{"id":7368,"date":"2026-09-10T10:57:33","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T09:57:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schizophrenia.life\/public\/?page_id=7368"},"modified":"2026-10-01T06:41:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T05:41:14","slug":"candid-book-3","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schizophrenia.life\/public\/candid-book-3\/","title":{"rendered":"The Candid Book 3 – Book Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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THE CANDID BOOK 3<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living, Loving, Recovering<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n

on intimacy and reproductive well-being in schizophrenia<\/strong><\/mark>

by Peter Falkai, \u00c1ngel Luis Montejo Gonz\u00e1lez, Mihaela Osadcii<\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download the e-book<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This book gives voice to the deeply human side of living with schizophrenia – the need to feel understood, loved, close to others, and hopeful about the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It follows the personal questions that often remain unspoken, showing how care, trust, and honest communication can help people and families protect connection, dignity, and the possibility of a meaningful life together.  <\/p>\n\n\n

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Schizophrenia does not erase a person\u2019s capacity to love, to seek closeness, or to imagine a future that includes relationships or family.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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A word before we begin<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n



Caring for someone living with schizophrenia means walking alongside them through many dimensions of life, not only illness, but also relationships, identity, and personal hopes for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many families, the first focus is on understanding the condition and finding stability. Questions about relationships, intimacy, or the future often come later, and sometimes feel harder to ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While much attention is given to clinical aspects and treatment, other deeply human experiences often remain in the background. Questions about closeness, partnership, self-confidence, and the possibility of becoming parents are often present but not easily brought up in conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, these questions are rarely simple. They are often accompanied by uncertainty: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is this still possible? Is it safe? Are we ready?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These moments of hesitation are part of real life, and they deserve space. It is within this space that many important questions begin to take shape, often quietly, and not always easily expressed.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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About The Candid Book series<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


This book is the third volume<\/strong> in The Candid Book Series<\/strong>, created to open important aspects of life with schizophrenia gently and to support those who walk alongside someone they care about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first volume focused on understanding the illness and managing the early stages of care, while the second addressed a particularly complex reality: the co-occurrence of schizophrenia and substance use. This third volume moves the conversation further into everyday life, focusing on areas that are deeply personal, often unspoken, and sometimes difficult to approach: intimacy, sexuality, reproductive health, and the possibility of building a future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than returning to what schizophrenia is, this book explores how people continue to live, connect, and make meaningful life decisions while living with it. For many families, these questions arise later in the journey, when stability begins to return, and attention gradually shifts toward what life can become.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Explore The Candid Book 3 chapters<\/strong><\/strong>

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Chapter 1.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Women and Men Living With
Schizophrenia: Understanding Emotional and
Relational Differences<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Chapter 2.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What intimacy means
in the lives of people
living with schizophrenia<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Chapter 3.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The role of body image
and physical well-being in
intimacy and relationships<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Chapter 4.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Treatment considerations
in sexually active patients
living with schizophrenia<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Chapter 5.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fertility, reproductive health,
and family planning when
living with schizophrenia<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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What this book offers<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


This book opens an honest dialogue about topics often left unspoken. It is written for families, partners, friends, and caregivers who want to better understand and support the emotional lives of people living with schizophrenia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It does not aim to provide perfect answers, but rather to make these questions easier to approach. Instead of focusing only on pathology, it explores the need for intimacy, the experience of relationships, the role of physical and hormonal factors, as well as fertility, family planning, and the realities of building a future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each chapter combines scientific insight, clinical experience, and real-life perspectives – offering clarity without overwhelming detail, and reassurance without oversimplifying complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Developed through a collaborative effort among experienced clinicians and mental health professionals, it reflects a shared commitment to translating this expertise into language that is accessible, respectful, and meaningful in everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Who are the voices in this book?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The conversations in this book are guided by two voices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elena Maurer<\/strong>, a health journalist, represents the perspective of families, partners, and caregivers. She asks the questions many people are thinking, but may not always feel comfortable expressing. Dr. Lukas Stein<\/strong>, a psychiatrist and researcher, brings clinical experience and scientific understanding, translating complex medical topics into practical and relatable insights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together, they reflect the kind of dialogue that may take place in clinical settings, sometimes clear, sometimes uncertain, but always focused on understanding. Their exchange is not meant to provide definitive answers to every situation, but rather to offer a way to think, to ask questions, and to begin conversations that can continue beyond the pages of this book.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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How The Candid Book 3 is structured<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>

