Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined (BC Schizophrenia Society)

In this episode, we delve into the mental illness journey of former NHL goalie, Corey Hirsch. Renowned for his stellar career with the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks, Corey's life story extends beyond the ice, unveiling a silent battle with mental illness. From the pinnacle of professional hockey to the darkest corners of despair, Corey shares the struggles he faced, including contemplations of suicide at the age of 21. In a candid conversation, Corey discusses his experiences with intrusive thoughts, mental illness stigma, and seeking support while navigating his career as a high-profile athlete. Join us as we cover the highs and lows of Corey's life, shedding light on the often unseen battles faced by athletes beyond the spotlight.

Resources:
Suicide Crisis Hotline
CoreyHirsch.com

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It's not easy to live with a serious mental illness, like schizophrenia, and the future sometimes seems daunting and hopeless. But many people living with serious mental illnesses, like schizophrenia, are able to lead full and rewarding lives. It may not be what one imagined, but then life never is. In this episode, host Faydra Aldridge speaks with Erin Emiru, a scientist and young mother who has Schizophrenia, about what’s it like to live with this disorder that may be “incurable” -- but definitely treatable. There are many journeys through mental illness, and there is so much cause for hope. Today on Look Again -- hope is what it’s all about. 

• Erin Hawkes Emiru Bio
• When Quietness Came, a Neuroscientist's Personal Journey with Schizophrenia
• When Neurons Tell Stories A Layman's Guide to the Neuroscience of Mental Illness and Health
• Courage to Come Back Awards - List of 2019 Award Recipients

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Misdiagnosing epilepsy as schizophrenia can lead to devastating consequences, with patients receiving ineffective treatments for years. In this episode, Dr. Gibson Anugwom, resident psychiatrist from the Baylor College of Medicine, discusses the dangers of over-reliance on symptom-based diagnoses without thorough evaluations. We explore the need for better diagnostic tools, awareness in medical education, and collaboration between neurologists and psychiatrists. By understanding how epilepsy can present as psychosis, healthcare professionals can prevent misdiagnoses and provide more effective care. Listen in to learn how curiousity and a deeper understanding of symptoms can help avoid the life-altering consequences of a wrong diagnosis.

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In the season 4 premiere of Look Again, our hosts delve into the relationship between mental health, mental illness, and social media with Kody Green, also known online as @SchizophrenicHippie. Kody shares his personal journey of being diagnosed with schizophrenia and the unanticipated role of becoming a 'Mental Illness Social Media Influencer' when he went viral on TikTok. The conversation touches on coping mechanisms, medications, and the power of humour. Join us for an insightful discussion about the link between digital platforms and mental illness. 

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In Season 5 of Look Again: Mental Illness Re-examined, host Faydra Aldridge is back to challenge what many of us think about serious mental illness. This season, she's discussing the potential links between diet, gut health, and mental illness, misdiagnoses and some new treatments being explored.

She’ll explore stories of living with mental illness—from navigating relationships to managing student life while experiencing psychosis. With a mix of expert insights and personal experiences, each episode will push you to "look again" at what lies beneath the surface of conditions like schizophrenia.

Get ready for thought-provoking conversations that explore new angles, challenge assumptions, and uncover answers in unexpected places. Whether you’re just starting to learn or are well on your way, this season offers fresh perspectives for everyone.

Follow Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined to stay up to date on our episodes and join us on this journey!

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Since we kicked off our second season talking to someone who embraced her diagnosis of schizophrenia — we thought it would only be fitting to end this season with another guest who also doing her own heavy lifting when it comes to educating, creating awareness, and breaking myths about schizophrenia. In this episode, Faydra will be introducing you to Lauren Kennedy. She's a mental health advocate, social worker, wife, a step-mother to two children, and mom to a new baby. But Lauren also lives with schizoaffective disorder.

Through her YouTube channel, Living Well with Schizophrenia, Lauren engages with viewers and followers alike as a means to increase knowledge and compassion around schizophrenia. And through it all, she shows there is no shame in having a severe and persistent mental illness., embracing her journey of self-acceptance – flaws and all.

Resources for show notes:

• Living Well with Schizophrenia (website)
• Living Well with Schizophrenia (YouTube Channel)
• Living Well with Schizophrenia (Instagram)

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In this episode of Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined, host Faydra Aldridge speaks with Dr. André McDonald, an epidemiologist and lead author of a groundbreaking study on cannabis use and psychotic disorders. They explore the alarming connection between cannabis use in teens and the risk of developing psychosis, particularly as THC potency has dramatically increased. Dr. McDonald breaks down key findings, including the heightened risk for teens, why early cannabis use is especially dangerous, and how public health messaging needs to evolve in the era of legalization.“Be sure to listen to this important discussion on cannabis and strong links to mental illness, especially with teenagers. 

