Fury at The Sun's "Killer Schizo" story

Yesterday The Sun printed a damaging and ignorant story about an escaped woman convicted of manslaughter, Patricia Gillette, who suffers from schizophrenia.

Fury at escape of killer schizo

According to an article by Time to Change, Rethink does not think using the word "schizo" is acceptable. Neither do I.

However my main concern is not about the use of an abbreviation which has become widely used as a derogatory term, but about the misrepresentation of schizophrenia in the press.

Whenever somebody suffering from schizophrenia behaves in a violent way, it gets reported in the press and the word "schizophrenic" is thrown in there like it's a predictable explanation. However there are over 600,000 people with schizophrenia in the UK and the vast majority are not violent and never have been.

Granted, newspapers are more likely to pick up on an escaped killer story than a respectable schizophrenic working in a charity shop, but because of the stigma surrounding mental health, I would like to see stories such as that of Patricia Gillette, written up in such a way that they don't propagate inaccurate negative attitudes towards people with schizophrenia.

One example might be, "Patricia Gillette is one of the minority of criminals who suffer from schizophrenia. Schizophrenic people are 14 times more likely to be the victim of violence than the perpetrator." ¹

Update 18/11/2009 17:30:
The Sun have retitled the article "Fury at shop escape of killer"

References:
Schizophrenia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Should sexuality be included in the 2011 Census?

What do you think about this?
Census may ask individuals to disclose sexual preference

The Equality and Human Rights Commission argues that knowing how many homosexuals there are in Britain, and what jobs they do, will improve equality legislation. They say by excluding the question it would be "an indication of invisibility" and "a major obstacle to measuring progress on tackling discrimination."

The Office for National Statistics believe the question would be unlikely to provide a true picture because sexuality is so complex. 390,127 people (almost 0.8 percent) stated their religion as Jedi on their 2001 Census forms, which shows how misleading census data can be.

Ann Widdecombe says, "It is people’s own business. It is not anyone else’s business and I don’t see why anyone should be asked to declare it."

Tips for Bipolar Travellers

With the weather plummeting into sogginess and the dark evening closing in on us, it's tempting to leap on a plane to the southern hemisphere to fend off impending Seasonal Affective Disorder. However travelling can be somewhat tricky for people with mental health problems because it disrupts the routines that are central to our stability.

But why should we miss out on the joys of travel when, with a bit of foreword planning, holidays can be rewarding and relaxing experiences? Below are some things to consider if you're bipolar and planning on satisfying your wanderlust.

Talk to your healthcare professionals
You will be aware of how your illness affects you and to what degree you can cope with change, however it never hurts to get a second opinion and so talking to your doctor/CPN might be helpful.

Try and stay in a similar time zone
The more you need to adjust your sleeping pattern, the harder it will be to adapt to the new location so if you have a choice of holiday destinations, try and pick the one closest in time zone to the area that you are travelling from. If you do decide to travel afar, plan for a few relaxed days at the beginning of your trip to allow you time to adjust and make sure that you have some free time after the trip, to readjust back to your home routine.

Journey at sensible times
Although flights can be cheaper if you travel at anti-social times of day, bear in mind that going on a holiday is going to require a lot of adjustments to your routine anyway, having a disturbed night's sleep certainly won't help.

Choose a suitable holiday
Whilst I don't think we should let our health problems frighten us away from enjoying life, we do need to be realistic. It's not fair that a 18-30s 24/7 clubbing adventure in Ibiza might send us into mania, but it's unlikely that many of us could cope with that sort of trip. If you want to enjoy some partying, extreme sports or other stimulating activities make sure that they are within the context of a varied holiday that will allow you periods of relaxation in between.

You will find it much easier to manage your mood if you try and stay in one holiday destination than if you travel around a lot during the trip.

Choose supportive travel companions
People vary enormously in both their abilities and preparedness to help. Whilst you might love your best mate to bits, if she's likely to leave you depressed in the hotel alone so that she can go out clubbing, she's not a good choice of travelling companion. You need to be with friends who understand that you need to stick to a routine and who don't mind taking it easy should you find yourself suffering from mood swings during the trip. Discuss any health concerns with your companions before travelling.

Plan your medication is advance
If you're going on a short journey, make sure that you pick up enough medication to last the trip before you go, as it might be difficult to get a prescription abroad. Should you expect to be picking up meds during your trip, ask your doctor for a prescription in advance and make sure that he/she uses generic names as brand names may vary from country to country. You also need to check that your meds are licensed in the country that you are travelling to as it could be an offence to travel with them otherwise.

Travel insurance
Insurance can be expensive for those with pre-existing health problems, however MDF - The Bipolar Organisation should be able to help you there. The Summer 2007 edition of One in Four also suggests All Clear Travel, Travelbility and Free Spirit Travel Insurance.

Pack in advance
The journey itself is likely to be stressful so allow yourself a break between packing and travelling. Try and pack at least 24 hours in advance so that you don't feel stressed at the last minute.

Form a holiday routine
So your holiday routine is going to be a little different from your routine at home, but there doesn't mean that there can't be structure to your days. Try to stick to regular meals, take your meds at the same time each day and try and get full nights' sleep.

Prepare for the change in diet
Often holiday makers can find that the change in diet causes diarrhoea or constipation, these problems (especially the former) can affect the absorption of your medication and mess up your nutritional intake. If possible take some medicines like Imodium with you so that you can nip these problems in the bud.

