Overcoming Schizophrenia

Image via Pexels The following article was written by our guest blogger, Adam C. He has written a lot of material for us over the years. Here's another insightful reading to enhance your self-care... Master Everyday Stress with Simple Steps for Lasting Balance Busy parents juggling work and household demands, shift workers managing unpredictable schedules, and office teams balancing constant messages all run into the same problem: everyday stressors stack up faster than they can be addressed. The core tension is staying functional and responsive while the body stays on alert, even when the “threat” is just deadlines, traffic, finances, or relationship strain. Understanding Stress and Your Stress Response Stress is a physiological and psychological response to a challenge, even when the challenge is only perceived. Your brain flags “important or unsafe,” then your stress response shifts you into action mode, speeding up thoughts, tension, and urgency. The key is separating stress s...

Today I’m in a good space. My symptoms are at bay and I’m not stressed. I continue to monitor my medication regimen on my cell phone. Also, uphold my daily routine and self-care practices. Self-Management What’s helping me maintain is staying connected with my doctor and therapist. I keep my appointments and share any concerns.  Participating in weekly support groups and staying busy helps me manage my stress. I keep my support system close by checking in with friends and family regularly.  Developing Skills I stay productive by working on projects through my new book coaching business, In Her Own Ink. Continuing my research and strategies to get new clients. Every day I strive to develop my marketing skills. For example, practicing my elevator pitch and learning habits to build the business. These activities are empowering. Constantly, recycling my coping tools while managing my business. Entrepreneurship is ideal for peers in recovery because we can control our time, and in...

Image via Freepik This article was written by guest blogger, Adam C. He's previously contributed articles on our blog, Overcoming Schizophrenia. Adam continues to deliver great written material with links to resources. Thank you, Adam, for sharing your insight and ongoing support. When the Mind Feeds the Mouth: How Mental Health Shapes Food Choices and What to Do about It You don't always reach for the bag of chips because you're hungry. Sometimes, it's stress. Other times it's habit masquerading as hunger. Mental health and food are linked in quiet, often invisible ways - patterns carved by emotion, reinforced by repetition, and easy to miss until your body starts asking questions you can't answer with another snack. But the fix isn't shame or stricter willpower. It's awareness. It's rhythm. And it starts by recognizing what your eating habits are responding to - and why they keep coming back. How Mental Health Shapes Food Choices When the nervous s...

I got up this morning to care for my dogs and returned to my dungeon; the bed. Oversleeping wasn't anything new. I woke up feeling restless as if I didn't get restful sleep but again this wasn't anything new. Yet, I told myself this moment will pass.  I decided I wasn't going to waste the day in bed. I put one foot in front of the other and forced myself into my health routine.  I told myself to take the medicine. Yes! I did something towards my wellness ritual. Reminding myself I'm a warrior and was not alone. Reflecting on everyone who wants to see me excel - my son, my peers in recovery, and late mother and spiritual family, and those who support me. "I'm a warrior and I'm not alone," I recited over and over again.  I'll take a shower to feel better. Check! - I did it. I thought about what generally helps so I got moving. I took a brisk walk around the block. It helped a little. Tackling the dishes and other household chores. I praised The C...

It's not the medicine that reminds me I have a diagnosis; it's ongoing self-monitoring.  Every day I follow my self-care regimen. It helps me; rejuvenates me and enhances my functioning. I embrace it.  Frequently, I take steps back to redirect and regroup in order to move forward. Lately, I've been working diligently on projects and striving to uphold that beast mode to get positive results. However, I must force myself to slow down to control stress. Even if it's created by good stressors. Even if I'm determined to finish something and pull an all-nighter, I stop myself and go to bed at a decent hour. I don't want to activate mania and it to worsen into my schizophrenia symptoms. When I'm working hard on tasks, I must increase my self-care rituals. That means making time to practice more stress reduction techniques to boost my energy and uphold that drive. Sometimes, I take a brisk walk around my neighborhood. Other times I stop to listen to nature sounds t...

In this blog article I reflect on my last hospitalization that took place a couple of years ago. I share my process of recuperation. Provide insight on strategies to maintain support and guidance with caregiver and the treatment team. Give tips for you and your loved ones on how to manage the recovery process after hospitalization. Schizophrenia's Mind Wars Early warning signs my mental health is spiraling out of control begins with poor sleeping patterns. Specifically, not sleeping enough. Excessive energy to pull all-nighters. Followed by delusions and a range of false beliefs.     Mine starts with obsessive thoughts and hyper-religious ideas. Frequently, I'm a victim of situations. Recurring ideas of being spied on and followed. My train of thought runs rampant and uproots hallucinations. Going into the Hospital My last hospitalization was in 2022. Initially, I was ordered by my doctor into an in-patient facility. However, released within 72 hours despite my symptoms ...

