First person account: third side of the coin.

The article that begins below is the fourth in a series of personal accounts to be published in the Schizophrenia Bulletin. We hope that mental health professionals— who are the Bulletin's primary audience—will take this opportunity to learn about the issues and difficulties confronted by consumers of mental health care. In addition, we hope that these accounts will give patients and families a better sense of not being alone in confronting the problems that can be anticipated by persons with serious emotional difficulties. Although there are a number of books and articles describing the personal experiences of patients and families with mental disorder, we believe there is a continuing need for experiences to be shared among mental health professionals, families, and current and former patients. We welcome other contributions from patients, ex-patients, or family members. Our major editorial requirement is that such contributions be clearly written and organized and that a novel or unique aspect of schizophrenia be described, with special emphasis on points that will be important for professionals. Clinicians who see articulate patients, with experiences they believe should be shared, might encourage these patients to submit their articles to the Bulletin's new section, First Person Accounts.—The Editors A coin has two sides, heads or tails, as the world sometimes seems to be divided between the sane and the insane. I fit somewhere in between. These last 5V2 years I have been a mental patient. I have been in and out of the hospital three times and on and off a variety of medications. In short, I walk the thin edge of the coin. I have learned much, and I am proud of my accomplishments. I can point to a padded cell and am proud to say, "I was there." I live in a small town in Central Florida. The town is too large to know everyone personally but small enough to know "the truth" about people. No one is perfect. I have friends who accept me wholeheartedly. Once I spoke with one of the ministers of my church. I began gently by telling him that I was seeing a psychiatrist, and I spared him many details hitting only the main points. He had nothing to say. Possibly my illness was too great a burden for him. There are those who see mental illness as a demonic possession. My own Sunday school teacher has confessed that he believes this …