[samoleus]

Two good things came out of this recent bs drama. First (less importantly) many of you have come to see what a worm Dean is.

Much more importantly, I was tremendously pleased to see so many of you pm me with interest in donating to the schizophrenia association.

I am touched and really humbled. I had really believed for some time that this forum was primarily populated with losers who get their rocks off by bashing others. What I now believe to be true is that those posters are simply the vocal ones but not in the majority. I cannot overstate how moved and pleased I am to see such an outpouring of support for this cause.

To expand upon that, I do not have schizophrenia. But as many of you probably guessed, someone very close to me is afflicted. I have seen how it destroys lives, and it is indeed a cause that is very dear to my heart.

Many of you that pm'd me about contributing know a little about it. For those of you that don't (and those of you that want me to explain further), schizophrenia affects the limbic system and causes the afflicted to hear voices and in some cases see visions creating an entirely alternate reality. Trapped in a world where they cannot decipher what is true and what is not, they often become very paranoid and suspicious of those that try to help them. Many of them turn to drugs to self-medicate themselves from their delusions. The drugs damage their limbic system further causing worse hallucinations, which they in turn assuage by taking more drugs. It is a vicious cycle that destroys their lives and those close to them.

Unfortunately, the government and we as taxpayers do not do enough to study this disease. There is no cure and its research is grossly underfunded. As I have said, this is a cause that is very dear to my heart, and please know that those of you that are choosing to support it will have my deepest appreciation and gratitude (for what that is worth).

Sincerely,
Samo