First person account: maintaining mental health in a turbulent world.

The article and the poems that follow are part of the Schizophrenia Bulletin's ongoing First Person Accounts series. We hope that mental health professionals--the Bulletin's primary audience--will take this opportunity to learn about the issues and difficulties confronted by consumers of mental health care. In addition, we hope that these accounts will give patients and families a better sense of not being alone in confronting the problems that can be anticipated by persons with serious emotional difficulties. Although there are a number of books and articles describing the personal experiences of patients and families with mental disorder, we believe there is a continuing need for experiences to be shared among mental health professionals, families, and current and former patients. We welcome other contributions from patients, ex-patients, or family members. Our major editorial requirement is that such contributions be clearly written and organized and that a novel or unique aspect of schizophrenia be described, with special emphasis on points that will be important for professionals. Clinicians who see articulate patients, with experiences they believe should be shared, might encourage these patients to submit their articles to First Person Accounts, Center for Studies of Schizophrenia, NIMH, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rm. 10--95, Rockville, MD 20857.