 2008

As I was speaking with a friend, the Lord gave me this in my spirit… Tried and Proven. I remember years ago a pastor related a story of how he noticed t and p written all through this elderly lady's bible. He asked her what it meant. Her explanation was "Tried and Proven." She has applied these scriptures and God had proven himself true again. This is the way that the Word of God is in our lives as we have applied it through the years. It has been tried and it is proven.

The Lord is talking to us about exercising our faith to believe Him for His promises. He is daring you to prove Him. I guarantee that when we do our part, He will be found faithful. (1 Thessalonians 5:21) Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Another friend was talking to me about examining ourselves. Yes, we need to prove our own faith by acting on it. (2 Corinthians 13:5) Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.

Here is another tried and proven. You prove the Word by transforming your mind with the truth of God. This means to create right thinking…thinking aligned with the will of God. Renewing your mind in the Word of God brings tried and proven results. (Romans 12:2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Here is another tried and proven. You cannot get away from prove me Words here. If you will try it, it will become another of the tried and proven in your life. You cannot out give God. He will multiply your seeds sown. I have seen God do it again and again, hundreds of times. He did it again this week. (Malachi 3:10) Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

He will provide the very seed for you to sow into multiplication. (Isaiah 55:10) For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

When you abide in Him and find that He is abiding in you and the fruit you will realize as a result, it is a tried and proven as well. (John 15:7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:8) Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

This is one of the best tried and provens that we have in the Word of God. (1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The Lord is telling you today that you have been settling for much less than He wants to give you. Study those scriptures in Deuteronomy 28. You will find what is in the covenant blessings and what you have been delivered from.

Look also at (Luke 6:38) Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. In this case to prove God meant to give…then it is multiplied unto you. So many people want the blessing first. God has never worked that way. Faith is moving before you see it in the natural. Proving God can mean in finances but also in other areas. Sometimes you have to make the first step in a relationship. Sometimes in the natural it makes no sense, but God calls upon you to give. You be the first to apologize. You be the first to forgive. That is also giving as well. When you give, it is then that He will see that it is given back to you. You sow into someone else's life and ministry and God will see that some sows into yours. For example, in how you treat your pastor. If you sow seeds of faithfulness and dependability, maybe when you start your ministry, you will receive the same again. Don't look for it from that same person. It may be from them, but more likely it will come back to you another way somewhere, sometime. I have sowed financial seeds in one place and God multiplied it back to me again and again through other sources, but always from God.

Act on His Word. He will prove it again for you. Like that song says, "You may not know how, you may not know when, but he'll do it again." Tried and Proven…that is His promises.

We wish we could have said goodbye............

We wish we could have said goodbye............
We want you to know we are not mad at you. we love you more than you know. were sorry for not being there for you like we should have been. we are sorry you felt so alone and no on understood. we want you to know were sad that it took losing you for us to realize what torment you were in. we want you to know we are so happy for you that you finally have peace and are comforted in the arms of Jesus now and you dont have to live in this awful world and suffer anymore. we want you to know how missed you will be. God allows everything to happen for a reason. we feel our family will learn somthing from this. we wish we could have said goodbye, but instead well just say see you soon when we are all reunited in Heaven someday.

We love you our cousin. youll always be in our hearts.

Love

Tiff Beth and Teri

living with schitzophrenia

some information about tims illnessi thot might help ....

It is important to diagnose and treat schizophrenia as early as possible to help people avoid or reduce frequent relapses and re-hospitalizations. Most people who stop taking their medications after an acute episode will have a relapse within one year. A patient should talk with his doctor about any side effects before discontinuing treatment, as options may be available to reduce or eliminate negative effects.

Studies indicate that except for those persons with a record of criminal violence before becoming ill, and those with substance abuse or alcohol problems, people with schizophrenia are not especially prone to violence. Most individuals with schizophrenia are not violent; more typically, they are withdrawn and prefer to be left alone.

Medication appears to improve the long-term prognosis for many people with schizophrenia. Studies show that after ten years of treatment, one-fourth of those with schizophrenia have recovered completely, one-fourth have improved considerably, and one-fourth have improved modestly. Fifteen percent have not improved, and ten percent have passed away.

Positive, or psychotic symptoms include delusions, hallucinations and disorganized thinking. These symptoms occur because the patient has lost touch with reality in certain important ways. Disorganized thinking, speech and behavior affect most people with this illness. Negative symptoms include lack of expression or emotional flatness, an inability to start and follow through with activities and a lack of pleasure or interest in life.

Psychosocial treatments may be useful for patients with less severe symptoms or for patients whose psychotic symptoms are under control. Most focus on improving the patient's social functioning, whether in the hospital or community, at home or on the job. Patients often become ill during the critical career-forming years of life (ages 18-35), and thus are less likely to complete the training required for skilled work.

