Last year, a small ill kitten showed up at my front steps without a home in the middle of winter. Being allergic to cats I tried to chase him off of my porch, but he persisted to visit. The more often he visited, the more he reminded me of the homelessness that I had experienced years ago as a result of my illness, Schizoaffective Disorder.
Twice in my life I was homeless for extensive periods and in need of help. I am aware of the suffering and humiliation that this can cause, therefore I felt it would not be right to allow him to suffer. Eventually, I took him in and gave him the name “Mr. Giggles”.
The Effect of Schizoaffective Disorder
Schizoaffective disorder can rob you of many things in life. It can cause pain, homelessness and disability. There is one thing however that Schizoaffective disorder has never robbed me of, and that is the ability to feel empathy for others. Now when I see him everyday, it helps me to realize that having Schizoaffective disorder does not make me inhumane.
Fear of the Mentally Ill
There are many people who wrongly believe that people with thought disorders, such as Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective disorder are destined for a life of crime and violence. People undergoing psychosis are not predatory by nature, and should not be confused with a “Psychopath”. I doubt there is one psychopath on the planet that would help a kitten in need. Having a thought disorder does not take your compassion away, and given the right treatment there should be no need to fear us.
Since taking him in, Mr. Giggles and I have become very good friends. He has helped me through difficult times in my life. His health has improved vastly and his happiness, in turn, has made me happy.
If you have schizoaffective disorder or schizophrenia, I have shared the embarrassment that the disorder can bring. It is a disease that must be fought with every weapon and method that we can devise, so that we may have better control over our lives and behavior. Remember that Schizophrenia does not make you evil or inhumane. If anyone tells you otherwise, then they are just ignorant.
Thanks for posting this, Dan! I have often read the lack of empathy theory, and, the truth is, many people with schizoaffective disorder are the most sensitive, caring, empathetic, and compassionate people around! Just because sometimes people may not express feelings as others might, does not mean they do not feel them deeply. Often people with schizoaffective disorder are great healers, with great abilities to help both people and animals.
I agree, I think that they may be measuring something other than empathy, and then calling it empathy. Then again, I am not a researcher of any kind.
Schizophrenia as representative psychaiatric disorder imply all that complex intelace destruction of psychic apparatus with many implication to normal psychologic state. Among them, empathy exhibit the most emotional despair that remorse our humane feelings. In other words, this mean the necessary to modefy and to change the trivial overlook on this and others psychiatric entities. Before all, it ought to understand that schizophrenia may to cure in order to achieve an optimal level of global life functioning. In consequence, it is unless the innate frightening to patients with this psychosis, because they aren’t violent as that we presume. it is impose the urgent deeds to overcome this primitive attitude toward this proccesual psychosis with chronic and devestation course, whether it remain without psychiatric treatment. .
“There is one thing however that Schizoaffective disorder has never robbed me of, and that is the ability to feel empathy for others.”
I used to take my kids for walks in not the best area of town. Many homeless people treated me with such kindness over the years.
You are a great man.
By the way, I like your youtube videos.