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Ask Slashdot: Working With Others, As a Schizophrenic Developer?
An anonymous reader writes: "I hope there are a few open source developers on Slashdot who understand this. As a developer who works alone and remotely (while living with my own family) — and is schizophrenic — there would be times I would feel very high (a surge of uncontrollable thoughts), or low because of the kind of failures that some patients with mental illness would have, and because of the emotional difficulty of being physically alone for 8 hours a day. This led me to decide to work physically together with my co-workers. Have you been in this situation before? If you have, how well did you manage it? (Medications are a part of the therapy as well.)"
Your ability to be productive and stay on the "happy path" will come from the ability to trust your team, trust yourself, and have your team trust you. I'd start with setting and achieving goals, and asking for help early in the process if you feel things start to slip.
What with the usual tenor of Slashdot comments, wanted to say early: awesome that you're working, doing it, trying to live in the "normal" world, where the normals don't often understand. My heart and thoughts are with you.
...for any reason... Ever!
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
Thinking of my experiences on commercial development teams in the USA, I think you should be prepared 1) to deal with a lot of prejudice and 2) to find infrequent interactions that are compassionate and gratifying.
We understand, to some extent, why you are so difficult to work with. We can make some accommodation.
But if your having a bad day, take your ass home. Don't get self righteous. ADA does not make you right.
John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
You might try telling any new co-workers right away that you have schizophrenia. That way, there will be less confusion and misunderstanding by others. You could just mention it in a matter-of-fact sort of way, by talking about schizophrenia as just a chronic illness like so many others. That might de-mystify it for some people.
I worked with someone who had schizophrenia, and she simply told new co-workers right away. I thought it was a good way of handling it.
Best of luck.
I think this is the first time I've posted anonymously to Slashdot in fifteen years...
Yes, it's tricky. Working alone, if you have mental health issues, can lead to a number of problems. As you say, you're very isolated, and that's emotionally difficult. But more, there's no-one else there to notice when things start going wrong for you. I know from my own experience that I don't always have good insight into how poorly I'm performing. But working in a commercial setting - in an office, against deadlines - can be a considerable stress raiser, and may make your situation worse.
This isn't always so. When I got my last job, I was seriously unwell and knew that I was. I very nearly didn't apply for the job because I thought I was too ill to do it. But when I actually got into the office, I found the work much easier than I expected and the team welcoming and generally good company, which boosted my self confidence and helped me towards a fairly rapid recovery.
I'd avoid medication if you can. Apart from all their other lovely side effects, anti-psychotics and anti-depressants can make you substantially less sharp, which may make you less able to do the job. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, if you can get it, is helpful to many people (including me). Maintain a good relationship with your doctor and make sure he or she knows your situation and your anxieties. Try to have someone around you who can watch out for changes in your behaviour and let you know when you're looking shaky.
And good luck!
Schizophrenia isn't psychopathy. Not that psychopathy is a condition that would affect the quality of code.
You should educate yourself about mental illness. You clearly do not understand it.
Further, it's illegal to discriminate against the mentally ill.
First, I really understand what you're saying. This is a tough situation, but I'm certain you can make it through.
You're being really wise not to isolate yourself. Spending time with people will make a very substantial difference in both how you feel and your general recovery. Isolation, even with caring family will hurt you. Please keep on trying to interact with people.
In terms of mental health... what you're describing sounds more like bipolar and less like schizophrenia. Schizophrenia can be medicated, if you're serious about it, carefully monitored, and have a good support system. Bipolar is a bit rougher, and you'll have to recognize what's happening to you yourself, and with the help of family and friends. Be very careful when you're manic - I know it can feel awesome, but the code you produce can be pretty damn awful. Depressed code is less of an issue as you'll likely not write that much.
You'll find that folks in CS tend to be very understanding of mental health issues. Very, very understanding. We're in an industry filled with intelligent and generally caring people, and you'll find support. Just be honest with your colleagues about how you're doing, and most importantly, make sure your first priority is taking care of yourself.
