I was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia at the age of 19. However, I want to share some good news! Since then, I have: graduated from a competitive university with honors, earned a masters in library science, worked as an adjunct lecturer, and served a the Chief librarian of New York State Psychiatric Institute/Columbia Psychiatry for seven years. Following up on all of this professional success, I have published twenty works on Amazon.com, including: A Schizophrenic Will: A Story of Madness, A Story of Hope (This is my autobiography which has been endorsed by the president of the APA as well as famous mental health advocate and author Elyn Saks, among others.), The Medical Librarian’s Guide to Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar, and Schizophrenia: Nutrition,and Complementary Therapies, as well as The Medical Librarian’s Guide to Digital Addiction, as well as other books about mental health and hygiene. Currently, I am working as a freelance web developer and tutor. By embracing help, there is hope!
Congratulations on all your successes. I have been ill since my 20th year. I’m a Harvard dropout-class of '62. Same class as Ted Kazinski. I spent 13 years at Chestnut Lodge where I was an analysand. I am currently living in New Jersey. Have been married with one daughter who committed suicide at 19. Now divorced. I am John Hersey’s son. Living off an inheritance. The money is running out at my 72nd year. I know the story of Elyn Saks. Have made great gains in the last few years with Recovery Inc. Always good to hear a success story like yours. It is encouraging for me.
Dear Martin,
God bless you and your family. I’m so sad to hear about your child. I’m happy to hear about all of your successes. How are things going for you these days?
I feel good when I learn success stories of our kind, it’s encouraging. Thanks for sharing
I didn’t do much of success but I bacame a manager the year I graduated from college and worked in that career for years, now I’m trying to get a second degree in a scientific subject I always loved but couldn’t study because of the bad symptoms of schizophrenia that I had in the past, now I’m trying, I hope I can make it.
Alex,
What do you mean? Anybody who can be a manager gets my respect. To be a good manager, one has to balance so many things: difficult employees, difficult bosses, all while keeping the bottom line in focus. Bravo! What scientific field are you trying to break into? Honestly, I was mostly upper level applied math and computer science until my issues came to the fore. I graduated my undergraduate work with English literature because I wanted to get out while I was still young. I knew I needed the diploma to advance to other stages of life. Thanks for checking in -smile-
Thanks will, I appreciate it
I can’t rate my self-performance as a manager, but I was a friendly manager type, I like being part of a family instead of being a boss , I came to learn that eventually.
I LOVE Mathematics, but I’m more into physics, I find it hard to find universities that accepts mature students with a scholarship or financial aid, like me, even that I’m still in my late twenties, I’m not that mature lol.
I like computer science as well, but I need to focus on one thing or I won’t be achieving anything.
I do like what you did in writing books, I try to complete books I started but I eventually keep leaving them behind un-finished, and I think there are good ideas to be written… I get a new idea and I leave the old ones, and so on…how can you do it?
“Friendly older brother” was my management style. I like your style. I did well in physics too, but I was exceptional with applied math. John Nash speaks regularly at my alma mater. We’re ranked #7 nationally, and I was straight A four courses in.
I have some ideas about financial aid for you, like the Lily Reintegration Scholarship as well as TAP, PELL, and student loans which you can receive even if you are only going half time. You sound like the type of lady I’d like to add to my facebook, just for her brains. Are you cute too?
Thanks for liking my book topics. It’s difficult to think up a book topic, and then as Thomas A Edison once said, “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”. I agree. Each book is a marathon. Luckily for my readers, I’m a little bit of a masochist. I push through the pain, and publish. So far, people like what I have written, and that is gratifying.
What kind of things do you think of writing about?
I liked the brains thing, about the cute question…well…I used to involuntarily stop traffic when trying to cross the road…just kidding, my friends say I’m, I can’t tell for myself
I’m considered an international student so sadly there are a lot of scholarship opportunities that I can’t have the privilege of, if you know any I’ll be so glad to know about.
I have ideas of science fiction novels, a book about a new type of management in a way to change the company’s structure, event planning, and a lot, but I try to stop my self from getting more ideas, I have A LOT and I can’t finish them, I like writing, I’m somehow a compulsive writer but I’m easily distracted :§
One last question for you, I promise I won’t bother you with a lot of questions so how much time does each book takes you to finish, and how much pages?
Alex,
You are from which country, originally? I like the part about stopping traffic. -smile- The length of time depends on the type of book. They range from two years for a major effort (For 50,000+ words) to a month for a shorter, formulaic book. I have been told I should get into writing fiction because I can bang that stuff out fast, and it sells better than non-fiction. eh, we will see. The main thing about starting a book is finishing it, even if it takes a long time. It’s about discipline. It’s about writing when you don’t feel like it. Or, at least coming back to it quickly after a break. Actually, writing this makes me want to start another book… .maybe a trashy romance novel. hehe
Thanks will, those r great advices really, I hope I can follow. I think that schizophrenics excel in creative work, and you would do great on fiction, I wish u good luck on your new book.
Well I’m planning on studying in the US or UK, so the tought subjects are in English.
you sound inspiring! I also was diagnosed at 19, I am in the honors psychology department at my school, on a full academic scholarship. I want to be like you one day. But now, its semester after semester of making the highest GPA I can. I am in remission, on meds and fully functional. I used to be a high functioning crazy alcoholic. I didn’t do as well in school though, my GPA went up half a point when I quit drinking and got on meds. I also don’t suffer like I did. Even though I was drunk half of the time, I was smiling on the outside and in pain on the inside.
My friend, my best advice to you is to pace yourself, and don’t lift to capacity too long-- both in your academic life as well as your weightlifting practice. For us, it is about survival and long term sustainability. Straining is the best way to break ourselves, and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
I’m very happy to hear you seem to be doing so well. Keep it up! And, remember what Aesop said about the turtle and the hare. I wish I had been more turtle at this point. Oh, and check out my books if you want some nuggets of wisdom from a former psychiatric librarian. I’m betting your doctors would love to learn the stuff in my books, even if they don’t know it yet. -smile-
I think I will- i have a small collection of schizophrenia books (mostly books written by schizophrenics about themselves or schizophrenia) and yours would fit right in. I do kinda live fast…I have an aggressive yet conscientious personality so I get impatient about life in general. I do things like dominate seminar classes, talking the whole time, give presentations for longer than I was allotted time for, ect. I also go ham lifting weights, that is true.
I’m not going to preach to you here my friend, as it is not my job. At the same time, I hope what I’ve written will give you some food for thought and save you some future pain. All that being said, it’s a pleasure to meet a driven, young, intelligent guy like yourself. You remind me of me, back in the day. Hey, I might become a reg here as all of you members in this thread seem like splendid company. I wish I could grab a coffee with at a local cafe with the lot of you. Coffee, croissants, and good conversation are always welcome.
, I came to learn that eventually.