Familiarise yourself with the health system abroad
It can be hard calling for help when we have half a dozen emergency contact numbers programmed into our phones, so we can really do without the hassle of having to fathom an unfamiliar medical service during a period of sickness. For this reason, before you travel, familiarise yourself with the health service in the country you are planning to visit and find out the best way to summon help.

Enjoy yourself
Whilst travelling can be challenging, don't expect failure. If you've planned ahead and are surrounded by supportive people, you should be able to have a relaxing and enjoyable holiday just like anybody else.

Got any positive (or negative) stories about travelling with bipolar disorder? If so, feel free to share them below.

Disability Living Allowance for Bipolar Disorder

Many people arrived at my article on claiming benefits for bipolar disorder by asking Google, "Can you get DLA for bipolar disorder?" so I thought it was an area that I should visit in more depth.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a UK government benefit for people under 65 with care needs, and broadly speaking, yes, you can get it for bipolar disorder, but it depends on the severity of your symptoms and how it impacts on your life.

Why should you apply for DLA?
Although the application forms can seem very daunting, if you are entitled to DLA then it's worth applying because:
- DLA for bipolar disorder is likely to be between £18 and £88 per week.
- DLA is not taxable
- It's not mean-tested
- It's disregarded as income for most means-tested benefits
- If you live alone it may trigger the Severe Disability Premium, which can bring about increases in your means-tested benefits, such as housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support.

The problems
Although the Directgov states that DLA is for people who are "physically OR mentally disabled" many of the questions on the form are not mental health friendly and it can be difficult to convey your care needs within the framework provided.
In addition to this, writing about your troubles can be draining which can stop you from painting an accurate picture of just how debilitating your problem might be.
Another problem is that many DLA claims are turned down at first, but change on appeal. Those of us suffering from depression may become despondent and not complete the claim/appeal process.

What to do?
I cannot stress enough, the benefit of having somebody to help you with the form. In order to maximise your chances of success, you should consider enlisting the support of somebody from a charity that deals specifically with mental health problems, e.g. Mind. If you have a Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) then he/or she may also be able to help you find somebody to help with the claim.

To make an application you will need an application pack (ref DLA 1) which you can download from the directgov website, telephone the Benefits Enquiry Line on 0800 882200 or ask for one at your local DWP office.

Is it worth applying? Needs Checklist
If you have any of the following needs (adapted from benefitsinmind.org.uk) then it is worth reading on, to find out what level of DLA you may be entitled to.
Attention needs

• You need encouragement get out of bed in the morning
• You need help motivating yourself to get dressed
• You need to be reminded/encouraged to take your medication
• You need encouragement to be active within your home
• You need encouragement to take part in hobbies or social life
• You need encouragement to communicate with others
• You need help with your paperwork
• You need encouragement to make yourself wash bath regularly
• You need help to eat properly and regularly
• You need help to cook a main meal
• You need help getting to bed / sleep at nights
• You self-harm
• You feel suicidal
• You can get aggressive
• The way you are makes other people react aggressively to you
• Your concentration is very poor, e.g. you don't make sure that fires are safely out, leave cigarettes burning etc.
• You have ideas or thoughts that frighten you into behaviour which could be dangerous
• You wander off
• You put yourself in situations where others could take advantage of you
• When you become more unwell it happens very quickly
• When you become unwell you try to hide it from others

Mobility needs

• You have panic attacks out of doors in unfamiliar places
• Anxiety that makes it hard for you to concentrate / communicate
• You hear voices which distract you
• You suffer from paranoid feelings
• You put yourself at risk in some way

What level may I be entitled to?
Mobility - Lower Rate.
This is paid to you if you need someone with you when you are in unfamiliar places. Think about times when you go out alone to new places, do you suffer from panic attacks, become so anxious that you get lost or put yourself at risk? If so, you may be eligable for the DLA lower rate mobility component.

Mobility - Higher Rate.
You are unlikely to receive the DLA higher rate mobility component for bipolar disorder alone. However if you also have a physical disability, check the enitlement critera on benefitsInMind.org.uk.

Care - Lower Rate
If you have care needs (for example needing encouragement to get out of bed, take your medication or help with your paperwork) for short periods during the day, probably amounting to around an hour, you may be entitled to the DLA lower rate care component. You may also be entitled to this component if you have difficulty cooking for yourself. So if there are days where the prospect of cooking a hot meal seems so overwhelming to you that you don't bother, make sure that you put that on the form.

Care - Middle Rate
If you have care needs on and off throughout the day, need someone close by to keep an eye on you, or have care needs more than once or for over 20 minutes at night, you may be entitled to the DLA middle rate care component.
Are you sometimes at risk of self-harm and need somebody nearby in case you become suicidal or inclined to hurt yourself? Does bipolar disorder lower your concentration, leading you to do unsafe things such as forgetting to turn off the hobs? If so, these are attention needs and will help a decision maker ensure that you get the correct amount of DLA.

Care - Higher Rate
If you have difficulties requiring care and attention frequently throughout the day and night then you may be entitled to the DLA higher rate care component.

If you have both mobility and care needs then you will be awarded both components and the amounts will be added together.

For more information see www.benefitsInMind.org.uk.