Schizophrenia is not the most understood of mental disorders. Oftentimes it is confused with Split Personality Disorder, when in reality it’s less cinematic and a lot more traumatic. Below is a poem inspired by the condition written by our psychology trainee, Anjili Gogna.

The sounds of voices, the unpredictable noises
Leaving me confused but people tell me there’s no excuse
The deterioration of my health
Has encouraged me to find help

Nobody understands what it is
Questions rise like tides in me too
A never-ending cycle of pain and despair
I wonder, does anyone care?

The thoughts that trouble me, is that man here to kill me,
Or complete apathy, to the world and creation,
This scares me and adds to my frustration,
I turn to highs and drink to forget about my life on the brink

Some call it a mental disorder, some are plain harsher
Everyone seems against me, ridiculing me or worse pitying me
Leaving me very lonely and sad and completely mad
Is this the madness everyone talks about only that?

Recently, I came across some help,
Finally, someone could offer more than just resent,
For once they called me a person with schizophrenia,
Offered me medicine, talked with me rather than show hysteria,
This helped manage my thoughts and the annoying voices just disappeared.

Now the day has arrived that I will make a brave entrance,
Into this world that is new to me, I feel safe, it feels right
The sight is clearer, possibilities are brighter
There’s a sense of relief, gone is the despair
Now behold, at last I am on the repair

Anjili Gogna, Psychology trainee