In the span of one week, I re-read my own book, Noah’s Schizophrenia, after not reading it in five years.  In 2020, the book was published and I went on a series of virtual book presentations through Zoom during the COVID lockdown. In the same week, I was contacted through a mutual friend, by a husband and wife regarding their mentally ill son.

This family has experienced many stereotypical setbacks, like the ones I mentioned in Noah’s Schizophrenia. They wished to speak with me because they heard that my son is living in a truly therapeutic residential setting. And that is what they are hoping for in the coming months, with their own son who is the same age.

Their son’s mental illness also emerged as a teen, he struggled academically, he was sent away in good faith to an out-of-state school, all the while continuing to deteriorate. Many hospital admissions later, they are hoping he can finally land in a place that will honor his experiences and suffering, properly medicate and treat him long term and even create an environment where he can develop some genuine friendships and support.

The big question is whether or not their son can rise to the occasion and agree to certain rules put in place for his own benefit and stability. The other big question is whether or not this family can find, and then be able to afford, a private program similar to the one that Noah is in.

It’s amazing to me how much things are the same, the deficiencies of the mental health care system, with this family across the country, but finding the exact same blockades and worries. The mother, in this case, is an active NAMI Family Support facilitator, but she can only help her own son to the extent that she can find the services he needs.

In the closing pages of Noah’s Schizophrenia, I took a little bit of a risk ending on the high note that we finally found relief and high expectations for our son with his placement at the John Henry Foundation. Was that an unintentional cliff-hangar?

Well, if so then I am here to say that more than 6 years later, my son continues to do well. He has advanced from the entry-Level One to a high Level 2, indicating that he has taken on more responsibilities and is more involved in the activities the program has to offer.  The staff have exceeded my expectations. I truly feel confident that we will never return to the darkest days I wrote about in my memoir.

Continued success has been the outcome, in part because of the effective model for recovery offered at the John Henry Foundation, but also because of the hard work my own son has contributed as well.  He has made me proud and it does feel like a miracle.

Author: Kartar Diamond

Kartar Diamond is a Family member and Mental Illness Advocate, and author of Noah’s Schizophrenia: A Mother’s Search for Truth