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Ashley's Books


What's On My Mind? Volume I, Revised Edition




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If you enjoy reading Ashley’s blog, Overcoming Schizophrenia, you are in for a treat with What’s on My Mind? Volume I, Revised Edition. Ashley shares an optimistic view of living with her illness in her blog, which will undoubtedly encourage others to be hopeful, and to endure the fight to live a wonderful life in recovery!

What’s On My Mind? Volume I, Revised Edition is a must read:

Short, informative, and easy to follow.
Provides the human experience aspect of living with mental illness.
Encourages people to seek professional help.
Shares a hopeful outlook on recovery.
Gives another perspective on mental illness, which benefits others.
Supports those on the recovery journey for themselves or a loved one.


What's On My Mind? Volume II, Coping Takes Work

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Now, What’s On My Mind? Coping Takes Work, Volume II, is a continuation of Ashley’s collection of blog articles from Overcoming Schizophrenia. Ashley remastered select articles from her blog to argue two objectives. First, therapy is an important coping tool to master recovery. Second, Ashley redefines the term recovery, which to her is to keep trying to stay in a good place. 

There are many benefits to reading Coping Takes Work. Here are a few key points:

  • Inspiring recovery stories
  • Interactive self-help guide,
  • Supports therapy as a major component of recovery,
  • Encourages the application of practical coping skills,
  • Inspires peers in recovery to keep trying, 
  • Provides insight on how to combat self-stigma, and 
  • Links and resources for schizophrenia information.

“My book is a collection of inspiring articles from my blog, Overcoming Schizophrenia. My story focuses on how I master resiliency through different coping strategies,” said Ashley Smith.


What's On My Mind? Volume III, Controlling the Weight of Depression

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This book discusses the struggles but also the triumphs of self-care in the midst of depressive episodes. It covers blog articles from Overcoming Schizophrenia, 2019-2024. 

Ashley's message is clear: warring against the depression will be a fight but there's hope!

The Foreword was written by Karl Lorenz Willett, author of The Memoir of a Schizophrenic, Revised Version, and A Good Life: The Perception of Perfection an Autobiography.

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The Path that God Chose for Me

I am not upset that I have schizophrenia, this is the life God chose for me. The other day I was telling my mother I am glad I took a break from school, but I wish I had taken it sooner so that I could have recognized my illness sooner. She reminded me that everything happens for a reason, and that had I took a break sooner I would not have been able to know my full potential in college and in life. I went to college and got really involved in it through sports, internships, and mentoring peers. I was involved in so many things, school, church, home, friends, family, you name it! She was right, I am glad I took the path I took. I did not always have schizophrenia, but now that I have it I will work hard to overcome it. I try not to use the word schizophrenic because that identifies the person by their illness and that isn't fair. I am Ashley and I have schizophrenia. I will not let it limit my potential or define who I am. I can and will overcome these symptoms with medication, the...

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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 ...