Experiencing and Overcoming Schizoaffective Disorder: A Memoir

This book is a genuine account of Schizoaffective Disorder by a young man who as has come through the worst of it and has the strength and courage to face it daily and challenge its power over him. Its athenticity truly touched me.We see Schizophrenia portrayed on television and the movies or read its description in books and think we have some idea of what it is, but until I read this book I realize I didn't have a clue. The book takes you through the author's younger years, long before there would ever be a break or clinical diagnosis, and helps you to see that it doesn't happen all at once, and it doesn't happen because of a single event, and it doesn't happen to just "certain types of people" - all things that pop culture may have you believe in order to expedite a story line or promote the common beliefs. It's something the individual deals with in many ways throughout their life, and it's something that would likely break many of us if we were faced with it on a daily basis the way the author was. After all, I don't think there is a single person that can say they've never suffered from low self-esteem, paranoia, obsessive thoughts or actions at some time in their lives. Now imagine if your brain trapped you in those thoughts and times and wouldn't release you. That is what I imagined when I read this book, and it really, truly opened my eyes. I sincerely hope this book gets the recognition it deserves for what it is and what it does. Its not a clinical read, or highly polished and edited production - it's a true, honest, and thought provoking account from someone who can take you through his own first hand account. Schizoaffective Disorder is not something I think anyone ever expects to experience in their personal life; and I imagine that most, like me, wouldn't recognize it in its early stages. I hope this book can make it into the hands of those children who may feel just as Steve did and those parents who know the loving child they've raised is struggling in ways they can't understand but could possibly recognize through the author's account. The author talks throughout the book about his desire to help others and provide meaning for himself and others, and through his courage and selflessness in sharing his memoirs - I feel he has undeniably achieved that.

This is a very informative book from a firsthand account of what is going on and how he was thinking while having Schizoaffective events. He covers some of the warning signs and how / why they were ignored, when he was going into an episode. The author talks about issues and reasons for being / staying medicated and not being medicated / stopping medication use. The last couple chapters cover what the author is doing to help himself, therapies, & medication use.This book should be on the must read list for anyone who has a friend or family member with Schizoaffective disorder. Also all persons that work with the public, more so: police, fire, EMS, medical, case workers, and social workers. Reading this book will give you a better understanding of how and what people with this disorder are thinking. You will also lean different methods that are better to use when approaching or working with individuals that are having an episode.I highly recommend reading this book. I have gained a better understanding of what I am facing and what a person with Schizoaffective disorder is dealing with. The methods of communication that are described and recommend within the book have personally helped me working as a Medic.

“Experiencing and Overcoming Schizoaffective Disorder,” by Steve Colori, walks the reader through the author’s complicated life. He describes his younger mind as one that raced—which resulted in thought blocking. His story proves communication disorder doesn’t always equate with lack in understanding, and warns it may be evidence of biological elements that suggest possible inclination to schizophrenia later on. He poignantly describes how cognitive impairment felt restrictive in his earliest years, and the lengths to which he’d gone to compensate. Bullying became the impetus behind most of the personality quirks he developed, as means for survival. He reasonably shares, “Although I was different and sometimes a bit perturbing I meant no one any harm and didn’t deserve what I was getting.” Finding safety in the classroom, his best diversion was to study—a lot. He miraculously got through the bullying, and began to successfully participate in sports. He commendably made it all the way to college. In that era’s overcharged lifestyle, he describes an adrenaline “feeling started in my heart and ran up through the left part of my throat.” There are useful accounts about his emotional triggers, sleeplessness, mania, delusions, and referential thinking. These will be useful to families who need to sift through such issues, and are just learning. The author’s account about medication dosage is likely to save a lot of heartache for those who are being tried on medications. He says, “Many doctors eliminate the symptoms of the psychological disorder but in my experience being medicated in that manner was over-medicated and was a far worse lifestyle that being completely unmedicated.” He describes being better able to participate in therapies using less medication, because low mood had not developed from too much medication. Steve Colori impresses me as someone who will make a difference, thanks to his insights and hindsight. For him, part of recovery entailed finding a new destination as a way of life. I think he wants to make sure others are prescribed that plan, along with a healthy dose of acceptance for things that cannot be changed. There is plenty more in “Experiencing and Overcoming Schizoaffective Disorder” and I highly recommend it. Lastly, I commend those in, and between, the lines of his story that also made this book possible.

Thank you!

This is a good first person account.