/* Dang, I can't type that well. */
Limiting your exposure to others is one of them. Do you think there are more benefits than liabilities being in close proximity to peers?
09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B - D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
do you know when the surge of thoughts are coming? if yes, there are two possibilities: (1.) your co-workers are agreeable or open-minded people... or not. if they are, you can call them for a break (no pun intended) and share your thoughts. maybe they'll have feedback, they'll be inspired or just plain amused. don't be offended if they do. humor is one of the best - and complex - responses a human being can give. if they are TOO curious, tell them to read some Jung or R.D. Laing, hehe. (2.) your co-workers are rabbits who get scared easily, are overly conscientious about their work ("don't bother me! i have to finish this!") or just haven't seen enough of the world to have enough data points in their equation... well, there is nothing you can do then, if you feel it coming, grab your voice recorder (or not lol) and head out for a walk in the parking lot, or somewhere nice. or just do what you usually do - and ask them afterwards how bothered they were on a scale 1 to 5. if they say 3 or more, next time head out to a less populated place :P
(ELSE) otherwise, it's important to understand that even if you DON'T see it coming, they may eventually get used to it. you didn't mention how frequent your "inspirations" are. if it's 2 times a day or like 5 minutes every 3 hours, it should be tolerable (and a welcome break). if it's 5 minutes every half an hour... well... ask your boss hehe.
(IN ANY CASE) it's also possible (almost probable) that you will find one or more people who will genuinely like you, even if you won't last long at that workplace. you are not the only one who needs human contact and a good face-to-face conversation over a coffee or herbal tea
(PARAGRAPH) maybe your therapist can give you some more advice.
(PARAGRAPH) my advice is not professional/medical advice and should not be taken like that. also, slashdot kills my paragraphs, at least in the preview. that explains the obscure "tags". this is my 1st slashdot comment, have mercy
How ignorant. What the fuck does psychopathy have to do with schizophrenia?
Routines, coworkers and responsibilities are really useful for me (bipolar...) and i know i would not do well with working alone. So props and best of luck.
Youll probably want to inform your supervisor about your condition since theyll be either your biggest supporter or your biggest problem. As far as coworkers, tell them if you can make it seem like no big deal...
Make sure you have some flexibility with scheduling and can duck out as needed. A private space, or the ability to hide out in your car will help when thing get rough is really important. Constant contact with your therapist is also really really necessay with a big change...
Highly functioning individuals all tend to have various quirks, idiosyncrasies, and other habits. I've worked with aspies, the depressed, and what have you and while all of them may suffer immensely in their personal worlds they are self aware enough to not let their disorder control them. They work with it and through it rather than using it as an excuse for problems.
Most people don't discuss mental health problems to other individuals unless it's going against a social fabric. "Why is John swearing randomly?" "Oh he has tourettes." Or the like.
As long as you can make most of the dead lines you will be fine. If you find yourself really getting into a hole, like a dark one, these sometimes happen then be honest with your manager in private and let him know what's going on. If you need a break than so be it. But remember, you're on a team and the success of the team falls onto you. Don't be the weakest link, your team mates will need you.
Stay strong my friend.
Me neither. But what's that got to do with the question at hand?
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Hah! That would almost be funny - almost - if that was what schizophrenia was. But it's not, so, it's not. Sorry.
systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
As a Bipolar type 2 suffer, I can understand. I do however find it difficult to retain work despite my ability
I've worked with a number of challenged people; the ones who were frank about their issues made it way easier; the ones who were in active denial, way harder.
While you're discussing it, recommend the TV show "Perception" - hell, hand out free AVI files. The show's character may have little in common with your particular issues; likely he is far worse, since it shows him having long conversations with hallucinated people - but the point is, the show provides an example of somebody with a very serious schizophrenic problem who is nonetheless good at his job. And a nice guy to know. Heck, he turns out to be a kind of detective on the side.
