Skip to main content

NOV. 13 - Virtual Anti-Stigma Panel Discussion


Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 13, 2018 at 7-8 PM Eastern Time I will participate in a virtual panel discussion sponsored by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, "Champions of Science: The Art of Ending Stigma." This will be a lively conversation that I don't want you to miss!

This event is important to me because people living with a mental health conditions like myself cope, and manage, our diagnosis in diverse ways including artistic means. The Champions of Science: The Art of Ending Stigma is an anti-stigma campaign by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, who I support and worked with in the past through a documentary, Living with Schizophrenia: A Call for Hope and Recovery (available to view on YouTube).

As an advocate, peer, and writer I am looking forward to this conversation to share the truth about mental illness, which is recovery is possible despite stigma and setbacks. Individuals living with mental health conditions can overcome silence and stigma by coping within the arts. One of my coping skills is writing. In fact, I maintain my personal blog, "Overcoming Schizophrenia," which shares my lived experience and resources, since 2008.


This virtual panel discussion will be moderated by Vickie Mabrey as we explore the stories of Jeff Sparr, co-founder of Peace Love, a mental health advocate, and art teacher, Dr. Adam Savit, a psychiatrist and Director of Clinical Research at Janssen, and myself, a lived experience expert, and author of What's On My Mind? Do join the conversation with questions and comments to show your support! Thank you, Ashley Smith.






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lack of Trust: A Byproduct of My Mental Illness

In this entry, I'll share my experiences with Schizophrenia in regards to feeling lack of trust in others, paranoia, and isolation.... I remember my many episodes with Schizophrenia where I felt uneasy because of lack of trust in others. In the past, isolation was a giant bullying me around. Sometimes my mind would take me to a place of fear, hurt, and an unsettling spirit, which started with what seemed like a strange look, or a different feeling around an individual, when in reality it was another symptom of my undiagnosed illness- paranoia. My paranoia was rampant and dictated my life prior to experiencing a crisis, which led me to jail and into forced treatment and to receive an official diagnosis of Schizophrenia in 2007. In other words, my illness created enemies in my mind. For instance, I once believed my favorite kin was against me and I felt like she wanted me to fail, and I eventually thought she was conspiring to harm me. However, she never said anything to imply these ...
14 comments
Read more

Fear to Openness about Medication

I am concerned that I may be slipping into depression that may get worse if untreated. Prior to the birth of my child I never had a bout with depression, but as my body changed so did my hormones and my susceptibility to depression. A few months ago I was diagnosed with postpartum depression and at the time I knew I needed extra support from my my treatment team. I knew I needed to focus on my mental health because my anxiety level was up and down, it was difficult to concentrate, and I felt extremely overwhelmed and afraid my mental illness would rear its ugly head and try to destroy my recovery accomplishments. I spoke my therapist who contacted my doctor and let them know I was coming in the next morning as a walk-in, which I did and we tweaked my medication. Now, its hard to focus and to carry out minor assignments, sometimes I feel anxious for no reason, I am extremely tired and sleep more than usual, and I feel like I am on a downward spiral. Yet, I have reason to be. I have ...
12 comments
Read more

From the Terrors of Psychosis to Hope and a Better Life

For me, experiencing psychosis is an experience I will never forget. In short, psychosis is when an individual cannot distinguish reality. I endured a psychotic experience at the age of 20, almost five years ago, and still remember the terrors of the illness- officially diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia in 2007. The manifestation of the illness dominated my livelihood whenever I was extremely suspicious, confused, forgetful, irritable, distant, irrational, and hearing criticizing voices when nobody was around. In my mind, everyone was envious of me because I had godly talents. I thought I could read people's minds and understand them, and sometimes they could read my mind as well. I rationalized these strange beliefs by my faith in God and the miracles of the Bible. I believed I was on a mission for God and eventually thought I was Jesus Christ being persecuted again when I was arrested for a crime I committed while not in the right state of mind. The bizarre thoughts increased....
9 comments
Read more