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People diagnosed with a mental condition face a direct hit on their self-esteem. While other disabilities requiring medicine are accepted, taking drugs for mental health is usually stigmatized. The fact that psychiatric treatment often works is something many do not acknowledge. From dismal experiments of the past, a shadow gets cast on the science and the progress made.

"Anosognosia: also called – "lack of insight," is a symptom of severe mental illness experienced by some. It refers to a person's inability to understand and perceive their condition. From the website of the Treatment Advocacy Center:

Approximately 50% of individuals with schizophrenia and 40% of individuals with bipolar disorder are estimated to have co-occurring anosognosia. It is the most common reason individuals with schizophrenia refuse to take medication; since they do not believe there is anything wrong with them, why should they? But, awareness of illness sometimes improves with treatment with antipsychotic medication…

I have been on medication for over 40 years now. This may not be the need of some others. Though I was aggressive on occasion, my caregivers chose to confront me with love. The aggression just stopped. I add I was not admitted to an institution on account of the condition for even a single day. I do hear horror stories such as 4-point harnesses and heavy sedation when admitted as an in-patient. It’s important to get credible professional help and to know when a particular treatment regimen is not working.

I am okay now and continue my medicines. Sometimes, with a significant stimulus, I do experience fringe symptoms. This stimulant could be a movie, a meeting, or an intense interaction. In my analysis, the most troublesome symptom continues to be auditory hallucinations triggered by spurious fears and doubts. I have retrained myself to recognize, ignore these symptoms, and walk myself to the 'normal.' Ideally, seeing oneself as a survivor and not a victim is the desired outcome. This change helps the affected person return to productivity and social collaboration without hang-ups.

I suggest alternative viewpoints that could offset and nullify environmental impact in my earlier non-fiction work, I, Me and Us (Westland 2015), now republished as a second edition with the title Being Here Now. These viewpoints aim at helping a person discover that he or she is adequate. In addition, it will help us ignore any derogatory status society attributes to us. It lets us appreciate our station in life.

Another book, a newer fictional work, God Flipped Me Off, makes it easier to understand schizophrenia using a story as a thread. [GFMO] is a story of a traditionally brought-up Indian individual, providing a peek from the inside into the condition's complexities.

Padma Bhushan, Late Dr. Sarada Menon, Founder: Schizophrenia Research Foundation – SCARF, commented… A good mix of pathos and humor makes this book easy reading, even for people not familiar with the disorder and the disability it produces.

I hope these books help restore self-esteem in many of us that have gone through the grind. Since the works weave frequently asked questions about schizophrenia into their narration, many consumers could benefit, from recovering patients, caregivers, and mental health professionals to curious bibliophiles.

I invite all, the afflicted and the ordinary, to read, explore, and discover what is personal wellness.