This is an entirely new level of acceptance for most people - because people talk more frankly now, we all know we're working with manic-depressives, clinical depressives, anxiety- and panic-attack victims...minor mental illnesses are pretty common. But most people's image of a "schizophrenic" is still of the Bad Guy in some crazed-killer movie. The new TV show stresses that it's just another mental challenge that can be overcome with understanding and/or medication.
You may have to stress that you can't solve any murders, should they become fans.
The OP does not say that he is a 'raving psychopath'. He says that he has schizophrenia, like two million other people in the United States. It's an unpleasant condition for the sufferer, but one that a lot of people manage to live perfectly well with.
I'm old enough to remember when discussions on Slashdot were well informed.
Read a book.
A disorder such as this is incredibly disabling, is not an "excuse", and is not fortunate for anyone.
Considering your perspective on mental disabilities, your perspective on people aren't aren't "assholes at times", and your general pedantic tone, I'm not surprised your coworkers think of you you as an asshole at times. Consider yourself lucky it's only "at times".
I'd avoid medication if you can.
How's Tom Cruise these days? Have you seen the latest Kirstie Alley extravaganza?
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
My ex-wife is schizophrenic and I observed that social interaction at work was very important for her well being. She's not able to hold a regular job now, but does work part time as a volunteer doing filing which gives her some structured interaction. And having worked on software at home a lot alone myself, I know how bad the lack of social interaction can be for ones mental health even if you're not schizophrenic.
It might help to consciously act a part. This is actually what most people do. They go acting out some persona they've invented for themselves, but seldom realize it. Consciously scripting who you are may help manage the issues. I hope that you can keep enough focus on the human cues from your coworkers to manage well. But I also know it's tough. In any case, I think that the benefits of more social interaction offset the risks.
I would certainly caution against revealing your condition to your coworkers. My ex and I still talk frequently after 15 years, but I watched many of her "friends" abandon her when she had a relapse after 12 years of being quite normal. Be very cautious about medication changes. Her Dr changed her from Novane to Zyprexa and it took two hospitalizations before I could persuade the Dr. to put her back on Novane. She never completely recovered, but is at least able to live on her own.
The right answer is whatever works best for you.
Best of luck.
I have some experience with this as a manager. I had an employee (good, productive, employee), who was, unknown to me, bipolar. Meds kept it pretty well under control. For some reason or another, he changed doctors -- first one moved away or whatever. Anyway, the new MD decided to tinker with the meds. It didn't work out well. Severely abridged version of story: after the worst 3 days of my life as a manager ever, plus 2 HR reps, plus company nurse, plus N other impacted idividuals, we finally got him help. He was on medical leave for several weeks after that before things got put right again.
Here is the thing: he had plenty of friends in the company who would have been in the position to notice something going awry and heading off the trouble before it became a crisis. So, make a friend you can trust. One to whom you are not afraid to say: "My doctor is adjusting my medication. Watch for anything strange. If the wheels come off, here is my brother's phone number."
Many people working in professional fields suffer from mental illness. Just because someone has a mental illness doesn't mean they can only flip burgers or pick up trash. Also, based on the tone of your comment it seems likely you should seek treatment as well, since you sound more like a "raving psychopath" than the person you are replying to.
If the poster really is literally an autonomous collective made of nuts, then schizophrenia or not this achievement is remarkable and should be celebrated!
I normally do not deign to reply to cowardly and anonymous posters. But this your reaction begs and screams for answer. You, Sir, are so gross toward this courageous person that, if you had an account here, you would have instantaneously merited to have that account closed down. This is SO MUCH below any level of decency and respect that I find no words for it.
Religous speak to God. Insane are spoken to by God. When all shut up, one can finally hear Shostakovich in peace
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I'm a schizophrenic
And so am I
I keed, I keed!!
Further, it's illegal to discriminate against the mentally ill
Not entirely. A mentally ill person must be diagnosed and be following the treatment of their doctor. We're going through this a bit where I work. We have an employee who is clearly suffering from borderline personality disorder and he's caused no end of grief for his managers and coworkers. Yet he refuses to seek professional help and the process has started to fire him for his behavior.