In addition to our primary funder BC Partners, this episode is brought to you by Castanet, the Okanagan’s trusted source for news, events, and community updates. Thank you to Castanet for supporting our show and helping us share these stories with you.

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Being a caregiver to a person grappling with a serious mental illness like schizophrenia isn't easy. Schizophrenia is a complex and often misunderstood illness that affects those living with the illness as well as those who love and care for them. A caregiver's responsibility goes beyond mere physical care. Caregiving can take on many forms. On this episode of Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined, Paula Bomer shares her story about the complex realities some families face when a loved one has a serious mental illness. Paula's journey with her father's schizophrenia sheds light on the challenges, stigma, and the profound impact that serious mental illness can have on the whole family. 

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In this deeply personal episode of Look Again: Mental Illness Re-examined, author of Mad Sisters, Susan Grundy, shares the powerful story of her sister's battle with schizophrenia. As Susan recounts her experience growing up alongside her sister, she reflects on the complex dynamics of caregiving, sibling relationships, and the profound impact of mental illness on families. With raw honesty, Susan explores the challenges of navigating her sister's diagnosis, the misunderstandings that arise, and the delicate balance of love, fear, and hope. Through this moving conversation, Susan offers a rare and important perspective on schizophrenia and the often-overlooked struggles of family members.

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Get ready for Season 4 of Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined. This season, we're diving deep into the 'big questions' that families can face during different stages of the mental illness journey. From recognizing initial symptoms to the pursuit of a diagnosis, navigating the complexities of symptoms to the search for effective treatment, and addressing the daunting task of dealing with serious mental illness. 

Host Faydra Aldridge, CEO of the BC Schizophrenia Society (BCSS) along with co-host Melissa McKenna, Marketing and Communications Manager at BCSS, bring you personal stories of individuals living ‘close’ to schizophrenia or other serious mental illnesses—providing a unique and personal perspective. That's not all – we talk to experienced researchers and medical professionals across the globe who will shed light on the latest developments in the field. 

As we unravel these narratives, we'll start to see how they're intertwined with broader questions about the social impact of mental illness and the role it plays in all our lives. The journey begins in the New Year on January 3rd. We invite you to join us. Stay tuned and hit subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

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Most people have seen movies or TV shows that have used schizophrenia as part of their story. But how often do we stop to think about what those representations actually mean or look like? Do they portray the experience of people living with schizophrenia accurately? As studies have shown, schizophrenia is one of the conditions that the general public views most negatively and generates a lot of stigma. Societal stigma is one aspect, but for those living with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia, there's an additional challenge of managing their own internalized stigma when it comes to being diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, there are people living with schizophrenia who are trying to change that. One of those people is Adria Roberts, who works as a mental health peer support worker. It's a job she says gave her hope and helped her regain her life after her diagnosis. In this episode, she shares how she came to terms with her diagnosis.

Resources:

• Lost in Reality: Hearing Voices - Adria Roberts' TEDxChilliwack Talk
• Read: Into the Eye of the Storm - The Chilliwack Times (pp: 1, 23)
• Follow Adria on Twitter: @adria_the
• Watch Adria on CBC's 'You Can’t Ask That' – S2E4: Schizophrenia

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It’s not easy to talk about the effect schizophrenia can have on one’s family members, especially a sibling. It can have a significant emotional, psychological, and physical impact on loved ones, as they balance their love for their family member and the sharme around this disease. In this episode, we have a very honest, frank, and vulnerable conversation with Yusuf Faqiri about his brother Soleiman who lived with schizophrenia until 2016, when he died in an Ontario jail. Yusuf shares his own journey coming to terms with his brother's schizophrenia, the important role his mother played in their family, and how leading with compassion can show us that people are more than their illness.

Resources:
Family Support Groups- BC Schizophrenia Society
Sibling Support Group - BC Schizophrenia Society
Yusuf Faqiri - Twitter
Yusuf Faqiri Op-ed - The Globe and Mail
Family Toolkit - HeretoHelp
The Story of a Family Forever Changed
A Brother's View - Rethink Mental Illness

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In this episode of Look Again: Mental Illness Re-examined, host Faydra Aldridge dives into the complex world of treatment-resistant schizophrenia—a condition where standard antipsychotic medications fail to alleviate symptoms like delusions and hallucinations. Joined by psychiatrist Dr. Diane McIntosh, they discuss why over 30% of those diagnosed with schizophrenia don't respond to typical treatments and explore alternative options available. From long-acting injectables to combinations of medications to ECT, Dr. McIntosh offers insights into promising strategies for people living with treatment resistant schizophrenia and the importance of comprehensive care, including social support. Learn more about current research, the challenges, and the hope for better treatment options for those living with this difficult condition.

