ON MENTAL ILLNESS: Overcoming a Thought Disorder (Schizophrenia)

Interesting personal story here, with some good insights:

When I had relapses of my condition, it began with the attempt to reduce the dosages of medications because I wanted more comfort and wanted to be less restricted by the dampening effects of the medication. Unfortunately, at some point in the reduction of medication, I acquired the belief that I didn’t need medication and that I could “think” my way clear of the illness. The result was fully-blown psychotic relapses, which I experienced a couple of different times.

Once back on medication and in treatment, I had to start from square one in my recovery. Each time I had a relapse, I lost a little more ground as to my capabilities. A psychiatrist said that it takes about ten years to recover complete functioning following a psychotic episode. But if you are having relapses every five or six years, what then? Or, what about persons with mental illness who relapse every one or two years? What about them?

In April of this year, it will be my nineteenth anniversary of my most recent hospitalization for mental illness.

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