Overcoming Schizophrenia

When I was diagnosed with schizophrenia 12 years ago my doctor gave me two pieces of information: (1) take your medication, and (2) manage your stress. Since then I manage my household, part-time job, and family obligations to my child. Still, I underestimated the importance of stress management. I was hospitalized last year due to what seemed like a decade of stressors. These stresses included financial hardship, the anniversary of my mother's passing, and birthday, the breakdown of important relationships to my support system, and lack of awareness of my triggers, and warning signs. In short, triggers and warning signs are similar but different like a stop sign versus a yield sign on the road. Triggers are events or experiences that create negative consequences either emotionally, physically, socially, and legally. For example, a trigger may be going to a place that reminds one of a poor experience, and thus creates tension, stress, and dread, which leads to irritability ...

Living with a mental illness can be challenging, however, with insight and proper interventions we can regain control of our lives, dignity, and independence faster by planning ahead. Over the course of 11 years in recovery from schizophrenia I was hospitalized twice;  at age 20, and age 31. I was single during my first hospitalization. However, I had much at risk during my second hospitalization; my family, home, and thus, livelihood. My experience will further support both newly diagnosed peers, and fellow peers already in recovery who can attest to the disruptions of crisis and hospitalization that may have been handled better had a post-crisis plan and intervention been in place. From experience I learned an even greater lesson than 'take your medication.' The lesson I learned is simple, and not an innovative idea, but sadly overlooked across treatment planning and visits, which is to plan ahead and document it! The psychiatric advance directive (PAD) much like the adv...