Schizophrenia, Substance Abuse and HIV

The article is a narration by a mental health patient giving insight into her struggles with Schizophrenia and other problems she suffered as a result and her unending journey to full recovery. The writer’s mental illness kicked in when she was 25 year, but she notes the illness could have been hereditary due to her parent’s medical history. Her illness caused her to start hearing voices in her head which became increasingly violent that she turned to alcohol consumption, and at one point she unsuccessfully attempted to commit suicide. Her first stay in hospital was relatively successful as she resumed her normal life and even got a boyfriend. Influenced by her boyfriend, she became addicted to crack cocaine and marijuana, and the voices soon returned along with paranoia. The addiction pushed her to prostitution as she looked for money to buy the drugs and she eventually contracted HIV. Her second stay in hospital was not as successful, and neither was her third as the conditions at the health centers were not as conducive as the first. Her health and physical conditions severely deteriorated to the point none of her family members wanted to be associated with her, and it was only after her sister’s untimely death that she finally got her life back together. Despite the significant steps she has made on her journey to recovery, she still experiences additional complications due to the HIV that are challenging even for the doctors. “They treat only the problem they are most familiar with, and they ignore the rest” (Hummingbird, 1999). 

The writer’s story is disheartening especially knowing that there are many more patients struggling with similar problems or even worse. The essay provided me with an insight into the lives of mental health patients, but it also informed me about the disconnect in the health system with regards to treatment and monitoring progress of patients after they are discharged. There is an urgent need to harmonize treatments offered in different centers for different problems to ensure the effectiveness of the treatments and to facilitate follow-up on patient progress. 

Reference  

Hummingbird (1999). First Person Account: Schizoprenia, Substance Abuse, and HIV. Schizophrenia Bulletin , 25(4), pp. 863-66.