5 ways to help people with mental illness

"Schizophrenia is characterized by by profound disruption in cognition and emotion, affecting the most fundamental human attributes: language, thought, perception, affect and sense of self."
           http://www.schizophrenia.com/ami/diagnosis/mrBIPOL.html#
Today, I am going to tell about the emotion part and inappropriate social skills. I'll start with a story.
I was 5 years old when my grandmother passed away. She was the best grandmother anyone could ever ask for and she did a fantastic job of spoiling me everyday. I remember sitting in the funeral. My mother was crying like a baby, my father's eyes were quite watery also. Both my siblings were crying too...as a matter of fact, most people in the sanctuary were crying. There was so much sadness everywhere. What was I doing? Laughing. I was laughing.
Another time, I must have been about 17 this time, I was gathered around the table eating with my family. We had just heard on the news that a young boy had died after getting hit by a car. He was learning to ride a bike and had just got his training wheels taken off. I almost died laughing.
I have several other stories such as these and some involve different emotions too. I was fussed at and punished for most of them. I didn't understand why I was in trouble. I didn't understand that I was doing something wrong. As I lay here in my bed today with a clear mind, I understand how those responses were viewed as inappropriate. I understand that my family didn't know I was all that mentally ill at 5 years old. However, at age 17...I had already been diagnosed and they had been told to educate themselves. I already had a hard time at school. I got strange looks from most people almost anytime I opened my mouth and most people thought I was very weird. I only had 2 friends that over looked my schizophrenia enough to hang out with me outside of school. I didn't want to explain to everyone that I was schizophrenic and to please be patient with me. I didn't want them to be afraid or thing I was weird either. I just learned to keep my mouth shut because somehow everything I said was wrong. I never did anything with anyone because I knew I would look weird doing it (catatonic issues) or I would 't be able to understand. The only time I really did do anything without hallucinations or delusions telling me to, was when I was with either of my only friends. It is already rough having to be schizophrenic at school, but also in a home with a narrow minded step mom? The dr had given them the papers and website addresses to educate them selves. I was just yelled at instead of helped. To this day, I cringe just about every time I think about her and get so full of anxiety anytime I am near her. Her narrow mindedness, ignorance, and UNWILLINGNESS TO LEARN blew any chance of a healthy relationship between the 2 of us. She wonders why I don't want to come home and why I won't talk to her. Besides the fact that she calls herself my "mother and not mom," those are the biggest reasons I don't like her.
Point of this post? EDUCATE YOURSELVES and learn about people and what they struggle with before you are a douche to them. I had strange emotional and social responses that might could have been worked through had someone been willing to help outside of therapy once a week.
Lots of people know someone with a mental illness. Here are a few ways to make life a tad bit easier.

1. Try to understand. Communication and education are keys to the same door.
2. Patients. Things may be rocky for a looooooooooooong time, but be willing to work with your loved one. They are the ill ones, remember?
3. Don't threaten them with a psych ward visit or thorazine. Believe it or not, this happens. People's brains can be ill too. They are sick. Look at points 1 and 2 again.
4. We don't always know what we need. We, as humans, can become selfish. We see things we want and try to get them even though they may not be good for us. We can become blind to our actual needs. We may become frightened for what ever reason and in return refuse what we actually need. If you know of someone that needs help, GET THEM HELP.  Be sure to re-read points 1-3.
5. Love them! You need it, I need it, and they need it. Love is the most important ingredients to this potion. Without love, humans are nothing. Remember to...

                                                                    Love, a schizophrenic