Lina Sorenson, 49, knows when it's time for her to start taking her Stelazine for her schizophrenia. It begins with thinking she can control other people's thoughts and read minds, which she admits can be "fun." But these thoughts quickly spiral out of control, with voices urging her to step onto the third rail of the subway if she doesn't want to lose her powers. "I have to be vigilant because I know that fun times can turn into a horror show at any time," says Sorenson, a former opera singer and musical theater actress. Staying on medication consistently is recommended for most individuals with schizophrenia, but for some patients, taking them only when symptoms threaten is appropriate, some clinicians say. Sorenson says she stays in "very close touch" with her doctor.
When most people imagine someone ...
