Christophrenic: Broken Chains

In this inspirational memoir, Joshua’s life spirals into chaos due to schizophrenia and drug abuse. After a near-death experience, he believes he has received the spirit of Christ and transcended to a parallel universe.

A dramatic car chase leads to Joshua’s arrest, where he is caught with 2,000 ecstasy pills. After five years on bail, he is sentenced to 10 years in prison. During his time in the prison’s mental ward, he is initially diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and later schizophrenia. The story delves into his prison experiences, punctuated by relapses tied to moon cycles and the recurring number 33. Joshua experiences strange spiritual episodes, including stigmata-like symptoms, where he reenacts Christ’s crucifixion and finds oval-shaped marks resembling nail wounds on the palms of his hands.

Before his release, Joshua attends a chaotic rehab program by the sea, where residents indulge in alcohol and synthetic marijuana. Instead of recovering, he embarks on what feels like a surreal holiday.

His journey then takes him to Holland, where another breakdown leads to his arrest. After requesting whistleblower protection, he is sent to a psychiatric ward, from which he escapes. While on the run, a strange series of events unfold, including saving a man from being hit by a train and meeting his corrupt lawyer by chance in a pub.

Joshua is repeatedly institutionalized after protesting against government corruption and exposing political scandals. He escapes from psychiatric wards multiple times through carefully planned strategies. On one occasion, he goes straight to the police station seeking protection and applies for whistleblower protection.

His relentless delusions culminate in an obsession with Eva, a popular singer-songwriter, whom he believes is sending him secret messages through her lyrics. This obsession continues even after he is diagnosed with erotomania—a condition in which he mistakenly believes Eva is in love with him.However, when Joshua reconnects with Tatia, a woman he met eight years earlier while attending drug rehabilitation, she helps him confront the truth. She encourages him to quit smoking weed, which had been fueling his delusions. Slowly, Joshua begins piecing his life back together.

This gripping story explores the depths of mental illness, spiritual awakenings, and the thin line between reality and fantasy, as Joshua’s search for meaning leads him down increasingly dark and unpredictable paths.The story vividly portrays the symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, including delusions of grandeur, hallucinations, paranoia, and erotomania, as well as the challenges of misdiagnosis.

From the Publisher

Christophrenic

Broken Chains

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CJRPWZJL
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amazon; 3rd edition (September 24, 2023)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 24, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 767 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 321 pages