Overcoming Schizophrenia

Some people would come to me and ask for advice on how to get through a phase of schizophrenia, like overcoming a lot of sleep and not interacting with people. However, sleeping a lot could be a side effect of medication or not having anything to do, like in my experiences. I do not give medical advice when these situations arise, because I am not a Doctor, however, I do mention experiences and things I did that worked for me. Furthermore, it makes me recall my own experiences and bizarre thinking processes I used to believe. For instance, after I moved back home with my mother I became very comfortable not doing anything but either sleeping or staying on the computer all day. I did not socialize with other people outside of the family which eventually bothered me. Therefore, I forced myself to get out of my comfort zone and to interact with other people by attending group therapy. Over time my decision to go to group turned out to solve my problem. Accordingly I got more than I intend

The following article was written by a guest writer, Maryanne Osberg. No matter how much we learn about mental illness, its causes and its uncontrollable nature, it is still a stigma for the sufferer. They’re not just wracked by mental demons, they also have to deal with being ostracized by society and sometimes even their family members. Some forms of mental illness are caused by old age – Alzheimer’s and dementia are now becoming even more common nowadays; others are caused by trauma – the sudden loss of loved ones through accidents or breakdown of relationships leads people to act irrationally and become mentally affected; and yet others come about because of neglect and loneliness – people who live alone with hardly any contact with fellow human beings tend to become mentally unstable and forget their people skills over a period of time. Whatever the reason for mental illness, it is imperative that the affected person be treated immediately. Drugs and therapy are two standard and w

The NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) In Our Own Voice: Living with a Mental Illness (IOOV) training was phenomenal! Many of my peers left the training with a feeling of pride in having a mental illness. Way to go! Correction: the presentation is 90 minutes. It includes five segments: Dark Days, Acceptance, Treatment, Coping Skills, and Successes,Hopes, and Dreams. We stop the video to elaborate on each section in our personal experiences. There are two presenters and the presentation can be fulfilled in a variety of settings. There is one element of the presentation I would like to discuss in more detail, Successes, Hopes, and Dreams. In the training I told the audience about this blog, which is a success because of you- Thank You! In addition to the blog, I shared information about my non-profit organization, Embracing My Mind, Inc. and how I would like to operate a wellness center with various groups to help people on their journey to recovery. My volunteer work with NAMI

This weekend I will participate in another NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) training for a program called, In Our Own Voice . I am very excited about the training and to have an opportunity to execute the program. The program shows a video of people sharing their personal experiences with mental illness and then the presenter stops the video to share their story. All-in-all the program is about 45 minutes to an hour. I'll tell more after the training. To learn more about schizophrenia visit Embracing My Mind, Inc. , NAMI , Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia (Canada).