Schizophrenia: What we don't know

A special day?
24th May was World Schizophrenia Day. While we dedicate one day of the calendar year to some or the other illness these days, it's still a distant dream to enhance awareness and appropriate education about different physical as well as psychological conditions; sufficient enough to enable each one of us to take the right steps towards identifying them and treating them appropriately. More so in psychological conditions like schizophrenia. Frequently misconstrued as witchcraft, outcome of sins, possession by spirits or just simply insanity that warrants punishment; schizophrenia is rarely well understood and appreciated as a medical illness that deserves medical care and nursing just like all physical other illnesses.

Self-compassion or Self-pity? (2)

Right from wrong

In more cases than less, those who do the incorrect thing know that it is erroneous. Awareness is not a predictor of righteousness. Insight has different levels of cognizance and these foretell the quantum of behavior change in response to that level. The most common (and possibly worst) of all is knowledge without corresponding action.

• Exercise is good for health (how many do it?)
• Sadness isn't a defense (who realizes that?)
• Giving up isn’t an option (who acts on it?)
• Anger is destructive (who keeps it in mind?)
• Patience cures half the troubles (Oh really?)
• Kindness is better than wrath (do we do it?)

Few follow what they deem right for themselves. Anger, rage, blame, guilt, negativism and self-pity are internalized emotions that sprout from unresolved external conflicts. They rot the interior without us appreciating the damage they are capable of…

Self-compassion or Self-pity? (1)

Emotions

Emotions are by far downright subjective constructs. Pain, pleasure, anger, sorrow, jealousy, nervousness, disdain; every emotion is felt after a personal appraisal of a given situation. For each one of us, there is only one ‘self’. The rest comprise the remainder of this magnanimous globe. Small as we truly seem in comparison to the gamut that surrounds us, we are the biggest and most important to ourselves. We are our own world, we control our own lives, and we ought to care for our selves, nurture ourselves, love ourselves and heal ourselves when we hurt. Self-compassion is the softest and tenderest of all emotions each one needs to inculcate.

I really am so tired

Fatigue is one of the MOST subjective of emotions and perceptions. And no matter what, it is incapacitating. It has both physiological and psychological constituents that allow the sufferer to perceive a reduction in drive, ability as well as performance. The horse when whipped begins to gallop; and cows, donkeys, goats and sheep are compelled to exert (at anything at all) when pushed. That however does not assure their drive and ability to excel. They must perform out of sheer force. Higher cognitive abilities necessitate focus and energy; these are less likely to be engendered by a drained mind.