The Other Side Of Reality
The Oprah Magazine|March 2019

An accomplished novelist shares what it’s like to live with schizophrenia.

The Other Side Of Reality

ESMÉ WEIJUN WANG knows she doesn’t fit the stereotype of someone with a psychotic disorder. She has degrees from Stanford and the University of Michigan, a well received novel (and a second in the works), and a devoted husband of nine years. Yet as someone who’s been suffering since her 20s with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, Wang, now 35, has experienced periods of psychosis that include hallucinations and delusions, as well as mania and depression, and has been held in the psych ward three times against her will. Schizophrenia often sets in between ages 16 and 30. While it sometimes runs in families, scientists aren’t sure what causes it. Wang grew up hearing stories about a great-aunt who’d been institutionalized, but she was still shocked to learn that her brain was betraying her. Though she tries to control her disorder, she doesn’t hide it. She talks to students, doctors, and patients about her diagnoses, delusions, and recovery, and in illuminating essays from The Collected Schizophrenias, she shares anecdotes both arch and alarming. O’s health and wellness director, Corrie Pikul, asked Wang to take us inside her mind.

When did you first realize something was wrong?

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 2019-Ausgabe von The Oprah Magazine.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der March 2019-Ausgabe von The Oprah Magazine.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS THE OPRAH MAGAZINEAlle anzeigen
The Perfect Gift Book for Everyone on Your List
The Oprah US

The Perfect Gift Book for Everyone on Your List

Sumptuous reads that look as lovely on your coffee table as they do on your bedside table.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
Volume 3. No 4 - 2023
Long Live YOU!
The Oprah US

Long Live YOU!

A head-to-toe guide to staying strong, sharp, healthy, and happy well into your platinum years.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
Volume 3. No 4 - 2023
How to Manage Holiday Stress
The Oprah US

How to Manage Holiday Stress

Want to avoid family drama this year? Here are three ways to pregame.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
Volume 3. No 4 - 2023
How Makeup Artists Do the Holidays
The Oprah US

How Makeup Artists Do the Holidays

Time to put your party face on! These glam pros are sharing a look they love—and modeling it themselves.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
Volume 3. No 4 - 2023
On Everyone's Lips
The Oprah US

On Everyone's Lips

Carol Rasheed, the head makeup artist on The Color Purple, gives us a peek behind the scenes-and, thanks to her new lipstick collection, a memento.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
Volume 3. No 4 - 2023
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW Survival Guide
The Oprah US

THE MOTHER-IN-LAW Survival Guide

Ding-dong, she's here! But fear not-so are we, with advice on managing this singular relationship with grace, humor, and lots of heart.

time-read
10 Minuten  |
Volume 3. No 4 - 2023
The Enduring Power The Color Purple
The Oprah US

The Enduring Power The Color Purple

It has captivated audiences as a novel, a movie, and a Broadway musical. On the eve of its latest incarnation, a sweeping musical feature film out on Christmas Day, we celebrate Alice Walker's universal saga of resilience and redemption with behind-the-scenes stories from the new book Purple Rising.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
Volume 3. No 4 - 2023
Who (or What) Do You Need to Thank?
The Oprah US

Who (or What) Do You Need to Thank?

Gratitude isn't just a topic for your annual turkey dinner. It's been scientifically shown to improve your health eating depression, boosting immunity, and lowering stress. These thank-you notes (plus an ode to a heartbreakingly loyal pup) will inspire you to make it a daily practice.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
Volume 3. No 4 - 2023
Beam Me Up
The Oprah US

Beam Me Up

Bethany Heitman's self-esteem was tied to her clear skin, so dark spots sent her spiraling. Then she saw the light.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
Volume 3. No 3 - 2023
Turn Around, Bright Eyes
The Oprah US

Turn Around, Bright Eyes

After years of despising the puffy bags under her eyes, Rae Ann Herman found a surgeon she trusted and woke up refreshed in every way.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
Volume 3. No 3 - 2023