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Television and film like to portray people with schizophrenia as young, white men. And yet, in real life, schizophrenia is not as seen on TV — especially for women. Scientists are now seeing how illnesses like schizophrenia can impact men and women differently, which means more research needs to be done around women and serious mental illnesses. Does this affect women getting an accurate diagnosis or accessing care? And what additional stigma or discrimination might a woman experience?

We will cover all of these questions and more with this episode's guest, Dr. Araba Chintoh, associate professor in the University of Toronto's psychiatry department and a Clinician Scientist at the Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute in the Schizophrenia Division at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). She's a researcher and clinician committed to exploring the knowledge gaps around treatment resistant schizophrenia, and assessing the differences in the diagnosis, prognosis, adherence, and treatment of psychosis and serious mental illness for women.

Resources:
Dr. Araba Chintoh's bio
Why is schizophrenia different in women - Discover Magazine
Women and psychosis - CAMH

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On this episode of Look Again we’re asking: what’s at the root of the hesitation around using medication to treat mental illness? How do the medications actually work on the brain? And what other treatments work in combination with medications? Host Faydra Aldridge speaks with Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia.

Additional Resources: 

• Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Therapies (NINET) Laboratory (UBC Department of Psychiatry)
• Safety, tolerability, and risks associated with first- and second-generation antipsychotics: a state-of-the-art clinical review
• Electroconvulsive Therapy: A History of Controversy, but Also of Help
• What is Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)? [Centre for Addiction and Mental Health] 
• Medications and Complementary Treatments [BC Schizophrenia Society]

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Schizophrenia. It's neither new nor rare and in fact it's existed for centuries — and it's the one mental illness that seems to be synonymous with madness. And despite being around for a long time, virtually everything we know about schizophrenia has been learned in the past 200 years — and mostly in the later parts of the 20th and 21st centuries.

With the help of Dr. Adrian Preda, this episode takes us on a brief historical journey of schizophrenia – from then to now – and the stigma that exists around it. Dr. Preda is a psychiatrist and professor at the University of California, Irvine Medical Centre, School of Medicine whose clinical work and research focuses on schizophrenia and other psychotic and cognitive disorders. In December 2020 Dr. Preda wrote an article about the concepts of schizophrenia highlighting the historical debate on one particular theory around “lumpers” and “splitters”.

Resources for show notes:

• Adrian Preda -- Biography
• The Schizophrenia Concept Timeline Highlights
• Benedict Morel and Dementia Praecox
• Krapelin Revisted: Schizophrenia from Degeneration to Failed Regeneration
• Eugen Bleuler and the Schizophrenias: 100 Years After
• The Protest Psychosis: How Schizophrenia Became a Black Disease by Jonathan Metzl
• The Troubled History of Schizophrenia: How Race Shaped An Illness (NAMI Presentation)

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"Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined” is a groundbreaking new podcast brought to you by the BC Schizophrenia Society and supporting partners. The podcast brings forward the humanity of mental illness while dispelling the myths by sharing the voices of medical experts, family members, and people with lived experience with mental illness.

Host Faydra Aldridge, CEO of BCSS, speaks with medical experts, families, and people with lived experience of mental illness to dispel myths and get to the truth. Be prepared for frank conversations, up-to-date medical information, immersive sound design, and stories of hope and resilience. This podcast is for anyone whose life has been touched by mental illness. In other words, it’s for everyone.

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In this emotional episode, host Faydra Aldridge speaks with Stephen and his parents about Stephen’s experience with childhood-onset schizophrenia. Diagnosed at age 12, Stephen recounts the onset of symptoms, from debilitating headaches to delusions and memory lapses, and his eventual hospitalization. His parents share their perspectives on watching their son fall into psychosis, the difficulties in finding a diagnosis, and the emotional toll on their family. The episode explores the challenges of navigating a severe mental illness at a young age, the impact on family dynamics, and the importance of early intervention and support in mental health care.

Resources:
Stephen's YouTube Channel: Surviving Schizophrenia

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Researchers have estimated that about 80 percent of the risk for developing Schizophrenia is hereditary and yet that doesn't mean people with that genetic component in their family history will actually develop the disorder. Sometimes Schizophrenia risk increases through a random mutation that is not passed from parent to child. In this episode, we'll be looking at the role genetics plays in the development and onset of Schizophrenia. Is it all about your genes? Or are there other potential risks that can trigger it? To help answer some of these questions we'll be talking to two people — Dr. Robert Stowe, a behavioural neurologist in the UBC Neuropsychiatry Program and a member of the Genetic Testing Task Force of the International Society for Psychiatry Genetics; and Courtney Cook, who works as a genetics counsellor on UBC's MAGERS project.