Surviving life is hard enough in itself, and living with a diagnosis is tough. However, recovery is about working on self and building coping tools to manage the brain condition. The effort into getting well after hospitalization is resiliency at its best.      I define recuperating as the process of creating comfort, building stability, and focusing on developing wellbeing. Recovering after a hospitalization is a journey. I believe each of us should recognize our diligence at recuperating and be proud of ourselves.      After every hospitalization I've developed more insight. I was hospitalized earlier this year and my recuperation stage focused on routine to get me into a good place. Here I'll share 7 methods to recuperating after a hospitalization. 1. Medication. I've learned that it's important to discuss any questions about administering medication with a doctor or pharmacist to minimize complications. In the past, I assumed taking medication at any...

  I've been on edge for the last week, waiting. Waiting to smile. Waiting for my new book, CRUSHING THE SPIRIT OF DEPRESSION. And, today I can finally breathe- and smile.      This book screams HOPE, JOY, & REJUVENATION. It will make you feel better. Crushing the Spirit of Depression focuses on The Creator, and motivation to explore your potential and persevere and achieve your hopes and dreams.      I created a book I wish I had on my shelf for difficult times, which we all have had at some point in our lives. The book aims to encourage you and your loved ones whenever going through something and reflecting on those widespread depressing ordeals that happens in life. Which are stressful and bring us down; financial hardship, grief and loss, health problems, low mood, and self-esteem. Or, simply to maintain wellbeing, clarity, and self-encouragement.      Crushing the Spirit of Depression has 30 prayers that praises, and holds conv...

What do you do when you know you're on the right medication but don't get the desired results? Every day I am applying my coping tools to tackle symptoms. I am aware of my signs and triggers. Although the medication controls signature symptoms that characterizes schizophrenia, I still have other symptoms to deal with.  My recurring issues are depression, anxiety, and irritability.  Depression is a huge problem. Because just when I think I've found a way to combat the feelings and physical challenges with depression I realize I've been fooled, again, and that moment of relief was just that- a moment.  Depression looks different for everybody. For me it could be lack of hygiene, severe fatigue, back pain, procrastination, no motivation nor energy to perform even simple tasks, and negative thinking. Those concerns seem manageable with an aspirin, hot shower, vitamin, daily agenda, and a good pep talk with yourself- but in the midst of depression its not that simple.  Ha...

This article was written by a guest blogger who previously contributed a post on this blog. He continues to deliver empowering information that will not only help an individual with schizophrenia, but benefit others as well. The following reading was written by Adam C. Thank you, Adam for your support of this blog and sharing helpful information.  Do follow the links in this article for more information.   Also, by Adam C.: For Addicts, Recovery Means Creating a New Life   Published on Overcoming Schizophrenia - November 21, 2019 Navigating major life changes can be challenging for anyone, but for individuals who are living with schizophrenia, these changes can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re facing a move to a new city, are looking for a new job, or have recently lost a loved one, getting through the coming weeks and months might seem like an impossible task, but there are several things you can do to make the challenges easier to bear, including asking for help when y...

This is a guest post from a fellow blogger who is also in recovery with schizoaffective disorder. I believe Victoria's story will provide reassurance and hope that recovery is possible. The following is Victoria's self-care routine, how she manages, and a link to her blog... Thank you, Victoria for sharing your recovery with us on the Overcoming Schizophrenia blog. There are many ways to recover from Schizophrenia I have found out this last year away from pharmacological treatment. Antipsychotic meds helped to stabilize me but fell short and the side effects have been terrible. Now that I am taking kratom as an antipsychotic I have been relieved of delusions. The only problem with kratom though is that I have to keep taking it to remain sane and still take antipsychotic medicine but at a lower dose. Some of the additional benefits are that I am more social, able to travel and have energy and motivation to do a lot. However recently I came across a cure for Schizoaffective Disor...

“Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at anytime and be yourself.” Hermann Hesse In the past, I’ve struggled with maintaining employment because I became overwhelmed and stressed that led my symptoms to flare up. I’ve had to quit jobs that I enjoyed because I could not cope and manage well. Every day I reflect on strategies to maintain wellness; walking, resting, journaling, talking to my higher power, etc.  In addition to medication management, I am mindful of my body’s need to decompress. To relax I listen to music or walk. However, with the summer heat I cannot maintain my walks, which helped clear my thoughts and boost my energy and mood. I recycle coping skills daily. Most of the time this practice works, but right now I can feel my mental capability to maintain daily responsibilities is wearing down. I recognize that to keep my job I must change my routine to create balance again. While I love my job, my mental health requires more attenti...

[This talk: "Recommendations for People Experiencing Mental Health Challenges: Ashley Smith: Let's Talk - The Let's Talk Project is funded by a grant from the Association for Psychological Science Fund for Teaching and Public Understanding of Psychological Science.] This talk emphasizes the fact that recovery will look different for everybody, and it will be a fight. I encourage people with similar diagnoses to consider my three recommendations: Consider therapy, Strengthen your support system, and Manage your self-care "I'm not immune to setbacks and to breakdowns, but I am confident that I'm going to give it my all to come back stronger and better after every breakdown, because I've been through some rough moments and I probably have some ahead of me...."

