Overcoming Schizophrenia

(Champions of Science: The Art of Ending Stigma) When I was diagnosed there were not a lot of recovery stories on schizophrenia. The only story I could identify with was the movie, Out of the Darkness that features Diana Ross. Over the years, I have been called demonic on a few occasions due to my diagnosis. This is scary to me because I do not see myself as a threat or evil spirit. I identified more with college students, I dropped out of school as a result of my illness. I was diagnosed at age 20. Now I am a mental health advocate that aims to debunk myths and continue to strive to live well in recovery in spite of widespread stigma. I am appreciative of Janssen Pharmaceuticals educational non-branded platform that aims to reduce stigma. In 2011, they spearheaded a documentary that shows how recovery is possible for persons living with schizophrenia. This was my first time seeing recovery in a positive light opposed to simply limiting us to the largely characterized sy...

Eleven years ago I started blogging anonymously about my experience with schizophrenia. I was 21 years old and still learning about my diagnosis, which I continue to study today. I am grateful for the feedback of my peers in recovery, caregivers, and our loved ones who engaged in this blog. Over the years my recovery story gained a lot of opportunities and exposure. I became a mental health advocate, speaker, and trainer. I sought different platforms to share my lived experience. There were several.  In 2010, I shared my recovery story as a speaker for In Our Own Voice. This program was new to NAMI Georgia, I was among the first class. I thank my instructor, Cathy M. for teaching me how to share my story. This program gave me a glimpse of what was to come.  My first speaking engagement was on my birthday. I spoke for NAMI Georgia and the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training for law enforcement. My presentation focused on my history with mental health, and l...

Shade. Labels. Darkness. Negativity. Secrets. Shame. Guilt. Hiding. Discrimination... I am referring to the stigma of mental health conditions that plagues conversations, worsens our reality of living with a life-long health concern, and prolongs suffering, and silence.  Janssen Pharmaceuticals' panel discussion about stigma, and art opens the conversation to so much! Dr. Adam Savitz (panelist, psychiatrist, Janssen), Jeff Sparr (panelist, Peace Love), and myself (panelist), and Vickie Mabrey (moderator) held a lively hour-long discussion, Tuesday, November 13, 2018, on a range of concerns impacting people living in recovery, and coping strategies. We spoke first-hand experience on how we cope through artistic means, therapy, and self-expression, and the role of creativity, specifically painting and writing. The arts play a significant role in the healing process of recovery living with mental health conditions including obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and schizophrenia....

The premiere of the documentary, Living with Schizophrenia: A Call for Hope and Recovery was an amazing experience! My personal journey in mental health recovery was one of three stories featured in the documentary. As a participan t in the documentary I had an opportunity to serve on a panel discussion to share more information about the journey in my ongoing recovery. The panel discussion was moderated by JC Hayward, and the panelists included: Dave, Caregiver, Emily, director of the documentary, Ashley Smith, Mentor, Joshua Bell, Peer Counselor, and Rebecca Phillips, Writer. The half hour film depicts the lives of three individuals living with Schizophrenia. I was united with some the other individuals who are featured in the film, in addition to the director of the documentary who also has a personal connection to the illness. For me, the documentary portrays a message that Schizophrenia can be a very manageable illness and people living with the mental condition can lead n...