Resources for show notes:

Dr. Robert Stowe:

https://www.centreforbrainhealth.ca/stowe-robert

https://www.bcchr.ca/bstowe

https://psychiatry.ubc.ca/person/robert-stowe/

https://www.vchri.ca/researchers/robert-stowe

Metabolic and Genetic Explorations in Refractory Schizophrenia (MAGERS) Project (2021)

https://med-fom-psychiatry.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2021/05/Stowe-Metabolic-and-Genetic-Explorations-in-Refractory-Schizophrenia-Project.pdf

Genetic Counselling at Adapt Clinic

http://www.bcmhsus.ca/our-services/genetic-counselling-(the-adapt-clinic)

GenCOUNSEL: Genetic Counsellors and Geneticists

https://www.bcchr.ca/GenCOUNSEL/our-team/genetic-counsellors-and-geneticists

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Brought to you by the BC Schizophrenia Society and supporting BC Partner organizations, "Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined” returns for a second season this fall beginning October 27. This time the podcast goes deeper with the subjects we tackle, the guests we talk to and the research we dive into — we're pushing you to really look at what it's like to live with mental illness.

Host Faydra Aldridge, CEO of BCSS, will speak with medical experts, family members, and people with lived experiences of mental illness. Not only will there be focus on the personal, but the clinical and the cutting-edge research. It's real conversations with real people — breaking down stereotypes on how mental illness is viewed, researched, and treated.

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Mental illness touches everyone's lives, whether we want to admit it or not. And yet, mental illnesses like schizophrenia are rarely discussed publicly. That lack of conversation is what our guest is hoping to change. Meet Michelle Hammer, a mental health advocate, entrepreneur and graphic designer. She challenges the idea that schizophrenia should be hidden and hush-hush with bold eye-catching designs. Michelle shares her personal journey around mental illness, what it looks like to let everyone know you have schizophrenia and how she started her Schizophrenic.NYC to start conversations about mental illnesses. No topic is off-limits for this native New Yorker.

Schizophrenic.NYC: https://www.schizophrenic.nyc

Instagram: @schizophrenic.nyc

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR5_ez7c5rhC6mIpcs6tAWg

Twitter: @SchizophrenicNY

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MORE on the important distinction between identity-first vs. person-first language

Language Matters: Mental Health Commission of Canada (2020)

https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/wp-content/uploads/drupal/2020-08/language_matters_cheat_sheet_eng.pdf

Saying ‘person with schizophrenia,’ not ‘schizophrenic,’ can affect clinician beliefs, study finds

https://www.statnews.com/2021/09/22/person-first-language-schizophrenia-study/

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Psychotic disorders are amongst the most severe and disabling of all mental disorders. In this episode, discover the ground-breaking world of Virtual Reality (VR) therapy for psychosis. Join Dr. Mar Rus-Calafell, a clinical psychologist and professor in Germany, as she explains how VR complements traditional therapies. Participants can explore immersive scenarios to learn skills to cope with auditory hallucinations, social difficulties, or cognitive challenges. Uncover the evolution of VR technology, its impact, and the hope it brings for mainstream healthcare integration. Dive into this episode to learn more about the potential VR has to help and empower those with psychosis.

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In this episode, host Faydra Aldridge illuminates the reality of what it's like to experience auditory hallucinations, or “hear voices,” by speaking to people who have lived it. Faydra is joined by Dr. Randall White, the Medical Director of Community Mental Health in Vancouver and the clinical director of the BC Psychosis Program at UBC Hospital, to talk about what is psychosis, what it means, and what to do in a situation when someone is experiencing psychosis.

Resources:

• Early Psychosis Intervention Program
• BC Psychosis Program
• Psychosis – Heretohelp
• Psychosis – BC Schizophrenia Society
• Schizophrenia: Helping Someone Who is Hallucinating – HealthLink BC
• Hallucinations in Schizophrenia
• Auditory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia
• Auditory Hallucination Simulation

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Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at some of the symptoms of schizophrenia. In particular, the cognitive losses that can be associated with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Anosognosia is a medical term meaning 'to not know a disease.' This occurs for people with brain injuries as well as mental illness, and means someone is literally unaware of their own mental health condition or they can't see it accurately. This lack of insight is not a rejection of a diagnosis or denial because they don’t want to face the facts, but an honest inability to consciously to see and understand that their behaviours and experiences are indicators of something wrong.

While it's a common symptom, it's also one of the more difficult aspects to understand for those who have never experienced it. What causes anosognosia? How do people put their hands up and ask for help if they can't see it? What are the cognitive losses associated with schizophrenia and what can people do about them? These are some of the questions we'll be tackling on this episode with Dr. Mahesh Menon, a clinical psychologist with Vancouver Coastal Health, and based at the BC Psychosis Program and the Mood Disorders Program at UBC Hospital.

