Medical Minute: Man With Schizophrenia Shares His Journey To Help De-Stigmatize Psychosis

Millions of Americans are affected by psychosis, a condition that includes schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.

One man, Darrell Herrmann, is sharing his story in an effort to help others who may be diagnosed with similar conditions.

“It was in March of 1984. I was 29, almost 30. I was a Captain of the United States Army. My specialties were field artillery, nuclear weapons. And I began to fall apart. I had a delusion that I was drugged to produce super soldiers. I didn’t understand what was going on, but I knew something was wrong,” Herrmann said.

Herrmann, who holds a degree in physical science and served as a military officer, was diagnosed with schizophrenia.

“They just gave me pills and said, here, take them,” he recalled.

After receiving a military discharge, Herrmann went back to college, earned a degree in computer programming, got married, and was feeling well enough to stop taking his medication. However, the voices, paranoia, and hallucinations soon returned. After seeking help and changing antipsychotic medications, Herrmann committed himself to advocating for people living with psychosis.

“Number one, you have to take your medications as prescribed. Number two, you have to stay away from alcohol, don’t do drugs or marijuana. And number three, you have to cooperate with your treatment team,” Herrmann advised.

Herrmann has written a book titled Straight Talk About Living with Severe Mental Illness. He hopes readers gain a better understanding of psychosis and how to adjust their lives to manage the condition.

“The big thing I want people to get out of it is an understanding of what it is to be psychotic and how you’ve got to change your life to live with that,” he said.

In addition to medication and treatment, Herrmann emphasizes the importance of finding a support group to share information about new treatments and help manage challenges.