It seems there is still a lot of stigma around mental health. Even in 2022.
Everyone has mental health!
It is a spectrum.
The goal is to treat your mental health like you would anything else that requires your attention, medically speaking.
Mental health matters!
Perhaps more so than what many people ever realized.
Thanks for reading and please take care of your mental health, this month and every month.
In fact, I sometimes welcome it!
For me, it’s always been about the journey… about the search for truth!
This blog has done (and continues to do) wonders for me!
Early this morning, I got a call from my psychiatrist who I had recently seen.
He thinks right now, that I quite likely have treatment resistant schizoaffective disorder.
And, I don’t think he’s far off with that assertion.
As I’ve stated many times before, I enjoy working on myself!
And for today, I’ll leave things right there.
I hope everyone is well, and is getting through May alright!
I don’t know where to begin, or how to make this all-encompassing, but here’s what I feel…
There is no precise way to overcome a lot of what I experience. Most of what I go through!
It will always be there with me.
In varying forms, I will always struggle!
But, how do you go about living? I mean, truly living your life?
Well, for some, they’ve found a way to both work with severe mental illness and manage their illness (usually with minimal medications).
I am far removed from this (as I need maximum doses of my medications).
I suspect people who are working with severe mental illness are struggling in various ways too! Perhaps similarly (or differently) than those who cannot work!
So then, what can be done to overcome barriers to living one’s life?
I am not speaking of specific barriers, although there are plenty.
I am talking mainly about how to function in spite of what is happening to me!
For me, I am often involved in conversation and my symptoms are as well!
And, what makes this particularly difficult, is that I cannot focus as well, around others, when my symptoms are bothering me.
What then, am I to do?
I just press on!
That said, I am not sure I am overcoming anything, except maybe how to carry on in spite of what I am feeling.
And, even then, it is inhumane to live such a dismal life!
I feel as though it will always be this way. And, I am tremendously saddened by that!
That’s why I am desperate to solve the problem of living my life, on some level, before I pass.
And, I am all but convinced that it can’t be done! Not by me… 😦
Have you employed any level of resolve, regarding “living” your life? Can it be done? How can it be done? What are some of your successes?
I am only beginning to come into my own again, where my support system is concerned.
The old system, meant that I had to endure a multitude of opinions about what matters or mattered (to my support people, rather than me), as the case was.
But, I can’t even begin to think of the old, old support system.
That was pretty much non-existent!
So, I think…
How would any of us get along without a support system intact?
I know, I didn’t. Not at all…
I just plain had breakdowns. And, they were awful!
So, always, always have yourself a support system… and, if it falls apart (like mine has these past several months), do your best to hold on!
The pieces may be coming together in a way that will only “help” you that much more!
Here is a link to the ways in which a support system helps.
With Love,
—Mio
This is my 225th post! It’s been a fun journey and YAY! 😛
Also, I am posting every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (with the occasional post in-between) these days.
And, whenever possible, I like to practice better self-awareness. It’s far from easy, but it helps when you’re “in the know.”
So, I purposely have kept my site from being indexed by search engines, due to some real, but predominately irrational fears—fears associated with my schizoaffective disorder.
Things are not perfect still (and, never will be), but I have elected to have my site appear on the web properly. My site: mentallyillinamerica.family.blog will be indexable by search engines by week’s end!
Most of my current readers will not notice any difference, but I will, so… one day at a time.
Thanks for your participation on my blog, and have a great day/night! 🙂
In Part One, I posed the following question and answer…
Question: Why don’t mental health advocates talk more about schizophrenia and related disorders?
Answer: It’s not in the agenda.
The reason many mental health professionals do not have it in the agenda, has to do with the severity of the illness.
It is so serious in nature that trying to explain it, regardless of who explains things (even a psychiatrist), people will oftentimes walk away misunderstanding it.
Unless you, yourself have it, or you are a caretaker, or professional… you may just get the wrong idea.
What makes matters even worse, is that the majority of sufferers cannot maintain employment at all (roughly about 10% do).
Also, nearly 10% of those afflicted, succeed in committing suicide, which means even more attempt it.
That’s why I am here, to offer you a better understanding of this family of disorders, when and where I can.
As someone living with schizoaffective disorder (who has been through many changes in stability and functioning), I may ultimately fail in educating you, but I will do my best to succeed!
I feel quite heavily the weight of my decision to share these thoughts, knowing that this will garner the wrong kind of attention. Probably.
But, can we be candid for a moment… about schizophrenia and employment?
When did we become a society that values employment over diminished health?
In taking care of my own diminished health, I have tremendous issues. 20 years after that first diagnosis.
In terms of how I’ve progressed, I still have all of the same issues I’ve always had. Except now I have some awareness.
There is nothing new under the sun, except that the crux of what I say here will be taken out of context and mostly misunderstood.
I am not capable of any kind of employment. Current attitude notwithstanding.
I may be poised in how I speak (I always have been), but I am not well (I am NOT suicidal). Nor will I ever be well (that seems to be the trajectory). Certainly not well enough to do the things I need to do to be employed.
Question: When will other people with schizophrenia and related disorders, stand up and say this?
Answer: They can’t. They won’t. And, why is that? Because the vast majority of persons with schizophrenia type disorders are not contributing members of society.
Question: Why don’t mental health advocates talk more about schizophrenia and related disorders?
Answer: It’s not in the agenda.
Ever wonder why?
Mentally Ill In America 