Also, businesses must only offer reasonable accommodations. If the illness requires an unreasonable accommodation, the employer does not have to provide it.
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
from Wikipedia:
There is little point in arguing over definitions, much less so if you are trying to turn the conventional usage on it's head. Based on the context:
It is clear the person he was replying to (you?) was using the conventional meaning, not the archaic one you listed above.
Section 15 of the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms states "Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability". Notice that last part, "mental or physical disability". If a company discriminates against someone with a mental disability in Canada, they had best be prepared for some legal action to be taken. Also, look up the difference between a psychopath and someone with Schizophrenia.
Every worker has or has had a "wacko" boss. Most noticeable among my "wacko" bosses have been a bi-polar, a narcissist, and a lot of dysfunctional control freaks. Some have had behavioral/environmental problems and some have had physiological problems. If they are honest and share this, the work group will accept them and everyone thrives. It like, this "wacko" is My "wacko". Those that try to hide that they are "wacko" are unacceptable bosses and nobody likes them.
I would suggest that honest is the best policy in the long run. Some people will back off but may start interacting as co-workers later. Some will never interact. Some will accept you and your limitation--these make you "their wacko". With these colleagues, the work group will grow better--better able to be honest, to accept your limitations, to function like groups of people do. The embracing of "wacko" people is quite liberating and fulfills some of our basic human desires.
To anyone who thinks the use of "wacko" is inappropriate, I really don't care. I'm not using it a professional sense as a therapist would use it but as a layman. I work and live with "wacko" people and I come from a family full of "wacko" people. Everyone has the ability to like and love "wacko". If fact you either already do or you are the "wacko" that needs (and hopefully has) community.
Sounds like managing things is going to be part of your job.
We employed a schizophrenic as an intern. He never said but it was obvious from the beginning he was dealing with the condition. But he had a unique focus and ability to soak up information. He could be pointed at tough problems and kind of just never stressed any more or less. He just punched through or worked around issues that would have left other people stuck in their tracks. He's never afraid to ask for advice. He was (and is) one of the wittiest people I've worked with.
Four weeks or so into the job he had a crash of sorts. Maybe it was the change in environment. It took him out for months. But even by that stage it was obvious he was a keeper.
So five years on he's one of our most talented developers. With no prior coding experience. Everyone in the business knows that he shits gold. And he's only just getting started.
So: Something that is a disadvantage to some can be developed as a strength, if you have the creativity and fortitude to pull it off. Take your meds religiously. Minimise situations that will make things worse for you, but not so much that you don't expose yourself to the new. If you need social contact but have to work from home sometimes, have a two-way webcam setup to the office; permanently open on the screen so you have the connection with others.
Good luck!
i've been coding software for decades, now. my last 4 or so years employed in a large, promising and cutting edge software company. one thing i can tell you: everybody is nuts in this profession. so make yourself comfortable, don't think too much about it and welcome to the club!
