Overcoming Schizophrenia

The following article was written by author, Stan Popovich. He wrote the book, “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear." And, shares this great article with us that provides effective strategies to cope with loneliness.  I think this article would stimulate discussion and help many people. The holidays can be challenging, and these tips can support wellbeing. Also, check out Stan's website for more information: http://www.managingfear.com . Thank you, Stan for sharing the methods to overcoming fear of loneliness. Sometime or another we will experience a time when we are alone. Some people fear of being alone for various reasons. The first step is to become comfortable with yourself and having the self-confidence that you will be able to manage being by yourself. With this in mind, here are 7 suggestions that a person can use so that the fear of loneliness doesn’t become a major issue in their life. 1. Find an activity that you enjoy doing: Joining a group activity can be a great wa

Michelle Obama said she had "low-grade depression." Is there a low-grade cancer? Low-grade eating disorder? My mother was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, and died with stage 4 cancer. I do not take any medical/mental health issue lightly.       Untreated diabetes, for example, can lead to significant risk factors including, heart disease and stroke, among several other health problems. Likewise, untreated mental illness can lead to death- self-harming and suicidal thoughts. As an individual in recovery with signs and symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, this particular phrase sounds like a scale that should not be applied to mental health.       Since 2007, I've been in recovery. And, since 2012, I've held the position of a peer counselor or Certified Peer Specialist (CPS), which is a Medicaid billable service in the state of Georgia. It is my job to motivate peers to stay hopeful about their recovery and to help them tackle goals, such a

This article was written by a guest blogger who previously contributed a post on this blog. He continues to deliver empowering information that will not only help an individual with schizophrenia, but benefit others as well. The following reading was written by Adam C. Thank you, Adam for your support of this blog and sharing helpful information.  Do follow the links in this article for more information.   Also, by Adam C.: For Addicts, Recovery Means Creating a New Life   Published on Overcoming Schizophrenia - November 21, 2019 Navigating major life changes can be challenging for anyone, but for individuals who are living with schizophrenia, these changes can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re facing a move to a new city, are looking for a new job, or have recently lost a loved one, getting through the coming weeks and months might seem like an impossible task, but there are several things you can do to make the challenges easier to bear, including asking for help when you need it.  T

A friend who is a caregiver has a daughter who was in jail. She shared with me how her daughter made requests and wanted to get out of jail. However, my friend was relived because her daughter was getting help. Immediately, I thought she's in a good place, not due to the environment and circumstances, but because she knew she was in jail.      Catatonia. It is a symptom of schizophrenia that may look different for everyone. I just got out of a meeting where someone's relative experienced catatonia, and their testimony brought me back to that detrimental state that I myself experienced some years back, which I'll never forget. It saddened me. For them and for my past.       For me being catatonic was being absent despite being physically present. I was not responding to anything. For me it was different from psychosis and hallucinations and delusions. While in those states of mind, I was responding to something. Unlike those symptoms, catatonia for me, was being in a daze, i

 In the previous blog article: "Depression: Lost Mail," I identified strategies to combat depression despite medication management where symptoms still dominate. Now I'll discuss ways that I manage lingering symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Medication is highly effective to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder for me. There are many pharmaceutical drugs that helps control symptoms. Classic symptoms of schizophrenia are hallucinations, delusions, and psychosis. Yet, several more symptoms take form which are not widely discussed enough. Typical symptoms of bipolar disorder include: mania, depression, mood swings, and more. Still, it is common for some of these symptoms to persist despite treatment. And, knowing the cues, studying the diagnosis, and learning myself is essential. I'll focus on lack of expression and tone of voice, irritability, and mood swings. First, lack of expression and tone of voice is a symptom of schizophrenia. A lot of times

Recently, I lost an important piece of mail, it didn't make it to its destination. Still, all hope isn't lost. And, whether I get positive outcomes or not a piece of mail will be delivered even if I must replace it.  Losing mail is like having a low mood, but belief you will eventually overcome. Despite moments of contentment my depression steadily returns. Like many peers I am wondering why I am still depressed in spite of my commitment to medication management. Generally, my response is to tweak the medication with your doctor. However, "there is no magic pill" or "happy pill" to kill depression. There will be many battles to fight, but we will still win the war. Like so many instances, despite medication compliance some symptoms will linger like my schizophrenia and bipolar symptoms, which I'll tackle in another blog article. Likewise, depression is one of those situations where the mental illness overrides the effectiveness of medication.  However, w

Sleep can be a coping skill, too. Many times, resting clears my thoughts and helps my mind reset. Sometimes I take a nap to regain my energy to finish the day stronger. Other times sleeping helps me take my thoughts away from an emotional rollercoaster after a disagreement. However, too much sleep can be a sign of depression.       Whether the trigger was a separation from your partner, loss of employment, financial hardship, loss of a loved one, or relationship issues, sleeping too much can be a tale tell indicator of depression. Depression can be a normal response, but when it sets in and effects an individual’s ability to function, take care of responsibilities, personal wellbeing, and inability to connect with others, this state of mind demands professional help.      Again, my energy drainer resurfaced. Still, I am coping with my depression. However, I’ve gained some relief by committing to the activities I’ll discuss in this blog article. Moreover, these tips may help you increas

