Comments on: Reflections on the Reiner family tragedy

By: Molly Brown

Molly Brown — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 03:53:52 +0000

It almost sounds as if the Reiner’s son had a psychotic episode.
This can be brought on by excessive marijuana use – which is legal in California.
I also find it interesting that he first went to rehab at 15. 15! WTH?
I wonder if he was diagnosed as ADHD and put on drugs as a child. I saw this done to my nephew. A perfectly normal high energy boy. It’s criminal what was done to him and so many like him in our over feminized education system. He spent his teens and twenties fighting addiction. He finally beat his addiction thanks be to God.

By: Mr Bill

Mr Bill — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 03:53:44 +0000

I grew up in fairly bad circumstances. I realized pretty early on that the only thing I had going for me was the fact that I was somewhat above average in intelligence; I certainly was not going to make it in life on my looks, or my charm, or my athletic abilities. And I wasn’t going the risk the one thing that I could use to make a good life for myself. My mother’s father was an alcoholic, and I was taught that even a few drinks could send you down the path of destruction. So, I completely abstained from alcohol and pot (which was the only drug somewhat available in those days). I never touched a drop of alcohol until I was drafted at the age of 22, and figured I was going to die in Viet Nam anyway, so what the hell… In the Army, I started drinking, and found out that I REALLY liked alcohol. I drank pretty heavily off and on for the next few years, then realized that I had better get it under control, and I did. Today I have a strict limit of two drinks a day, usually only one, and I can maintain that. I think it is a good thing for me that I did not start drinking until I was at least somewhat mature, or I would probably be a full-blown alcoholic.

By: Jon baker

Jon baker — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 00:36:12 +0000

Sad .
There is a program in my area that has a resident for homeless people and such. The men live on the site and have to give up their phones for the duration of the stages of the program. I am not aware of any judge making these people go there – as far as I know it’s completely voluntary but structured. They have a chapel on site and lots of religious training. On Sundays they are taken to various churches. Basically the staff that is on duty that day takes them to the staff members own church. Sometimes they come to my church and I sit with one of the guys. The program is also is involved with The Celebrate Recovery program that meets weekly at our church. After the guys complete the resident program they are allowed to live at the site for a couple of years I think while they work and get reestablished financially.

By: Bob Wilson

Bob Wilson — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 00:31:53 +0000

Marisa, the side effects you are mentioning are mainly with the first generation medicines. Later generation medicines like olanzapine, have many fewer side effects. That being said, even the first generation medicines were a miracle cure to avoid a lifetime of psychosis. Would your relatives have been better off not taking the medicines?
I am also not making light of the effects of schizophrenia. It Is a terrible illness. It first shows up in young adults, earlier for men than women. It seemingly takes these young people in the prime of their lives. And MM is right that there is no “cure”. The best that can be done is to manage the disease and reduce its effects.
All medicines have side effects. There are no magic bullets that only cure without harming anything else. We have to balance the good against the bad.

By: Marisa

Marisa — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 23:40:56 +0000

Bob, I disagree that the side effects are relatively small and benign. How would you like a little lifelong tardive dyskinesia with your antipsychotics, Mr. or Ms. Schizophrenic? I witnessed that in my own mother (given one of them for psychotic depression, not schizophrenia) and her brother. They also often cause weight gain and can cause diabetes.

By: Selfy

Selfy — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 23:03:43 +0000

For ten years, Arnhild Lauveng suffered as a schizophrenic, going in and out of the hospital for months or even a year at a time. A Road Back from Schizophrenia gives extraordinary insight into the logic (and life) of a schizophrenic.
[snip]
Today, however, she calls herself a “former schizophrenic,” has stopped taking medication for the illness, and currently works as a clinical psychologist.

https://www.amazon.com/Road-Back-Schizophrenia-Memoir/dp/1510724958?

By: Selfy

Selfy — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 22:54:41 +0000

Elyn R. Saks is an esteemed professor, lawyer, and psychiatrist and is the Orrin B. Evans Professor of Law, Psychology, Psychiatry, and the Behavioral Sciences at the University of Southern California Law School, yet she has suffered from schizophrenia for most of her life, and still has ongoing major episodes of the illness.

https://www.amazon.com/Center-Cannot-Hold-Journey-Through/dp/1401309445

By: Bob Wilson

Bob Wilson — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 21:51:32 +0000

Mutatis Mutandis, this is absolutely not true. There are good and effective medicines for schizophrenia. They have relatively small and benign side effects. But schizophrenia is relatively common, approximately one percent of the population or over 3 million people in the United States. The problem is the fraction of people will not take the medicine. And others who self medicate with narcotics.
Many of the so-called homeless are actually mentally ill with schizophrenia. The leftist states like California have adopted what they call a “housing first” approach. This is exactly the wrong thing to do. Instead of putting them in facilities where they could get therapy both psychotherapy and medical, they put them up in apartments where they are free to go out again on the street. But this enables the politicians to pay off their contributors to build these apartments.
I do not know whether this was the problem with the Reiners’ son. But if so, they paid a terrible price for not insisting on adequate therapy.

By: Kate

Kate — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 21:48:48 +0000

In particular, the sister who lived nearby and was closest to the parents and to Nick will suffer terribly.

By: Mutatis Mutandis

Mutatis Mutandis — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 20:21:46 +0000

Lee Also, I learned from a (very liberal) friend whose son had it that there is nothing that can be done for schizophrenics. They have to be hospitalized and as you point out, almost never can be. Yes, society has done a disservice to all involved.