Additional Resources

• Mahesh Menon Bio (https://psychiatry.ubc.ca/person/mahesh-menon/)
• Anosognosia (https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Common-with-Mental-Illness/Anosognosia)
• Eliminating Barriers to the Treatment of Mental Illness (https://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/key-issues/anosognosia)
• Lack of Insight Into One's Mental Illness or Anosognosia (https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/recovery-road/202108/lack-insight-ones-mental-illness-or-anosognosia)
• Cognitive Remediation Programs in BC (https://www.bcss.org/bringing-cognitive-remediation-to-british-columbia/)
• “I’m Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help” – book by Dr. Xavier Amador (https://www.amazon.ca/Not-Sick-Dont-Need-Help-dp-0985206705/dp/0985206705)
• “I’m Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help” – TedTalk by Dr. Xavier Amador (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXxytf6kfPM)
• Cognitive Losses in Schizophrenia (https://livingwithschizophreniauk.org/cognitive-symptoms-schizophrenia/)

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In this episode, we address the troubling reality of suicide rates among individuals grappling with schizophrenia. Studies reveal a staggering statistic, up to 15% of those with schizophrenia tragically take their own lives. This alarming figure, particularly affecting young people in the early stages of their illness, underscores the urgency of our conversation.

Join us as we delve into this topic with Dr. William Honer, Jack Bell Chair in Schizophrenia Research, and a professor at the University of British Columbia's Department of Psychiatry. Together, we'll explore the complex factors contributing to this, aiming to foster understanding, address stigma, and advocate for comprehensive support systems.

Resources:
Suicide Crisis Hotline

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SPECIAL FEATURE. This week, Look Again is excited to present this candid conversation from PSYCHEDUP, a new show that focuses on one mental illness each episode. In the premiere episode, host Dr. Diane McIntosh sits down with Olympic legend Silken Laumann, who captured the hearts of Canadians with her incredible resilience, rowing to a bronze medal in single sculls despite a devastating injury. But after the cheers faded, she realized she was facing a new challenge: depression.

Hear about Silken's journey through the symptoms, causes, and path to understanding her mental illness. Dr. McIntosh is later joined by her colleague and friend, Dr. Randy Mackoff, for an honest and insightful conversation about effective treatments for depression.

It doesn't matter who you are, what you've done, whether or not you're an Olympic superstar, depression can affect anyone. Listen to this episode of PSYCHEDUP to get educated and inspired.

Resources
PSYCHEDUP Podcast
Silken Laumann's Podcast: Inflection Time

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Right now, there's an idea that cannabis is a harmless drug and some people say they use it to help their mental health. But for those predisposed to serious mental illnesses such as Schizophrenia, science tells us it’s not that cut and dry. Host Faydra Aldridge of BCSS, along with her guest Dr. Nick Mathew, a practising addiction and forensic psychiatrist, look at how society grapples with cannabis use in a time of greater legalization; and how cannabis can be both helpful and dangerous to people with mental illness. 

Resources: 
Cannabis use in first episode psychosis: what we have tried and why it hasn’t worked (BMC Medicine) 

Cannabis, Schizophrenia, and Psychosis (BC Schizophrenia Society) 

Cannabinoids for the treatment of mental disorders and symptoms of mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis (The Lancet)

A Review of Human Studies Assessing Cannabidiol's (CBD) Therapeutic Actions and Potential (The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology)

Impact of adolescent marijuana use on intelligence: Results from two longitudinal twin studies (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

Rates and Predictors of Conversion to Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder Following Substance-Induced Psychosis (American Journal of Psychiatry)

Daily Use, Especially of High-Potency Cannabis Drives Earlier Onset of Psychosis (Schizophrenia Bulletin)

Cannabis and Psychosis: A Critical Overview of the Relationship (Current Psychiatry Reports)

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In this special episode, learn about the alarming statistics revealing Schizophrenia as the second-highest risk factor in COVID-19 mortality rates, and discover what it’s like to live through a pandemic with a mental illness. In part one, host Faydra Aldridge is joined by a woman who witnessed how the stress and uncertainty of living in the time of COVID have exacerbated her brother's mental illness. And in part two, we interview Dr. Katlyn Nemani, NYU Langone neuropsychiatrist and lead author of the study that identified concrete connections between COVID-19 and people with schizophrenia in New York City.

