Do you think there is room out there for a sort of ‘users guide’ to living with schizophrenia? Something with practical advice, information, insight and help for sz. I am thinking of putting together all the best advice I was ever given and draw on my own experiences to write some sort of publication for both newly diagnosed and those of us who have been living with it for some time. What do you guys think? Is this a worthwhile project?
T.
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In all honesty, I don’t think there would be much of a market for it. There are already some good books on schizophrenia, so you’d have to be very knowledgeable and good at writing to compete with those. The market is also pretty small, and when you’re acutely ill with psychosis and might need such a book, you probably wouldn’t be able to read one. I’m just trying to be realistic. But if you still want to do this, then I think you should start by talking with some publishers or try to find some leading experts who will collaborate with you. Doing it alone and without help sounds futile to me. Also, it would be a lot of hard work.
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what about a how to book for not only the ones who suffer from mi but also for family members and friends of those who have a mental illness…maybe cover a bunch of mi… like cover bipolar the depression and mania aspects… anxiety ptsd ocd autism ect… im unsure of your dx but there are more than enough of us who have other disabling symptoms you might be able to get insight from. many many people suffer depression… lots from ptsd… bipolar seems to have more numbers than sz… so maybe try a general guide for mental illness for the sufferer and their support groups… what help is available and how to deal with them… this kinda book would greatly enhance the target market… but as @anon9798425 said a book on just sz would be a lot of hard work so a book covering a bunch of mi not only for the sufferer but their support groups would be a massive undertaking and it would be a giant tome if you went into great detail on each the sheer size would be a turn off for most… so you would have to condense it down to a certain size that isn’t so intimidating…just a thought…
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How about writing a semi-autographical novel (similar to a memoir)? You can tell the reader about your experiences living with schizophrenia.
One of our members, @chew , has written such a book. It’s called Flunky (available on Amazon (shameless plug for a friend)). It chronicles his life from 17-26 years of age. I’ve purchased it, read it, and left an honest 5-star review.
Just a thought.
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True there are a lot of books about Sz out there, both helpful and not, but I have yet to read any of them because of lack of focus.
New books require something different to set them apart from the crowd…how about a picture book?
Now that sets gears all a turning…heehee.
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I don’t think any of the memoire books like John Nash’s own work was left alone. Was just butchered bad enough to be a humiliation statement as his family member who is mental care provider worked on the book HARD to get it published and I think she may have butchered the book so much, almost nothing was recognizable. There are a couple good biography videos about the man and some stuff on Youtube that is more recent (like right before his death in 2015? in a cab accident), that are much more up-to-date and show some of the intimate details of the man. Both biographical videos actually do give some HELPFUL coping information for others suffering psychosis. Is very concise and short statements to help other sufferers, some of which his relative butchered from the ‘Beautiful Mind’ book…
You can write up and publish anything you wish EASILY using Amazon’s platform. Your work may not be edited but it can be rejected by Amazon.
I have yet to read any helpful schizo books. I hope someone on here can recommend something useful…I’ve learned most of my information from teachers in school as a kid who explained how ‘things work around here’ paired with the children’s owns stories and then I met one of the wealthy people from this area and spent a lot of time in their company listening to a lot of threatening stuff & bragging…Other consumers and ‘helpful’ thought broadcasters filled me in on how things work after I left this abusive relationship with the wealthy one…Guess it is helpful to mention, towns/cities tend to be either ‘healthy’ or ‘sick’ meaning the occupant’s intentions towards others – some places just ruin people and the thought broadcasters just verbally harass and ruin people while other ‘healthier’ places actually have the thought broadcasters tell people something helpful (which is usually people new to the community who came there to find work and these are told the things different about the community in order to keep the new worker functioning).
I personally liked ‘Toxic Family’ book which is has GREAT chapter on dealing with unhealthy family situations. I also greatly enjoyed book ‘Happiness Theory’ which gave some great tips to help you keep running like a normal in challenging situations…
Have to take the advice from the ‘consumers’ with a ole grain of salt. Is the person living in halfway house, been in jail a dozen times, self supporting, education or FT employment. You have to emmulate…You might be told which ‘person’ or ‘church’ you need to go talk to to get somewhere but some of these church situations are WRONG THING and you may be stuck listening to LOTS of threatens against your family if you refuse to do what you are told to mess up customers, employer and later family…I wouldn’t even set foot in a local church without knowing several ‘normal’ people anymore as too much of the wrong things goes on an rest of church is told ‘you will get it’ for speaking up about something wrong happening. All the local social and business networking was starting to take slaves for favors, mistresses and ruin people…
So, some ‘sick’ situations are best dealt with by just finding best employment you can and simply STAY AWAY FROM REST OF THE MESS as these try to find more slaves for dirty favors and you might regret looking very closely at anyone else. You just socialize with the people you already know and go to work parties when lots of the office attends…sometimes lunching or partying with a small group will ruin people, especially female can get in lots of trouble and fired without unemployment for socializing with 'the boy’s and she gets propositioned/sex harassment and refuses, she loses it all & no unemployment.
I advise, if you see a sick place and want a career. Work on moving around with your career, keep the belongings to studio apartment size and get as far from screwed up roots as possible. Never discuss what was '‘back there’. And use paper letters of recommendations because the old boss from a back there at the screwed up place will do 180 on you and say something awful about you later without a second thought…Don’t contact previous employers, get good recommendations/portfolio using paper letters and Linkedin…Can work GREAT stuff off Craigslist without a whole lot of reference checks anyway if you have good portfolio & nice looking resume. I find VERY few screwed up employers on Craigslist as it is mostly small business. Learn how to handle 1099 taxes as it will allow you to work from home & write off computer expenses…Sick places usually ruin most of the workers by middle age and you probably won’t want ANYTHING to do with the dirty business that is obvious by this point, can keep two homes and move to other place when you decide ‘enough’ but the residents near 2nd home need to know you good or you might get screwed when you finally move out to second home.
I’m living where the professional groups will take a fully functioning board member and BLACKBALL the person, leaving you totally unable to work locally in anything appropriate…Cops ruin new ones who bought homes here in suburbs even and throw them out for complaining about trespassers/vandals, left resident unable to even sell the house they had to let it go back.