This is a post to help those that experience the same lives that the anonymous poster has, as well as I do: Many schizophrenics and people who experience abnormal thought patterns and/or manic episodes actually have an advantage by thinking “outside of the box.” See the movie “A Beautiful Mind” about John Nash. He is a man who experienced schizophrenia and then found success after many trial and errors. Quoting your anonymous post message, “that you feel very high (a surge of uncontrollable thoughts), or low”; this really is because our minds work differently that the norm (they may be mutated in some way), but that doesn't mean you cannot control them. To myself, the “ill” component of your diagnoses may be considered as “interference.” It is possible to learn how to control it. You may choose technology, pharmaceutical chemistry, therapy, and then also prayer and meditation. I prefer to use them all. Your life is a project, you can program yourself to correct your errors. Life, in a way, is about managing yourself. Motivate yourself to never give up, and then to apply yourself in every way to reward yourself (and others.) By blessing others, you may find that you learn about ways to improve yourself as well. If someone gives you bad vibes, analyze that they are the ones that may be experiencing low-self esteem and are the bad critics. Don't acknowledge pessimistic critics; only accept those who give constructive-criticism. Never give up on yourself or those who give you a positive influence. Do not label yourself as an underdog, even though at times it may seem to be this way. If you accept to be a failure by your (so called) “disease”, you will be one. Don't accept that “pill.” You must be an over-comer of your “illness” and play your “hand of cards” the best that you can. From the deck of cards that our Creator serves us, you must do the best to play your game with success. You must use your (possibly enhanced) creativity, and thought patterns for good by learning to channel them to your outcome in success. No person is perfect because “to err is human”, but you may still live Life to the fullest of your ability. You must understand that success is not the same goal for everyone. I have had many failures in my thirty-one years of Life, but “failure is a stepping stone to success.” There may even be “a thorn in you side” that you must live with rest of your Life, but you may learn to live with it and learn from it. By working with people (such as co-workers, friends or family), you may learn from their lives (just as anyone else may.) I am now in my thirties, and was diagnosed with schizophrenia when I was young. Most people who have illnesses such as schizophrenia or are manic-depressive/bipolar (maybe of different types) are considered “dreamers.” To an extent this may be true, but that doesn't mean they are less useful than people who are not diagnosed with a “condition.” They may suffer from detachment from the common life; but wouldn't the world be boring if we were all the same? I really do deeply understand your aggravation with you working with your “illness.” I have gone through many bouts and struggles with this through out my life, and many times people look down on you for something that is not your fault. I believe the key is to find an occupation that you are good at (by finding work that is fun and enjoyable to you. Find what you are good at, and do it! This may be computers and technology, or maybe graphic design. It may be something that has nothing to do with technology at all! That is for you to figure out. Setup your Life management project and do “First things First, One Thing at a Time.” You may multitask your Life, but schedule yourself in order. Many veterans would understand this because they are taught the acronym “K.I.S.S”, which means “Keep It Simple Soldier.” You may do
So sad. I hope you recieve the help that you need.
The fact that you say "socialist" is rather humerous. Perhaps you should learn the definition of that word. A rather pathetic response concidering where you're posting it.
Just an asshole, let it be. As I should.
I don't work in tech, but I do work with people who have mental illness. Being consistent with your medication and other treatment is something that is so important, but is easy to slip please up on. I would encourage you to speak to your treatment provider about developing a relapse prevention program. This would ideally include a fair amount of stress management. I would also encourage you to have an honest discussion with your family and treatment providers about how to handle the situation if you do have a relapse of symptoms, and write it all down in a mental health advance directive (this ensures your wishes are carried out if you are temporarily unable to make good decisions for yourself). If remembering pills is a problem for you, a long acting injectable might be an option. There are some good products that only require a monthly injection. They are pretty expensive, but there is help getting co-pays covered. It's also a chance to check I regularly with your treatment provider to discuss any problems you have. All of that said, it sounds like you know yourself pretty well and know what you need. I have confidence you can handle whatever situation comes up!
My first large scale job out of college was WFH - 70% and Travel - 30% ... It was absolutely awful.
I was young and working at a large company with little to no support. Near the end of my first year I had a break down and discontinued work there. I learned a lot from that situation. The biggest of which was how much I thrived of the energy of other people. Bouncing ideas around, or just having someone to look at as they walk by.
I'm not a programmer, but a Unix Admin. Just being around people is key to easing my struggle in this life. Weather I like the people or not, just having those minds and that energy around is essential to my survival.
I finished my last contract job up from home, and it was nice taking a break from the office. To work from another perspective. After 2 months of WFH I craved the office again.
For me I don't think I'd mind Office - 90% and WFH - 10%. Any less than 90% in the office and I feel separate from people. I get distant and spacey.
We all get down from time to time, "US" more than others. But the key is to get back on that horse when you can. Keep putting the good work out there when possible.
