It is like living in a dream, not knowing what is real making it the hardest part of dealing will the illness. Most people fear those who have mental health issues because they believe the stigma that the media has created around it. If it was taught in the school system other than universities, there would be an understanding of what mental health is.
As someone who suffers from schizophrenia, I have had to deal with seeing things that are not there and hearing voices from an over active mind. My mind is my enemy because the symptoms of my illness come from it. For what I have to deal with on a daily basis I know that only those who have this mental health issue truly understand what I go through.
In time as the decades come to pass there are new medications that are developed to relieve the symptoms. I know from my own experience that the medical cocktail that I am on, which makes me feel that I am intoxicated all day long, I am on the best drugs for my illness.
Most people who suffer from any type of mental health issue want to live a healthy life with their families and friends. As well they stay on their meds because they know that is what is keeping them out of the hospital and living their life. There is the one percent that go off the deep end and the actions of this minority group, which feeds the stigma that people with mental health issues are dangerous, is the paint brush that all of us who suffer gets painted with.
Having schizophrenia is hard for those who suffer because of the way that the community responds to the person. The truth is that if there was education given when you are in high school people like me would be able to keep being a positive member of society. For me, I see how people respond towards my illness as if I am a threat to them.
When it comes to working, the person must tell the possible employer about their mental health issue which makes it harder to land a job. That is the harder fact for those who want to continue working, the main reason why most people who suffer from schizophrenia and the main ones that lead to hospitalizations live on disability.
I worked until 2020 when my own illness got worse making me to walk away from employment. Unlike many who would give up on life, I have taken the change to take care of my parents and to become an author to spread the message that those who have mental health issues are just like everyone else. We have our problems and like others in society, everyone has problems that they deal with. Some have other health issues or maybe it is a job/career that is your problem.
I landed in the hospital in January of 2005, a few days after I was diagnosed. I had to make a decision of either giving up on life and end up being in and out of hospital for the rest of my life or to face the diagnosis and continue to live my life. This was a hard choice and I know that it took me five years to face it in January of 2010 when I found myself back in hospital for a second time since 2005. The only difference was that I put myself in because I knew something was wrong. The first time was because I was under doctor supervision to see if I needed my pills and well I found out that I needed them, since then I have remained on them.
The second time in 2010 was because I started having suicidal thoughts as I was tired of the constant battle with the illness. I received the help that I needed and a path that has kept me out of the hospital. As of right now it is April of 2024 and I have not returned to the hospital. The path that I saw in 2010 was to become an author and use the mental health field as my topic to write about.
Everyday there are people who are being diagnosed with some type of mental health issue. They say that one precent of people around the world suffers from mental health issue. The main one that is shown is depression and I think that everyone on earth has suffered from some form of seasonal depression or the depression of loosing someone in your life. The one percent I am talking about is all of the other mental health issues that are known to the medical community.
Everyone has times when they are down and need some help and that is where the mental health services come into play. Go see your doctor and get the right help. I have to see my doctors on a regular basis because of my illness and it is nothing to be ashamed of. If the help is there, make that call to get the help.
If you have family members who are having problems with their mental health, sometimes all they need is to know that someone is there to help them. It could be a listening ear of a brother or sister or parent. If you have a friend in the same situation, be a good listener and be there for them.
There are numbers online that you can call to talk to a person if you need someone who is not in your circle.
Stay safe.