Additional Resources:

• Psychiatric Disorders Associated with Increased Mortality From COVID-19
• Mental Illness and COVID-19 Susceptibility in South Korea
• COVID-19 Prevalence and Mortality Among Schizophrenia Patients in Israel
• Premature Mortality Among Adults with Schizophrenia in the US
• Risk Factors for Pneumonia in Patients with Schizophrenia
• COVID-19 Mental Health Supports (Heretohelp)
• COVID-19 & Supporting Someone Living with Schizophrenia (BCSS)
• BCSS' Letter to Dr. Bonnie Henry re: COVID-19 Vaccine

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Serious question: Why is it that when people show signs of serious mental illness or psychosis -- calling the police for help is often viewed as a "last resort" by families and loved ones? Historically, when law enforcement and mental illness intersect, the results have been patchy. But Sgt. Cara Thomson of Surrey RCMP's Police Mental Health Outreach team wants to change that. Her unit handles police-related mental health and addiction calls for service and staffs the Car 67 program, where a registered Psychiatric Nurse rides with a police officer, attending mental health calls.  Sgt. Thomson joins host Faydra Aldridge for a candid conversation about mental health, violence, and law enforcement. 

Additional Resources

• Combining Police with Nurses for Mental Health Calls Isn't BC's First Came in 1978 
• Breaking the Cycle of Crisis: The role of police in crisis intervention (Visions Journal, 2017, Vol 12(4))
• Building Connections with Police Mental Health Resources

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This is a re-release of the season four premiere of Look Again, “Beyond the Selfies: Social media's influence on mental illness stigma.” Kody Green is a motivational speaker, content creator, and author who was diagnosed with Undifferentiated Schizophrenia at 28 years old.

In this episode, Kody talks with Faydra about becoming a 'Mental Illness Social Media Influencer.’ The conversation touches on coping mechanisms, medications, and the power of humour. Revisit this insightful discussion about the link between digital platforms and mental illness.

Kody Green’s book Mind Over Meetings can be ordered through his website. You can also follow him @SchizophrenicHippie on Instagram and TikTok.

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In this episode of Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined, host Faydra Aldridge dives into the fascinating connection between gut health and serious mental illness. Joined by Dr. Amedeo Minichino, a clinical academic psychiatrist at the University of Oxford, they explore how the trillions of bacteria in our gut, known as the microbiome, could influence brain function and play a key role in conditions like schizophrenia. Dr. Minichino discusses emerging research on how gut health might inform personalized treatments, the potential for early intervention in psychosis, and how diet could be a powerful factor in mental health care. 

In addition to our primary funder BC Partners, this episode is brought to you by Castanet, the Okanagan’s trusted source for news, events, and community updates. Thank you to Castanet for supporting our show and helping us share these stories with you.

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It's a hard reality that mental illness and substance use often coincide. Combine these factors with poverty and social marginalization, and you have the snowballing problem known as "concurrent disorders." Dr. Bill MacEwan has spent the last 20+ years working with patients in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, a neighbourhood that is home to around 20,000 people with almost 25% of the people suffering from mental illness. He's also the medical lead for the city's Downtown Community Court psychiatric teams.  Host Faydra Aldridge speaks with Dr. MacEwan about the intersection of mental illness, drugs, and the criminal justice system.

Additional Resources: 

• Dr. Bill MacEwan Bio
• Mental illness and significant cognitive impairment among marginalized adults in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
• Profound suffering at the heart of our beautiful city seems to defy all attempts to relieve it
• The Hotel Study: Multimorbidity in a Community Sample Living in Marginal Housing
• Building Community Society - for more details about next steps
• Visions Journal: Concurrent Disorders (2004, Vol 2 (1))
  
• Homelessness, Mental Health and Substance Use: Understanding the Connections (Canadian Institute of Substance Use Research)

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It is not an easy decision to call the police or an ambulance to take a loved one to a psychiatric facility - all in the hopes that they get the treatment they need and deserve. But sometimes people with an untreated mental illness lose insight into the fact they are ill and will not accept voluntary treatment, even when their illness may be causing harm to themselves or others. The BC Mental Health Act allows people experiencing a serious mental health crisis to get help through involuntary treatment. But what's the impact of that decision on a family member? And what happens to someone once they are admitted to a psychiatric facility? In this episode, you'll meet a mother whose daughter  was diagnosed with schizophrenia at 18 and is now 22. In these few years, her daughter has been involuntarily detained under the BC Mental Health Act many times. This is a mother's journey through the twists and turns of her daughter's mental illness and the role involuntary treatment has played in keeping her daughter alive.

