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An Update

I've been aware of my illness for almost two years now and I take my medication regularly. My symptoms have been repressed with the support of Abilify. I do not have hallucinations, I am not delusional or paranoid.

You would assume that my illness has been cured, but it is not. I know from other people's experience that if I discontinue my medication the symptoms will return. There is no cure for schizophrenia, yet... Have I ever thought of discontinuing my medication- no, because I know that the symptoms will return and I don't want to be afraid, anxious, or paranoid again. My symptoms are under control for now, and I hope to maintain that control through consistent practice of taking my medication.

I am blessed to find a medication that works for me. Abilify has little side effects- stiffness- but it does its job and does it well. I am doing very well, my marketing internship is coming to close and soon I will volunteer with another organization and go back to school.

The advice I would give to other people living with schizophrenia is to take your medication, it is the most important task you could do to battle this illness. Also, for family and friends of those with schizophrenia, hang in there. This may be the most difficult struggle you come across, but keep hope alive and know that it takes time to recover. My mother almost thought she lost me, because I was in a catatonic state and when I wasn't catatonic I did not speak to anyone including family. I did not do the things I enjoy and I would not eat, because I thought someone was trying to poison me. But look at me today, I am staying active, eating, and managing my symptoms.

To learn more about schizophrenia please visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or Schizophrenia Society of Novia Scotia (Canada).

If you have a success story, please share, family and friends of those with schizophrenia need to be encouraged.
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Comments

As Lovers Go said…
My brother is complaining about feeling "unusually angry" when he takes his meds. He almost becomes violent and he says he hates feeling so angry over nothing......is there a specific med that does this? He went of EVERYTHING except 300 seroquel, he seems to be doing fine other than this....but he does have trouble sleeping. The doctors in canada are the worst
April 25, 2009 at 8:51 PM
K.C. Jones said…
Sounds to me, like he still hasn't accepted the fact that he needs to take meds. Most people who take psychiatric meds aren't as resigned to taking them as she is. For most people with mental illness, it is really hard to take their meds regularly. I know from personal experience and from talking to others. (I also have a form of schizophrenia.) Even though I know why I need to take my medicines, I think I will always struggle with it, because taking and paying for something like that for the rest of my life simply sucks. Instead of looking for a pill to curb the anger, I would ask if he is seeing a therapist who can help him with this. I see a therapist for many reasons, with one of them being to keep me accountable about taking my meds the way I need to.
April 26, 2009 at 12:18 AM
K.C. Jones said…
Also, Seroquel helps with sleeping-if he would take a higher dose of Seroquel, then he would proabably sleep better.
April 26, 2009 at 12:20 AM
Spiritual Emergency said…
You would assume that my illness has been cured, but it is not. I know from other people's experience that if I discontinue my medication the symptoms will return. There is no cure for schizophrenia, yet...Hello Ashley,
The question of "cure" is a somewhat baffling one. What seems to be apparent is that some people do make a full recovery and some people don't. What's also apparent is that medication helps some people while for others, it may actually make the situation worse. When it comes right down to it there is no "one" treatment for everyone, there is only the treatment that works for that individual.

Meantime, I have four blogs as related to my own experience with what would be called "psychosis and/or schizophrenia" in this culture. I have made a full recovery. I have never been hospitalized, received any form of psychiatric medication or received any formal therapy.

You may find some encouragement in this blog post: Schizophrenia & Hope.

You are also welcome to link my blogs and share them with others if you feel it would be appropriate.

~ Namaste

s_e
May 7, 2009 at 11:40 AM
Anonymous said…
Weird...my mother stated once "I thought I lost you" also. Because of the total black and white transformation that had happened to me. When she had said that I was delusional and it caused me to think I was dead. So then I was questioning whether I was alive or not. It felt like I was in some kind of hell though.

As for taking meds, I was rebellious for 3-4 years, and then so scared...still scared to go off them and maybe never be right.

I have faith that if I asked to be healed at Church, and it was God's will, that I would be healed. So why don't I?
May 15, 2009 at 8:58 AM
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