Overcoming Schizophrenia

Enjoy reading this blog? Continue diving into my world of recovery by looking at my blog books. I've reduced the price of all three for the holidays: What's on My Mind? Volume I, Revised Edition, A Collection of Blog Entries from Overcoming Schizophrenia What's on My Mind? Volume II, Coping Takes Work What's on My Mind? Volume III, Controlling the Weight of Depression Click here to visit Ashley's Author Page. What's on My Mind? Volume I, Revised Edition, A Collection of Blog Entries from Overcoming Schizophrenia This is a must read because it's provides a closer look inside my mind during the traumas of being engulfed in my symptoms of schizophrenia but also the triumphs of recovery. It is a record of the beginnings of my recovery and advocacy work. What's on My Mind? Volume II, Coping Takes Work This is a great read that encourages you to consider therapy. Coping Takes Work discusses the benefits of therapy and offers a wide range of coping skills that

I'm a mental health support person and take pride in my work assisting others on their recovery journey. My position enables me to work on treatment teams alongside mental health professionals such as psychiatrists, therapists, case managers, and substance abuse counselors.       My job is important because I can better relate to peers with mental health conditions. Encouraging them to press forward in spite of living with a brain disorder that can be debilitating. This position is highly effective, needed, and growing nationwide. The Certified Peer Specialist Peer support is a growing element in treatment services. It's a Medicaid-billable service here in Georgia. Mental health support persons work with clinicians an peers in recovery to promote healthy coping tools and lifestyle habits.      The position is titled, certified peer specialist or CPS. Our job is to model recovery and share our stories when relevant. Moreover, educate peers on their mental health diagnosis and

These last few months have shown me how my mental health symptoms comes to the surface in cycles. That's my bipolar element of the schizoaffective disorder. Living with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can be rough therefore I appreciate my good days when I can get more work done and boost my self-confidence through completing different tasks.     For a while I was waking up tired. Mentally drained without reason. I felt exhausted and unmotivated. Sometimes, I slept my days away.      I'm grateful for my good days. Lately, I've had better days. Now I can get out of bed more easily and concentrate on the tasks at hand to complete assignments. I'm proud of myself for doing the small tasks like house chores and other responsibilities such as work.     I found a way to work smarter and not harder. I'm thankful for what I can achieve. Whenever I pray I give thanks to my higher power for my sanity. I don't take these things for granted.     I've learned over and

What does your depression look like? How do you fix your face? What can you do to overcome? I woke up to another dreary day. My sight was off as if my glasses were smudged. The fog was thick. My dogs got  me out of bed. They impatiently sat next to me. They took turns pouncing on the edges of my bed to lick me and get me up which is our norm nowadays. Eventually, I gave in to their requests and took them outside.       Afterwards, I distanced myself from them to crawl back into my dark cave. Swiftly, I fell into a deep sleep that was a three-hour nap as usual. This was my first nap of the day. Later, I would retreat into another long nap.      What does your struggle look like? For me, it's struggling to get out of bed. Struggling to manage my hygiene everyday. Struggling to fix my face with the proper mask. Struggling to keep the common areas tidy. Struggling to improve my mood. Struggling... And, struggling some more. Yet, I recognize that I can't sit and cry about my reality

  Lately, I've been writing articles for a schizophrenia group. Click here to learn more....

Image via  Freepik This post was written by Adam C. on living with schizophrenia. Adam continues to contribute great articles that provide effective approaches to managing recovery. I encourage you to read and share your thoughts.  Additional articles written by Adam on the Overcoming Schizophrenia Blog include the following and more: 8 Mental Health Tips for Living With Schizophrenia Get Through These Major Life Changes While Living With Schizophrenia Improving Your Self-Esteem for a More Well-Rounded Life For Addicts, Recovery Means Creating a New Life Stepping Stones: A Journey Through Change with Schizophrenia Navigating life with schizophrenia presents unique challenges, yet it also offers exceptional opportunities for personal transformation. Embracing significant life changes can foster resilience, opening doors to new paths and possibilities. This journey isn't just about managing symptoms; it's about leveraging change to enhance personal growth and well-being. Th

  This interview dives into the beginning of my recovery dealing with my breakdown and legal intervention which is more common than not. Watch and share, thank you! I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of this project... 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. The goal of Let's Talk is to share the expertise and experiences of BIPOC mental health researchers and providers, as well as clients living and thriving with mental health challenges.

 My story is featured in the Schizophrenia Oral History Project. In 2017, I shared my experience in recovery with this group. Thank you, Dr. Tracy McDonough for our interview. Click here here to review.

