On Conquering Schizophrenia: From the Desk of a Therapist and Survivor

by Robert Francis

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Author: Robert Francis

Publisher: Iuniverse Inc

Paperback:
ISBN 10: 1532069901
ISBN 13: 978-1532069901

On Conquering Schizophrenia addresses the topic of schizophrenia like never written. Author Robert Francis offers a revelatory and breakthrough paradigm regarding the relegation and defeat of schizophrenia hither yet present in the topical annals. In his conceptualization, Francis offers both a theoretical clarity along with the necessary pragmatics. And along the way, in a seemingly effortless stream of topic and word, Francis also broaches the topics of metaphysics, philosophy, theology, literary form, and humor while all the while crafting a long overdue methodology to conquering schizophrenia. As the reader peruses the pages, Francis's personal touch and affinity for his audience will quickly be experienced and felt. This is not only a book on conquering schizophrenia but also on the greater life experience, including overcoming all typical generalized afflictions. This truly is a book with no precedent!

Review

"Thank you so much for your wonderful ebook. I have read it from (virtual) cover to cover over the past few days. The language! The way you write is just incredible. So creative, so evocative, and yet eerily precise. And what a wholesome mix is your book of personal experience, humor, clinical insight, philosophical clarity, and existential doubt. On top of that, it is also very practical and grounded, starting from the distinction you make between psychotic experiences and the behaviour they evoke, to coping strategies, and all the way down to the sweat on the brow of scientists who develop antipsychotic medications. I find it hard to single out one particular aspect that I enjoyed the most, but I think I am primarily in awe of your highly personal existential philosophy. Having some experience with people who suffered from psychosis, and having thus gained an impression of how hard it is for most of them to rise above their erratic convictions (not to mention the 'sane' and their inability to rise above theirs) I am deeply impressed by the way you manage to juggle several alternative world views, and meanwhile keep perfect track of that which our society considers normal and acceptable and true. As to God, and all the theological and metaphysical issues you so delicately touch upon, I admire how you succeed in sharing with your readership the sheer impact of your humorous yet holy encounters, if I may call them so, without expressing the need to generalize or patronize or preach. Going by the way you describe those encounters, I would find it hard to believe that anyone with similar experiences would dismiss them as 'merely psychotic' in nature. And yet they are so far beyond all that we can comprehend, that it is indeed only rational to set them apart as 'personal experiences', the way you do, and to not even attempt to convince others of whatever you may think they actually were. Your wisdom came with a hefty price, or so I have learned, but wisdom it most certainly is." -Jan Dirk Blom, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Clinical Psychopathology at Leiden University and Head of the Outpatient Clinic for Uncommon Psychiatric Syndromes, Parnassia Psychiatric Institute, The Hague, the Netherlands

"I've finished your book and I don't think I've read a book (ever!) where it is clear that the author was having so much enlightenment and fun....I'd say this is a must read for anyone entering a mental health profession. I imagine that having schizophrenia has made you a much better supporter of your clients. If only our system would promote hope, as such an important ingredient in your life. I hear too many stories of clinical hope-dashing (actually soul-crushing)! I also like the emphasis on personal insight as a key ingredient to successful coping. Also, you've given me much to think about with respect to defining personal vs shared realities in the context of hallucinations, etc. Finally, I liked the idea that you could point to positives that have come out of your experiences with schizophrenia. I've often asked people this question and I have always been told that there are important insights that have come from their experiences. One young man told me he wouldn't give up the illness because the extra insights and connections he was able to make were too important to him...here, here for the strengths-based model! I'll make one or two of the chapters (the ones describing your experiences with schizophrenia) mandatory reading for students in my class." -Heather Stuart, PhD, FRSC, C.M. Professor and Bell Canada Mental Health and Anti-stigma Research Chair, Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

"I just finished OCS. What a wonderful read! My initial reaction is that several things come to mind. First, I thought of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations. I really felt that you communicated such incredible wisdom and insight based on your experiences that this work really does have the capacity to help others apply these things to their own lives. I also drew parallels between your experiences and those of the late mathematician John Nash, who as you may know also overcame his psychosis through social support and learning what worked and what didn't. Third, I am reminded of the research of Escher and Romme who studied how people successfully cope with psychosis and maintain their functioning over time by persisting and integrating psychotic experiences into their lives in a more workable fashion (while finding support). But what was most surprising to me in reading your book was that initially, I was expecting either more of a personal memoir or a clinically-oriented self-help book, but it was neither of these things exactly and actually much more. Your book is an insightful and entertaining work that shares your personal philosophy and how you got to where you are today, filled with hope and inspiration, but without being preachy or inflexibly prescriptive. The richness contained in your writing style also makes the book a thoroughly enjoyable read! I will be sure to share it with my patients and colleagues who are looking for genuineness and hope in the all too clinical and cold world that we associate with the term "schizophrenia." Thanks so much for contacting me and for putting this work out there to help others." -Brandon Gaudiano, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Dept of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

