Hello everyone.

My name is Matthew Mckenzie a carer from the borough of Lewisham working for SLaM. Please follow one or all our sites from SlamtwigOps. We have a acebook page! a wor"press blog an" a twitter channel that provi"es service users! carers an" health professionals with up"ates of events! news an" information centering aroun" mental health. We also like to hear from people who use services from SLaM that means South Lon"on an" Mau"sley! so feel free to like our acebook page an" maybe comment on a thing or two! or if you wish! you can volunteer to provi"e an au"io blog yourself. #his is a special blog to coinci"e with Schizophrenia $wareness Week %&'(. ) am hoping this au"io or vi"eo blog can raise awareness about the stigma of mental illness an" although there are many! one of the most "evastating illnesses is Schizophrenia. *ow although ) am not a mental health e+pert an" nor is this au"io blog en"orse" by SLaM! that being South Lon"on an" Mau"sley. Let me "escribe what ),ve picke" up from the rethink site an" campaign about Schizophrenia. --- http.//rethink.org/"iagnosis-treatment/con"itions/schizophrenia - Schizophrenia is a relatively common illness. $roun" one in a hun"re" people will "evelop schizophrenia "uring their lifetime. #he symptoms of the illness can have a big effect on you as well as people who are close to you! but it is treatable. Schizophrenia is a mental illness that affects the way someone thinks )t affects about ' in every '&& people. )t usually starts "uring early a"ulthoo". )t "oes not mean that someone has a split personality or that they are likely to be violent. #he symptoms of schizophrenia can be split into 0positive, an" 0negative, symptoms. Positive symptoms inclu"e e+periencing things that are not real 1hallucinations2 an" having unusual beliefs 1"elusions2 *egative symptoms inclu"e lack of motivation an" becoming with"rawn. #hese symptoms are generally more long-lasting an" persistent. )t is likely that schizophrenia is brought on by a combination of both genetic an" environmental factors.

Schizophrenia is usually treate" using antipsychotic me"ication an" talking therapies.

So ok! what can you "o "uring Schizophrenia $wareness Week! ''-'3 *ovember %&'(4 5ou can blog about Schizophrenia awareness an" how to combat the stigma. 5ou can 6oin 7ethink on their acebook site or #witter channel 1the twitter tren" is 8Stan"9pforSchizophrenia2 5ou can also help in fun"raising for 7ethink. Or you can check out 7ethink on their 5ou#ube :hannel.

Other countries hol" Schizophrenia awareness weeks in "ifferent months; some are in May others in October. $ustralia has <uite a bit mental health awareness week.

-------------------------5ou may have alrea"y notice"! that ) am mentioning 7ethink a lot! but who are they4 $n" what "o they "o4 7ethink Mental )llness = they are a society/organistion = they help millions of people affecte" by mental illness by challenging attitu"es! changing lives. Here is 6ust a selection about what they "o! an" what it means for you. Who are they4 7ethink believes a better life is possible for millions of people affecte" by mental illness. #hey "irectly support almost >&!&&& people every year across ?nglan" to get through crises! to live in"epen"ently an" to realise they are not alone. #hey provi"e $"vice an" )nformation #hey provi"e Services an" @roups! which they have over %&& mental health services an" 'A& support groups across ?nglan". 7ethink also :ampaigns an" campaigns nationally for policy change......they "o all this an" more. :heck out their site http.//www.rethink.org/

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#here are other sites that ),ve notice"! which are working har" to fight the stigma of mental health an" ),ve come across an interesting organisation! which blog really has struck me. #his blog was hel" off a site calle" B#he Work oun"ationB. #he blog was calle" BWhy ),m stan"ing up for schizophrenia - Schizophrenia $wareness week ''-'Cth *ovemberD an" is written Earen Stea"man. Earen has "esigne"! researche" an" reporte" on several stu"ies on health an" wellbeing an" sickness absence in the workplace! with a particular focus on retention an" return to work of those with long term con"itions! inclu"ing mental health. Earen has also taken a lea" role on the work on severe mental illness an" employment 1in the 9E an" overseas2.

Her blog "iscusses How she learnt about schizophrenia. How it is a barrier in the work place #he number of activities she "oes in or"er to increase awareness. $n" the struggle to raise awareness amongst policy makers.

Please check out her blog off B#he work foun"ationB site. On http.//www.theworkfoun"ation.com/ #he work foun"ation aims to be the lea"ing in"epen"ent! international authority on work an" its future! influencing policy an" practice for the benefit of society. )t,s goo" to see sites like these especially those who research on the structure of work! help tackle mental health awareness at the workplace. -------------------------------Of course being closely involve" with SLaM - ) woul" like to mention to others out there to also watch BFe"lamD! which is on :hannel G on #hurs"ays at H.&& pm! although if you are watching this blog late. #his blog is "ate" *ovember/%&'(. $nyway there are % more episo"es of Fe"lam left an" the show is about .

#he worl"Is ol"est psychiatric institution opens its "oors in a "ocumentary series challenging the myths! taboos an" stigma aroun" mental illness in Fritain to"ay. 5ou can check more about the show off this site being. http.//www.channelG.com/programmes/be"lam $lso feel free to check out more on how SLaM combats such mental health illnesses an" others off their site http.//www.slam.nhs.uk/

#hanks for viewing or listening to slamtwigops blog.

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