Mission Statement

I have been motivated to start Skitzo2Skitzo due to the failures I experienced within the public mental health system, in particular, the lack of advocacy provided for me when I was unwell. I felt completely unseen and unheard by the people who where meant to be helping me. I was left suicidal by it. I don't want anyone else to ever have to experience this. I was told by several people within the mental health system that I was lucky compared to others which raised massive alarm bells in me. If my experience is considered “lucky” what on earth is happening to other people?

The main attitude I experienced at the hands of the mental health system was one of -

“your delusions/hallucinations are not real, therefore you are not real right now”

I believe the stigma in the mental health system and in society at large about Schizophrenia is hurting people with Schizophrenia (Schizophrenics/Schizo’s/Skitzo’s etc, depending on personal preference). It has to stop. We deserve so much better than this. 

Everybody dreams at night. It is essential for our health. Everyone who dreams at night talks to people who are not there, hallucinates- visual and auditory etc, experiences delusions of persecution/grandiosity etc, strong emotions, telepathy, violence etc and nobody has any insight into the fact that they are dreaming when they are dreaming (except in the case of lucid dreaming). We are all schizophrenic when we dream. But for some reason, this stuff happens to some of us while we are awake and nobody knows what the illness is in terms of medical aetiology. There are theories but no concrete facts, yet. The DSM-IV is a useful language tool. It is not scientific fact.

It is my long term vision that Skitzo2Skitzo could be a state/national wide peer led organisation that would directly serve people with schizophrenia, providing free care and advocacy for schizophrenics in the public mental health system from people who have been there and know what it is like. (No, I am not manic, just passionate and ambitious about this). But for now, it is a privately run business, servicing the areas of lake Macquarie, Newcastle and Online (via chat services). I will also offer one free counselling session a week for those willing to join the free counselling list.

The approach of Skitzo2Skitzo will be based on the Person Centred Care principles I learnt in Counselling Psychology. Where the emphasis is on active listening, empathy and communication. Respect for the autonomy of the schizophrenic’s ability to know and want what is best for themselves will be my primary guiding principle. I will also be informed by and share my experience of Schizophrenia and what I have learnt along the way about the health care system. While I will share strategies and tools that have worked for me along my journey, ultimately I will be encouraging people to explore what works best for them.

I am not anti-medication.

I am not anti-religion, but have no religion other than faith in myself.

My desire is to create a safe place for schizophrenics.