“Helping the Children of Mothers with Schizophrenia”
Photograph by John Diamond, M.D.
I remember back in 1960 attending a lecture by a visiting psychiatric dignitary, I believe it was E.J. Anthony. His subject was the children of schizophrenic mothers.
It impressed me deeply and over the years I have tried to help them as best I can bearing in mind that they are not the designated patients. And yet they so suffer, are in deep anguish.
My present approach would be to see past their mother’s illness, past her craziness – her fearsomeness. To See into her – deeply – to the Mother she yearned to be – but couldn’t be.
In essence, to find their mother’s Soul – and thus their own. Safety, peace, at last.
To a very limited extent, I sometimes could – I think – find the Deep Unconscious of some of the very disturbed schizophrenics in the locked wards of a mental asylum. How so much more difficult for their children!
