Is it a wasted life if only in the eyes of mainstream society? But if you can’t work you can’t work…
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The only problem with it is the poverty that benefits ensure. Working in an office deadens the soul too…
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I won’t give up trying to recover from sz and eventually find a job I like, for as long as I breathe and I am physically and mentally able. My pre-illness career - software developer - had its perks but I am sick of that now. I will try tutoring, either online or face to face. I get the feeling it would be a rewarding, but also sometimes frustrating job (when my students are good vs. when they are incompetent).
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Good luck… If your schizophrenia is anything like mine though all this will lead you to many many relapses into hospital et cetera… Good luck on your journey but you have a serious mental illness if you have got schizophrenia
Reaching for the sky is The only thing we have to stop us from thinking about stigma
What you’re describing is what we have to live without A lot of the time
That is what we lose in order to become well
I don’t care what the idiotic ‘mainstream society’ thinks, even if I can’t work I’ll do something useful.
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Thanks Chrystal. I hope I won’t relapse, or at least not that often. The last 3 years I’ve been stable. Negative symptoms, which I am currently addressing with CBT, are the last obstacle that prevents me from having a job. I am not very social, so I might settle on a work from the comfort of my home. But I definitely don’t plan on isolating myself completely from the world.
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It is not wasted. And your ability to work should not determine your worth…
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I’m working part time while receiving disability benefits. I hope soon I can get off disability altogether. But as to your question, I don’t think it’s a wasted life at all, so long as you pursue your passions! Create art, learn a new skill, build something impressive! Keep your mind active. That’s what I did when I literally could not work. It helps a lot.
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I’m not 100% what’s wrong with me but all I wish for is a normal life
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Sorry Andrey
I mean the stress causes it
I assume that this is possible for very few people- I was not one to be able to realise big dreams
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Yes, stress plays a big part in it. By doing what I like, my hope is to avoid the more stressful situations that often arised during my previous career. I think everybody can find a passion, despite the illness, and feel accomplished, even if it isn’t a lucrative activity. Composing, painting, drawing, singing, reading, writing, exercising etc… I hope you too have found your passion Chrystal 
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Writing and exercising have been mine so far x
Come to a stop at the minute - after a major work related full stop
I just this week signed up for ceramics evening courses
I’ve had many scripts I’ve written performed, a 20 min monologue toured with the biggest mental health theatre company in Bristol
This was also shown at the rose playhouse bank side London next to the globe - a major archeological site where Shakespeare first showed plays before the neighbouring globe was built and also went to Edinburgh fringe festival last year
Also with Yoga I went after 5 yrs practice in uk to India for yoga teacher training
I skied quite well
And ran 4 half marathons in a year until this was a usual weekend distance
I’m always on the glass half empty
Gotta start to fight this horrible attitude
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Wow you’ve accomplished quite a bit! I feel a bit humbled by your achievements. It’s true, I’ve worked full time for 6 years before sz, but I’m not really proud of my work during those times. I am more proud of my personal software projects - rather small sized, but at least for those I’ve used my own creativity instead of blindly obeying stupid project managers…
Anyway, way to go Chrystal !! Keep it real !!
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Yeah I’m almost 43 tho
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I think full-time work is always an achievement.
I did a 35 hour week for six months in the deli / cash taking / farm shop and cafe
And the end of that went completely psychotic on and off for three years
Ok. I’m 34.
Here’s to many healthy years ahead for both of us ! 
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Thanks Andrey
X
I’m so much more used to being totally down on myself or either showing off or playing games
I’m glad that I didn’t try to have a family on SSI because it’s a crappy way to raise kids. I had trouble attracting women because I lived at my Mom’s house until my 40’s but it may have been a blessing in disguise. If I had gone to an apartment in my 20’s I likely would have had kids being raised by a single mother or single mothers being supported by the government. It’s bad enough that i am at the mercy of the government’s whims when I see the deep cuts proposed for Medicaid. But it’s obscene to bring a child into that situation.
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I’d probably be pretty bored and not workibg towards a goal is detrimental to my mood