This is a guest post from a fellow blogger who is also in recovery with schizoaffective disorder. I believe Victoria's story will provide reassurance and hope that recovery is possible. The following is Victoria's self-care routine, how she manages, and a link to her blog... Thank you, Victoria for sharing your recovery with us on the Overcoming Schizophrenia blog. There are many ways to recover from Schizophrenia I have found out this last year away from pharmacological treatment. Antipsychotic meds helped to stabilize me but fell short and the side effects have been terrible. Now that I am taking kratom as an antipsychotic I have been relieved of delusions. The only problem with kratom though is that I have to keep taking it to remain sane and still take antipsychotic medicine but at a lower dose. Some of the additional benefits are that I am more social, able to travel and have energy and motivation to do a lot. However recently I came across a cure for Schizoaffective Disor

“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at anytime and be yourself.” Hermann Hesse In the past, I’ve struggled with maintaining employment because I became overwhelmed and stressed that led my symptoms to flare up. I’ve had to quit jobs that I enjoyed because I could not cope and manage well. Every day I reflect on strategies to maintain wellness; walking, resting, journaling, talking to my higher power, etc.  In addition to medication management, I am mindful of my body’s need to decompress. To relax I listen to music or walk. However, with the summer heat I cannot maintain my walks, which helped clear my thoughts and boost my energy and mood. I recycle coping skills daily. Most of the time this practice works, but right now I can feel my mental capability to maintain daily responsibilities is wearing down. I recognize that to keep my job I must change my routine to create balance again. While I love my job, my mental health requires more attention r

My friend, Christina Bruni , is a peer in recovery with schizophrenia. Christina writes about her recovery and supports peers on their journey. She published her second book, Working Assets: A Career Guide for Peers Finding and Succeeding at a Job Living with a Mental Illness , which is a must read because it is a great resource for going to work.  Working Assets meets the reader where they are in the job search with respect to recovery. As a peer in recovery, I gained insight from the stories and resources, which educated me about personal common mistakes and how to move forward in the workplace. This guide is thorough, Christina covers a wide range of scenarios, topics, and concerns to empower peers. Thank you for writing this book, Christina. I've applied some of your tips to maintain work and it will help many of our peers. Congrats on publishing Working Assets. My name is Christina Bruni. It’s an honor to be a guest blogger on Overcoming Schizophrenia. As an advocate for peer

It is important to know who is for you. Moreover, it is vital that you recognize your assets and what you bring to any relationship. The stigma of having a diagnosis is bad. The labels, false beliefs, discrimination, and myths are harmful, but self-stigma is worse. While we all have limits, self-discouragement and internal doubt affects everybody in at least one area of life. The relationships advertised on television don’t show the process of the highs and lows in dating. In the real world, single-parenting, poor credit, weight gain, job choice, ex-lovers, sexual orientation, and health issues, hold weight. These issues do not go away on their own.   Romantic relationships are complicated, and having a diagnosis makes it more challenging. Still, the focus is not strictly about the issue, but rather how you talk about it. Open communication is essential to overcome concerns. The good news is a lot of relationships overcome their baggage and unique challenges. Yes, having a diagnos

  Two weeks ago, I started this conversation. I provided three tips to strengthen and empower you and your loved one: 1) Give options and practice shared decision-making, 2) Focus on strengths, and 3) Keep the trust. Although brain disorders may persist there are early warning signs prior to an episode and crisis. Be mindful of these triggers and warning signs that way you can reduce the likelihood of hospitalization by seeing help early on.     Now, I’ll provide three ways to keep from getting to crisis mode and prolong the process of a breakdown. My three tips: 1. Don’t overlook the early warning signs. 2. Don’t avoid the conversation, strive to address symptoms and concerns. 3. Don’t jeopardize the trust.      First, early warning signs may be subtle. Here are a few early warning signs that your loved one may exhibit, but are not limited to the following: poor sleeping patterns, severe mood swings or irritability, poor hygiene, isolating, and hyper-religious behavior. These ar

How can I help my loved one? How can I support their recovery? These are common questions I get from caregivers and supporters of people living with a diagnosis. I will identify three general tips to solidify your goals to empower your loved one. Before asking how can I help my loved one, consider this: are they ready to move forward in recovery right now? Is this what they want, or what I want? Recovery demands ownership of the process. Here are some dos for supporting your loved:  1) Give options and practice shared decision-making,  2) Focus on strengths, and  3) Keep the trust.  First, nobody likes being told what to do. Therefore, practice shared decision-making. Empower your loved one with options. For example, instead of saying you’re going to this program or that personal care home, discuss the choices. I understand how this could work, first-hand. Eventually, I didn’t want to stay with family, I wanted to live on my own. My mother didn’t want me to leave, but she consciously a