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The book unfolds across five interconnected chapters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sex Differences and Their Impact in Schizophrenia; Understanding the Need for Intimacy; Intimacy and Relationships in Schizophrenia; Treatment Considerations and Intimate Well-being; and Reproductive Health and Family Planning.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each chapter can be read independently, while also contributing to a broader understanding. Together, they reflect how these topics often overlap and interact in real life, moving from understanding to experience, to managing challenges, and eventually to planning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Why these topics matter<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Intimacy and reproductive health are not secondary concerns. They are closely connected to self-esteem, identity, emotional stability, relationship quality, engagement with treatment, and overall quality of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When these aspects are not addressed, people may feel isolated or uncertain, sometimes gradually, without it being immediately visible. When they are acknowledged, something important begins to change: people feel seen, communication becomes easier, and trust can grow.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Schizophrenia does not erase a person\u2019s capacity to love, to seek closeness, or to imagine a future that includes relationships or family.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


These possibilities may look different. The path may require more support, and at times more patience. But they remain deeply human and deeply important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not every question will have a simple answer. But understanding can grow, step by step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And sometimes, that is where the connection begins.


<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us begin\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n



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Meet the Authors<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Prof. Peter Falkai<\/strong> is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Ludwig-Maximilians-University Hospital Munich, Germany and Professor and Chairman of the Max-Planck Institute for Psychiatry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

read more<\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Professor Falkai has worked in the field of psychiatry for more than 30 years. His primary research focus is the neurobiology of psychotic disorders, particularly schizophrenia. He has been a member of numerous German and international scientific societies, including the Schizophrenia International Research Society (SIRS). From 2021 to 2023, he served as President of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) and currently serves as President of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP).<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Prof. Falkai has led multidisciplinary research teams whose clinical and scientific work focuses on the neurobiological origins, pathomorphological aspects, and causal treatment approaches of psychotic disorders.
He is one of 17 LMU researchers among Clarivate’s most successful \u201cHighly Cited Researchers\u201d.
Prof. Falkai resides in Munich, Germany.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Prof. \u00c1ngel Luis Montejo Gonz\u00e1lez<\/strong> is Full Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Salamanca, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at Salamanca University Hospital, and Head of the Neuroscience Research Group at the Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL), Spain. He is also President of the Spanish Association of Sexuality and Mental Health and a member of the International Academy of Medical Sexology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

read more<\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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His research has focused on the interface between psychiatry and sexual medicine, with particular emphasis on psychotropic-induced sexual dysfunction, psychopharmacology, hyperprolactinaemia, and the safety and tolerability of psychotropic treatments. He developed and validated the Psychotropic-Related Sexual Dysfunction Questionnaire (PRSexDQ-SALSEX), which has been translated and used internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Professor Montejo has served as Principal Investigator in numerous competitive research projects and more than 100 international clinical trials, contributing to the development of novel treatments for depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. He has also participated in international scientific advisory boards and clinical trial steering committees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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He has authored more than 300 national and international scientific publications, which have received over 8,500 citations, and has published seven books. His work integrates clinical psychiatry, psychopharmacology, sexual medicine, and translational clinical research.
Prof. Montejo resides in Salamanca, Spain.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Mihaela Osadcii<\/strong> holds a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology and Mental Health from the University of Sussex, UK. Her postgraduate research examined the neural mechanisms underlying conditioned responses to drug-related environments, reflecting her broader interest in the neurobiological processes underlying psychopathology and behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

read more<\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Mihaela has clinical experience across residential and supported living settings, working with adults presenting with complex and enduring mental health difficulties, including schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, as well as associated comorbidities and support needs. She previously worked as a Psychological Support Worker at Conifer Lodge and Venture-People in Brighton, UK, and currently works as a Mental Health Support Worker in supported living, providing ongoing support to individuals with severe and persistent mental health conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


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Mihaela’s professional and academic interests lie at the interface of clinical psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience, with a particular interest in the phenomenology, neurobiology, and clinical management of severe mental disorders. Her experience combines postgraduate training in clinical psychology and mental health with direct clinical work supporting individuals living with complex psychiatric conditions. She resides in Brighton, UK.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n



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THE CANDID BOOK 3 Living, Loving, Recovering on intimacy and reproductive well-being in schizophrenia by Peter Falkai, \u00c1ngel Luis Montejo Gonz\u00e1lez, Mihaela Osadcii Download the e-book This book gives voice to the deeply human side of living with schizophrenia – the need to feel understood, loved, close to others, and hopeful about the future. It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-sod.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rea_page_title_signed_in_meta_block_field":"","rea_page_title_signed_out_meta_block_field":"","rea_page_description_signed_in_meta_block_field":"","rea_page_description_signed_out_meta_block_field":"","rea_page_footer_id_meta_block_field":"","rea_page_footer_date_meta_block_field":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7368","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/schizophrenia.life\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/schizophrenia.life\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/schizophrenia.life\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schizophrenia.life\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schizophrenia.life\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7368"}],"version-history":[{"count":68,"href":"https:\/\/schizophrenia.life\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7368\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8139,"href":"https:\/\/schizophrenia.life\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7368\/revisions\/8139"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/schizophrenia.life\/public\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}