Inside Schizophrenia

Inside Schizophrenia

Featuring engaging conversations and insightful interviews covering a wide range of topics including caregiving, family dynamics, and getting help for schizophrenia. Hosted by Rachel Star Withers, who lives with schizophrenia. Inside Schizophrenia brings firsthand experiences from individuals with schizophrenia, family members, caregivers, and medical experts, aiming to foster a deeper understanding of schizophrenia, shed light on its impact, and develop strategies for managing this serious mental illness. Co-hosted by Gabe Howard, new episodes are released on the third Wednesday of every month.

Episodes

November 19, 2025 45 mins
The integration of artificial intelligence, AI, in mental healthcare holds promise for enhancing treatments, diagnosing, personalizing care, and more. An emerging new use of AI is in therapy, but is it ready for schizophrenia? In today’s episode, host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard are going to explore the benefits and dangers of AI therapy in schizophrenia care. Our guest is Dr. Nick Habe...
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What if you were certain you were perfectly healthy — but everyone around you insisted you had schizophrenia? This may not be denial; it could be anosognosia — a neurological symptom that prevents people from recognizing they have a mental illness.  In this special bonus episode, host Rachel Star Withers, who lives with schizophrenia, sits down with Dr. Xavier Amador, world-renowned psychologist and founder of the LEAP Institute, ...
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Childhood schizophrenia is one of the rarest — and most controversial — diagnoses in psychiatry. In this episode, host Rachel Star Withers (who lives with schizophrenia) and co-host Gabe Howard, joined by board certified psychiatrist Dr. Nicole Washington, explore the complexities of diagnosing schizophrenia in children and teens. Together, they unpack the challenges of distinguishing symptoms from typical childhood imagination, t...
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September 17, 2025 35 mins
The experiences of living with schizophrenia can be traumatic: hospitalizations, treatments, psychotic episodes. Even though the prevalence of comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in people with psychosis varies from 11% to 52%, treatment for traumatic experiences is rarely prescribed to people with schizophrenia.  In this episode, host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard discuss manag...
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For individuals living with schizophrenia, the world can be populated by voices, visions, or other sensory experiences that are intensely real yet imperceptible to others. These hallucinations, which are a defining feature of schizophrenia, are not mere figments of imagination but rather vivid, often distressing, and deeply influential aspects of their daily reality. Today’s exploration aims to shed light on the phenomenon of hall...
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Schizophrenia may develop in people of all ages, and the early signs of the disorder vary greatly from person to person. While the symptoms are the same, the presentation of them can change due to age of onset, gender, and severity. Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard explore how the early signs of schizophrenia can present differently and specific behaviors to watch for. Joining them is Dr...
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“Schizophrenia” is a scary word. A scary word that 1% of the population manages. Movies and TV shows have long created stigma around those with schizophrenia. But how do you stop fear? With knowledge. On a special bonus episode of the Inside Schizophrenia podcast, host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, sits down with Dr. Derin Cobia to break down the symptoms of schizophrenia, current treatments, and what is on...
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Psychosis is a state of impaired reality which may include hallucinations and delusions. Experiencing psychosis can impair your functioning and have a negative effect on various aspects of your daily life, such as work, school, and the ability to maintain relationships. Being in a state of psychosis can be extremely frightening and confusing. Many times, it can be difficult for loved ones, caregivers, and even medical professionals...
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The story of schizophrenia has too often been told through a lens of fear and misunderstanding. But that’s changing. Thanks to relentless advocates, awareness campaigns, and policy reform, stigma is being challenged and access to care is improving. But how do we join this fight? What does real advocacy look like — and where do we even begin? In this episode, host Rachel Star Withers, who lives with schizophrenia, and co-host Gabe ...
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Up to 70% of people with schizophrenia don’t take their medication as prescribed. This nonadherence is tied to higher risks of psychosis, relapse, ongoing symptoms, and even suicide attempts. So why do so many people with schizophrenia struggle to stay on their meds — despite such serious consequences? And what can actually be done about it? In this episode of Inside Schizophrenia, host Rachel Star Withers — who lives with schizop...
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Many adults with schizophrenia rely on family members for daily support, often depending on parents in their 50s or 60s. As these parents grow older, they face mounting physical and emotional challenges — along with the pressing question of who will care for their child in the future. In this episode of Inside Schizophrenia, host Rachel Star Withers, who lives with schizophrenia, and co-host Gabe Howard dive into the unique strugg...
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March 19, 2025 40 mins
Schizophrenia is a complex and often misunderstood mental illness, and misinformation and stigma surrounding the condition are still prevalent in our societies. The stereotypes and the myths of schizophrenia create challenges for people with diagnosed schizophrenia, but also for healthcare workers, family members, and caretakers. Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophrenic, and co-host Gabe Howard break down the top myths s...
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Everyone has felt overwhelmed by loud noises, bright lights, or strong smells — but for people with schizophrenia, sensory overload can be constant and intense. Sensory processing dysfunction can make everyday sights, sounds, and touches feel overwhelming, leading to a phenomenon called “sensory flooding.” It can also make it harder to filter out background noise, identify sensory sources, and focus on tasks — sometimes even contri...
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The average age of onset for schizophrenia is in early adulthood, late teens to early 30s. This is an intense stage of life for anyone — graduating high school, first time living on your own, entering the workforce, attending college, and figuring out what you want to do with your life and who you want to be. Now add experiencing psychosis for the first time, hallucinations, delusions and losing touch with reality. In this episode ...
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December 18, 2024 40 mins
Approximately one-fifth of the U.S. population lives in a rural area, and about one-fifth of those living in rural areas, or about 6.5 million individuals, have a mental illness. People living in rural areas have a more difficult time getting proper diagnoses and treatment for serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia. This is due to multiple factors, including a lack of healthcare providers, costs, and social stigmas surrounding...
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November 20, 2024 44 mins
Cognitive deficits are a core feature of schizophrenia and account for much of the impaired functioning associated with this disorder. What are the cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia? When do they start? Do they ever stop? And does cognitive decline continue throughout our lives? And most importantly, how do we treat these cognitive deficits? In this episode of Inside Schizophrenia, host Rachel Star Withers and co-hos...
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Hope is a crucial element that can significantly influence recovery for people with schizophrenia. It offers a pathway to resilience, empowerment, and a fulfilling life. However, schizophrenia is a disabling psychiatric condition that impacts 1% of people worldwide and ranks among the top ten global causes of disability. It can be difficult to remain hopeful with statistics like that. Host Rachel Star Withers, a diagnosed schizophr...
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A common symptom of schizophrenia is anosognosia. Anosognosia is when a person is unaware that they have mental health condition or cannot perceive their condition accurately. It is believed that between 50% to 98% of people with schizophrenia have some form of anosognosia. Is anosognosia that common? Could it be confused with denial? And how can caregivers, family, and loved ones of people with schizophrenia help them gain awarene...
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August 21, 2024 38 mins
Since the 1950s, the go-to treatment for schizophrenia has been oral antipsychotics. However, the landscape of schizophrenia treatment is changing and evolving, from advancements in antipsychotic long-acting injections to promising new treatments targeting muscarinic receptors to different types of neuromodulation stimuli of the brain, and even new theories connecting schizophrenia to other diseases like chronic traumatic encephalo...
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“Schizoposting” is a growing internet trend that involves posting violent images, videos, text posts, and memes as if the creator is having a mental breakdown. It has become associated with hate movements, and people are using schizoposting as a medium to desensitize and encourage others to violent impulses and unpredictable behavior. In this episode of Inside Schizophrenia, host Rachel Star Withers, who has been diagnosed with sch...
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