A tale of mental illness | Elyn Saks

Summary

Elyn Saks, a chaired Professor at USC Gould School of Law, shares her personal journey with chronic schizophrenia. Despite early grim prognoses and hospitalizations, she managed to thrive academically and professionally. Saks details her experiences with psychosis, the impact of treatment, and the importance of understanding and destigmatizing mental illness. She advocates for more research, compassionate portrayal in media, and emphasizes the humanity of those living with mental health conditions.

Takeaways

• 👩‍⚖️ The speaker, a woman with chronic schizophrenia, has managed to stay out of psychiatric hospitals for almost three decades, which she considers her proudest accomplishment.
• 🎓 Despite her condition, she graduated from Yale Law School and became a chaired Professor of Law, Psychology, and Psychiatry at the USC Gould School of Law, defying her initial prognosis.
• 🧠 Schizophrenia is defined as a brain disease characterized by psychosis, which includes delusions and hallucinations, and is not the same as multiple personality disorder.
• 👩‍🔬 The speaker's personal experiences with psychosis were vividly described, including disorganized speech and thinking, which can lead to incoherence and 'word salad'.
• 🏥 She experienced involuntary hospitalization and mechanical restraints, which she found to be degrading, painful, and frightening, and questioned the effectiveness and necessity of such practices.
• 💊 The speaker initially resisted medication, believing it a sign of defect, but eventually accepted its necessity for managing her condition.
• 🤝 Support from family, friends, and a supportive work environment at USC Law School has been crucial in her ability to live and work with her illness.
• 🤔 The stigma associated with mental illness was so strong that she did not disclose her condition until later in life, highlighting the need to challenge societal perceptions.
• 🧐 There is a call for more investment in research and treatment of mental illness, better understanding to improve care, and a reduction in the use of force in treatment.
• 🏢 The speaker criticizes the criminalization of mental illness, noting that many jails and prisons are filled with individuals who have not received adequate treatment.
• 🎭 A plea to the entertainment industry and the press to continue portraying characters with mental illness sympathetically and in the depth of their human experience, not just as diagnoses.
• 💊 If a cure for her schizophrenia were available, the speaker would take it instantly, but she also emphasizes the importance of recognizing the shared humanity beyond mental illness.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the transcript?

The main theme of the transcript is the personal experience of living with chronic schizophrenia, the impact of the illness on the individual's life, and the journey towards managing and understanding the condition.

How long has the speaker been out of psychiatric hospitals?

The speaker has managed to stay clear of psychiatric hospitals for almost three decades.

What was the speaker's reaction to Dr. White's decision to close his practice?

The speaker was shattered by the news of Dr. White's decision to close his practice, which led to a severe episode of psychosis.

What was the speaker's diagnosis and prognosis when she was younger?

The speaker was diagnosed with chronic schizophrenia and given a prognosis of 'grave,' expecting to live in a board and care and work at menial jobs.

What is the speaker's current professional status?

The speaker is a chaired Professor of Law, Psychology, and Psychiatry at the USC Gould School of Law.

What is the defining feature of schizophrenia according to the transcript?

The defining feature of schizophrenia is psychosis, which is being out of touch with reality, characterized by delusions and hallucinations.

How does the speaker describe her experience of psychosis?

The speaker describes her experience of psychosis as a waking nightmare, with delusions of having killed thousands with her thoughts and hallucinations of imminent nuclear explosions in her brain.

What was the speaker's experience with mechanical restraints during hospitalization?

The speaker experienced being restrained for up to 20 hours, with arms and legs tied down, and a net tightly across her chest, which she describes as degrading, painful, and frightening.

What is the speaker's stance on the use of force in psychiatric treatment?

The speaker is very anti-force, believing that force is not effective as treatment and is a terrible thing to do to someone with a severe illness.

What are the three reasons the speaker attributes her success to?

The speaker attributes her success to excellent treatment, including psychoanalytic psychotherapy and psychopharmacology; supportive relationships with family and friends; and a supportive and intellectually stimulating work environment at USC Law School.

What is the speaker's message regarding the portrayal of people with mental illness in media?

The speaker encourages the media to portray characters with severe mental illness sympathetically and with depth, focusing on their humanity rather than their diagnoses.

What does the speaker suggest about the societal approach to mental illness?

The speaker suggests that society needs to invest more in research and treatment, stop criminalizing mental illness, and challenge the stigma associated with it.

How does the speaker feel about a hypothetical cure for her schizophrenia?

The speaker would take a hypothetical cure in an instant, as her experience of psychosis is a waking nightmare. However, she does not regret the life she has had and does not seek pity.

What does the speaker want for people with mental illness?

The speaker wants the same thing for people with mental illness as everyone else: the opportunity to work and to love, as stated by Sigmund Freud.