How do I interact with someone diagnosed with schizophrenia??
Question: I work in a mental health facility where they have a day program for mentally challenged clients. I don't work with these clients, I just see them coming and going. One client in particular is very sweet and engages me in conversation and I always go out of my way to take time for him. Other days, he has very little to say to me, like he doesn't remember me. I was just wondering if any one has experience with what works best in conversing with a person with this diagnosis. I don't want to say the wrong thing. I want to help him in the way I converse with him, and maybe get into the day program where I can work with him later on.
Answers: Unfortunately Schizophrenia is a label for a whole spectrum of disorders. The people diagnosed with it are as varied as the general, so called normal, population. You should not single them out for any different an approach than you would give anyone,i.e kind and polite. As long as he/she is on his/her medications and receiving TLC in the form of psychotherapy and catering to his life needs he/she doesn't need special attention. Above all don't express pity for him/her, they will know it for being condescending.
Having said that it is important to understand the nature of the disorders. You can get much more information on this by typing schizophrenia into Yahoo! web search; a number of links comes up. Wikipedia has a good summary.
Good luck with your friend, good mental health, peace and Love!
My dad was schizophrenic. It sounds like you are doing just fine. You have to understand this man has issues. He has good days and bad days. Try talking to him on a normal level all the time. If he responds well then enjoy the conversation. If he responds badly or not at all it just means he is having a bad day, take no offense. What ever day it is just treat him the same every day. Even though this man is in a daze he can still tell if you are treating him differently. You wouldn't like it if some one was treating you like you were different and he is especially sensitive. It is part of the disorder.
Answers: Unfortunately Schizophrenia is a label for a whole spectrum of disorders. The people diagnosed with it are as varied as the general, so called normal, population. You should not single them out for any different an approach than you would give anyone,i.e kind and polite. As long as he/she is on his/her medications and receiving TLC in the form of psychotherapy and catering to his life needs he/she doesn't need special attention. Above all don't express pity for him/her, they will know it for being condescending.
Having said that it is important to understand the nature of the disorders. You can get much more information on this by typing schizophrenia into Yahoo! web search; a number of links comes up. Wikipedia has a good summary.
Good luck with your friend, good mental health, peace and Love!
My dad was schizophrenic. It sounds like you are doing just fine. You have to understand this man has issues. He has good days and bad days. Try talking to him on a normal level all the time. If he responds well then enjoy the conversation. If he responds badly or not at all it just means he is having a bad day, take no offense. What ever day it is just treat him the same every day. Even though this man is in a daze he can still tell if you are treating him differently. You wouldn't like it if some one was treating you like you were different and he is especially sensitive. It is part of the disorder.
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