This story is adapted from a video originally filmed in 2024.
When Jackie, 61, from Hampshire was diagnosed with schizophrenia, she was devastated. “My brain went numb. I couldn't think. I couldn't talk to people. I didn't really have a life.”
“I felt like I had a load of barbed wire wrapped round my brain and I couldn't get out of it.”
Schizophrenia is a long-term mental health condition. Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions and muddled thoughts and speech. People with the condition may want to avoid others, including friends.
Jackie found out about the Culturally-adapted Family Intervention (CaFI) trial through her community psychiatric nurse. The trial is testing a new talking therapy with Black and Mixed heritage service users, their families, community members and healthcare professionals.
African and Caribbean people in the UK are more likely than other ethnic groups to be diagnosed with schizophrenia and related psychoses. Yet their engagement with support and treatment is generally more limited. This new therapy is designed to address this.
“I had 3 therapists that came and they'd spend about an hour to an hour and a half with me. We'd talk about my beliefs and about the certain groups of people that I had issues with.”
For Jackie, the trial has had positive results, changing her life for the better: “I can go out. I can feel confident. I can talk to people. I feel part of the community now.”
“I am now reaping the benefits of the therapy and I feel free mentally.”
The culturally adapted therapy helped Jackie and she is now encouraging others in her community to try therapy and to take part in research: “The therapy has helped me tremendously. It's a positive thing looking into your cultural beliefs. I'd recommend it to anyone.”
Watch Jackie's story
How you can get involved with research
Sign up to Be Part of Research to be contacted about a range of health and care research. Or check out our full list of studies to see if one is right for you.
And if taking part in a study doesn’t feel right at the moment there are other ways to get involved in research.
