bishop49er

Living with Mental Illness

In 2007 I was diagnosed with schizophrenia after being arrested at my father's apartment and being taken to the hospital. I stayed for three days, during which they gave me Abilify. The Abilify made me feel stoned. I only took for a short time. To make a long story shorter, I wound up living in a nursing home for eight years, during which, I found an agency that was helping people move into an apartment. People with serious mental illnesses. I moved into an apartment through an agency and lived there for two years. I quit taking my medicine during this time. Was evicted and wound up in the hospital for nine months. This same agency helped me move into another apartment after I was discharged from the hospital. The original reason I was put in the hospital was because the police thought I was a suicide attempt. I could not convince them I wasn't. I've been living in my current apartment for four years and am still learning my medicines. In addition to medicine for schizophrenia, I take medicine for diabetes and COPD. So I take a handful of medicine every day which includes morning, evening and night time meds. I have to take all of these meds for the rest of my life. I gained something like 70 pounds when I started taking my medicine because it increases appetite and I ate more. I am now aware of this and am working on losing the weight.

I just want to be my old self again. The one I was before my breakdown and hospitalization four years ago. I was doing great. I'd even lost a lot of weight.

This agency that helped me with the apartment also helped with furniture, a television and kitchen stuff. I get therapy and other help from them too. They've really done a lot for me and I am grateful.

The worst part of the schizophrenia is that it makes me feel tired and sometimes I hear voices. The medicine is helping with this though and the auditory hallucinations are lessening. I need to take good care of myself.