The Tried and True Tactics

Lukas Allen

               I’ve lived with the diagnosis of schizophrenia for around six years now. Early on during the initial onset of my disease I wrote a tactics list of how to deal with voices. I can say now that some of the ideas I wrote about and tried did not hold up in the long run. I was very confused and scared during the initial onslaught of hallucinations. It was probably the worst point of my life, having all this extra negative stimuli but no reason or purpose behind them. I made lists and tactics for myself to get me out of them, talked with other people about hallucinations too who could understand. I wish to write an updated version of what one can do if they are struggling through schizophrenia like I have and am.

1. Be open. When someone is hearing voices telling them what to do, how to do it, of suggestions of the worst kind, a person doesn’t really want to let anyone know about them. The stigma alone regarding hearing voices is enough for one to shut their trap, lock it, and throw away the key. But this is the most important step to getting help. If you must cry for help, do it loud and often. Someone, anyone, will hear and may be able to help. Trust loved ones openly, let them know your fears as best as you can explain. If you are going through symptoms of schizophrenia like hearing voices, it is paramount that you find some sort of relief as soon as possible. Your loved ones don’t want you to suffer.
2. Ignore stereotypes. Disregard the ill informed masses who believe schizophrenia is only a movie illness or reserved for those who are unimportant. If you are facing harassment from people who believe crazier things about schizophrenia than the craziness schizophrenia is, know this… you don’t have to paint a target on your chest for them. It is liberating to be a self advocate for people who have schizophrenia, but you don’t have to take on the entire world at once. Some people will understand, the others are too close minded to do so. You may remain quiet when they are calling each other schizos and psychos, or you can tell them all off and remain firm in your being. Each choice is acceptable. Know it is best to be able to inform people who can and will help you of your disease rather than the random hatemonger.
3. Treat your body well. Mental wellbeing is whole body well being, you can’t be doing drugs and treating your body badly if you want your brain to get better as well. Even just the minor good treatment of you and your surroundings can do wonders for mental illness of all types. Take a walk, get the blood moving, your body will thank you. Stay away from unprescribed drugs, especially something you don’t know how you might react with. For example, I cannot smoke weed anymore ever since I started hearing voices, as it feels like I am having a thirty minute psychotic relapse when I am. The working theory by my doctors is that I have too much dopamine misfiring and that creates these hallucinations, so the extra dopamine release from marijuana doesn’t work well with my body and mind at all. Try to keep a pure intake for your body.

These three things can be useful for anyone of any mental illness, not only schizophrenia. I will continue with specific tactics that have helped me regain mastery of my mind against hallucinations of all types.

1. Be in the light and sound. Visually hallucinating in the dark? Turn on the lights. Hearing awful voices? Play some upbeat music. You don’t know how much this has helped me when the only other voices I heard were ones that originate in my head. I practically have music playing twenty four seven just because hearing these voices is so unwanted.
2. Be with people you love and trust. A “loved” one is usually someone you can be yourself around, who will also understand if you hear someone who isn’t there calling your name and telling you to kill yourself. A loved one’s real presences alone can do an extraordinarily good deal for someone hallucinating. Even just a cherished pet can tip the scales in your favor! Cuddle that cat, hang out with the family, and the hallucinations won’t feel so much like they’re the only thing in your senses.
3. Have a “mentor.” You most definitely are not the only person with schizophrenia, and in fact there are a lot who are more experienced of the disease than yourself. You can find people all over, especially in dedicated meetings like for example NAMI. I don’t think I would’ve been able to face most of the hallucinations without a friend of my mother’s who also has schizophrenia. She’s been such a godsend, whenever I am paranoid and scared because of my illness.
4. Learn about your disease. It is liberating finding out how your mind works and how to use it for your full advantage. Sadly, there isn’t a lot of good answers for schizophrenia, or even just hallucinations and how they manifest. Even though learning about schizophrenia and hallucinations can seem bleak, it will do you a world of good to learn how to fight with your own knowledge. Learn even things just about yourself, what works and what doesn’t, because everyone is different and so is schizophrenia. Some things that work for others won’t work for you, so it is up to you to figure out what works best.
5. Fight hard, fight true. Use any foothold to your advantage. If you find something that is helpful, say hallucinating Jesus Christ in a positive light, allow it to help. That’s one hallucination that’s specifically helped me, as I had been dissociating and hallucinating with Jesus by my side. Jesus wasn’t unwanted and menacing, on the contrary, he inspired me with strength and will, a friend by my side as I desperately needed one. Things like this are purely up to the person if they want this kind of help. There are stranger helpers than Jesus for hallucinations, trust me, but if you can find any foothold to keep strong, use it as much as you like. Talk about it if it worries you, but know that help can come from many unexpected places.

These are just about the most important tactics one should keep when faced with schizophrenia, hearing voices, or other mental illness. To any who need to hear this, I believe in you, and I hope my list offered some sort of guidance in your fight.