Podcasts
Look Again – Mental Illness Re-examined
A groundbreaking new podcast brought to you by the BC Schizophrenia Society and supporting partners. The podcast brings forward the humanity of mental illness while dispelling the myths by sharing the voices of medical experts, family members, and people with lived experience with mental illness. Host, Faydra Aldridge, CEO of BCSS, speaks with medical experts, families, and people with lived experience of mental illness to dispel myths and get to the truth.
What Really Works?
Hosts Beki and Olivia, both in their 20’s, talk all about mental health and how young adults and youth can support their well-being in a down-to-earth and practical way. They remove the ‘clinical’ jargon and chat honestly about their experiences and what they’ve found to work. Beki and Olivia talk all about the good and the bad they’re experiencing, as well as some tools and tricks young people can use to support their mental health and well-being right now and in the long-term.
Therapist Uncensored
Two Austin therapists and their nationally-respected guest experts share the science of modern attachment and relational neurobiology in understandable tidbits you can use in real life.
Caregivers Out Loud
A space to connect, listen and learn with other caregivers. Insightful, authentic and heart-centered conversations with caregivers that highlight the joys, trials, and self-discoveries that come along with this rewarding and taxing position. A podcast from Family Caregivers of BC.
Community Services
North Shore Peer-Assisted Care Team (PACT)
Mobile civilian-led team launched on November 4, 2021, that responds to crisis calls (as well as calls before a crisis) related to mental health and/or substance use on the North Shore to youth aged 13+ or adults.
Call 1-888-261-7228 or text 778-839-1831 – available in English and Farsi
Service Hours: Thursday to Sunday, 6 pm to 12 midnight
Disability Planning Helpline
Call anytime to discuss the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP); estate planning; advocacy approaches; disability tax credit; government benefit programs; social network building and how to stay socially connected during COVID-19.
1-844-311-7526
Books (▲Especially recommended)
Schizophrenia
▲ E. Fuller Torrey, Surviving Schizophrenia: A Manual for Families, Patients, and Providers, 5th Edition, New York: Harper Row, 2006
▲ Susan Inman, After Her Brain Broke: Helping My Daughter Regain Her Sanity, Bridgeross, 2010
▲ Erin Hawkes, MSc, When Quietness Came: A Neuroscientist’s Personal Journey with Schizophrenia, Dundas, ON: Bridgeross Communications, 2012.
▲ Anne Deveson, Tell Me I’m Here, London: Penguin Books, 1991 (out of print; available in libraries only)
Kim T. Mueser, PhD, The Complete Family Guide to Schizophrenia: Helping Your Loved One Get the Most Out of Life, The Guilford Press, 2006
Maryellen Walsh, Schizophrenia: Straight Talk for Family and Friends, New York: Morrow, 1985
Patricia Backlar, The Family Face of Schizophrenia, New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1994
Kevyn Noble and Sandy Lenz, Children with Schizophrenia, Edmonton: Glenrose Hospital Educational Services, 1995
Kim Mueser and Susan Gingerich, Coping with Schizophrenia: A Guide for Families, Oakland: New Harbinger, 1992
Richard Keefe and Philip Harvey, Understanding Schizophrenia: A Guide to the New Research On Causes and Treatment, Toronto: The Free Press, Macmillan, 1994
Bipolar and Depression
▲E. Fuller Torrey, Surviving Manic Depression: A Manual On Bipolar Disorder for Patients, Families, and Providers, Basic Books, 2002
▲Nathan Kline, From Sad to Glad, New York: Putnam, 1974
▲Ronald Fieve, Moodswing, New York: W. Morrow, 1989
Claudia J. Strauss, Talking to Depression: Simple Ways to Connect When Someone in Your Life is Depressed, NAL Trade, 2004
Julia Nunes and Scott Simmie, Beyond Crazy: Journeys Through Mental Illness, Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2002
General
▲ E. Fuller Torrey, The Insanity Offense: How America’s Failure to Treat the Seriously Mentally Ill Endangers Its Citizens, W.W. Norton, 2008
▲Rael Jean Isaac and Virginia C. Armat, Madness in the Streets: How Psychiatry and the Law Abandoned the Mentally Ill, New York: The Free Press, 1990
▲Nancy Andreasen, The Broken Brain: The Biological Revolution in Psychiatry, New York: Harper & Row, 1984
E. Fuller Torrey and Judy Miller, The Invisible Plague: The Rise of Mental Illness from 1750 to the Present, Rutger’s University Press, 2007
Rebecca Woolis, When Someone You Love Has a Mental Illness, New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Perigee, 1992
Xavier Amador, I am not sick, I don’t need help!, 2nd Edition, Vida Press, 2007
Gwen Howe, Serious Mental Illness, A Family Affair, 1997
E. Fuller Torrey, Out of the Shadows: Confronting America’s Mental Illness Crisis, New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1997
E. Fuller Torrey, Nowhere To Go: The Tragic Odyssey of the Homeless Mentally Ill, New York: Harper & Row, 1988
Julia Nunes and Scott Simmie, The Last Taboo: Survival Guide to Mental Health Care in Canada, Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2001
Christine Adamec, How to Live with a Mentally Ill Person: A Handbook of Day-to-Day Strategies, John Wiley & Sons. 1996
Virginia Lafond, Grieving Mental Illness: A Guide for Patients and Their Caregivers, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1994
Diane Marsh and Rex Dickens, Troubled Journey: Coming to Terms with Mental Illness of a Sibling or Parent, Jeremy P. Tarcher Inc., 1997
Sherry Dinner, Nothing to be Ashamed Of: Growing Up with Mental Illness in Your Family, New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1989. (For younger readers. Recommended age level 9-12)
Victoria Secunda, When Madness Comes Home: Help and Hope for Children, Siblings and Partners, Disney Press, 1998
Online Resources
General Mental Illness
Strategies for Families and Mental Health Workers
A shortlist of key strategies for family members and for mental health workers, to aid in their collaboration in the treatment process.
