I was admitted to a psychiatric hospital against my will and immediately put on experimental anti-psychotic drugs on the strength of two 10 minute conversations with a psychiatrist. I was 43 years old and had NEVER HEARD VOICES in my life and NEVER had any DELUSIONS. But I was diagnosed with schizophrenia regardless. Previously I spent part of that year looking for a job so that I could pay the rent on a place in order to leave the family home (I had been taking care of our mother) because I was under the impression that the rest of my family still wanted me to leave because they had said so in the past. (they resented my upkeep as a drain on their inheritance) A neighbour had told me about a job opening but I was unclear on the location (a number of the same franchise dot the city). From the window I happened to catch her running from her idling car in the driveway back into her house (on some last minute errand). Quickly, I ran out my door down to the entrance of her driveway and waited for her return in order to ask her the location of the job opening. It took longer than I thought and I remained standing at the foot of her drive as I have only spoken to her on half a dozen previous occasions and did not feel extremely confident about approaching her open door. I didn't know her last name or have her phone number (and she was in a hurry. It would be startling to suddenly be confronted by someone on your way back out the door in a hurry to get to work) That is when a parking commissionaire out scouting for parking infractions was buzzing our street and stopped in front of my mothers home. I did not recognize this as a city car at the time so I thought he was a visitor for my mother. (I was in the habit of going barefoot around the house and thinking I had only seconds before my neighbour returned to her car and dashed off to work, I ran out in a hurry to catch her without my shoes on) I walked back to my mothers house to find out who the visitor was and he glanced down at my bear feet and up again to my face to ask what I was doing out so "early" (7:30) in the morning. (It is true, although the afternoons were still warm, it was fall by now and I was sweaterless standing in front of him in bear feet in the cool of the morning; but my appearance was also circumstantial) On one of his passes down our street earlier he'd seen me standing in my neighbours driveway. I told him about the job tip I got from my neighbour and that I was waiting to catch her before she left for work. Without blinking he lifted his cell phone from his pocket and dialled a number and spoke into the receiver for a couple of minutes then left. In the mean time my mother came out to see what was going on and I was still outside talking to her when two police cars arrived and their attendant drivers escorted me off to the hospital. That was the start of my one month tenure at the hospital and the subsequent upheaval of my life. (one month is requisite and a standard stay) I don't have auditory or visual hallucinations or delusions (now or in the past) and I believe the admitting doctors diagnosis hastily drawn and incorrect. If physical diagnoses by medical doctors are commonly wrong why can't a psychiatric diagnosis be wrong too?? But doctors don't like to admit when they are wrong. I know, because my mother was a nurse for 20 years and has told me many an anecdote. They are often arrogant and invariably slow to revise their thinking and attitudes. They also deligate the care and contact with their patients to nurses. Nintey nine percent of my visits with the healthcare community is in the person of my case-worker and not my psychiatrist. He bases his ongoing assessment and overview of my treatment on a by monthly visit. He doesn't really know me and the doctors keep changing as well. In three years, I have had four different psychiatrists. The hands on approach to the doctor patient relationship is decidedly absent. How can they make such a personal and individual thing as a psychiatric diagnosis on seeing someone once every two months for half an hour at a time? If you take into account that I have had 4 psychiatrists in three years that means that each doctor has seen me for less than six visits a year. At a half hour per visit that makes the total of my time with each of these doctors 3 hours. Their knowledge of me boils down to less than 3 hours each! Could you decide you have gotten to know someone in 3 hours aquaintence straight; let alone have that time broken up into six half hour visits spaced over a year, not to mention intermittent phone interuptions during that time? In the meantime I am forced to take a drug that can cause diabetes as a side effect. The cure is worse than the desease!

My best friend is an eighteen year-old girl who goes by Cocco online. She's had an abusive boyfriend and suffers from Type I Diabetes. She is adorable and someone you want to protect. She's recently told me she hears voices. I'm the only one that knows... and I advised her not to tell others. I'm older and know that we see 'schizophrenia' as we do Black and Hispanic. We like to imagine that we're enlightened but we're a very frightened and prejudiced species. I don't want them to give this girl anti-psychotics and convince her she's deranged. She's the only Disney character I've ever met in real life... she's amazing. There is a woman and a boy. They started when she was eight, just before moving from California. She says that there is no memory of trauma and she is a very honest person. I think if anything happened that her mind has blocked it out as a survival instinct. The woman was helpful at first. Helping her with math (which she has always been poor at). The voice knew answers that she didn't... which amazes me. The woman became frustrated in time and later (age seventeen as far as I know) encouraged personal cutting and other negative behaviour. The boy is kind but not as strong as the woman. She can see the woman in her mind as well. I remember that she has slightly bulging eyes and frightens Cocco. The boy was quiet for a time and Cocco was worried the woman killed him. Last week she didn't have her iPod and the woman screamed in her head for about 5-6 hours. I was on the phone to her and she was beside herself. She had her sister awake with her at midnight and was trying to keep occupied. She tells me the woman has no name... the fact that she hasn't given it an identity of its own makes me feel slightly better. I'm in England and she's coming soon to stay for a year or so. I'm very concerned... can anyone help?

To Ann, Do the words Private Psychiatrist,Attorney, and Legal case mean anything to you.

TO zonkers friend, The first thing that you must understand is that you are dealing with a situation that is both real and potentially deadly. It would be wise to seek professional advice on this matter immediately. Your friends condition can worsen before it stabilizes or becomes better. Unfortunately some type of professional medical care seems to be warrented in this situation. As you have said that she has begun self abuse. We all like to think that we can somehow handle these experience alone or with the help of friends. Often conventional methods however much we dislike the thought are necessary to stabilize ourselves. If she can seek help and stabilize then she can begin to sort out her abilities to overcome her problems with these phenomena. You must explain to her that self abuse is simply not an option. Treatment is. Sometimes there is no fast way or miracle word and the slow but tested way is the best option. In time she can be skeptical and hardened against the established system as many of us are but if she has begun abuse she must seek professional help. Telling her to stop will not work and you can't be with her 24/7. Believe me I know.

TO Ann, Answer: How much your attorney charges. Question: What is the difference between eccentric and CRAAAAZZZY!!!!!!

I have an interesting story for people who hear voices. I am a person who hears voices and these voices are responsible for the deterioration of my life. I have talked with them long enough now to learn the following creative explanation that I believe will be the same for all people who hear voices similar to my own. : The voices are possible because of the existence of God, who is a person, a mind, and deity. At no time will a person who hears voices, unless they are hallucinating, sleeping etc. not be able to ask inside their mind to talk with the Almighty, who is the one good voice always available. He is not always honest, and you have to guess or know who he is before he will talk with you. You can ask him for communication promises to clear up any auditory deficiencies but he will not get rid of the other voices for you. there are always two or three, plus his voice if he is willing to talk to you. His personality is the same as the guy described in the bible and he will only talk with you if you understand he is awesome, are introduced by the voice that is his son, and/or you approach him with some respect. He is always interested in talking about one person on earth who he has picked out as the same man who was Jesus and he is willing to send you delusions as indicated in the bible. It may seem like an odd description of pschophrenia from a medical point of view, but the religious explaination may be a more realistic explaination. try it out.