Coping strategies for non-schizophrenics.

1. Do some exercise.
2. Eat fruit and vegetables.
3. Avoid smoking.
4. Drink in moderation.

Don't worry about your non-diagnosis - approximately 99% of people lack schizophrenia.

In the UK press there is some debate about a person with schizophrenia killing someone.

Most schizophrenics aren't dangerous. However, some are and strangely enough it makes it easier to predict when a schizophrenic is about to become dangerous. Here are the key warning signs:-

• Stopping taking medication for a certain amount of time.
• Being overlooked by mental health services or social services.
• Declaring that they are about to become violent.

If you know someone suffering with schizophrenia, try these coping strategies for non-schizophrenics out:-

• See NHS Direct's website.
• Ask your GP for advice.
•  Treat them as you would any other member of society.
• If you know them well enough, ask them how they are coping with their illness.

Here are some coping strategies for dealing with "hearing voices" (auditory hallucinations) that have been collated:-

• Ground self in present. (Look around you carefully to reassure yourself everything is OK).
• Think of consequences of actions. (Especially if you are feeling paronoid and/or aggressive).
• Try reading a newspaper, magazine or book.
• Watch TV, listen to radio or CD or mp3 player.
• If on a bus and you don't feel comfortable, look out of a window or change seats.
• Phone NHS/social services staff that you are in contact with.
• Try breathing slowly and deeply to calm yourself down.
• Remember all the achievements you have accomplished in the past. There will be more to come.
• Use PRN (medication prescribed for use "as and when necessary").

Been to my sister's for my birthday. Got some cheap CDs (3 for £5) from “That's Entertainment” in Eldon Square, just off Northumberland Street. Highly recommended!

Been supporting my key worker. She was running a course at University so I attended two days so her students could ask someone with experience of mental health problems how things are. The students liked it. And I had to get out of bed at an impossibly early hour.

HMV is closing down. I will miss it – need to find a new place to buy new music. Amazon perhaps?

iPod is getting full. Have found that by using RhythmBox to convert CDs into ogg files instead of mp3 files saves about 10% of disc space. The version of RhythmBox I'm running at the moment is a bit cranky – sometimes it fails to get track names from the Internet – and it crashed today as well. I really wish there was a native iTunes for Linux.

Been refurbishing some computers for use in Contact and the community. Am trying to help local Windows experts to learn Linux. And I also want to learn how to fix Ethernet cables.

Am currently reading the first part of “C++ GUI Programming with Qt 4 (2e)” when I can find time – there always seems to be plenty to do so I'm not making as much progress as I would have liked. Hope to have the basics learnt before the 4th edition of “The C++ Programming Language” is published.

I also need to find time to resume GMing my Traveller campaign sometime soon.

Have started having salad everyday. And a banana. And have started reading the Good Housekeeping “Bumper Student Cookbook”. We'll see what happens:)