Paid Pharmaceutical Company Consultants are Fans of Madness Radio…

Hi Will,

We have an interview opportunity which I think would be a great fit for Madness Radio. The interview is with a schizophrenia patient and her mother. They are trying to raise awareness about caring for people with schizophrenia. Please see below for a press release. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like any additional information. We could tape the interview on our end and send an mp3 file if that would help? The patient and her mother both requested that we reach out to you, they are fans of your program.

Best Regards,
Rob Gottlieb

RADIO INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
7:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET
THE CHALLENGES OF CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Mom discusses stigmas, how to stay positive and ways to provide encouragement

November is National Family Caregiver’s Month

Decades ago, psychiatric institutions were largely in charge of caring for patients with schizophrenia. Now, families play a much larger role. Research shows a profound psychosocial, physical and financial impact on the families of people with mental illness. The burden of caring for people with schizophrenia is comparable to that of caring for people with Alzheimer’s Disease or cancer. Yet, these caregivers tend to be overlooked.

There are many concerns in caring for someone with schizophrenia, including housing, financial and social difficulties. Another concern is helping a loved one with schizophrenia keep up with his or her full treatment plan, which usually includes medication, psychotherapy and other activities. While there is no cure for schizophrenia, treatments have been found to manage symptoms and reduce the risk of relapse. Claire advises, “Think in terms of the recovery process. There are many avenues of help along this path. Be glad you are able to take advantage of the abundance of supportive resources we have today—better than at any time in the past.”

Given that November is National Family Caregiver’s Month, we hope you’ll consider exploring this topic and are offering interviews with:

Claire and Rebecca Phillips,* a mother-daughter pair who have been working together to deal with the challenges of schizophrenia since Rebecca’s diagnosis in college. They can share insights and advice from both perspectives. “Realize that the symptoms are not the person! The diagnosis is not the person! The family member needs your positive attitude and encouragement,” says Claire.

Psychiatrist Rebecca Roma, MD,* is Medical Director of the Community Treatment Team at Mercy Behavioral Health in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “Unlike other disabilities, the lack of insight that can occur with people with schizophrenia makes offering support a challenge,” she says. Dr. Roma is only available between 7-9 a.m. ET.

SUGGESTED QUESTIONS:
Is there a stigma associated with having schizophrenia? What are some of those stigmas?

What is schizophrenia? How can you recognize that someone may have schizophrenia?

When did you find out that you/your daughter had schizophrenia? Did you know anything about the disease at that time?

How did the diagnosis affect you/your family?

What are some of the challenges of being caregiver for someone with schizophrenia?

What advice do you have for people who have a family member that has been recently diagnosed with schizophrenia?

What are some the supportive resources you rely on to help you provide care for your daughter?

TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW, PLEASE CONTACT: Robert Gottlieb @ (908) 301 0819

This interview is courtesy of Janssen®, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.