After changing my employer, getting a puppy, going into autopilot with an extensive self-care routine, increasing therapy sessions, and adjusting medications with my doctor; I am feeling a little better. Life is challenging, however, managing symptoms like depression is even more stressful. Depression made the heaviness of my low energy and fatigue dreadfully disappointing season after season. It tried to kidnap my creativity, daily routines like cooking and cleaning, joy of spending more time with family, and my ability to be me. Fighting symptoms requires a lot of attention. It’s another job that you only advance in when you work overtime for a longer period. Now, I am finally starting to experience the hard work that my health team, support system, and me have done to continue to press forward. Prior to my diagnosis, I avoided medications for general use such as headaches and allergies. However, with the stigma of the diagnosis, I’ve tried to manage with minimal doses earlier in m...

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. I had the pleasure of being interviewed on the You Matter! Podcast by host Karen Ortman, Associate Vice President, Campus Safety Operations NYU-NY. This interview explores common myths, symptoms, and ways to cope with schizophrenia and related conditions. The show looks at my recovery journey and focuses on the early warning signs, challenges of being looked at differently, and how I stay motivated to work on my recovery. Click here to listen. I appreciate Karen for bringing awareness to schizophrenia because it is not given enough attention compared to other health issues. On the show we talk about my parenting concerns, alternative treatment options, and identify my new book. My book, What’s on My Mind? Volume I, Revised Edition (2022), is the updated version of my first blog book. It has a new introduction, final chapter, and added sections at the end of the book. It is available on my author page on Amazon . The You Matter! Podcast wa...

Have you ever tried to avoid an auto accident, but no matter how hard you tried you couldn’t stop the crash? Suffering with this season’s depression is like dodging a car only to accidentally hit another on the road. For over six months I’ve tried to manage depression by using my coping tools. Initially, my depression stemmed from a toxic workplace. Yet, due to the nature of my condition this stress aggressively activated low mood that progressed and continues to penetrate my mood even after removing myself from that environment. Stress worsens any medical condition which is no different for people living with mental illness. Medication helps lessen the symptoms, however, living with a brain disorder of any kind is challenging and requires more than pills. Even stress can penetrate the most effective treatment that generally controls the most severe symptoms.  Initially I was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, but over the years it’s evolved into schizoaffective disorder, bipol...

 Dear Peer,      If I could send younger self a message when I was diagnosed I would tell myself to focus on two things: 1) stress management, and 2) self-encouragement. I would emphasize the importance of focusing on oneself, and not on others' perceptions of me due to the diagnosis. I would tell myself that most people will not understand, but that's not my problem. I would aim to reprogram the focus onto developing coping skills, an enriching self-care routine, building a stronger support system, and broadening my understanding of recovery, which is unique. I define recovery for myself as trying to stay in good space.       I would teach my younger self a few quick coping strategies such as how to manage anxiety, overcome depression, and identify a manic episode. Therefore, to relieve feelings of anxiousness manage house chores to get my mind off stresses and worries. To reduce the likelihood of experiencing my low places of depression - grasp ...

    In addition to the symptoms of this thought disorder, stigma is a great challenge, especially self-stigma. I believe it is among the top barriers to wellness. When I was diagnosed with schizophrenia it seemed that my identity crumbled. I used to cling to my college student role. My symptoms took away my motivation to study, speak, and do activities which usually gave me joy and a healthy outlet. When I dropped out of school I felt like I was less than. In the beginning, I did not know what my recovery could look like, I thought I would not be able to live a fulfilling life.       However, I was fortunate to have a lot of support and hope despite my health challenges. My doctor, mother, and treatment team gave me hope. When I was diagnosed my social worker, Elaine, referred me to a housing program and clubhouse which was empowering, because I was surrounded by peers with similar diagnoses. The program engaged us through recovery-oriented meetings, f...

The best thing about this recovery journey is the process of developing self-awareness and enriching self-care habits. I agree, the greatest investment is in yourself. I think we leave the door open to conflicting ideas about self-care by watching television and other people. To me self-care looks like pampering myself, creating time to reflect, and doing things that I enjoy. However, this was not always my outlook.  I engage in self-awareness by acknowledging my needs, concerns, and feelings. I am grateful for devoting time to praise and worship. My spirituality soothes me, but also energizes me to keep tying to have a good day.  One of the most profound coping skills that I engage in is writing. My journal is my comfort blanket in a way. I write letters to my higher power, myself, and sometimes to my mother. Writing clears my mind. Are you engaging your needs and feelings? Do you give yourself enough self-care to reap the benefits of a better state of being?...

I have been declared insane by society. I have been feared. I have been labelled. I have been disappointed by many because of rejection. I lost my mind, twice due to psychosis, but I came back stronger than before. We are not to blame for this illness, nor the stigma that society places on us. I am whole. I am worthy. I am strong. I am better today because of who I am and what I've been through. I have a mental illness, but it does not have me. I will continue to try to overcome. I will continue to aim to cope daily. I will continue to fight in my spirit, in my walk and self-care routine, because I must, in order, to live . I commend my peers for striving to overcome the fight. The fight against self-stigma. The war within our minds, and the struggles we aim to endure daily. I stand with you not simply in symptoms nor words, but through this fight called life, stigma, and mental illness- the label, the confusion, the pain that we must preserve through every day. Remember this...