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Two years after releasing his book about his brother’s schizophrenia, rapper Gringe continues to battle the stigma of mental illness.
In an interview with 20 minutes, the rapper Gringe confides in the illness suffered by Thibault, his brother, and takes the opportunity to raise awareness of mental disorders as many people as possible. According to the World Health Organization, psychiatric disorders affect one in five people every year.
It’s from the book”Together we bark in silence”co-written with his brother, that the 42-year-old artist began to better understand schizophrenia, an illness characterized by a loss of contact with reality and a disintegration of personality.
“I’m still not an expert on the matter but it allowed me to better understand how he could live with it, to better understand his rhythm, how it could impact him and at what time of the day it was the most tiring. for him to live with his symptoms. And it also allowed me to better situate myself and find the right distance when we are together”.
Today, Gringe wants to continue to shake things up. Sponsor of the Perched House – an association aiming to support young adults living with a mental disorder – he also gives writing lessons to people with psychological and psychiatric disorders.
“I went to meet a lot of people and I was able to supervise groups of people who are victims of various and varied psychiatric disorders (…) The goal is to listen, to exchange and then to try to make something from the moment, something to remember”.
For the rapper, very committed to this subject, “It is important, at my small level, to relay these subjects to me..
And for good reason: the first psychotic episode of his little brother Thibault took place at the age of 19, when he had just left the school system.
“These are parasitic voices that invite themselves into his discussions and those of others. He alerted my mother to this phenomenon, which has amplified”thus confided the artist last February, on the plateau of the Maternelles.
Schizophrenia: what are the treatments?
In recent years, the care of people with schizophrenia has made enormous progress.
It thus generally associates several health experts (doctor, psychiatrist, neuropsychiatrist, nurse, psychologist, caregiver, etc.) coordinated by a referring caregiver.
A therapeutic strategy – often based on neuroleptics – is also recommended for each patient according to their biological and social profile. Medications are usually prescribed for life, as stopping can lead to seizures or relapses.
“Many patients are in denial, or discontinue their treatment after a few months, as soon as they feel better or because of adverse effects (especially weight gain)”recalls Inserm.
Long-term follow-up of the patient is therefore essential.
Finally, relatives also play a fundamental role: they help the person lead a more or less normal life. The more the entourage is present (and patient), the better the evolution of the disease.
When they are treated quickly, 15 to 20% of beginners with schizophrenia evolve favorably.