On Conquering Schizophrenia, by Robert Francis, "is a literary journey and intellectual navigation through the lived experiences related to schizophrenia, and through the boundaries of key philosophical constructs such as existence, reality, thought, freedom of will, and their theoretic and pragmatic implications for the personal knowledge and control of schizophrenia. The book is highly recommended to patients, clinicians, and other mental health professionals involved in the care of schizophrenia. It is considered a crucial introduction to the practice of psychoeducation and recovery oriented shared decision making. Researchers focusing on schizophrenia may use this book as an introduction to patient reported outcomes (PRO) focusing on experienced symptoms of schizophrenia. The serious humor of the author ("Welcome to reality, a personified sufferance will exclaim, is this real enough for you?" p.112) may gently invite to finally acknowledge the "personal reality" of the intrusive, disturbing experienced symptoms of schizophrenia, and to verify the potential responsivity to treatment of the disturbing experienced symptoms. Those responsible for the organization and financing of psychoeducation services are expected to take a great advantage of this book. Sensitive strategies able to incorporate and elaborate multi-perspective information in psychoeducation may break the not necessarily obligatory vicious circle of personal thought experiences of schizophrenia, inappropriate "behaviors and conversations," hospitalizations, loss of employment, personal estrangements, and may maximize the linearity and the benefits of the recovery process." -Massimo Moscarelli, MD, International Center of Mental Health Policy and Economics, Milan

"I actually read OCS twice. I was riveted by the first 80% of the book, but the last few chapters initially threw me for a bit of a loop. Of course, the second time I read the book I already knew the ending so I could anticipate what was to come. Your emphasis on the importance of suffering and its link to hope, your masterful description of the way God spoke to you and its effect on you, and your acceptance of His grace and omniscience were very powerful and unique in my readings on this subject. I truly appreciate your sharing your book with me. I certainly will be sharing it with others." -Alex Kopelowicz, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Chief of Psychiatry, Olive View Medical Center, UCLA Health

"This thoughtful, courageous, personal and highly engaging book takes a compelling approach to sharing the first-person life experience of author Robert Francis, who is both a clinical social worker and a schizophrenia survivor. We, as humans, all share dark times in our lives and may turn for comfort and guidance to divine, spiritual or philosophical supports and Mr. Francis spends the first few chapters exploring this which provides a firm scaffolding for the chapters describing his journey living with mental illness. Throughout the book, the author uses clever strategies to help the reader understand certain key terms and concepts by bolding them and providing a glossary. This makes the book particularly suitable for students in the helping professions. In my teaching in social work, I always assign personal accounts, i.e. individuals' recounting of their experiences living with mental illness, finding hope and achieving recovery which the students find inspiring, and this book will be an outstanding addition to my courses." -Christina E. Newhill, Ph.D, LCSW, Professor, School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh

OCS is "quite a distinctive work. You gave a great deal of yourself to this book, for which I admire and applaud you. I've never met anyone with schizophrenia who has the depth of philosophical and theological thought that you have. Thanks so much for sharing your book with me. I will certainly recommend it to my psychiatry students and trainees." -Erica Duncan, Professor, Dept of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine

On Conquering Schizophrenia is "an impressive mix of learnedness, insight, and personal journey. I was privileged to review it." -Patrick Corrigan, Psy.D., Professor of Psychology, Illinois Institute of Technology

"I read the book and benefited from it. For the couple of days afterward I had an odd sensation of living in my world but with part of one foot in your world. It gave me a sense of you and what your life has been like with schizophrenia without it being preachy." -Steven C. Hayes, Foundation Professor, Behavior Analysis Program, Dept of Psychology, University of Nevada

"I found your book to be powerful and brave. Congratulations on a job well done!" -Michael Rowe, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry, Co-Director, Program for Recovery and Community Health, Yale Dept of Psychiatry

"It has been a pleasure to read your fascinating book, On Conquering Schizophrenia--with its exploration and analysis of psychotic forms of experience and its forays into theological speculation. The vivid descriptions of symptoms will be much appreciated by therapists and other mental-health professionals, as well as by readers who have experienced psychosis themselves." -Louis Sass, PhD, author of Madness and Modernism (revised edition: Oxford University Press 2017)

"It's an amazing read! I have been discussing paragraphs with my residents already. We are not getting enough of a patient's perspective in our training, so this is progress." -Adrian Preda, M.D., Psychiatrist, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, UC Irvine

