Overcoming Schizophrenia

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...

When feeling stuck, down, and just blah- what can you do to turn your bad day into a good day? I've had many days where my energy was low and felt down and was set on having another bad day. After dwelling on poor self-talk I might try to uplift myself. I contemplate activities to do in order to boost my energy, self-esteem and perspective on my day.       I'll discuss my personal strategies and tricks for getting back on track and turning bleak days into better ones. Here are 5 approaches to turning your day around: 1. Make up your bed 2. Shower 3. Exercise 4. Talk to someone 5. Play a game 1. Initially, my depression might show itself when my bedroom is messy among other rooms in the house. The thought of cleaning up becomes overwhelming because there is so much to do. I've learned that small efforts to cleaning can go a long way.  For example, making up my bed is a great way to having a clear area to rest and sleep. Also, reflect on my plan of action for the ...

I've been in recovery for over 15 years and worked as a peer mentor or certified peer specialist for over 10 years. I've learned a lot on my journey of recovery and continue to take on more ways to manage my health from other people. The handful of activities I'll discuss are few practical ways to improve wellbeing.      Due to my diagnosis I must be mindful of my stress levels to help me cope. Whenever I'm stressed I easily fall into anxiety and irritability, which could lead to the worsening of other symptoms. Stress reduction helps me manage everyday pressures. I practice a variety of stress management techniques to reduce feelings of anxiousness. Here I'll discuss 5 approaches to controlling stress and anxiety that will undoubtedly get you feeling lighter and better. Meditating Talking Moving Resting Routine Meditating. Meditation can transfer into numerous rituals that will help you redirect thoughts, enhance focus, and relax your muscles....

Surviving life is hard enough in itself, and living with a diagnosis is tough. However, recovery is about working on self and building coping tools to manage the brain condition. The effort into getting well after hospitalization is resiliency at its best.      I define recuperating as the process of creating comfort, building stability, and focusing on developing wellbeing. Recovering after a hospitalization is a journey. I believe each of us should recognize our diligence at recuperating and be proud of ourselves.      After every hospitalization I've developed more insight. I was hospitalized earlier this year and my recuperation stage focused on routine to get me into a good place. Here I'll share 7 methods to recuperating after a hospitalization. 1. Medication. I've learned that it's important to discuss any questions about administering medication with a doctor or pharmacist to minimize complications. In the past, I assumed taking medication at any...

After my illness progressed I had slow motor skills and I could not spell words like I used to. My mother informed me of these changes just recently, I did not realize how slow I was or that I lost my ability to spell at the time this was happening. I was very stiff, like a robot, because of the side effects of medication. However, doctors gave me Cogintin to cope with the stiffness. In addition to medication to overcome the stiffness, I did yoga and practiced kick boxing, because other people told me I was stiff too. I learned kick boxing in high school, and remembered some of the routines. I remember my mother visiting me in the hospital and telling me I was stiff. She helped me by exercising with me and teaching me how to walk again. She would tell me to move my arms more and put some pep into my walk. We also played scrabble and card games to enhance my memory and motor skills. That's when my mother realized I lost a little of my memory of how to spell. She knew I could spell b...