Monday, 31 October 2011 21:02

How does someone in the helping professions gain a true understanding of what it is like to experience a particular mental illness?  How can anyone really know what it feels like--unless you have been there yourself?

As part of our training, therapists certainly read a lot about depression, OCD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.  But reading about and experiencing are two very different things.  Many therapists, of course, have their own direct experiences with mental illness, perhaps most often with anxiety and depression, either in themselves or a loved one.  Fortunately, however, most of us have not had personal experience with more serious mental illness, such as psychosis.

A recent study presented on October 28, 2011, at the American Psychiatric Association's 2011 Institute on Psychiatric Services described a new, powerful teaching technique that simulated the experience of auditory hallucinations.  In a study involving 240 medical students at the University of Toledo, experimenters exposed the students to a recording that had three distinct and disturbing voices, as a way to teach medical students about psychosis.  The recording culminated with strong voices that make statements such as "You're dirty," or even command suicide, much as the "voices" heard by a patient with psychosis would do.

Nearly all of those who went through the simulation exercise felt that the experience helped them realize the daily challenges faced by people with psychosis, and 95% thought it would help them provide better treatment to those with mental illness, according to presenting author Indrani Naskar, MD.  "Most students said they had developed more empathy toward people with auditory hallucinations and had newfound respect for those with psychosis," said Dr. Naskar.  "It offered students a glimpse into the lived experience of people with severe mental illness.  Such experiential learning opportunities about mental illness may prove to be powerful tools for removing stigma and educating undergraduates and graduate students about the symptoms of those with psychiatric disorders," Dr. Naskar said.

What a remarkable teaching tool!  It certainly would be worthwhile for all of us to have this kind of simulated experience as a way to both better understand psychosis and to increase empathy for those with psychotic symptoms.  Unfortnately, there is no way to simulate some of the more common mental illnesses.  What if you could really feel what your depressed spouse, child or parent feels?  What your friend with OCD experiences on a daily basis?  What your co-worker goes through as she tries to manage bipolar disorder? 

For now, perhaps the best we can do is try to understand the struggles of others as best we can; to offer empathy and support; to realize that most of us are doing the best we can with the cards we have been dealt; and to be grateful for whatever days (and nights) of tranquility life offers us.