[This talk: "Recommendations for People Experiencing Mental Health Challenges: Ashley Smith: Let's Talk - The Let's Talk Project is funded by a grant from the Association for Psychological Science Fund for Teaching and Public Understanding of Psychological Science.] This talk emphasizes the fact that recovery will look different for everybody, and it will be a fight. I encourage people with similar diagnoses to consider my three recommendations: Consider therapy, Strengthen your support system, and Manage your self-care "I'm not immune to setbacks and to breakdowns, but I am confident that I'm going to give it my all to come back stronger and better after every breakdown, because I've been through some rough moments and I probably have some ahead of me...."

I made an error. My mind jumps on the merry-go-round. I think of everything, but potential solutions to fix it. I froze and a wave of negative thoughts about my mistake penetrated my entire body and energy. Shoulders stay high, my chest is tight, I maintain an unsteady breathing rate which broadcasts my internal chaos from the tone of my voice, alone. I sound like the blaring uneasiness of severe stress, worry, anxiety, discomfort, and dread.  I regain a moment of control and focus on fixing the issue. However, my stress level continues to rise as I meditate on the problem, and the perception I might have portrayed. Frantically, I make a call, send messages, and continue the vicious cycle in my mind.  Anxiety. I feel upside down whenever I go deeper in the dark forest of stress and worry. How can I manage to end the storm within? I put on the sounds of waves, but no relief comes of this because I cannot concentrate. I can’t meditate when my mind jumps like this. I research ways to cope

World Schizophrenia Day is important because it validates the importance of spreading awareness about people living with schizophrenia. Still, the truth is schizophrenia is NOT a personality disorder. Schizophrenia is a thought disorder that can make it difficult to speak, think clearly, and problem solve. It is made up of a wide range of symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and psychosis. Unlike other illnesses, people living with schizophrenia have more challenges to treatment and recovery. The stigma alone, discourages countless people from getting diagnosed, and perpetuates the suffering in silence.  World Schizophrenia Day is a powerful opportunity to promote the truth that recovery is possible.  In the updated blog book, What’s on My Mind? Volume I, Revised Edition, I wrote a poem, “Remember, Me.” It captures the human perspective on living with schizophrenia. Simply put, we are human, too. Remember, Me. by Ashley Smith Will you remember me when I am not myself? Will you

After changing my employer, getting a puppy, going into autopilot with an extensive self-care routine, increasing therapy sessions, and adjusting medications with my doctor; I am feeling a little better. Life is challenging, however, managing symptoms like depression is even more stressful. Depression made the heaviness of my low energy and fatigue dreadfully disappointing season after season. It tried to kidnap my creativity, daily routines like cooking and cleaning, joy of spending more time with family, and my ability to be me. Fighting symptoms requires a lot of attention. It’s another job that you only advance in when you work overtime for a longer period. Now, I am finally starting to experience the hard work that my health team, support system, and me have done to continue to press forward. Prior to my diagnosis, I avoided medications for general use such as headaches and allergies. However, with the stigma of the diagnosis, I’ve tried to manage with minimal doses earlier in m

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. I had the pleasure of being interviewed on the You Matter! Podcast by host Karen Ortman, Associate Vice President, Campus Safety Operations NYU-NY. This interview explores common myths, symptoms, and ways to cope with schizophrenia and related conditions. The show looks at my recovery journey and focuses on the early warning signs, challenges of being looked at differently, and how I stay motivated to work on my recovery. Click here to listen. I appreciate Karen for bringing awareness to schizophrenia because it is not given enough attention compared to other health issues. On the show we talk about my parenting concerns, alternative treatment options, and identify my new book. My book, What’s on My Mind? Volume I, Revised Edition (2022), is the updated version of my first blog book. It has a new introduction, final chapter, and added sections at the end of the book. It is available on my author page on Amazon . The You Matter! Podcast wa

Have you ever tried to avoid an auto accident, but no matter how hard you tried you couldn’t stop the crash? Suffering with this season’s depression is like dodging a car only to accidentally hit another on the road. For over six months I’ve tried to manage depression by using my coping tools. Initially, my depression stemmed from a toxic workplace. Yet, due to the nature of my condition this stress aggressively activated low mood that progressed and continues to penetrate my mood even after removing myself from that environment. Stress worsens any medical condition which is no different for people living with mental illness. Medication helps lessen the symptoms, however, living with a brain disorder of any kind is challenging and requires more than pills. Even stress can penetrate the most effective treatment that generally controls the most severe symptoms.  Initially I was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, but over the years it’s evolved into schizoaffective disorder, bipolar t