I have a 35-year-old brother who was diagnosed with schizophrenia three years ago and was treated in a clinic in Australia. He was released not long after being examined and given medication. He later came home to Greece and all seemed OK. He had the occasional hallucination, for example, he would see the planets from where he was lying on his bed. Gradually, he refused to continue his medication and as a result, he was easily irritated and angered, especially with my mother.

I am 51 years old and have had schizophrenia for more than five years. I take so many medications at night I feel as if my stomach is a pharmacy. I get scared a lot because when I try to tell my family I am hearing voices, they look at me and say, “No, you're not; quit being silly.” Sometimes I cry because I get so scared of the personalities of these voices. I currently have four personalities. I don't like going to group sessions because I don't like to be around a lot of people. I am around enough people as it is. I don't go out of my house for days and days at a time; I just don't want to. But I go to my doctors. So far they have my medications on the right track, and I am thankful for that.

My daughter was diagnosed with the disorder. She was a bright and intelligent 18 year old who was in various HS groups and ultimately graduated. One day she appeared to exhibit what I labeled as "a drug person" but I was wrong. Clinical tests proved negative. Now, my baby has since graduated from HS (with the help of great HS counselors), been admitted twice two mental facilities, and occurred many thousands in hospital costs. Today she had another episode. I will not let her go back to the hospital. I also discovered she was faking taking her medication (Zyprexa). I had her take it. Watched her for about three hours and then recently allowed her to go to bed. Yes, I had to allow an 18 year old to go to bed.

My father who is aged 84 is having the disease. He was alright 3-4 months ago. What I am observing for the last 2 months is that he is saying strange things which is unbelievable. Every time he says someone talked to him over phone (in fact he never uses the telephone even when he was quite okay). I have assumed that he is hearing voices. Sometimes he says the Indian Prime Minister talked to him and he is visiting us. At times it would be Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and the Indian Finance Minister Mr. Chidambaram. At times, he is scared and tells one or two of our relative's names and says that they have sent persons to kill him. Since he is a pensioner he even takes out money and throws out of the window thinking that he is paying money to those who have come to harm him. He was very attached to my elder daughter and used to take a keen interest in her studies. However, now whenever she has gone to school he tells me that someone has attacked my daughter and she is bleeding and asks me to go to her rescue. Sometimes he says that someone has kidnapped her and she is in some far away place (he mentions the name of the place). If we tell him it is not the case, he argues to the point and tells me or my brother that we are lying.

A couple of months ago i felt the whole world was against me and out to get me. I avoided my friends and spent most of my time talking to the voices in my head. I was sort of glad because I would never be lonely again. The voices in my head told me they'd put a prosthesis in me and that' how they knew what i was thinking. What I wondered was how I came to know words I've never heard before. Things started to get complicated when a guy I used to like came into the picture. I kept hearing his voice everywhere. He even proposed to me! Now I know it was all my imagination. Till this day I keep wondering whether what happened to me during those months was real or just a figment of my over active imagination. How i wish i knew. Well i took pills and I'm much better now. Th voices disappeared. to all those with schizophrenia, don't worry ! We're living in the 21st century and will be cured in no time just like me.

My husband, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law all have schizophrenia. My husband's doctors have said that he is a great one to study because he went as far from reality that one can go and came back to live a fairly normal life without having to go and live in a hospital. They would like to write a book about him.