Resources:
BC Mental Health Act in Plain Language
What does it mean to be certified - Here2help
Demystifying the Mental Health Act - Webinar by BCMHSUS

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In this episode, our discussion revolves around a controversial question: Can mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, be cured? We tackle that question and more with a distinguished guest, Dr. Daniel Weinberger, the director and CEO of the Lieber Institute for Brain Development. Together, we discuss the complexities of researching the sources of mental illness and the age-old nurture versus nature discussion. Driven by the pursuit of answers, we navigate the nuanced concept of 'curing mental illness,' covering genetic studies, cutting-edge research, and unexpected connections, like the intriguing role of the placenta. Brace yourselves for a journey into the unknown terrains of mental illness.

Resources:
Lieber Institute For Brain Development: https://www.libd.org/

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Does a person's race affect the treatment they may receive for a serious and chronic mental illness? As we have heard through our discussions with experts, people living with schizophrenia, and family members—conscious and unconscious biases can play a huge role in how a person is treated within the health care system. Multiple studies and reports have also illustrated that systemic racism influences access to, and the experience of, mental health care for racialized Canadians. The treatment of serious mental illness for racialized Canadians is a huge topic—not something that can be covered in only one episode—but we’re going to start the conversation today with Dr. Amy Gajaria, a clinician and Associate Director, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto.

Resources:
Dr. Amy Gajaria - Bio
What’s race got to do with it? A proposed framework to address racism’s impacts on child and adolescent mental health in Canada

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Throughout this season, we have taken a deeper look into serious mental illnesses, like schizophrenia, and dived in headfirst to talk to professionals and family members about the subject. But what if I told you that symptoms of schizophrenia are also experienced by people with autism? Even more revealing, people with autism are at a higher risk of developing schizophrenia. If a person has both a developmental disability and a mental health problem, such as schizophrenia, they have a dual diagnosis. Research has shown that 70% of people with autism have at least one mental health problem, with 50% having two or more.

Today, many professionals in the autism community are calling for a change to how they approach clinical care. Some believe that mental health assessments should be an integral part of treating people with autism. And no one understands the value behind these assessments as well as the difficulty of getting a proper diagnosis more than our guest Dr. Stephanie Ameis from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

Dr. Ameis is a clinician scientist, psychiatrist, and Associate Director at the Cundill Centre for Child and Youth Depression. Dr. Ameis specializes in neuro-imaging, which is taking detailed pictures of the brain using MRI scans. And through her research, she hopes to better understand how to improve their mental health journeys. But for patients with both autism and Schizophrenia, this can be difficult since their symptoms are so similar. Signs of early schizophrenia can be mistaken for pre-existing autistic behaviours and with the added stress of the pandemic, many are left struggling to cope with their new mental health problems. We'll be getting into that and a whole lot more in this episode.

Resources for show notes:

• Stephanie Ameis – Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
• The Social Ties Between Autism and Schizophrenia (Spectrum News)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder and Schizophrenia Are Better Differentiated by Positive Symptoms Than Negative Symptoms. (Frontiers in Psychiatry, June 2020)

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Like any prescription medication, Abilify, Risperdal, Clozapine, and other anti-psychotics have side effects. And like any medication, they are prescribed to help a person manage an illness. Anti-psychotics can help with a number of different illnesses, but often used to help manage a person's symptoms of schizophrenia, including paranoia, delusions and hallucinations. However, there’s a movement that wants to shift mainstream thinking away from using medication to manage the symptoms of a serious mental illness. It's encouraging people to accept and live with the symptoms of serious mental illness, symptoms like voices, hallucinations, and other symptoms. It’s a controversial topic and we’ve brought back a familiar voice from our first season – Dr. Diane McIntosh, Psychiatrist and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia. In this episode, we talk about the use of medications in treating serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia.

Resources:
Dr. Diane McIntosh - Bio
Blindsided - Dr. Diane McIntosh's podcast
Antipsychotic Selection Is Important for Reduced Nonadherence in Schizophrenia
Look Again Season 1, Episode 5: The Truth Behind Psychiatric Medication
Anti-Psychotic Medication - CAMH

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In many cultures around the world, mental illness is still highly stigmatized and rarely talked about. Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at how mental illness is viewed and talked about in the South Asian Community, one of the largest ethno-cultural groups in Canada. Talking about mental illness, getting help, or even getting diagnosed is hindered by generational gaps, language barriers, and perceived taboos, just to name a few.

In this episode, we’ll hear four voices sharing their personal experiences of serious mental illness within the South Asian Community, and speak to Kulpreet Singh, founder of the South Asian Mental Health Alliance. Since 2010, Kulpreet has been tackling these disparities and trying to raise awareness and reduce stigma around mental health -- and serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia by leveraging the expertise and influence of second-generation South Asian Canadians.

This is going to be an honest talk about how culture can play a role in how mental illnesses are seen and treated, in particular within the South Asian community.

