Taking time to listen: meeting a schizophrenia patient
Mental health is a top priority at Teva and one we’re firmly committed to. We understand the impact that a condition like schizophrenia has on patients, their families and communities and we’re dedicated to not only supporting individuals but advocating for increased awareness and education.
Through initiatives like Life Effects and awareness-raising patient symposiums, we share stories from patients and carers about the reality of living with mental health conditions and receiving support. At a recent patient symposium for Mental Health Awareness Month, we talked to Matt who is living with schizophrenia and his mother Susan who is part of his carers’ network – read Susan’s story here.
Matt was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his 20s and describes it as “chronic illness marked by delusions, hallucinations, and thought process challenges” but says he has been “very fortunate to have access to support and resources, including psychiatrists and therapists, and to have my amazing mother as one of my biggest advocates”.
When were you first diagnosed and what happened next?
I was first diagnosed after an episode of psychosis in 2009. At the time, our reaction was disbelief. We thought it might just be a one-time event. Then two years later, I had a more severe episode that required hospitalization. There was a lot of confusion and disbelief at first, I almost felt like it was a death sentence. But through community resources like National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), support groups, and my providers, I learned this is manageable and recoverable with access to the right supports. It’s been an ongoing journey, but I’m very grateful.
What challenges have you faced since diagnosis?
When I look back, even starting in college in Ohio, I began to isolate from activities I used to enjoy. I was in an a cappella group and played music - which I still love to this day - but at that time, I started withdrawing. When I transferred back to Miami and re-enrolled in classes, I started missing classes. I experienced anxiety, fear of large crowds, and that evolved into paranoia, feeling unsafe around classmates or in public spaces. It impacted every part of my life, my grades, my friendships, even my passion for music.
How have you coped with the challenges?
Eventually, with the help of my parents and a therapist, I began to understand this was a treatable illness. Therapy helped me reframe my thinking and shake the stigma I had internalized. I began to realize I wasn’t broken, I could still achieve my goals and follow my interests, just through a different path.
How has medical treatment supported you?
Looking back, especially at my 2011 episode, it was very difficult to engage in treatment at first because I was deep in psychosis. I had delusions, I thought I had powers or that people were after me. It’s terrifying, because it feels real.
I didn’t realize it was an illness; I thought it was my reality. Once I was hospitalized, I got access to excellent providers and began recovery. Medication helped with the psychosis, but there’s still a gap with the negative symptoms - lack of motivation, difficulty feeling emotion. That’s an area I hope to see more support for.
Peer support has been essential for me. Meeting someone who’d been through something similar and had rebuilt their life gave me hope. It helped me stick with my treatment and educate myself about the illness.
What self-care strategies do you use?
Music has been huge for me. I play guitar and sing. Early in recovery, I met a peer who became a best friend. He showed me that recovery is real. Seeing him working and in school again helped me believe I could do it too.
Now I play music to relax. I exercise more than I used to, and I educate myself about schizophrenia. I read about new treatments and how other countries handle it.
Spending time with my nieces also keeps me grounded, they bring joy and creativity into my life. I also continue seeing my psychiatrist and therapist, and I have open conversations about symptoms and medication. That ongoing dialogue helps me feel empowered.
What misconceptions have you encountered since diagnosis?
One big misconception is that people with schizophrenia are dangerous, “crazy,” or beyond help. That kind of stigma makes things worse.
Recovery isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s made up of steps - medication, peer support, family support, safe places to work. These add up over time. When I couldn’t leave the house or go back to school, I felt completely isolated.
But even one small step gave me hope. And that hope kept building. Everyone’s journey is different, but support and compassion can break down stigma and help people thrive.
How can healthcare providers help patients more?
What providers can do is to look beyond the absence of psychosis. A patient might appear fine on the outside but still be struggling inside. I often gave brief answers like ‘I’m good’ when I wasn’t. It helps when providers ask deeper, compassionate questions to understand what else might be going on beneath the surface.
How would you describe your journey?
Think about recovery from schizophrenia as like recovering from a complex fracture. If someone broke their leg in a serious way, they wouldn’t be expected to run or work right away. They’d take small steps.
It’s the same with the mind. Schizophrenia is like a fracture of the mind, and recovery takes time. Taking small steps and giving ourselves grace has made a big difference for me.
I also want to say how powerful it feels to share our lived experiences. It gives me hope, for the future of treatment, for understanding, and for others on similar journeys. If you or someone you love is struggling, please know recovery is absolutely possible.
Find out more about schizophrenia
Why Teva believes this work is so important
“Our goal is to offer opportunities to hear directly from people living with illness. We believe that opportunities like today's panel will help us better understand what it’s like to live with some of these conditions and the areas we work in, learn about unmet treatment needs, and better understand how Teva can support these communities” says Michelle Roberts, Head of Medical Patient Advocacy at Teva.
Meet Matt’s mother Susan who is part of his carers’ network and Melissa, who is living with a movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia (TD)
NPS-ALL-NP-01627-September-2025
