One thing I hear over and over again from clients and their family members is how lost they feel during the early stages of the illness. They don’t know anyone who talks about schizophrenia, and it seems like such a rare and difficult illness. Sometimes just getting connected with other people with schizophrenia and their families is a big step forward.
Schizophrenia.com has several forums with quite a few conversations going on, both for families and for the people with the diagnosis.