Schizophrenia affects approximately 24 million people worldwide. But does schizophrenia present the same way in every country? How do culture, religion, tradition, or even politics influence the presentation of schizophrenia? Cross-cultural awareness of psychiatric symptoms helps us to understand our ever-changing global society. In today’s episode, hosts Rachel Star Withers and Gabe Howard explore studies and cases across the world and throughout history to discover how culture influences schizophrenia and its treatment. Joining is guest Nidhi Sinha, a final year PhD student in psyc ..read more

One of the scariest things about schizophrenia is the very beginning, getting that diagnosis and learning that you — or a person that you love — has a lifelong serious mental illness. Especially in the beginning, it can be a difficult thing to accept. In fact, many people reject the idea that they're sick at all, often choosing to think, “Hey, I have a problem, but I don't need help” instead. However, accepting a diagnosis of schizophrenia is the first step to getting treatment, which is the first step toward living a full and fulfilling life. Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophreni ..read more

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been shown to be an effective treatment for people with schizophrenia, especially those with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. However, it’s not often brought up as an option for treatment. Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard explore Rachel’s own past treatment with ECT, the intense side effect of memory loss, and why ECT is not being offered to more people with schizophrenia. Today’s guest is “Ashley” who is currently undergoing electroconvulsive therapy and shares her journey of navigating ECT while being a mother ..read more

Why are some people with schizophrenia able to live alone and others can’t? Why do some seem to recover while others have symptoms that persist for their entire lives? Why is suicide the leading cause of premature death in people with schizophrenia? Many people say the answer lies in psychological resilience. So, does that mean some people have more psychological resilience than others? Does having a mental disorder mean your brain is less resilient to start with? Hosts Rachel Star Withers and Gabe Howard explore the concept of psychological resilience and how it is connected to living with sc ..read more

When a family member receives a schizophrenia diagnosis, it can dramatically change the dynamics of your family. For example, one-third of people with schizophrenia live with a family member. Families can provide emotional support, financial support, and advocate for better treatment options. Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard explore how schizophrenia can affect family dynamics in this episode of Inside Schizophrenia.  Guest Elfy Scott joins. She is the author of “The One Thing We’ve Never Spoken About: Exposing Our Untold Mental Health Crisis ..read more

Coping techniques used by people with schizophrenia account for a 25% variance in their quality of life. Unfortunately, people who have psychotic disorders tend to use predominantly harmful or ineffective coping techniques.  Hosts Rachel Star Withers and Gabe Howard are seeking to change that by sharing coping techniques for managing schizophrenia and help people understand why effective coping techniques can be life changing.  Guest Michelle Mariscal joins who blogs about her journey with schizophrenia and shares some coping techniques she has found to work for her over the years. T ..read more

Is there a connection between intelligence and schizophrenia? Are people with schizophrenia more likely to have higher or lower IQs than the general population? In today’s episode of Inside Schizophrenia, host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard explore the current views around the connection between intelligence and having schizophrenia. Author Steven Paul Lansky joins to share his new book “The Break,” a memoir about one of his schizophrenic breaks from reality. To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the official episode page. Guest Bio St ..read more

News coverage of murders and mass shootings often puts a spotlight on the perpetrator's mental health, claiming they may be mentally ill with something like schizophrenia. Yet, in 2018, the FBI found that only 5% of active shooters had a mental disorder that includes psychosis. In today’s episode host Rachel Star Withers, who has diagnosed schizophrenia, and co-host Gabe Howard have a frank discussion about whether there’s a connection between having schizophrenia, mass shootings, and mass murder.  Mike, a retired military special ops personnel who lives with schizophrenia, join ..read more

Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, our hosts decided to dedicate an episode to the frequently asked questions surrounding schizophrenia. Questions include “What is having a hallucination like?” and “Why won’t my loved one get help?” We also welcome photographer Whitney Yeager, creator of The Sammy Project, which highlights stories of people with serious mental health conditions. She began this endeavor after her son was killed while experiencing an episode of psychosis. To learn more -- or read the transcript -- please visit the show's official episode page here. Guest Bio Whitney Emo ..read more

Did you know that rocking back and forth isn’t a symptom of schizophrenia — it’s a side effect of the medication used for treatment. It’s called tardive dyskinesia, and it’s a common result of long-term use of antipsychotic medications.  The percentage of patients who will experience tardive dyskinesia ranges from 3% to as high as 68% and can have a negative impact on quality of life. Dee Linde, who is a support group leader with the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, joins and shares her incredible journey with tardive dystonia — a progressed form of tardive dyskinesia.  Host Rac ..read more