Self-Stigma and Challenges with Dating

It is important to know who is for you. Moreover, it is vital that you recognize your assets and what you bring to any relationship. The stigma of having a diagnosis is bad. The labels, false beliefs, discrimination, and myths are harmful, but self-stigma is worse. While we all have limits, self-discouragement and internal doubt affects everybody in at least one area of life.

The relationships advertised on television don’t show the process of the highs and lows in dating. In the real world, single-parenting, poor credit, weight gain, job choice, ex-lovers, sexual orientation, and health issues, hold weight. These issues do not go away on their own. Romantic relationships are complicated, and having a diagnosis makes it more challenging. Still, the focus is not strictly about the issue, but rather how you talk about it.

Open communication is essential to overcome concerns. The good news is a lot of relationships overcome their baggage and unique challenges. Yes, having a diagnosis is a unique challenge. And, living in recovery is possible and so is your dating life.

Disclosure is a significant hurdle in dating. I warn you that the initial conversation on the diagnosis could either go extremely well or poorly. In the past, I’ve tested individuals prior to disclosing my health condition. I’ve held conversations about mental illness to gage their level of awareness and experience with somebody and mental illness.

If you are in this phase of your relationship, I encourage you to be prepared to answer questions. Disclosure is more about how the illness affects you. How do you define your diagnosis? What are your triggers and early warning signs? How can your partner best support you? When you know these answers in advance, you’ll have an advantage in the dialogue.

However, I must warn you due to the stigma of schizophrenia and related conditions you may get some questions that seem offensive. That’s why the conversation on the issue is your opportunity to debunk myths, take control of the conversation to change perspectives, and reprogram the narrative about people living in recovery. Disclosure takes courage. And, the fact is some people cannot handle it, which is okay, because somebody else can and would with you.

While this diagnosis seems scary to the world your partner can support you through the journey. It is vital to understand recovery requires a lot of coping tools. While your partner is a great support, they are not equipped to handle everything. I encourage you to get a therapist to develop insight on how to cope with life’s stressors and the diagnosis. Another great coping tool is to review affirmations.

Sometimes in prayer I remind myself of the great things that the Creator instilled in me. You are enough. You are important. You are amazing. I say these statements and more to reinforce motivation and confidence. Also, journaling helps. A gratitude journal may boost positive energy in the face of stigma.

Finally, just because you have a diagnosis doesn’t mean you have to accept a mediocre partner. Again, you add value to relationships. Although the stigma is widespread, and some people can work with the health concerns while others can’t, that is fine. Therefore, continue to work on yourself, recovery, and focus your energy onto positive relationships and self-care activities. Remember the person who stayed and practice effective communication to press forward and build stronger, healthier, bonds with your partner.

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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