‘Lillian’ - a play on schizophrenia

Extract

“Welcome to ‘Lillian’. This is all about schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is an illness, a serious mental illness which affects one person in a hundred. It is an illness which causes strange thoughts and strange feelings. It leads to emotional disturbances and a withdrawal from the reality of the external world. Those who suffer from it withdraw into their own world, into an unreal world of fantasy. Often they are tormented by strange and frightening experiences. Some develop strange ideas and fear that they are persecuted. Others hear voices, see and feel things that are not there, though they are real to them. Sometimes it is difficult to understand them because their thoughts are jumbled. They may even feel that someone else is interfering with their minds. In time, some lose their ability to do their everyday activities and lose their drive and initiative but this is not laziness. They often become very anxious and have periods of depression. For many the ability to express their emotions is blunted and in others their behaviour is unusual. These experiences are all very real to them and sadly some never realise what is happening to them. Most do recover with treatment, understanding and support but often under stress, relapses occur. We ask for your understanding and support”.