My Cousin Michelle's used to be a normal girl.
She was my best friend.
And was very talented,
and creative.
But as she got older,
she begin to have these episodes.
We didn't know what was wrong with her.
As time went on,
her episodes got worse.
Eventually she became a girl we didn't know anymore.
We now know she has full blown Schizophrenia.
That the girl we knew and loved is no more.
She has lost all touch with reality,
and is lost in her own crazy since of it.
She refuses all help.
Believing that her reality is really real.
I'm afraid that what she does in her own world will eventually get her killed.
Her case of Schizophrenia is an extreme one.
Now I'm going to get into what Schizophrenia is.
And why she was fine until she was in her 20's...
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Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally. Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that impairs daily functioning, and can be disabling.

Symptoms

Schizophrenia involves a range of problems with thinking (cognition), behavior and emotions. Signs and symptoms may vary, but usually involve delusions, hallucinations or disorganized speech, and reflect an impaired ability to function. Symptoms may include:

• Delusions.

These are false beliefs that are not based in reality. For example, you think that you're being harmed or harassed; certain gestures or comments are directed at you; you have exceptional ability or fame; another person is in love with you; or a major catastrophe is about to occur. Delusions occur in most people with schizophrenia.

• Hallucinations.

These usually involve seeing or hearing things that don't exist. Yet for the person with schizophrenia, they have the full force and impact of a normal experience. Hallucinations can be in any of the senses, but hearing voices is the most common hallucination.

• Disorganized thinking (speech).

Disorganized thinking is inferred from disorganized speech. Effective communication can be impaired, and answers to questions may be partially or completely unrelated. Rarely, speech may include putting together meaningless words that can't be understood, sometimes known as word salad.

• Extremely disorganized or abnormal motor behavior.

This may show in a number of ways, from childlike silliness to unpredictable agitation. Behavior isn't focused on a goal, so it's hard to do tasks. Behavior can include resistance to instructions, inappropriate or bizarre posture, a complete lack of response, or useless and excessive movement.

• Negative symptoms.

This refers to reduced or lack of ability to function normally. For example, the person may neglect personal hygiene or appear to lack emotion (doesn't make eye contact, doesn't change facial expressions or speaks in a monotone). Also, the person may lose interest in everyday activities, socially withdraw or lack the ability to experience pleasure.

Symptoms can vary in type and severity over time, with periods of worsening and remission of symptoms. Some symptoms may always be present.

In men,
schizophrenia symptoms typically start in the early to mid-20s.
In women,
symptoms typically begin in the late 20s.

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Now you know why she was fine until her 20's.
Schizophrenia is a very unique type of Mental illness.
Something gets triggered in the brain when the person becomes a young adult.
No one really knows why this happens.
That a perfectly healthy person can be fine,
Then all of a sudden not be.
There is no cure for Schizophrenia it can only be managed with medication.
Much still needs to be studied about this unique Mental illness.
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Now,
I'm going to share some funny video projects we made together.
Long before the Schizophrenia took her over.
In these videos are the girl we all miss.
The girl that was taken from us
Because of the Schizophrenia...