Spencer was only 17, when he started seeing things. He said that he would see things pop out from the television or newspaper. According to him, everything appeared completely real. He described it to ABC News as the thing that happens when someone is stuck in a bad trip. He explained that it took him months before he realized that it was a mental illness that's making him see things.
Spencer, 23, was institutionalized three times after running away since he became very paranoid. He was certain that everyone around him was out to get him. He said that he took everything he saw, heard and felt as something malicious directed at him.
After being on medication, he was later on taken to a new program in East Lansing that was part of a pioneer program called NAVIGATE. The program's aim is to help patients in the agony of a psychotic episode. But despite being there, his delusions did not go away and he said he still wanted to run away.
At the program, at the Clinton-Eaton-Ingham Community Mental Health Authority in Lansing, Spencer was given a different kind of treatment as part of a study which is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. They used team-based and comprehensive therapies to help patients in their first psychotic episode.
Dr. Catherine Adams, medical director of the original program Spencer was in and now medical director of the new form called ETCH (Early Treatment and Cognitive Health), said the most exciting part of the study is when they see patients with psychosis take control of their lives again despite coping with their symptoms.
Now, Spencer has become the new ETCH peer-to-peer counselor and bragged how proud he is of himself for coming this far from the first time he realized he had psychosis.
