Christ_empowered
Member
Praise report!
I saw my counselor today. I respect him. He's earned a masters of divinity. He mostly does administrative stuff, usually only sees a couple "clients" (that's what the patients are called in the "recovery model...") at a time. Unlike most people, I've been in counseling for years now, although now I"m down to seeing him every 8 weeks or so. I'm blessed.
I actually...enjoyed this appointment. He's understanding. I really -was- ridiculously sick...mentally ill, physically...--done-- (stick a fork in me, I'm done...), etc. God is good!
At this point, I get disability. I live w/ my now "well-to-do" parents (God has blessed their "bottom line," which is awesome...they certainly worked -very- hard, etc.), and...I'm safe and free. I'm even off probation, 2 years early. Oh, and I was blessed...my dad got me a good lawyer, so when I got in -serious- trouble, I ended up with a serious (that's "Class A," to be exact...) misdemeanor instead of a felony.
OK. So, we talked. Life goes on. I'm starting to see that, now.
The psychiatrist I'd seen last time (its a community/public mental health clinic...people come and go...the last time I saw a shrink, it was "tele-psychiatry," a shrink over a webcam...) scheduled me to go in and talk to a nurse about the psych drugs, my "progress," etc. And...
...wow. They're not all heartless, money-grubbing, sould-crushing monsters. LOL. We talked, she looked over me for signs of tardive dyskinesia (often permanent adverse effect from tranquilizers...more common w/ higher doses of older drugs, still happens with just about -any- tranquilizer/"antipsychotic"), it was...
...interestingly enough, rather...heart-warming, I guess? My diagnosis, way back when, was severe narcissism. NPD...not treatable, blah blah blah. Now?
I've been genuinely, truly saved for a bit less than 5 years. My IQ is up, I'm healthy, bright eyed, etc. I'm also...currently diagnosed with Bipolar I w/psychotic features (the psychiatrist...) or Schizoaffective, manic type (the counselor...I kinda sorta lean towards this one, as much as I can agree w/ any DSM label...).
So, the clinic actually -does- help people. Its not just social control masquerading as "treatment." The nurse told me they help people get affordable housing, medical care, dental care...even glasses (!!!).
God is good! I...wasn't. Now, I have a lot of good in me, and in my life. I'm increasingly thankful, Praise God!
Oh, and other good news...the Abilify I take is now generic (saves tax payers $$$), and I'm actually doing well at a somewhat reduced dosage. And...the nurse told me that Abilify seems to cause far, far fewer cases of tardive dyskinesia than many of the other drugs out there, plus many people (me included, thank goodness) seem to tolerate it better, overall. They have this old drug...cogentin...they give it to people who have tics, jerks, stiff gait, etc. from tranquilizers. They only rarely use it in people taking Abilify, compared to many of the other drugs used for "severe mental illness." Yes!
My counselor even mentioned the possibility of me getting a j-o-b, at some point. He wasn't pushy or anything, just...he said I could start w/ volunteer work and then talk to the disability specialist people at the clinic about transitioning into a part-time job, while keeping disability (the -big- thing would be keeping health coverage...).
I feel...remarkably...hopeful. I'm definitely a work-in-progress, etc., but....God spared me, even when I was who I was, did what I did, etc. And now?
"Schizoaffective, manic type." Ugh. Going by the stats, that means a better "long term prognosis" than many w/ a label of "Schizophrenia," -but-...its still a "severe, chronic mental illness," so...yeah. Everyone's life has limitations, the..."malady..." is something I may very well have to contend with for as long as I live.
Oh, and...0 signs of tardive dyskinesia or any other "movement disorders" related to the tranquilizer. I take tons of b-vitamins, antioxidants, etc. ("Orthomolecular"). I told the nurse that I take a lot of vitamin E (which is true, although I take a lot on top of the vitamin E, too...), and she actually seemed...pleased. They're not -all- about making people as dull and docile as possible, Praise God!
OK. God is good! And...today was a surprisingly good day.
