ALICE was diagnosed with schizophrenia aged 20 when the pressures of working three jobs while at university pushed her over the edge.

Now 38 years old and living Camden Town, she is directing a feature-length film about a wartime romance and studying for an art PhD.

She says people who experience psychotic episodes – often portrayed in the media as mouth-frothing maniacs or dangers to society – need not be feared and should not be given up on.

Alice said: “We need to be more kind and understanding to people, more considerate when you see someone in the street having a hard time, or on the bus being bizarre. 

“It’s understandable, people are frightened of unknown things. But when I am unwell, I am more frightened of myself. It’s more terrifying for people who are experiencing it, sometimes overwhelmingly frightening. There have been incidents when people have done stupid stuff or horrific things, but that is incredibly over-reported.”

She added: “I think people should think about people in terms of them experiencing schizophrenia, rather than being schizophrenic. I think that term is derogatory. The condition does not define you.”

Alice describes her condition as a “thought and mood disorder” which can at times make her hear voices or see things that are not there – often through the computer, television or on the radio.

She said: “First what happens is my sleep pattern goes off, then I start getting intrusive thoughts – negative thoughts about myself. If I turn on the radio, or the computer, it might talk back to me. The computer can type back at me. The radio can start talking to me, and, rather than switching it off, I’d keep listening to it. I’d stay up all night listening to it, thinking that is incredibly interesting stuff. Front pages of the newspaper can change from what is actually written there. It is very weird, but it all feels so real.”

She said: “When I was 20 I started hearing voices, and seeing things on telly. It’s hard to describe. My perception of reality shifted. I still have to check myself, even now when I’m well, I can still sometimes hear voices and crowds shouting at me and things like that. I have to block it out.”

Alice said advances in anti-psychiatric medicine and “talking therapies” – such as cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) – were crucial in getting her back on her feet.

She said: “The main thing is you need a good network of support, friends and family. I am lucky that I have had support of people not giving up on me. There are a lot of people on the street and stuff and I have been really lucky, I don’t know what it would be like for them. And I was really fortunate, there was an NHS to support me. Now, with the cuts and everything, I’m worried for the future of people. Is there funding available? If they properly invested in this there would be less people in prison, less people on the streets.”

She added: “The mental health services in Camden have been brilliant all the way through.”

This week is Schizophrenia Awareness Week, organised by Rethink Mental Illness, which campaigns for more funding for mental health services from Clinical Commissioning Groups.