Scary to think people actually have real Hallucinations that are so real like that isn't it??

I can't imagine how awful that would be !

Yes they can.

Yes, I think it seems very real to them. It must be a very frightening experience

Unfortunately yes. I honestly think it has to the worst mental illness, I can't imagine how a person could cope. I'm glad Emmerdale are showcasing it though.

Don't know about worst - it's s not the only one that can be very debilitating and distressing- but it must be terrifying when it's s not under control.

Don't get me wrong, I have my own experiences with struggling with mental health and there are often days when I feel like I can't take it anymore and feeling like I'm literally fighting my mind, but to have your brain make you hear and see things that can be terrifying and make you question everything around you? Is that person really real or are they a hallucination? Is it true what they're saying? I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

No, it must be awful. A friend of mine thought her mind was being controlled by prisoners in the prison she was working in. I could have cried when she told me that.

A family member of mine has it and they do suffer like that.
She is on some very strong medication and cannot communicate in a normal capacity and can't hold down a job, I'm interested to see how far Emmerdale go down the route.

She's a fantastic actress the girl who plays Belle though, I've really enjoyed her scenes.

Yeah, my neighbour has just been sectioned for similar. She thought I had broken into her flat to steal cigarettes, there was no point in trying to reason with her as she actually believed it. Poor woman but not much fun to live next to!

What happens after 6 months?

Is it possible Belle could be living in the hospital ward forever!? sad =(

If she does have schizophrenia then she could be out of the hospital on medication that will stop hallicinations but she just won't appear normal as she was. It will be a very interesting storyline to do but i doubt they will to be honest.

Won't she just be "zoned out" virtually all the time? isn't that what the medications do?

Be like watching a zombie putting out to pass..

Pretty much yes, this is where soaps will struggle to portray this realistically.

I know someone very similar to Belle. Had the hallucinations, not of a person, more a face on the ceiling looking at them. They also believed that people on the TV were looking at them. Has mixed episodes, more like bipolar but also classic schizophrenia symptoms.

Been sectioned twice, first time for 3 weeks, second time for about 3 months. On 3 different medications, an anti psychotic, mood stabiliser and an anti depressant, as well as tablets to help with anxiety.

Hasn't been able to work and probably never will. Manages to go out locally but can't face getting on public transport, they simply don't have a life and just exist day to day, largely because the tablets make them too tired to be able to function well. Such a sad way of living.

As much as I am disliking at lot of the 'farce' storylines that the Hollyoaks producer has brought to Emmerdale I have to say that the Belle storyline has been fantastic and has been one of the most realistic mental health storylines I have seen in a long time.

Eden is a fantastic actress.

THIS

I think it depends on the sufferer and the medication they' re, but anti psychotic drugs can be really tiring and sufferers can struggle functioning in the everyday world. Shei they might not be able to work ( as is the case with sufferers of a range of mental health problems)butstt ill able to do some social activities. She might give the appearance of being sluggish and sedated as well. But as time goes by, she might be able to work or study part time ( in fact I think there are some cases if people being able to work full time). I think perhaps it depends on the individual and their reaction to the medication as to how well they appear and what they're capable of. She will need a good support network though and people who treat her normally. She may benefit from living in supported housing if there's s any available.I doubt she will have to remain on the ward, unless she's a risk to herself or others.

Definitely.

It must be horrific to go through this. Is it usual for someone with this condition to turn on someone close, ie in this case, her mum?

I also like the way they've made her condition gradual, it's much more believable.

Not with my friend. She is sluggish but not like a zombie and has worked part time, lives in her own flat, goes out.

I have a bipolar friend and she admits that she struggles to work out what's real and what's a hallucination sometimes. With meds she's better but she can't go out alone or even take her kids to school. She needs a full time carer for her anxiety - someone to keep her in reality and help her if she needs to go out. Without the meds she can't cope with the world and retreats to Facebook where she sees everyone as persecuting her and sees things that aren't there. It's a horrendous way to live as a young woman and is terrifying for her. Hopefully at some point the right medication will come along to give her a better balance and she can start living. ED has done well highlighting mental illness. All three big soaps have had a go recently but for me Belle's slow descent going unnoticed was well done and really sad.

I agree on all counts

I've no experience nor knowledge of her illness, but I can only imagine it to be similar to when you are having a dream, but picking up on things that are actually happening around you, as your aware of both conscious and unconscious (as they merge into one) but at the time you can't distinguish what is real and what isn't.