Neuroscientist with Schizophrenia Pens New Book

In Erin’s new book, When Neurons Tell Stories A Layman’s Guide to the Neuroscience of Mental Illness and Health, she brings neuroscience to life by postulating why neuroanatomy and neurochemicals matter when you are living with mental illness and addiction. Erin, whose graduate education is in Neuroscience, works as a peer support worker in Vancouver, Canada; the stories told in this book are those of her clients. Erin’s empathy for her clients is built on her own diagnosis of schizophrenia.

In this book, she opens for the layman the neuroscience that may underlie not only the symptoms of mental illness and addiction, but also mental health more broadly.

Erin holds an MSc in Neuroscience. She was the recipient of multiple scholarships, including two Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada awards. In 2002, Erin was diagnosed with schizophrenia and went on to be hospitalized 14 times. Finally, antipsychotic medication helped her regain wellness, stability, and hope. Her memoir, When Quietness Came: A Neuroscientist’s Personal Journey With Schizophrenia, was published in 2012. Erin was awarded the
prestigious Courage to Come Back award in 2019 from Vancouver Coastal Health. Since 2013, Erin’s work on the ACT team has been highly valued by her clients and colleagues.

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Is schizophrenia get supressed after being engaged with job and family in later life? Some one told me. Please clarify.

Suppression of psychosis is usually what our neurodiverse/ family members are able to do for short periods of time. It’s hard for them to do it for very long.

As they get older they usually do get better at managing their symptoms.

Many “highly functioning” people with schizophrenia cite employment being helpful at managing their illness. I think it’s less a question of “suppressing” symptoms than pushing them aside and giving their lives focus and meaning. Over time you get better at your coping strategies, because you require them to be effective to do your job and you learn how to structure your work environment and habits to minimize their impact. There’s likely a bit of confirmation bias in that people with schizophrenia who are able to tolerate employment likely have less severe symptoms, better coping mechanisms or better response to medication and other treatments. Nothing breeds success like success—as they say.

Some diagnosed people find their symptoms seem to become less severe with age, myself included. It’s unclear if this is because of aging effects on the brain, the summation of years of learned coping mechanisms, or a change in the progression of the disease, neuroplastic change in the brain, cumulative effects of neuroleptics etc. It shouldn’t be counted on or viewed as a reason to discontinue treatment or be considered a “cure”.

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It is good to hear that the patients can live to the fullest when they know the management of symptoms.