This is a powerful interview because it shares not only my journey in recovery but how I've managed my parenting challenges. The interview discusses my blogging beginnings and especially the stigma of mental illness. Listen to my specific segment starting on 31 minutes into the interview. Click here here to listen. Thank you,  Kaia Findlay and Anita Rao on North Carolina Public Radio.

 May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Join me at my book signing 1-7pm at the Nubian Bookstore, 1540 Southlake Pkwy, Morrow, GA 30260. I would love to meet you. Purchase your copy and share. Thank you for your support!

  May is Mental Health Awareness Month. I was interviewed on the SHARE IT WITH CHARLOTTE PODCAST. This is my favorite interview of all time. I enjoyed our conversation. Thank you, Charlotte Lewis for this opportunity to share my recovery story and books. Watch, subscribe, share, comment, and enjoy!

I am very excited to share another blog book with you! I hope you will read it, share it and let me know how you're doing.  amazon.com/author/smithashley Here's an overview of my book:      The book, What's on My Mind? Volume III, Controlling the Weight of Depression is a collection of blog articles from Overcoming Schizophrenia. The articles detail the recovery journey of blogger, advocate, and author, Ashley Smith.      The blog posts cover Ashley's experience with mental health that is examined over the course of 2019 to 2024. Her story shows resiliency at work offering hope, awareness, and strategies to control your depression and keep pressing forward.      The blog entries are uplifting and promote healthy lifestyle habits such as meditation, therapy, exercise, journaling, and a wide range of coping techniques that will undoubtedly help you get a handle on your depression and feel better.      Ashley's message is clear: warring against the depression will be

 Was there ever a time that you refused to take the meds and how did you finally decide to?  Thank you asking me this question, because it's common and a great discussion. Initially, I refused medication simply because I didn't understand why? One day they started giving me pills. Without a warning, lesson, explanation, handout, or anything! Kinda like, here take this with this tiny paper cup of water and open your mouth to prove it.       It was routine in jail, but I wasn't required to take meds like everyone else before. Therefore, I refused. This worked until one day they threatened to get others involved to force medicate me and administer an injection. I challenged them. Do it! - Was my attitude.       Guards dressed like the S.W.A.T. team rushed in and restrained me. They were quite dramatic because at that point I didn't put up a fight and just laid there while they restrained me. Eventually, when I came out of being stuck and foggy, I caught on that I was requi

 How difficult was it to find the right doctor and would you say the mental health system is better in Georgia?  Thank you for this question. In short, I've experienced two states for treatment- California and Georgia. Both offer quality care based on the diverse programs they offer (clubhouses, peer support led centers, respite centers, and more). However, finding that doctor- there will be good ones and not so good ones everywhere.      I've been with my doctor for over 14 years and my therapist over 7 years. Partnering with your provider is essential. I encourage you to participate in your sessions by asking questions. "You get out of it whatever you put in it." I provide my therapist with an agenda every session to cover my pressing concerns and stresses.      Because these sessions are short it is imperative you come prepared to make them work for you. This is extremely important if you have limited options based on distance and transportation, etc. Yet, I encour

For many years I've struggled with symptoms of depression and fight hard to control it. Low mood can manifest in several ways. For me, depression is war on energy, motivation, hygiene, concentration, productivity, anxiety, memory, and the pain of it all. Not being able to function at the level I'm capable of. The inability to finish tasks which used to be second-hand nature, easy and simple. After years of ongoing medication changes I've developed the right approach to conquer my depression with my doctor. Now I take two antidepressant medications, a mood stabilizer, and antipsychotic. Yet, that's only a fraction of the story to overcoming my challenges with symptoms.      I fight the mind wars everyday. In fact, earlier today I fought with myself to get out of bed to take my medicine in order to control the day's battles. My mountain was the burden and challenges to gathering enough energy to get up and move. I laid in bed playing out the role in my head. I envisio

This morning I slept in, but that was nothing new. These days my depression wins the battles, however, I believe I can still win the war. My dogs got me up and out of bed to go outside. It was about 40 degrees- good thing they were fast at using it. I ran an errand for household supplies. Then decided to cook myself something filling- grits. The bare minimum- no eggs, sausage, nor toast, just grits. Yet, I was proud of myself for that because it required energy which I was able to build on. Now I have my crockpot on and will cook some soup.      I've been struggling for a long time. My doctor and I have been tweaking my medication for years. Now I'm on two anti-depressants, a mood stabilizer, and an anti-psychotic. Still, I'm hopeful we will find a better medication cocktail. It seems the medication changes and dosage adjustments initially boosts my energy every time, this helps bring self-motivation and better days. However, shortly afterwards that great mood and morale d