A Framework for the Holistic Management of Schizophrenia

By Pronab Ganguly

The schizophrenia sufferer leads a very poor quality of life. They suffer from the following:

Hallucination and delusions (this is addressed by clinical intervention and counseling)
Homelessness
Financial constraints
Unemployment
Lack of secured accommodation
Independent living skill
Lack of education
Lack of entertainment
Poor relationship
Lack of friendship
Lack of insurance needs
Lack of public trustee and guardianship needs
Stigma
Social isolation
Insurance needs
Lack of entertainment

Hence, to improve the quality of the schizophrenia sufferer, a holistic approach of management is needed. The definition of holistic is relating to the idea that things should be studied as a whole and not just as a sum of their parts. Thus, in schizophrenia, a holistic framework of management is of paramount importance. This book describes such a framework for holistic management of schizophrenia and evaluates it in Australian context. A ten-year long case study has been undertaken by implementing this framework with a real-life schizophrenia sufferer. The outcome is spectacular and long lasting. The sufferer is now near normal and leads an almost normal quality of life. Additionally a web-based computerized survey has been undertaken by the experts in the field to evaluate this framework. The results are very encouraging.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Mar 28, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503504141

Pronab Ganguly

—I was born in 1957 in Kolkata, India. —I studied in Govindapur Ratneswar High School, Govindapur—a village twenty-five kilometers away from Kolkata city center. —I did my bachelor’s degree in engineering from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India. —My first job was with Bharat Electronics Ltd, Bangalore, India. —I migrated to Sydney, Australia, in December 1991 from India. In India, I was in a well-paid cozy job in the government sector. I was an electronics engineer by profession and was working as a manager in Kolkata, India. When I came to Sydney, there was deep recession, and I could not find a job. I enrolled myself in master’s in biomedical engineering in University of New South Wales (UNSW) on a part-time basis and was on government income support. I was working odd jobs, such as working in Woolworths Super Market and Automated Laundry and tutoring in universities to supplement my income from government support. It was a very tough time, and I managed it with great difficulty. Ultimately, I managed to get a job in biomedical engineering after two years. Those two years of life experience contributed a lot in my successful career. Subsequently, I moved to IT, and presently, I work as a business analyst in IT of Endeavour Energy. —I finished my master’s degree in biomedical engineering at UNSW, Sydney, in 1995. —I studied my PhD in UNSW in healthcare informatics and public health on a part-time basis but could not finish it due to ineffective supervision. Ultimately, I had to quit it in 2008. —I have twenty-eight international refereed publications, including a chapter in a book and two journal papers in American journals. —Nine months of professional telephone counseling experience with Lifeline Macarthur as telephone crisis supporter. —Ten years of hands-on personal experience in holistic management of schizophrenia. —Volunteer secretary for Mukti Australia, Sydney (website: www.muktiaustralia.org). —Volunteer international coordinator for Mukti Community Development Fund, Kolkata, India (website: www.muktiweb.org/mcdf/). —Member of Independent Community Living Association (ICLA), Sydney (website: www.icla.org.au/home/). —Member of Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW, Sydney (website: www.sfnsw.org.au/). —Financial supporter of GROW, Australia (website: www.grow.net.au/). —Financial supporter of Lifeline (website: www.lifeline.org.au/). —Financial supporter of SANE, Australia (website: www.sane.org). —Financial supporter of Ramkrishna Mission, Baranagar, Kolkata, India (website: www.rkmbaranagar.org/index.php). —Financial supporter of Antara Psychiatric Center, Kolkata, India (website: www.antaraglobal.org/). —Member of Jadavpur University Alumni Association, Sydney Chapter. —Life member and financial supporter of Govindapur Ratneswar High School Ex-students’ Association, Govindapur (Near Kolkata), India (website: www.gobindapur-ratneswar-high-school.hpage.com/). —I have been awarded a certificate of appreciation in recognition of contribution to the community of Campbelltown from the mayor of Campbelltown, Sydney, Australia. —My website: http://pronabganguly.net/.

Book preview

Copyright © 2015 by Pronab Ganguly.

ISBN:       Softcover       978-1-5035-0413-4

                 eBook           978-1-5035-0414-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 04/24/2015

Xlibris

1-800-455-039

www.Xlibris.com.au

709197

CONTENTS

Chapter 1 – Introduction

Chapter 2 – Symptoms and Probable Causes of Schizophrenia

Chapter 3 – The Framework in Australian Context

Chapter 4 – Evaluation of the Framework

Chapter 5 – Framework in Indian Context

Chapter 6 – Comparative Study between Australian Framework and Indian Framework

Chapter 7 – Recommendations to Improve Indian Framework

Chapter 8 – Discussion

Scizophrenia sufferers experience from hallucinations (auditory and visual) and delusions. It alters the way a sufferer perceives the world. An altered perception is a reality for Schizophrenia sufferers. They lose contact with reality. In their thoughts, they experience somebody is attempting to harm them or watch them. Therefore, it is difficult for them to lead a normal life. Their daily life is of poor quality. A framework for holistic management of Schizophrenia will improve their quality of life to a great extent.

1.0

Introduction

Mental health issues can be defined in following manner [1]:

• Mental illness

• Mental disorder

• Mental health problem.

The definitions below are taken from the Department of Health and Ageing website: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-pubs-w-whatmen-toc~mental-pubs-w-whatmen-what