Overcoming Schizophrenia

I'm a mental health support person and take pride in my work assisting others on their recovery journey. My position enables me to work on treatment teams alongside mental health professionals such as psychiatrists, therapists, case managers, and substance abuse counselors.       My job is important because I can better relate to peers with mental health conditions. Encouraging them to press forward in spite of living with a brain disorder that can be debilitating. This position is highly effective, needed, and growing nationwide. The Certified Peer Specialist Peer support is a growing element in treatment services. It's a Medicaid-billable service here in Georgia. Mental health support persons work with clinicians an peers in recovery to promote healthy coping tools and lifestyle habits.      The position is titled, certified peer specialist or CPS. Our job is to model recovery and share our stories when relevant. Moreover, educate peers on their m...

“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...

What's up with me, recently I am following through on Plan B by studying marketing at home. I picked up a book called Strategic Marketing by Douglas West, John Ford, and Essam Ibrahim. The book is going pretty well. I've also applied for Medicaid, so I am waiting for approval so I can fill my perscription, until then, the doctor is giving me samples to hold me over. I am starting to think about plans for next year. I want to start school this summer and start a part-time job in sales. I want to work to lead the life I used to live, when I was going to school and working. However, I am hesitant about getting the extra income because I don't want disability benefits to be cut. But maybe once I start working, I won't need SSI anymore. My New Year's resolution is: Pay off school debt in order to get official transcript Start school this summer Work part-time Buy a car Improve credit score I had an eerie dream the other night, I dreamed I heard voices telling me to go a...