Skip to main content

Reflections

This post discusses how I feel now living with schizophrenia and how far I have come in recovery. These are my reflections...

Almost two years ago I was diagnosed with schizophrenia. I never in a million years would have thought I would be handling a mental illness, now that I have it I am coping very well with it. Since my diagnosis, I have been taking things slow. I am optimistic about my recovery or getting to a state where I can get back to the way things used to be such as going to school and working.

I have really progressed with my recovery. At one point I was so sick I did not even know the date or who the president was, I was out of it completely. I am so thankful for antipsychotic medications such as Abilify, the medicine I am taking now. The medication does wonders, it gave me me back! While I was sick I was a different person, stand-offish, isolated, and quiet. Now I do not feel that way anymore, I am more focal and sociable.

I am doing well on meds, taking them regularly, with minor side effects. I am very satisfied with Abilify, it rids me of the symptoms and allows me to think rationally again. I get along well with my psychiatrist and therapist. And, I not only get support from my mother and sister, treatment team, but also online peers which makes me feel good.

Now I am working part-time on an internship. It has been a little over a month now. I am really enjoying it- the people I work with and the cause. I have not told anybody at work that I have schizophrenia, and I don't think I will, it is a tough subject that needs to be understood before speculation.

I get along well with my mother, which is awesome because it was not the case in the beginning stages of my illness. My illness made her and my family the bad guy. Now we get along very well and live together. I love my mother very much and I am glad that she is here for me, she has really helped in my recovery.

Since my diagnosis I have learned a lot about schizophrenia, and I have shared that information with you. I believe this knowledge makes me and you stronger and able to fight the illness.

Comments

Laura said…
It's wonderful to know that recovery does occur in schizophrenia. I don't have the illness but through your blog I've learned so much.
February 26, 2009 at 8:09 AM
Anonymous said…
Hey. I have Schizo-affective disorder. I am in recovery right now. I struggle here and there, but I'm getting through it. I'm happy for you that you have reached recovery. It's always nice to actually see that it can be overcome.

Thank you for posting.
February 26, 2009 at 8:42 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Religious Preoccupation

After a talk, a woman asked me if my faith contributed to my recovery because she noticed that I mentioned it throughout my speech. In addition to that, she told me that she observed people with faith as having a better outcome in their mental health recovery. First, I came from a family with Christian values. My faith in God started to get intense during the latter years of high school, which in my opinion, is when I started having symptoms. In my experience religion plays a major role in my mental health- its delusions, its coping skills, and in my recovery. In medical terms they call my religious rituals and delusions "religious preoccupation." Before I was diagnosed I was highly religious. In fact, I wanted to be an evangelist and to go to a Christian college. I would read my Bible for several hours a day throughout the day, listen to hymns, and meditate. Sometimes I would ignore people if they wanted my attention while I was meditating I was in such deep thought. Also, I...
15 comments
Read more

What Is Remission?

Remission is the absence of symptoms for at least six months with the support of medication. In other words, a doctor who has never seen you before may not diagnose you as a person with schizophrenia anymore. Remission is also high functioning in several aspects of life, living independently, goinig to school or to work, and socializing with other people. However, this does not mean the patient is cured or the illness has went away, the illness is still present, however, under control. Remission is achieved with the assistance of medication. "Published studies suggest that 10% to 20% of people with schizophrenia have remission of their illness as they get older, 20% get worse, but in a large majority (60% to 70%), the course of illness remains relatively unchanged." To reach remission it is recommended that you aim for a stress-free environment. Therefore, do things to relieve stress such as journaling, exercising, talking to friends, listening to or creating music, making a...
9 comments
Read more

The Path that God Chose for Me

I am not upset that I have schizophrenia, this is the life God chose for me. The other day I was telling my mother I am glad I took a break from school, but I wish I had taken it sooner so that I could have recognized my illness sooner. She reminded me that everything happens for a reason, and that had I took a break sooner I would not have been able to know my full potential in college and in life. I went to college and got really involved in it through sports, internships, and mentoring peers. I was involved in so many things, school, church, home, friends, family, you name it! She was right, I am glad I took the path I took. I did not always have schizophrenia, but now that I have it I will work hard to overcome it. I try not to use the word schizophrenic because that identifies the person by their illness and that isn't fair. I am Ashley and I have schizophrenia. I will not let it limit my potential or define who I am. I can and will overcome these symptoms with medication, the...
23 comments
Read more