# Treat the part that is not schizophrenia

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-singapore-schizophrenia-treat-the-other-part
- Themes: mental health, compassion, identity
- Life situations: mental health, prison work

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Singapore schizophrenia-unit professor (Catholic): he doesn't treat schizophrenia — he treats the part of the patient that is not schizophrenic; results better than classical treatment. Brahm: never saw a criminal, only people who've stolen or murdered.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

professor of schizophrenia unit in Singapore mental health. Professor he was a Catholic but I asked him how do you treat schizophrenia in Singapore? I always remember this conversation because he said just as you explained AJ Brown I don't treat schizophrenia in a schizophrenia unit of the mental health campus I think was in woodlands over in the north part of Singapore and I said yeah what do you treat then he said the other part of that patient I treat the part which is not schizophrenic and I understood what he was talking about said excellent what's the what's the results he said so much better than classical treatment [snorts] there's no such thing as a schizophrenic is a person who has episodes which we recognize as schizophrenia treat the other part of them and that grows. [snorts] All those times which I went into prisons to teach, never ever saw a criminal

## Teaching point

Water the flowers, not the weeds — grow the healthy part.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A Singapore professor told Ajahn Brahm he doesn't treat schizophrenia; he treats the part of the patient that isn't schizophrenic, with better results. In prisons, Ajahn Brahm never met a criminal, only people who had done terrible things and were bigger than those acts. Nurture the healthy part in everyone, yourself included.

## Source

- [Transcendence | Ajahn Brahm | 30 April 2021](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l903MO8kgY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 57:48 to 59:17: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l903MO8kgY&t=3468s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Terrorism and Peace | Ajahn Brahm | 20 Nov 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_c9GDnNME8) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 49:55 to 50:50: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_c9GDnNME8&t=2995s
- [Inclusiveness | Ajahn Brahm | 17 March 2023](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmVeZu4KmvY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 47:21 to 48:24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmVeZu4KmvY&t=2841s
- [Celebrating and Empowering People Who are Different | Ajahn Brahm | 5 April 2019](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCdAozsFgDY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 25:37 to 26:18: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCdAozsFgDY&t=1537s
- [Ajahn Sannagui (Santaguy) - Armadale Meditation Group | Ajahn Brahm | 22 December 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F7DOBdWH70) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 1:11:38 to 1:12:30: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F7DOBdWH70&t=4298s