According to the National Advisory Mental Health Council, the treatment success rate for schizophrenia is comparable to the treatment success rate for heart disease.

Individuals with schizophrenia die at a younger age than healthy people. Males have a 5.1 greater than expected early mortality rate than the general population, and females have a 5.6 greater risk of early death. Suicide is the single largest contributor to the excess mortality rate. The suicide rate is 10 to 13 percent higher among the schizophrenia community than among the general population

Anosognosia, the impaired awareness of illness, is a major problem because it is the single largest reason individuals with schizophrenia fail to take their medications. It affects at least 50 percent of individuals with schizophrenia, and is caused by damage to specific parts of the brain, especially the right hemisphere. As a result, patients do not realize they are sick.

God called u home....

Little did we know that day

that God was going to call your name.

In life we loved you dearly

In death we do that same.

It broke our hearts to lose you,

But you did not go alone

For part of us went with you,

the day that God called you home.

You left us beautiful memories,

Your love is still our guide.

Although we cannot see you,

You are always by our side.

Our family chain is broken,

Nothing seems the same...

But as God calls us one by one

The chain will link again....

Grief never ends but it changes.

It is a passage.

Not a place to stay.

The sense of loss must give way

If were to value the life that was loved!

There is a time for tears.

There is a time for tears.
When your heart is
too full of sorrow
they begin to flow
as naturally
as rain from heaven.
There is a beauty in tears
A rightness about them.
They should be shed proudly,
for they show how much
you have lived
and loved and lost.
Tears honor our loved ones.
There is a sacredness
about them
Each one is a prayer
that only GOD can hear.
The soul could have
no rainbows
if our eyes could have
no tears.

another poem

When your in a world of hurt
which seems to have no end
Its like a tree whose branches
are bending in the wind
you look around for answers
to give you some relief
and try to find the positive
while sorting through your grief
And as your mind sways to and fro
you wonder how to cope
and somehow you just find the strength
in everlasting hope
you look ahead to better days
with waning of the breeze
just knowing you can persevere
and set your mind at ease.

memories poem

sometimes
memories are like rain showers
sprinkling down upon you
catching you unaware
and then they are gone,
leaving you warm and refreshed.

sometimes
memories are like thunderstorms
beating down upon you,
Relentless in their downpour.
and then they will cease,
leaving you tired and bruised.

sometimes
memories are like shadows
sneaking up behind you,
following you around.
leaving you dead and confused.

sometimes
memories are like comforters
surrounding you with warmth,
luxuriously abundant
and sometimes they stay,
wrapping you in contentment

REMEMBER ME.......

I cannot speak, but I can listen
I cannot be seen, but I can be heard
So as you stand upon a shore gazing
At the beautiful Sea
As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity
Remember me

Remember me in your heart, your thoughts, and your memories
Of the times we loved, the times we cried
The times we fought, the times we laughed
For if you always think of me
I will have never gone

to my brother from shawn ........

shawn is overseas and wont be home for a year and when i told him we were planning on spreading my brothers ashes this was his reply........

Tell Tim I said goodbye, I love him, and Ill see him soon............

wow i was really blown away my husband is not one to say i love u unless he really means it. i wish Tim knew how shawn felt about him, but i guess he does know. i guess the distortions in his mind and what he thot he did or how people felt about him and how he felt about himself he realizes now are not true. i hope he is happy now. i know he is since hes in heaven and now he even has babie to hang out with : ). he always wanted her to live iwth him : )

we decided to wait mom wants my husband there and were not ready yet

wow this is from chrisramsay... i didnt know he cared so much

wow this is from chris i didnt know he cared so much

See Ya, Tim
Current mood: melancholy
We said goodbye to Tim, our
friend and cousin today. Would have been nice to play pool with him one
last time, maybe get some pointers on how not to suck. I'm glad he's at
peace. Amid the devastation, it's comforting to know the one we're all
distraught over is no longer suffering. One day the suffering will end,
I'll get mine too. Until then, I'll put my head down, pick my feet up,
and slog through the mire. And maybe Steve Winwood was right in that
retarded song he wrote in the 80's. The finer things come shining
through. If you want them to, they do.
2:43 AM

happy birthday brother!!

tomorrow is the anniversary of the death of my brother Tim
to us it is a death the end of a life
for tim it was a new begining a birth
a birth into a new life and a death to the torment and misery that was
his "life" here n earth
i say "life" on earth but to him it was a death a life trapped in torment and suffering
for me and for all who loved you we are selfishly devastated filled with grief
but we are learning that for u unselfishly we are happy for your death to this old life and birth into a great everlasting beautiful new life....
tomorrow i will go to the beach and lrow flower petals to u Tim i will let you fly
i will be happy for you
but i will love you forever!!
HAPPY BITHDAY BROTHER!!!