Lesson 2
Several years have now passed since my daughter's first psychotic episode and subsequent diagnosis of Schizophrenia.
There is no doubt that the first few months were the hardest for us both, but probably one of the most frustrating things was the fact that the illness is always there.
Just when everything seemed to be stable and progressing well, the voices would resurface or side effects from medication would become a problem.
It seemed we were fighting a monster that had unlimited endurance and many strategies. We fought back with our own endurance and strategies - Changing medications, trying different coping stategies like
listening to music or taking rides in the car. We spent a lot of time doing simple things together like playing hoops in the school yard, going bowling and playing tennis. We also took some trips together to
change the scenery and daily routines. As we reduced the number of crises life became better, However the underlying illness remained very debilitating.
With regular medication and support, the Schizophrenia (and psychotic episodes) stabilized but new problems arose. Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder became the enemy. As we continue to fight I reflect
upon a lesson I learned early in the process. One that has helped me tremendously.
The lesson I learned early was that my Daughter is not the Illness. She is still the same sweet daughter that was always there,
it is the illness that is causing her acute distress.
My heart breaks when I see her struggling to cope, and she deserves for me to support her through this.
If you have a lesson you would like to share please email pspops@psychosissupport.com
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