Continue Acknowledging Recovery -September "National Recovery Month"

September is "National Recovery Month." It seems that I almost forgot this?! However, I do not want you to let this special month of recognition go by without additional reflection on the meaning of recovery.

Despite living with mental health challenges since my diagnosis in 2007, my definition of recovery changes to me! Although I was diagnosed with schizophrenia, my treatment team switched my official diagnosis to schizo-affective disorder early on without much discussion. As you may be aware, already, schizo-affective disorder is schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Over the years I gained a lot of knowledge about schizophrenia, and not enough about bipolar disorder, which I will work on, every diagnosis requires attention at recovery! Every diagnosis can damage a good person and their loved ones, however, recovery can overcome many struggles with mental health concerns...

In 2007, I was hospitalized. And, in 2018, I was hospitalized, again. Through my experience I gained a better understanding of mental health conditions, and the meaning of recovery to me. Even though an individual may experience a setback in their life and recovery, this does not change my definition of recovery right now.

Many persons may select the definition of recovery, 'to restore,' which is correct in most if not all dictionaries. Opposite, I used to hold the viewpoint that recovery is the same as maintaining a good place. I was wrong! Recovery is an action, which demands life-long attention.

Recovery is to keep trying. While I was at my worse, without full-knowledge of the extent of how poor if a state that my condition had on me, overall, I learned how to cope better, harder, and to keep trying despite distractions!

I was writing my follow up book to my first, prior to my recent time away. My first book is a collection of posts from this blog entitled: What's On My Mind? and available on Amazon. Through my experience, and ongoing redirection, and effort to practice recovery, I learned a significant piece of wisdom... The definition of recovery is the effort to live, the strength to keep on, and the hope in trying again, and again...

Do not let this month go by without paying closer attention to recovery for people like myself, and you, and others living with mental health challenges. Everybody is enduring a fight to overcome. Many persons are living with a diagnosis and continue to practice recovery!

My upcoming book, What's On My Mind? Coping Takes Work! will articulate my challenges, but also my triumphs during my inpatient hospital visit. My hospital stay required a lot of me, in order, to stay empowered, and to try again at recovering from my conditions.

I remember a close friend's identification and common concern... whenever a somebody goes into the hospital an individual buys them flowers. However, when a peer goes into an inpatient mental health hospital some of us do not consider to purchase ourselves and fellow peers flowers... stigma. Mental health conditions are a medical condition too! Next time, if you know anybody going in or getting out of a mental health hospital consider buying them some flowers even if they do not value them generally, trying to put forth effort is always a good place to be in with the stigma we live daily. With that said, upon my return home, I brought myself some flowers, and a card to celebrate my mind, and recovery!

September is National Recovery Month. Continue to acknowledge it. Continue to learn more. Continue to reach out, and continue to support recovery in its diverse meanings, especially this month (September, National Recovery Month!)... Thank you.

No, Please, That's Not Me

Prior to my diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia I did some things that I am not proud of. Now that I look back on things I blame my illness for my poor judgment. I am by no means condoning the behavior I carried out, and will share with you here. I will provide a few instances where my behavior was unlike me and caused an uproar. This post shows how schizophrenia affects other people. This post is for the family members and friends of people with schizophrenia, or showing bizarre behaviors. First, I asked my mother permission to give my friend a statue that was in my mother's house. My mother agreed to give my friend the statue, however, I took her permission a step further to get rid of what she had at my discretion. At the time I did not live with my mother who was away on a business trip. My mother buys and sells things so she had a lot of collectibles, antiques, and other interesting stuff. While my friend and me were in my mother's house my friend saw a lot of stuff that s

What Is Remission?

Remission is the absence of symptoms for at least six months with the support of medication. In other words, a doctor who has never seen you before may not diagnose you as a person with schizophrenia anymore. Remission is also high functioning in several aspects of life, living independently, goinig to school or to work, and socializing with other people. However, this does not mean the patient is cured or the illness has went away, the illness is still present, however, under control. Remission is achieved with the assistance of medication. "Published studies suggest that 10% to 20% of people with schizophrenia have remission of their illness as they get older, 20% get worse, but in a large majority (60% to 70%), the course of illness remains relatively unchanged." To reach remission it is recommended that you aim for a stress-free environment. Therefore, do things to relieve stress such as journaling, exercising, talking to friends, listening to or creating music, making a

by A Guest Blogger: For Addicts, Recovery Means Creating a New Life

If you’re struggling to maintain your sobriety, you aren’t alone. There are millions of fighters just like you working toward reclaiming their lives from drugs and alcohol. There are a few common traits that many successful recovering addicts share. Keep reading to find out what they are and how you can follow in their footsteps. They establish new patterns You can’t continue to live your life the same was you did when you were using. You must change and adapt to your newfound sobriety. Consider a career change; many recovering addicts find they have more success by starting their own business. One career that is easy to enter is dog walking. As a dog walker , you’ll reap many rewards including getting to spend time with dogs, which can actually boost your recovery efforts and stave off depression. Dogs have been used as part of a treatment plan for users as young as 11 and come with the added benefit of helping you stay physically active. Plus, being with

Overcoming Schizophrenia

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