As I have been on Social Security Disability for nearly 30 years I could earn at least $30/hour tutoring math if I was healthy enough. My ailments include schizophrenia/bipolar disorder/panic attack and Seasonal Affective Disorder. Traditionally, I can only relax during my afternoons and if I have activities I can go out and do them at night. I have been making an attempt to write novel(s) which cover my schizophrenia caused hallucinations and I write mostly at night and continue through into the early morning hours. I am pleased with the quality of my writing. What I have began to notice is that I can now write some, (about an hour), during my mid afternoon hours. I find that not just productive, but encouraging as well! Maybe someday I can write more in the afternoons and at night so to get potentially published even sooner that I had predicted!
My point to the Dually-Diagnosed like me? Just keep trying! Keep at it! You'll find much of paradise here on earth, if you stay in Recovery!
My Recovery birthdate...my first day clean/sober/working on my mental illnesses? That would be April 28, 1984!
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Sunday, May 18, 2014
No Reason To Drink/Drug/Go Off My Meds!
Hello everyone! I hope each of you are doing great! I'm struggling today! For the longest time I tried to figure out why I am struggling! I got good sleep last night, ate today, took my meds as prescribed!
This is why I am receiving Social Security Disability Entitlements! Folks, I don't do anything my psychiatrist tells me to not do!
Now, my point: us in Dual Recovery when we have symptoms that is NO REASON to go back out and drink alcohol/do street drugs/abuse or go off my meds! Any of those will only increase your symptoms and they have the potential to kill you!!
What to do when having symptoms? If have a Sponsor- call him/her. Call the hotline for your psychiatric caregiver! Talk to an understanding friend or family member! Call the local Crisis Center! You need to have someone bring you down to earth. What I do know to do for me at 30+ years in Dual-Recovery is to sit, hold on, don't do anything "stupid" which will get you in deep trouble! And understand yourself that if you have a mental illness then you will have "off" days...excuse yourself and understand that you didn't "make" yourself have symptoms!
Peace and love to all of you!
This is why I am receiving Social Security Disability Entitlements! Folks, I don't do anything my psychiatrist tells me to not do!
Now, my point: us in Dual Recovery when we have symptoms that is NO REASON to go back out and drink alcohol/do street drugs/abuse or go off my meds! Any of those will only increase your symptoms and they have the potential to kill you!!
What to do when having symptoms? If have a Sponsor- call him/her. Call the hotline for your psychiatric caregiver! Talk to an understanding friend or family member! Call the local Crisis Center! You need to have someone bring you down to earth. What I do know to do for me at 30+ years in Dual-Recovery is to sit, hold on, don't do anything "stupid" which will get you in deep trouble! And understand yourself that if you have a mental illness then you will have "off" days...excuse yourself and understand that you didn't "make" yourself have symptoms!
Peace and love to all of you!
Sunday, May 11, 2014
America, this is huge! Society vs. Dual Recovery
In 1984 three months into Recovery from addiction PLUS mental illness (that is called Dual-Recovery) I was out trying to find work and was asked why I hadn't worked in over a year. I told them of my Dual-Recovery and that I had about three months in Recovery and was denied work for another six months due to stigma!
If the balance of America holds it against other people like it was back then with me then today other addicts will look at clean, sober me...unemployed and when I found work the pay was so poor that I just didn't eat many days. These, then, potentially Recovering addicts see me struggling financially then what will they say and do? I'll tell you: "To hell with Recovery! I'll just sell dope!" That has happened many times more than those who got into Recovery and one that I know of is in Prison for good!
America? Is that what we want for our addicts who consider Recovery? We NEED to reward those addicts/alcoholics in Recovery, not to mention the stigma I still experience about my mental illnesses. What's my Dual-Recovery birthday? Being my first day clean/sober/working on my mental illnesses with a psychiatrist/therapist: that day is: April 28, 1984. Yes! After 30 years of being in Dual-Recovery I run across many who show stigma to me! I know better than to act-out with violence... there are those like me drunk, stoned and crazy who can and do act out!
Please, America! Let's help those like me get into Recovery and offer them forgiveness and acceptance if they do respond with Recovery! Otherwise, I fear violence and lessening amounts of those who are Dually-Diagnosed who get in Recovery!!
Please help by eliminating your own stigma against people like me! If these people like me are stoned/crazy, call the police! Really! The pain they experience will push them toward Recovery! Once in Recovery, let's reward them!! Please!!
If the balance of America holds it against other people like it was back then with me then today other addicts will look at clean, sober me...unemployed and when I found work the pay was so poor that I just didn't eat many days. These, then, potentially Recovering addicts see me struggling financially then what will they say and do? I'll tell you: "To hell with Recovery! I'll just sell dope!" That has happened many times more than those who got into Recovery and one that I know of is in Prison for good!
America? Is that what we want for our addicts who consider Recovery? We NEED to reward those addicts/alcoholics in Recovery, not to mention the stigma I still experience about my mental illnesses. What's my Dual-Recovery birthday? Being my first day clean/sober/working on my mental illnesses with a psychiatrist/therapist: that day is: April 28, 1984. Yes! After 30 years of being in Dual-Recovery I run across many who show stigma to me! I know better than to act-out with violence... there are those like me drunk, stoned and crazy who can and do act out!
Please, America! Let's help those like me get into Recovery and offer them forgiveness and acceptance if they do respond with Recovery! Otherwise, I fear violence and lessening amounts of those who are Dually-Diagnosed who get in Recovery!!
Please help by eliminating your own stigma against people like me! If these people like me are stoned/crazy, call the police! Really! The pain they experience will push them toward Recovery! Once in Recovery, let's reward them!! Please!!
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Dependence Versus Addiction
Often, certain places addicts go to get into Recovery other than treatment centers can describe the addict as being dependent upon drugs. I have a roommate who is diabetic and is "dependent" upon pills to treat his diabetes. He is NOT addicted, but dependent to where if he would quit taking his diabetes pills he would die!
I am an alcoholic/drug addict as in heroin/cocaine/etc and have schizophrenia/bipolar disorder (also called Dually-Diagnosed). As I am no longer using the illegal drugs which were going to kill me I do take Zyprexa/Remeron for my mental illnesses. And they are superior in their effectiveness. I am "dependent" upon the medications I take not addicted. For, too, if I quit taking my meds I could no longer handle my state of mind and could not take the hell of depression/psychosis and I probably would start to drink/drug and would destroy myself! Very few people realize how it is to drink alcoholically/abuse drugs/have schizophrenia/bipolar disorder!
Please support Dually-Diagnosed to stay in Recovery, take their meds and stay clean and sober by not showing stigma toward them and in fact encourage them in their Recovery by telling them how proud you are of them and how you read this blog as the author's Recovery date is April 28, 1984 and he is so happy that he can barely stand it!
I am an alcoholic/drug addict as in heroin/cocaine/etc and have schizophrenia/bipolar disorder (also called Dually-Diagnosed). As I am no longer using the illegal drugs which were going to kill me I do take Zyprexa/Remeron for my mental illnesses. And they are superior in their effectiveness. I am "dependent" upon the medications I take not addicted. For, too, if I quit taking my meds I could no longer handle my state of mind and could not take the hell of depression/psychosis and I probably would start to drink/drug and would destroy myself! Very few people realize how it is to drink alcoholically/abuse drugs/have schizophrenia/bipolar disorder!
Please support Dually-Diagnosed to stay in Recovery, take their meds and stay clean and sober by not showing stigma toward them and in fact encourage them in their Recovery by telling them how proud you are of them and how you read this blog as the author's Recovery date is April 28, 1984 and he is so happy that he can barely stand it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)