Comments: The Norm, Hope And Statistics
How depressing. I feel that finally, after about 10 years of hit and misses, that I fall into the "lucky" category. While, I also feel that my personality has been pared down, I understand that the alternative makes me unable to function in society and is very dangerous.
I was curious to know, in your research, if there has been any development in medications that do not have this "dulling" effect on personality.
Posted by stacekir at April 26, 2006 05:30 AM
I know about that word :hope. I've often felt, if I lost it(hope) , life would be over. The worst days for me, are the days I feel the loss of hope. When you're down to the bare threads, hope can be all we have going for us. Losing hope for me is pretty close to being on a precipice of darkness, that I need to stay away from. Those are the days I look for hope, in earnest, something, somehow, keeping the hope alive, it keeps me alive. So, there I stand, at the precipice of my life, looking down, and wondering where the hope is, when I look up, and see something better. Maybe I looked up and saw a sunset, or a friend, my dog or cat. There is something that keeps me and most likely others, going, and it is hope. I really think we hope for the best, we hope for good things to happen, we hope more than we all realize. Emily Dickenson wrote this:" HOPE is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all......."
That is what keeps me going. Hope somehow can stare down the blackest of thoughts.Hope can keep us going when we think we cannot.This hope of mine, that keeps me going, it comes from within myself. I have to say I have lost hope in the mental health system. I have to say that not one Professional has given me hope. I've been in the depths of the mental health system for years, but more intensely the last 12 months, have met countless doctors, social workers, and staff, researched, the whole spa package. I have not had one doc ever tell me to have hope. Not one nurse, social worker, casemanager, etc. My hope ends up somedays making me feel like a fool. But it keeps me going. I guess it's about not giving up. That is what the word hope means to me. Not giving up.
Posted by Stephany at April 26, 2006 01:54 PM
Philip, this is a theme of sorts, per your other posts. You are a survivor, you are living proof, for others to have hope.
Posted by Stephany at April 26, 2006 02:06 PM
Appreciate your blog,mental health consumers are the least capable of self advocacy,my doctors made me take zyprexa for 4 years which was ineffective for my symptoms.I now have a victims support page against Eli Lilly for it's Zyprexa product causing my diabetes.--Daniel Haszard www.zyprexa-victims.com
Posted by Daniel Haszard at May 31, 2006 03:22 PM
Daniel,
I'm so sorry, about the diabetes. I am curious though what you feel advocacy is...because of your page youve created, you do know you are advocating for yourself and others. I do understand when we are at our lowest points, we cannot often speak up. Keep up the good work, you are stronger than you think. Good luck.
Posted by Stephany at May 31, 2006 10:02 PM