Benefits of Extended Leave
All about extended leave, by which patients are released from hospital, but their medication continues to be supervised, and they may be quickly returned to hospital if psychotic symptoms return.
Hospital Discharge Planning
A description of the six main areas essential to a good discharge plan, plus an extensive checklist for family members to present to professinals when their ill relative is being discharged.
Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health & Addiction: Publications List
A list of books, reports, journal articles, and other resources.
Centre for Suicide Prevention
An education centre with a library of over 45,000 suicide-specific items. A branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Sea to Sky Safety Net
Resource hub connecting residents in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor with self-care tools and information on local services related to mental health and substance use support.
Family Connections Newsletter
By Vancouver Coastal Health’s Family Support and Involvement Team. Information and resources on mental health and addiction services in the Vancouver Coastal Health Region.
Stigma and Acceptance
No Kidding, Me Too
NKM2 was created by actor Joe Pantoliano to “empower those with BD [brain diseases] to admit their illness, seek treatment, and become even greater members of society.” Pantoliano has struggled with depression.
Bring Change 2 Mind
Site dedicated to defeating the stigma of mental illness.
Psychosis
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
Information and resources on psychosis, including the different mental illnesses psychosis can be a symptom of, first episode psychosis, signs & symptoms, causes & risk factors, and diagnosis & treatment.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia.com
Created and maintained by Brian Chiko, originally from Port Alberni, in memory of his brother, John. Includes forums for consumers, families and professionals, plus much up-to-date information, chat rooms, excellent links and a good search engine.
A Handbook for Spouses
Schizophrenia Society of Ontario – Hamilton Chapter’s 12-part handbook covering a variety of issues, especially written for spouses of those suffering from schizophrenia.
Questions to Ask the Psychiatrist
A checklist of questions for families of patients with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses.
Recovering from Schizophrenia
The value of rehabilitation and the possibilities of improvement or recovery.
Drugs, Alcohol, and Schizophrenia: A Hazardous Road to Travel
The alarming effects of mixing drugs or alcohol with the illness, and what to do about it.
Comprehensive Understanding via Research and Education into Schizophrenia (CURESZ)
Educational updates about schizophrenia and how to successfully cope with it and even recover from it.
Mood, Anxiety and Eating Disorders
Mood Disorders Association of British Columbia (MDA)
Information on depression, bipolar disorders and self-help groups for those suffering from mood disorders and their families.
bphope.com
Publisher of bp magazine, on topics relating to bipolar disorder.
Esperanza Magazine
On topics relating to anxiety and depression.
The Balanced Mind Foundation
Formerly the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation. The Balanced Mind Foundation envisions a world where children living with mood disorders thrive because their families have the resources, community and support they need.
Anxiety Disorders Association of British Columbia
Information on anxiety disorders and support for patients and families.
Jessie’s Legacy
Awareness and networking around disordered eating. Recent change of focus to prevention of eating disorders and weight issues in the province of British Columbia – healthy eating at any weight. Now run by Family Services of B.C.
Looking Glass BC
Looking Glass is a Vancouver based charitable foundation that offers support for people suffering with eating disorders with a focus on young women.
Concurrent Disorders
Addiction Group
Free information on concurrent disorders.
Avalon Recovery Society
Supporting women recovering from addiction, with centres in Vancouver, the North Shore and White Rock.
Advanced Research and Medical Information
Centre For Applied Research in Mental Health and Addictions
The Mental Health Evaluation and Community Consultation Unit (MHECCU) changed its name to the Centre For Applied Research in Mental Health and Addictions (CARMHA) and moved from the University of British Columbia to Simon Fraser University. CARMHA is an internationally recognized research centre for innovative and interdisciplinary scientific research related to mental health and substance use, primarily in the areas of clinical or other intervention practice, health systems and population health and epidemiology. Many of their publications are available online.
MDLinx
The latest news in research, medications, and other developments.
Orygen: National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health (Australia)
Complete information on one of the most advanced early intervention programs.
Translations
Fact sheets on schizophrenia in traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, French, Spanish, Punjabi, Hindi Bengali, and Urdu. The translations cover basic facts, what causes schizophrenia, how to find appropriate medical help, and much more.
Schizophrenia Societies Across Canada
British Columbia Schizophrenia Society
Schizophrenia Society of Alberta
Schizophrenia Society of Saskatchewan
Peer Connections Manitoba (formerly Manitoba Schizophrenia Society)
Schizophrenia Society of Ontario
Societe quebecoise de la schizophrenie
Schizophrenia Society of New Brunswick
Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia
Schizophrenia Society of Newfoundland and Labrador
Schizophrenia Society of Canada
Selected American and Other Foreign Organizations
Treatment Advocacy Center (U.S.)
An advocacy organization par excellence, working to eliminate barriers to treatment for individuals suffering from severe mental illness. Outstanding collection of videos on assisted outpatient treatment, anosognosia and other important matters.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (U.S.)
The major American self-help support organization, covering the whole range of severe mental illnesses. Has branches and state affiliates throughout the United States. Creators of the Family to Family education program, adapted for use in B.C. and used with permission.
Mental Illness Policy
Advocacy for better mental illness policy in the U.S., with many articles on important issues such as lack of insight, the consequences of untreated mental illness, and mission creep – the shift of resources from treating the most seriously ill to mental wellness services for the worried well.
EUFAMI (Europe)
European Federation of Family Associations of People with Mental Illness, headquartered in Belgium, bringing together sixteen mental illness support organizations throughout Europe.