Take Care,
Grifter
I just thought that I'd point out that it's not discrimination if the person's condition interferes with work. I guess I could be wrong, but I think what laws like this mean is that the employer can't sight the mental illness (in this case) as the cause dismissal, etc. If the illness negatively affects job performance, it would still be valid to dismiss the person responsible. Also it may be of interest that the public sector is rather notorious for being more discriminatory than the private since the latter cannot afford to limit their labor pool as much as the former.
As a supervisor, I had an employee in a similar situation (posting anonymously for obvious reasons) - the employee was behaving extremely erratically, and we all knew there was something seriously wrong, but all we could do was keep gathering evidence until we finally had enough evidence to get the person fired. All the time we were wondering whether the employee would show up with a gun one day, or something like that. (Security was useless - they wouldn't do anything until there was a crystal clear threat, presumably something we'd hear immediately before bullets starting flying.) The saddest part was that we really meant the employee no ill will... we wanted the person to get help. Unfortunately, last I heard, based on the person's Facebook postings, the situation hadn't improved. Sad.
I wish this country would improve the recognition and treatment of mental issues. I think it would solve several of the other problems we have.
America has the same law, it's called the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Once they're hired into a position the employee can document their illness (they don't have to tell the employer ahead of time) with the employer, then the employer is required to make reasonable concessions. There is an exemption in the case of undue hardship (this is the employer's responsibility to prove to the court) and the employee must still be able to perform his essential duties.
Firing someone because their mental illness is interfering with their ability to perform their essential duties isn't protected under the ADA because it isn't discrimination. If any one employee doesn't do their job, then they would also be fired: the person isn't being terminated because they have a mental illness, but because they can't do their job.
For instance, a stock boy with social anxiety may request reasonable concessions to not perform cashier or clerking duties on the front end. He is still perfectly able to stock the shelves.
which is like having manic depression aka bi-polar disorder with schizophrenia and less than one half a percent of the US population suffers from it.
The big problems that I have is I am almost always misunderstood. People think that just because I am mentally ill I must be crazy, insane, stupid, incompetent, etc.
I can still do my work for jobs, but no employer wants to hire me. If I do get hired as soon as they discover I am mentally ill coworkers start to harass me and pick on me and bully me to force me to leave, or make up stuff to get me fired. They do this out of ignorance rather than a conspiracy. When they see your moods change and swing from one to another, they notice that you are mentally ill. It is not that they do this out of hate, but they misunderstand what being mentally ill really is, and confuse you for being selfish, or crazy, or insane, or whatever the news media tells them. Most of these public shooters are mentally ill so they compare you to them and get scared of you. Most people are scared of what they don't understand and get nervous and sometimes that fear turns into hate which leads to harassment, mocking, insults, bullying, and other things. When management notices most of your coworkers are picking on you, they have a choice, either fire your coworkers who aren't mentally ill, or fire the mentally ill person the coworkers are picking on.
I've been out of work since 2002 due to this. I am non-violent and I can work with anyone as long as they agree to treat me like a human being.
http://blastar.in/
http://www.blastar.org/
I am working on some startups, trying to get people involved at the above websites. I am thinking of maybe making some video games or small apps or something. I have written ebooks and done some blogging. I am open to suggestions. I have done tech support for family and friends to get by. Mostly cleaning viruses off their Windows PCs and in some cases converting people to GNU/Linux like Ubuntu or Lubuntu/Xubuntu.
I have tried kickstarter and indiegogo but it went nowhere as nobody wants to support a mentally ill person.
Remember, Slashdot does not have a -1 disagree moderation, and no, troll, flamebait, and overrated are not substitutes.
Anyone posting negative comments regarding mental illness are, themselves, mentally ill. No stable, centered, and happy person derives satisfaction from the emotional sabotage of others.
Ought be humourous, to yon Canadian.
Yup, and the idea of 'reasonable accommodation' usually means that it only applies to companies with more than 50 employees, since it would be unreasonable to expect much from a smaller company. So if you have a disability of any kind that requires some level of support, then get a job at a large company.
Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
Uhuh, similarly people with agoraphobia or anxiety can be used at night when it is quieter and the law assumes that a larger company can do more to accommodate someone than a small company can.
Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
Back in the days of yore, a schizophrenic would be a prophet or an oracle, since some gods and daemons or dead souls are talking to him. These days, thanks to stabilizing medicine, they have more opportunities to excel.
Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
$22 million for each mental health recovery
November 21, 2010 at 6:24pm
On October 27, 2000, King County in Washington State, by a vote of 11 to 1, passed a very unusual ordinance. This directed psychiatrists working in the state mental health system to make their patients well and to report annually on how successful they had been in achieving this goal. The ordinance defined exactly what was to be considered a mental health recovery. Such a former patient had to be able to meet four criteria. They must have become well enough to engage in volunteer work, or be employed full or part-time, or be engaged in culturally appropriate activities, or be pursuing educational or vocational opportunities. Secondly, a recovered mental patient had to be living independently or in supported housing. Thirdly, they must have been discharged from the county’s publicly funded mental health system or, at most, be receiving only infrequent maintenance services. Lastly, when tested they must be able to score 81 or more on the Global Assessment of Function Scale. This scale measures such things as aggression, ability to communicate, and level of personal hygiene.
It is now some 3 years since this ordinance was passed and the required initial report on the efficacy of the system has been issued, covering the period January 1 through December 31, 2001. King County, Washington is not a rural backwater. It is one of the most progressive counties in the US, the location of Seattle. So what did the residents of King County get for themore than $90 million they spent on mental health in 2001? According to the first mandated report, 7,831 mental patients, mainly schizophrenics and patients with major depression,were treated during the year. Of these, 6,949 (88.7%) showed no change, 597 (8%) displayed some improvement, 285 (4%)regressed, and four (0.05%) recovered. Put another way, ifyou suffered from schizophrenia, major depression, or othermental illness in King County during 2001, your chance of a full recovery was less that one in one thousand.
That is, the residents of the Seattle area are paying over $22 million for each mental health recovery.
In Medieval times, victims of the bubonic plague had a far better chance of recovery than this. Treated with hot onion, fig, and treacle poultices or partially plucked pigeons to draw off poisons from their swollen lymphnodes, they were much more likely to completely recover than schizophrenics receiving the best treatments that modern psychiatry has to offer. If you believe that this is acceptable,throw this book away. If not, seriously consider the alternative treatments that stem from an acceptance of the adrenochrome hypotheses.
H.D. Foster, "What really causes schizophrenia" P 208-209
http://hdfoster.com/sites/hdfoster.com/files/users/user6/Foster_Schizophrenia.pdf
See also: http://rs79.vrx.net/works/books/Bionutrition/refs/madness/
Also google scholar: "prousky anxiety niacin families"
Need Mercedes parts ?
There is a genius Go programmer (as in Weiqi, Baduk, GO game) that IIRC has come out as schizophrenic some years ago.
His name is Frank A. de Groot, author of MoyoGo Studio - a controversial but good go-studying platform. Some time ago, he used to offer his program for a fee, got into trouble with major Go schools in Korea I think (they claimed he used their pro game logs data without authorization). The guy always has an axe to grind with somebody, whether on good ole groups, irc, email or forums. After some time, he started offering MoyoGoStudio for free...
And then, he deleted it. Forever.
Just like that, with all backup copies of it.
Or at least that`s what he claimed to have done, in a bad episode. Next thing i hear, when in a lighter mood, he dug up some god-forsaken source copy and apologized for not taking his pills.
I think the guy IS a genius programmer, but completely fills in the proverb about not every gift being a blessing...
Maybe he can offer some personal, non-anonymous advice on the subject?
Now, Make Your WISE Move...
They are both psychiatric abnormalities and they make it harder to communicate with some people. I like working alone projects wise but as you say, the company of others, if you like them, is healthy, even if you are autistic or schizophrenic. What I do and think helps is: 0. Tell people about it because it makes them more understanding usually and I found they are also interested in hearing details about it, guess for them it is like watching a documentary :)
1. Laugh about it with them. When people laugh they feel happy and knowing that you made them laugh makes them like you.
It also makes them feel less nervous and uncomfortable and for me, at least, it also makes me feel better when I make jokes.
