Emerging Blogger Series: Mio (Mentally Ill in America)

This post is by Mio of Mentally Ill in America.

My Possible Origin Story

It most likely began when I was two.

I was taken to the ER for a fever that would ultimately rise to 107.

But, first there was church to attend to…

Once that let out (or whenever it was that my family decided to take me to the hospital), I was seen by our family physician and my parents were told that, “we may not know until your son is older as to whether there will be issues arising from this situation or not.”

Could some of my problems in the first half of my life, simply have been avoided? What about the some of my problems in the last half?

I didn’t know about the fever until long after I had been diagnosed as having schizoaffective disorder (depressive type), so there would not have been a self-fulfilling prophecy involved on my part.

With some family history of psychosis, having effectively skipped three generations (and, learned about much later), one might assert that this fever may have played a role in what ultimately became my diagnosis (stressful life events are what ultimately triggered my psychosis).

Fast forward to today…

I am unsure as to what my future holds, other than to say I am constantly doing my best to manage my mental health.

I have come a long way! From multiple attempts at suicide to multiple hospitalizations to knowing that life is better with me in it!

Yet, being consistent has been (and continues to be) my achilles heel.

While I take my medication regularly (and as prescribed), my symptoms still persist. Not just one or two, but many.

I have avoided being an inpatient for several years due to my taking the meds “no matter what.” And, they tell me that that’s what recovery is about… Doing what you do “no matter what.”

So, while the above advice hasn’t worked for me 100% all the time, I naturally continue to battle my mental illness on a “one day at a time” basis.

And, that’s plenty enough for me!

Visit Mio on his blog Mentally Ill in America.

Thanks so much Mio for participating in the emerging blogger series!