The Previous Essays of a Former Paranoid Schizophrenic

This collection of 103 essays, written over some years, I venture to suggest shows increasinglybetter mental health developing over that period illustrated by the improved command of expression of the author in choices of somewhat differing subject matters. That may be of only minor concern though, of more importance to one and all is it's preoccupation, almost throughout, on the benefits of and obligation to do " the right thing", which, although possibly didactic, may be unexpected coming from someone with the notorious label of paranoid schizophrenic, perhaps even being very reassuring for that particular reason. Having said this, humour is very apparent still, amusement naturally being intended to maintain the readers' interest in the writer's views and opinions, which are propounded also with a creative use of language. While some of the stories are purely for fun, you will hopefully find most are enjoyably enlightening and of value on several different levels.

Milo Seamus Miles was born in Hampshire in summer 1951 to parents who were afraid to address their historic issues, which they were also, alas, too scared to share. The author became terrified that possession of the knowledge that they were keeping from him and processing it cognitively would have a devastatingly detrimental effect upon him leading to adverse, maybe evil, consequences perhaps for everyone including himself in terms of his subsequent behaviour, being convinced by the great fear manifested by his mother and father.

This led to an aversion to learning and thinking which then halted almost completely, not to be resumed for over a dozen years, with the resultant deterioration in mental health from which paranoid schizophrenia eventually derived. Finding his misery, the low quality of life, unacceptable, he decided that he must strive to achieve something of major importance to make this having been a worthwhile, transitional situation, starting by establishing " how" he wanted to be. With this as his guide he became increasingly functional and, with aims for his behaviour, later began to make a contribution.

Stimulated by reading Milo's autobiography in mid-1998, his mother was motivated to, together with his father, divulge the bones of the difficult personal experiences that they had hidden from him for 47 years. Accepting the facts and finding out more, Milo dealt with these things, becoming increasingly confident of his commitment to assist in humanity's well-being, being informed by the wisdom engendered through having responded appropriately, albeit delayed, to the suffering which he had decided he must make every effort to overcome, trusting that this would be achieved by becoming consciously aware of the relevant truth and putting it into context. A faith which proved correct.