Staying active helps overcome mental illness
by Mark in North Carolina
I have schizophrenia. I was diagnosed more than 15 years ago. It's my own personal illness, but even after all these years, I overcome this illness by staying active.
Group Therapy Works
by Lena in North Carolina
I was raised up on a farm in North Carolina. I had to pick cotton. I started to get sick (mental illness). My mother took me to her doctor and he told her that I was sick and that I needed help.
Accepting mental illness and life's responsibilities
by Mark in North Carolina
I've been suffering from paranoid schizophrenia approximately 11 years. When I first was diagnosed, it scared me. I had never heard of it before. I didn't know the symptoms to look for or anything. I rejected the help of healthcare professionals, family and friends.
Having fun and learning helps with coping
by Jeffrey in North Carolina
I'm diagnosed with schizophrenia. I've been diagnosed with mental illness since I was 24 years old when I was in a psychiatric hospital. I have Medicaid. I've had no problems getting care as far as I can remember. I've been hospitalized four times for my mental illness.
Compassion and mercy from others are key
by Mark in Hawaii
I guess I started hearing voices at the age of 14. The voices were mostly negative and telling me I was not worth anything. I thought everyone had the voices, I thought it was normal. But some times the voices help me create very inspirational papers for college term papers.
Unhealthy Homelife Amplified Illness
by Ken in New York
I think my illness started when I was a child. My parents say it started in high school. Growing up wasn't a bowl of cherries. There was a lot of fighting in the apartment. My parents fought constantly and were physically abusive. This is what I believe caused me to get sick. My peers and their parents treated me better than but not as well as I would've been treated had my parents treated me correctly.
Dealing With the Reality of Illness Made Life Easier
by Katherine in Michigan
My story is one of recovery. For me, recovery was a process. In 1987, I began working in a hospital kitchen washing dishes. I did not care for this type of work because I had a Bachelor's of Science. I was having a hard time working, and I thought a different job would be the answer to my problems. My manager asked me to seek professional help. I had just become full-time and just got my insurance benefits. I was too scared to use my medical benefits for fear of stigma and how it would affect my career.
Finally, I went to a doctor who referred me to a psychiatrist. I was still unaware of how sick I really was.