Mum’s Voices | Episode 1

 
 

A story about a boy and his experience with his mother who lives with schizophrenia. It is inspired by my family's lived experience (Aashchay - Director). My hope is that people will empathise with these characters and ultimately empathise with those in our community who experience similar things. We're aiming to present this in schools(with the permission of the school & parents) for year 7 & 8 students. It would be great to spark conversations and learn about how our tamariki would like to finish the story.

Schizophrenia

Sometimes, people we love or care about can hear, see or experience things that others can’t. These voices or visions can be good or bad, or helpful or unhelpful. There are many explanations for these experiences, however at present, most often people understand these through the mental illness diagnosis ‘schizophrenia’.

People who live with schizophrenia go through patches where it is hard to think clearly, manage their emotions, distinguish what is real and what is not, and relate to others. They may have times when they lose contact with reality. This can all be very frightening, both for the person and their whānau and friends.

The symptoms of schizophrenia can vary between individuals and, over time, within an individual. They include both mood symptoms and psychotic symptoms. Psychotic symptoms are not there all the time and occur when you are having a severe, or acute episode. These include:

  • Delusions – an unusual belief that seem real to them, but not to other around them.

  • Thought disturbances – where some may have difficulty concentrating and maintaining a train of thought.

  • Hallucinations – this is when someone hears, sees, feels or smells something that is not there. However, their experiences are real to them.

For a more detailed explanation head to – mentalhealth.org.nz/conditions/condition/schizophrenia

  • Elijah

    This is Elijah. He is a quiet 11 year old boy who sometimes gets teased at school because his mum talks to voices that others can't see or hear. In this story, we'll see how this affects him and his family. This story is inspired by lived experience. The character Elijah is a reflection of my younger self and my experiences. My hope is that viewers will empathise with Elijah and ultimately empathise with those in our communities experiencing similar things.

  • Senara

    This is Senara, Elijah's mum. She grew up in Samoa and now lives in New Zealand. Sometimes she hears, sees, or experiences things that others can't. There are many reasons why people experience these things, but for Senara it is through the mental illness diagnosis 'schizophrenia' that she lives with. A lot of people find it weird or scary, but that is because they don't really understand it. In this story we'll see how the responses of others affect Senara during these experiences.

  • Community

    The way Elijah and Senara’s peers respond to Senara’s experience heavily impacts their lives. In this video, Elijah’s friends and their parents treat him and his mother in ways that increase the impact of his mother’s mental distress. If you know someone who is experiencing something similar, it’s important not to judge them or stop including them in everyday activities. Doing this can really impact on their recovery and the recovery of their loved ones.

 What you can do:

  • Listen to what they are going through and really try to understand where they are coming from.

  • Their experiences might not be real for you, but they are real for them.

  • Simply sit beside them, rather than offering advice or trying to ‘fix’ them. Sometimes, all people need is for someone to listen.

  • Support them to make their own decisions. Provide options on what they could do, but make sure that they call the shots and are onboard with any next steps.

Find more tips at www.likeminds.org.nz/justask/what-you-can-do

Made with the funding and support of Like Minds Like Mine