My psychiatrist also thinks I am correct about this.
Also, might be a good thing to prepare yourself for the option this may not work out well and try not be disappointed by it.
Luck,
I have learned from observance and being around people with various mental issues that those who regularly take their meds do a lot better than those who do not. One of the problems with mental illnesses is that the illness will convince the person who has it that they don't need to take their meds. If you are prone to this kind of thing where you don't take your meds when you feel good, you are going to have problems in a work place. I guarantee it. The most unpleasant work experience of my life was working with a guy my manager forced us to hire because we had left the job open for a long time and he told us that we had to hire someone or the job would be closed forever. So we hired the least objectionable of a very uninspiring group of candidates we interviewed for the job. On his first day at work, he told us all that he was bi-polar and he saw no need to take any medicine for this. The next 6 months or whatever it was that he worked with us were just very bad as we saw him both unrealistically happy and in the deepest depths of depression and neither state was very good for us as co-workers. He finally left us for another job and became somebody else's problem. I don't want to go into details as for all I know maybe he reads Slashdot and he could recognize himself, but he found an interesting way as he left the company to create problems for us for months to come and I wouldn't wish what he did to us on anybody.
Right now I have a co-worker who battles depression and a few other issues and while it sometimes makes him difficult to deal with, he does regularly take his meds and we've learned to just accept his occasional bad moods as they don't last and he is a valuable contributor. But if you are going to go through periods where you don't take your meds, you'll do nobody any favors by working in an office.
My experience wacko people are the most fun to be around at work and in general, it's the "normies" that you have to avoid.
I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!
Pathetic.
Oh no! It looks like my entire argument has been rendered moot by the single grammatical error you found!
Your problem is that you are alone for too long. You probably think many others can handle this sort of thing. No it's impossible because we are social beings holding on to what keeps us sane and alive. Compared to the majority of negative comments here are made by small shallow borderline human beings you are doing better then normal. If you feel to lonely doing code go out hiking discover the wild outdoors. If that doesn't help maybe you like social jobs, a career change maybe in store for you. and for your schizophrenic disorder learn about energies and chakras. My sense is that intelligent people are so strong minded that they cannot let themselves hear the other chakras. This causes an imbalance between your mind and the rest of your body. The mind cannot make sense because the repressed chakras begin to act up or the absence of their energy can create a gap the mind tries to make up for. Either or the mind becomes under stress. People without conscience nor intellect ignore this and conform to other disorders that help them cope like lashing out at others. Yes, we are animals still. Our systems of comfort sometimes rejects what is necessary for us because we are afraid to accept the truth. The man that says you can survive in a chair coding 8hrs alone is a man who kills himself 8hrs alone. so what if you want to work with others I think that's cool if you find the right people Man is not a machine he is an artist.. and if you can't hear him its time to rediscover yourself... I wish the best to you.
The Author of Bipolar Advantage. I've seen him talk 2X and he's one of the few that really is onto something useful.
Tom's bipolar himself and has learned to manage it and continue as an author. He's invented a whole new approach to this stuff. I had to attend 2 of his free lectures, to really "get it". He's not selling a seminar, but truly trying to change the delivery of care.
Basically, the current mental healthcare system to strive for the unrealistic goal that they admit doesn't work! Just medicate people into some kind of "even keel" state and hope they're going to stay that way.
If you can watch a few minutes of this presentation . or read a bit of his books, I never finished one, but got a lot out of a l ittle exposure to this guy. (I've been diagnosed bipolar, btw)
Here's a recent talk by Tom Wooten, a youtube link shortened
http://bit.ly/19p8u6k
here's his website
http://www.bipolaradvantage.com/
I would highly recommend reading Roger Gentis's work, especially maybe "Les murs de l'asile".
It's quite old indeed, but still very interesting.