Resources for show notes:

• South Asian Mental Health Alliance
• Advocates call for more targeted mental health support for South Asian Community during pandemic (CBC News)
• Silence on mental illness nearly killed Karandeep Gill. Now her honest is helping others (CTV News)
• Need to Culturally Adapt and Improve Access to Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions for Canadian South-Asians: A Call to Action (Community Journal of Mental Health)

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If you’re the child of a parent who lives with mental illness, you can be faced with a lot of tough challenges. You may feel overwhelmed, sad, scared or even angry. You may resent your parent for not being like the other parents. Or you could also wind up as a caregiver and try to fix everything. In her lifetime, Dr. Grace Cho, author of her memoir Tastes Like War, says she has had three mothers. The mother of her childhood, before schizophrenia. The mother of her adolescence, a woman who is visibly deteriorating mentally. And the mother now, a woman trapped by schizophrenia and the voices and delusions that it brings. In this episode, Dr. Cho reflects on her journey from teenager to adulthood and how her mother’s schizophrenia shaped the direction of her life and her work. She talks about the social factors that left her mother feeling vulnerable and the stigma that prevented her from getting treatment. And how she found a way to build a loving relationship and connect with her mother.

Resources:
Grace Cho's Book: Tastes Like War
KIC Children's Booklet
Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre
Supporting Children of Parents with Mental Illness in the Classroom (Heretohelp)

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While there's no way to predict whether a person with a mental illness will become violent, there's still a common understanding that those diagnosed with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, are unpredictably aggressive. This can be seen in how people living with mental illness, substance use, and violence are portrayed through the news, TV, or movies. But these misconceptions can fuel the stigma towards people living with severe and persistent mental illness. How do we address the role that violence plays in the lives of people living with a mental illness and everybody else around them? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Rakesh Lamba, who is the medical director with BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of British Columbia, and someone with a wealth of experience conducting risk assessments with Correctional Services Canada and the Parole Board of Canada.

Resources:

Schizophrenia - Warning Signs of Voilence
Dr. Rakesh Lamba’s bio
PHSA Forensic Psychiatric Services 

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While mental health is a well-covered topic, people often lump it together with mental illness. We want to challenge the idea that disorders like Schizophrenia are 'mental health' issues. Listen in to our first episode of Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined, where host Faydra Aldridge of BCSS along with her guest Dr. Diane McIntosh, a clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, look at the difference between the two terms; why mental illness needs its own specific plan of action and more.

Resources:

• Learn more about Dr. Diane McIntosh
• This Is Depression: A Comprehensive, Compassionate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Understand Depression
• Learn more about mental illness – Heretohelp
• Learn more about mental illness and schizophrenia – BC Schizophrenia Society

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In its third season "Look Again: Mental Illness Re-examined" wades into some controversial territory. Launching Oct. 12th, join us every two weeks as we dive into some hot topics -- involuntary treatment, the consequences of refusing medication, how race and gender impacts diagnosis and treatment, just to name a few. Host Faydra Aldridge, CEO of the BC Schizophrenia Society (BCSS), challenges you to "look again" and reconsider your beliefs, perceptions and understanding of serious mental illnesses such as Schizophrenia. Expect candid conversations with people living with mental illness and leading experts about the harmful stigma that is still attached to mental illness. No topic is off-limits this season. This podcast is for anyone who wants to keep these discussions alive, and shining a light on how we are all touched by the effects of mental illness—whether we know it or not.

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In this episode, we explore the critical theme of impaired insight in severe and persistent mental illness, known as anosognosia. Dr. Nicole DeTore, Director of Research at Massachusetts General Hospital, guides us through her groundbreaking research on early intervention services, particularly the NAVIGATE program, which offers hope for individuals experiencing first episode psychosis (FEP). Dr. DeTore reveals the program's principles, its international reach, and the indispensable role of family support. The episode delves into the symptoms of schizophrenia, and the nuanced concept of recovery. Join us in the conversation with Dr. DeTore as she shares her expertise around early psychosis intervention programs.

Resources:
Navigate: https://navigateconsultants.org 

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People learn from personal experiences. 1 out of 100 live with schizophrenia and until host Faydra Aldridge's sister was diagnosed with it, she thought it was something that only happened to others. But it isn’t, it's something that happened to and affected her family and affects almost every one of us in some way either directly or indirectly. This episode is a little different as you'll get to be a part of a very real and candid conversation between Faydra and her mother Linda as they revisit the impact of Carissa Lynn's mental illness on her and her family.

Resources for show notes:

• Learn more about BCSS Family Support Groups
  • http://www.bcss.org/familysupportgroups

• Listen to the “Look Again: Mental Illness Re-Examined” episodes touching on anosognosia
  • https://www.bcss.org/lookagain/the-truth-behind-psychiatric-medication/
  • https://wbcss.org/lookagain/hearing-voices/

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