My Findings on Famous People with Schyzophrenia

So I had a little cry this afternoon after retreating to my room after dinner because I struggle to do normal human things like concentrate on watching TV for long periods of time or spending relaxing time with the family in the lounge because I get paranoid and cannot sit in the company of my own loved ones from Fear of whats going on inside my head. I came to the Internet and discovered some few Famous celebrities who live with or have lived with the condition of Paranoid Schizophrenia and some people have also had Bipolar along side the condition which I cannot comprehend how difficult that could be......well then again I do because I suffer similarities . I discovered that some Famous super model had the condition and was institutionalised for 20 months before coming out of the complete recovery. I discovered another musician lived a recluse life in a quaint village somewhere in the UK for many years keeping to him self yet he still plays live gigs to this day.

Understanding the condition is a complete mystery to me and makes me wonder how difficult or strange it must be for my Family to comprehend my behaviour. I feel sometimes they may not be educated enough on the condition and that my behaviour to them sometimes cause them to be judgemental. I do not live a normal emotionally balanced life like every one else who does not have this condition so for me to live a normal life and interact with the outside world or working in a functioning society scares me and makes me ask my self will I ever be able to go out there and face my fears. To tackle this condition head on and take the bull by the horns and ride the sun set horizon remains with me with hope that this can be done.

I have read that some Famous celebrities have never recovered. Some have committed murder. Some have killed them selves and I just DO NOT want to land up in that boat.

I try to understand this condition all the time. To condition my mind to focus on the good things and to realise that this can be over come with. I do not know how to do that just yet but something else I read which was interesting is that some celebrities who were diagnosed with the condition were not famous until after they had been diagnosed. This tells me they had achieved a greater good AFTER been living with the condition for several years. It is known that most people are diagnosed between the ages of 18 - 30 years of age. I am 30 now and was diagnosed in 2002. I am wondering if I had a mild relapse in the significance of what my whole life time could have install for me. I am hoping that this is just a bump in the road and that I will be able to achieve greater good. First on my list is understanding how to cope with the every day effects and emotional fighting going on inside.

A list below with the few people discovered who have the condition has inspired me a little today and helped me for a short time to remember that I just cannot be alone........

Regardless if no one, not even my self can understand why this happens or how to control it, at least I need to keep my hopes up and remain in a positive frame of mind.

Marilyn Monroe’s Mother – It is pretty well documented that Marilyn Monroe’s mother was institutionalized for having paranoid schizophrenia. Mental illness ran in Monroe’s family and when her mother was asked about her famous daughter, she replied, “I have never heard of Marilyn Monroe.”

Michelangelo – Many historians say that Michelangelo had significant difficulties forming social relationships and his behavior was erratic. He was considered one of the most brilliant men to have ever lived. He is known for being an Italian painter, architect, engineer, and poet in the Renaissance era. Several historians hypothesize that he may have suffered from schizophrenia

Vincent van Gogh – It is well known that many creative minds are linked to schizophrenia. Most people know Vincent van Gogh for his post-Impressionist paintings and profound visual artworks. He is thought to have suffered from both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Some suggest that craniofacial asymmetry from birth lead to much of his mental health problems

Syd Barrett – The founding member of the band Pink Floyd is considered one of the most famous rock stars to ever develop a mental illness. Although there is some dispute as to what kind of mental illness he suffered from, his close friends and band members have identified his condition as schizophrenia. He had lived a relatively quiet life for three decades in a small cottage in England. Some hypothesize that his development of the condition was a result of high stress and significant drug abuse. He had a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia and experienced many environmental triggers – likely contributing factors for its development.