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It's a cold January evening, about eight o'clock. Edward is sitting on a seat in a shopping area. He's on his own and is talking loudly to himself. He's wearing just a shirt and trousers and he hasn't got any shoes or socks on. A small group of teenagers are cruelly shouting abuse at him – they think they're being very funny. A passer-by is concerned for Edward, partly because he must be getting cold and partly because she's worried about the youths and what they might do. She calls the police.
The police take Edward to the police station, wrap him in a blanket and give him a cup of tea. Luckily Edward has a letter in his pocket which shows where he lives. The police phone Edward's home and speak with his wife, Josie. She's very worried about where he's got to and explains that Edward has an illness called Schizophrenia; Josie comes and collects him to take him home.
Edward's Schizophrenia is a mental illness – in other words it's Edward's mind that is unwell. People with Schizophrenia sometimes find it hard to relate to other people – to understand how other people are feeling for instance. Sometimes they imagine they hear voices and they feel a strong urge to answer the voices. Edward's illness is usually kept under control with medication (medicines); but something has happened in his life that's put everything out of balance for him.
Edward works for a small printing firm; he sets up the printing machines as well as looking after the company's accounts. But the firm is to close down and Edward must find a new job. Edward has worked for this small firm for 13 years and everyone knows about his illness – his schizophrenia. He's worried about interviews for his new job and that he'll have to let possible employers know about his illness.
Josie knew there was something wrong; Edward has been finding it hard to get up in the mornings, he's been putting any old clothes on and he hasn't been helping around the house either. This is all very unlike him. But now Josie knows what the problem is, she and Edward, together, can work through it.
They work with a
Dramatherapist
on practice interviews so he feels more confident; the dramatherapist also helps him control his 'voices' so he no longer blurts things out. Edward works with an
Occupational Therapist so he doesn't feel so nervous about being in new places and meeting lots of new people. His doctor thinks a different medication would help, but this makes Edward's mouth dry and he finds it hard to speak. A Speech and Language Therapist helps him with this.
One last problem remains. Edward and Josie have two children – Chloe and Richard. Both of them are being bullied at school because their classmates say your dad's mad and your dad's a nutter. So they never bring friends back to their home. Can you imagine how Chloe, Richard and Josie feel about this? And what about Edward? – He thinks it's all his fault.
The family work together with an
Art Therapist... together they are able to express their feelings and work out ways to deal with the problem. The whole family begins to feel more confident and Chloe and Richard find they are able to make friends and bring them home. What do you think has happened to make this possible?
 Which people help Edward?
Dramatherapist
Art Therapist
Occupational Therapist
Speech and Language Therapist
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Why is Edward, who loves his wife and children, behaving strangely? 
