Living with schizophrenia

Home on a “weekend pass” from Royale Mission Viejo, a small psychiatric hospital,Tiffany enjoys a moment with her mother, Cynthia. Weeks later, Tiffany would attempt suicide.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

At 12, Tiffany became conviced that she was personally involved in stories she saw on the TV news. At 13, she began hearing voices. At 15, she pulled a knife on a schoolmate. A county psychiatrist told her mother to order pizza and give Tiffany more hugs--the first of many times the system would fail them.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Tiffany Sitton earns money doing laundry during a weekend visit home. At 12, she became convinced that she was personally involved in the stories she saw on the TV news. At 13 she began hearing voices. At 15, she pulled a knife on a schoolmate at Aliso Niguel High. A county psychiatrist told her mother to order pizza and give Tiffany more hugs.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Michael and Cynthia Sitton share a weekend afternoon with their daughter, Tiffany. By last spring, Tiffany had seemed to thrive under the strict and rigorous treatment program at Royale Mission Viejo. But Cynthia had trained herself to be skeptical of the good times. “There is a fear of enjoying it too much.”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

In November, Tiffany was readmitted to Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk--the one place she and her parents had pledged to avoid. She continues to battle schizophrenia and drug abuse. “I’m here,” she said, “because I messed up.”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Cynthia Sitton attends an October support group meeting with others caring for a mentally ill family member. “I’m constantly juggling to try to keep everybody’s needs in balance, including my own,” she said of her family. “It’s impossible.”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Michael Sitton comforts Cynthia as they struggle with the decision to give control over Tiffany’s future to a public guardian. In September, the couple cut off contact with Tiffany after repeated drug violations and suicide attempts. Worried that their other two children were paying the price for Tiffany’s illness, the Sittons filed papers for the guardianship.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Tiffany Sitton is escorted back to Royale Mission Viejo by her father in late April after a home visit. Tiffany had made, in the last four years,18 stops at 11 different facilities – nearly every hospital in Orange County and several in Riverside and Los Angeles counties.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

On Nov. 10, Michael and Cynthia visit Tiffany at Metropolitan State Hospital. This was their first visit in three months  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Tiffany and her parents visit after her transfer to Metropolitan State Hospital. During a stay at an acute-care facility in La Palma, she started abusing another patient’s methadone, a synthetic narcotic used to treat heroin addiction.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Cynthia talks with Tiffany about her continued drug abuse and reminds her that she and Michael will not be a part of Tiffany’s life as long as she’s using drugs. “I don’t ever stop loving you,” Cynthia tells her.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Tiffany walks the grounds of Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk. Her parents say they believe her schizophrenia is under control, and blame her recent erratic behavior on drug abuse. Tiffany, 25, has shown signs of mental illness since her early teens.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Tiffany Sitton, 25, has seen at least 50 different psychologists and psychiatrists and been placed on nearly 40 different combinations of psychotropic drugs.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Tiffany and Cynthia have a long hug goodbye after their recent visit at Metropolitan State Hospital. “I don’t ever stop loving you,” Cynthia said.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Michael Sitton waves goodbye to Tiffany from the other side of a door as he leaves Metropolitan State Hospital. “I bounce back and forth between holding her accountable,” said Michael, “and being so angry at the system and the lack of care.”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Tiffany Sitton waits at the nurses’ station outside her room at Metropolitan State Hospital, to report that she is feeling ill. “It scares me,” she said. “I’m young and all this stuff is happening to me.”  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Tiffany sits in an isolation room at Metropolitan State Hospital,after complaining of feeling ill. “The reason why I have been self-medicating is because I have nothing,” she said.  (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)