I haven’t talked much about my disability publicly before to the world but I feel like I shouldn’t keep it in anymore to myself.
I am a schizophrenic who began showing signs 4 or 5 years ago. Sometimes I see things that aren’t there. Sometimes I hear things that others can’t hear. I spent the better part of a year going in and out of the ER and psychiatric wards with major psychotic episodes
I fled Merced to a different city because I thought people we’re trying to kill me and hurt me everywhere I went in Merced. I spent several months close to a year on the streets. it was the scariest time and experience of my life.
After I got off the streets and moved in to a camper at a friend’s house I got on medication which calmed my symptoms down. But not for long. I soon was back on the streets off my medication and would soon have the biggest schizophrenic episodes of my life which ended me up in jail for 6 months. I can honestly say jail saved my life. While I was in jail I got the treatment I needed to ease my mind and get control back over my life. I got medical help and medication to help me get back in control.
Then after I was out of jail my brother and dad put some money together and got me a plane ticket and moved me out to Vermont to be with family and get the mental health help I needed and the right medications. I take a daily regimen of 7 pills that slow my mind for the better and keep me inn control. I have appointments 2 times a month with a psychiatrist that helps me tremendously along with the medication. I have to so I can cope and discern reality from my imagination.
One day I had an episode during dinner at Denny’s and I had to excuse myself from dinner because I was seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. I could recognize they weren’t real but it was the same way that someone can recognize a scary movie isn’t real. It still scares you very much.
I’ve been non active for the better part of a year from schizophrenic symptoms because I’m getting the help I need. I have my own place and income and life is much better than it used to be. Here is to a new year of symptom free schizophrenia. Love you all friends and family.