I saw my counselor today. I respect him. He's earned a masters of divinity. He mostly does administrative stuff, usually only sees a couple "clients" (that's what the patients are called in the "recovery model...") at a time. Unlike most people, I've been in counseling for years now, although now I"m down to seeing him every 8 weeks or so. I'm blessed.
I actually...enjoyed this appointment. He's understanding. I really -was- ridiculously sick...mentally ill, physically...--done-- (stick a fork in me, I'm done...), etc. God is good!
At this point, I get disability. I live w/ my now "well-to-do" parents (God has blessed their "bottom line," which is awesome...they certainly worked -very- hard, etc.), and...I'm safe and free. I'm even off probation, 2 years early. Oh, and I was blessed...my dad got me a good lawyer, so when I got in -serious- trouble, I ended up with a serious (that's "Class A," to be exact...) misdemeanor instead of a felony.
OK. So, we talked. Life goes on. I'm starting to see that, now.
The psychiatrist I'd seen last time (its a community/public mental health clinic...people come and go...the last time I saw a shrink, it was "tele-psychiatry," a shrink over a webcam...) scheduled me to go in and talk to a nurse about the psych drugs, my "progress," etc. And...
...wow. They're not all heartless, money-grubbing, sould-crushing monsters. LOL. We talked, she looked over me for signs of tardive dyskinesia (often permanent adverse effect from tranquilizers...more common w/ higher doses of older drugs, still happens with just about -any- tranquilizer/"antipsychotic"), it was...
...interestingly enough, rather...heart-warming, I guess? My diagnosis, way back when, was severe narcissism. NPD...not treatable, blah blah blah. Now?
I've been genuinely, truly saved for a bit less than 5 years. My IQ is up, I'm healthy, bright eyed, etc. I'm also...currently diagnosed with Bipolar I w/psychotic features (the psychiatrist...) or Schizoaffective, manic type (the counselor...I kinda sorta lean towards this one, as much as I can agree w/ any DSM label...).
So, the clinic actually -does- help people. Its not just social control masquerading as "treatment." The nurse told me they help people get affordable housing, medical care, dental care...even glasses (!!!).
God is good! I...wasn't. Now, I have a lot of good in me, and in my life. I'm increasingly thankful, Praise God!
Oh, and other good news...the Abilify I take is now generic (saves tax payers $$$), and I'm actually doing well at a somewhat reduced dosage. And...the nurse told me that Abilify seems to cause far, far fewer cases of tardive dyskinesia than many of the other drugs out there, plus many people (me included, thank goodness) seem to tolerate it better, overall. They have this old drug...cogentin...they give it to people who have tics, jerks, stiff gait, etc. from tranquilizers. They only rarely use it in people taking Abilify, compared to many of the other drugs used for "severe mental illness." Yes!
My counselor even mentioned the possibility of me getting a j-o-b, at some point. He wasn't pushy or anything, just...he said I could start w/ volunteer work and then talk to the disability specialist people at the clinic about transitioning into a part-time job, while keeping disability (the -big- thing would be keeping health coverage...).
I feel...remarkably...hopeful. I'm definitely a work-in-progress, etc., but....God spared me, even when I was who I was, did what I did, etc. And now?
"Schizoaffective, manic type." Ugh. Going by the stats, that means a better "long term prognosis" than many w/ a label of "Schizophrenia," -but-...its still a "severe, chronic mental illness," so...yeah. Everyone's life has limitations, the..."malady..." is something I may very well have to contend with for as long as I live.
Oh, and...0 signs of tardive dyskinesia or any other "movement disorders" related to the tranquilizer. I take tons of b-vitamins, antioxidants, etc. ("Orthomolecular"). I told the nurse that I take a lot of vitamin E (which is true, although I take a lot on top of the vitamin E, too...), and she actually seemed...pleased. They're not -all- about making people as dull and docile as possible, Praise God!
OK. God is good! And...today was a surprisingly good day.