"I have just finished your book, OCS. I have a profound admiration for the fact that you wrote it as it must have meant revisiting some very painful times. It reads a little like a 19th century man who is musing for his literary circle. Your intellectual gifts, your rich vocabulary, your experiences and your determination to persevere combine to make a powerful statement. Having finished it I think individuals pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology, true academicians who are drawn to a philosophical approach to life, some who suffer with schizophrenia but who have a serious intellectual life would be helped by it. I congratulate you on this remarkable endeavor and hope that it reaches many people." -Nancy Kehoe RSCJ, PhD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology, Dept of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Author: Wrestling with Our Inner Angels: Faith, Mental Illness and the Journey to Wholeness

"This is a terrific book. If anyone wishes to understand what it is truly like to have schizophrenia, I have read no other book that captures it quite as articulately as this one. The author has figured out how to manage his schizophrenia through insight and a strong religious faith. Truly remarkable. I am a practicing psychiatrist at Duke University and after reading this book, I have some sense of what my patients now go through. I recommend this book for family members of those with schizophrenia, persons with schizophrenia, and healthcare professionals who treat those with this challenging disorder." -Harold G. Koenig, M.D. Director, Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health, Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Associate Professor of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center

Robert Francis's highly personal and deeply philosophical book On Conquering Schizophrenia takes the reader on a meaningful journey toward compassionate understanding of both the horrors of intrusive persecutory ideation and the triumphs of acquired insight. Francis candidly describes the phenomenon of being assailed by thoughts and beliefs that are not shared by consensus in everyday life, and the monumental efforts that are required not only to remain hopeful and well-functioning by society's standards, but also to help and give hope to others, as Francis has done as a therapist. Francis's writing is rich, intelligent, genuinely friendly toward the reader, and an honest reflection of his unique perceptions. The reader need not necessarily share the author's religious leaps of faith to understand that his is a benevolent call to belief in a Higher Power, and that his respect for others and their views is part of what makes him so caring and strong. Importantly, Francis recognizes the vital role of proper pharmacologic treatment, emphasizing that the combination of medication, talk therapy, the practicing of coping skills as a way of life, and belief in something greater is what has enabled him to grow and thrive." -Cory Newman, Ph.D., Director, Center for Cognitive Therapy; Professor of Psychology, in Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine

"Robert Francis' On Conquering Schizophrenia is a profound description of not only an accomplished therapist's personal experience with his own clinical trials and tribulations (and successes), but also an incredible and in depth description of what a schizophrenic mind must endure. Francis' description of the symptoms he has undergone eloquently lays out what textbooks have never been able to define. And it is true that those who have suffered, like the author, are most capable of explaining their anguish. The author spoke of how the knowledge of philosophy helps to formulate one's own philosophy of life as we all ask ourselves what is real and what is not and how suffering 'places reality at your footstep.' This is a very hopeful book, and Francis emphasized the importance of family, faith and insight to our patients, particularly as the disorder emerges early on, and illustrates how 'psychoeducation' is, as we always try to stress, as important as psychopharmacology. With such important resources, Francis explains how he was and is able to take control of his life, even when intermittently symptomatic, and how others who suffer can acquire control. I learned from this book and will recommend it to my colleagues, residents and students (and some patients)." -Robin Tassinari, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Internal Medicine, Albany Medical College

"The last few years has seen the publication of several books written by a number of experts in psychiatry and mental health fields for the psycho-educational benefits of persons suffering from schizophrenia; a devastating and debilitating major psychiatric disorder. Though the majority of such books has provided helpful and detailed information focused on the illness, they mostly lacked first hand accounts about personal experiences by the "person" behind the illness. In such context, the book "On Conquering Schizophrenia" by Robert Francis stands out as a unique and valuable contribution by an author who has already been there as sufferer of schizophrenia battling its ravages but also as a recovered keen observer and a highly qualified therapist. The book is in reality a "double bill" not only documenting how the author persistently engineered his own recovery, but it also includes a broad range of the author's thoughtful reflections on related important issues drawn from his own experiences, knowledge and interest in Philosophy, Theology, Psychology, Ethics and Culture. All together the book is a testimony of a good story of recovery although from time to time brief and temporary setbacks can happen but in spite of them life goes on forward. The book "On Conquering Schizophrenia" has my strong recommendations. For patients and their families as it conveys a clear message: you are not alone, you too can recover. For therapists and clinicians: never stop seriously listening to all what our patients are trying to tell us." -A. George Awad, Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry & Institute of Medical Science, Toronto University, Toronto, Canada

About the Author

Robert Francis was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1995. He earned a bachelor's degree in 1993 and a master's degree in social work in 2006. Francis has been practicing as a talk-therapist for more than a decade. He is currently a licensed clinical social worker. Visit him online at www.mentalhealthandmore.com.

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On Conquering Schizophrenia: From the Desk of a Therapist and Survivor