schizophrenia anylis from a schizophrenic (Score 2, Insightful)

I have schizophrenia which was diagnossed in 1997, actually schizoaffective which is schizophrenia and bypolar mixed together. Family members have told me that the symptons date back to when I was a child and especially mannifested when I got into my teens with some pretty close calls when it came to maintaining my life. I'm 24 now, the decease is still running strong but I am currently hacking my way through University and living on my own. The reason for my success would be caring family and having a strong support network to fall on when I get sick. My family has found going to schizophrenic society meetings benificial and taking on a role there. I do not personally go to the meetings, though my parents feel much better after these meetings and overall are a positive experience for them. Self Mutalation has been a major problem for myself, actually I burned myself just three days ago. I just take things one day at a time, think positive, and I mean positive. Anything that bothers me I focus on a positive aspect of it, and if there is no aparent positive then I make one. This focusing on positive points really helps, when I start to fall into a mood I often see it coming and try to get out of it, often successfully through medication. Appologies for writing so much, but I will end with my overall thesis that: find positive points to everything focus on those positive things if falling try meditating be careful in the situations you put yourself in if you have a prevailing issue that set's you off then seek councilling for it to avoid future mishaps take your meds! do hourly assesments on the state of your mind; or whatever timiing you think would be good, this is very valuable as you can catch problems before they start. I say this as a treated schizophrenic that is fairly functional 80% of the time, with prevailing things that I know are not real but cannot handle. Just remember when talking to someone with schizophrenia that they do not always see reality, things may be different for what they see, as much as I tell myself, you cannot read my mind, but when I'm talking to people I'm constantly censoring my thoughts as most of the time I think that the person I'm talking to is reading my thoughts, that's just one example, and I am 7 years treated with working medication, it's a long battle, be strong, do not be a stastitic.