Overcoming Schizophrenia

What’s On My Mind? Coping Takes Work! The Workshop (Description) What’s On My Mind? Coping Takes Work! The Workshop An introduction to a peer’s second book, based on her lived experience with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Despite maintaining wellness, her condition is still an illness that requires work! Eleven years after her first breakdown that resulted in her diagnosis, she has yet another experience where her reality is in diverse worlds in her mind, only. Coping Takes Work! focuses on how she endures the second-time around, still struggling, but not giving in! Through these experiences, reflecting on her first break, and her recent, she still sees hope. What To Expect from The Workshop A group discussion on the following concerns and needs to prepare an individual for a crisis and/or hospitalization: Warning Signs Triggers Practical Scenarios  Your Coping Skills  Advance Directive The Facilitator Ashley Smith is a lived experienced expert, c...

I participated in two events this week: 1) Fulton County, Georgia Commissioner's meeting and 2) Mental Health Day at the Capitol orchestrated by Behavioral Health Services Coalition. I spoke at the Commissioner's meeting yesterday to advocate in favor of the Peer Program at South Fulton Mental Health Center in East Point, Georgia. The county wants to close the Peer Program, and myself and other peers spoke against this consideration. Today, I attended Mental Health Day at the Capitol and distributed business cards to introduce my non-profit organization, Embracing My Mind, Inc. The program discussed advance directives, Georgia's budget, children and adolescents with mental health concerns, a personal story, and an overview of Olmstead. Advance Directives are plans for consumers in the event they cannot make decisions on their own, it is kind of like a crisis plan that describes medications desired to get well again, and who may make decisions on behalf of the consumer. A st...

First, I am not good at networking, however, volunteering for the HIV/AIDS non-profit organization is teaching me a lot. For instance, today we spoke with a few tenants within our building and discovered they were friends with a politician who we are trying to get their support from for our upcoming event. While another tenant gave us some really good contacts and was able to donate T-shirts for volunteers. This was a great experience. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Someone that I am working with has a sister who has schizophrenia. Schizophrenia affects people close to me too, besides family. In fact, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) estimates that 1 out of 5 American families are affected by mental illness. I was surprised to learn that someone that I work with has come into contact with the illness that I am trying to overcome, because schizophrenia affects only about one percent of the United States population. (Maybe ...