One of the most important coping mechanisms I learned from my first psychiatrist was to compete with myself and not others, to try to make every day just a little bit better than the day before. When I went to work in New York in the corporate world, I learned very quickly that no matter how good I was at my job, all I had to do to find ten people who were better was to walk around three sides of a city block. By competing against myself, I gained some ground every day. The success of others didn't concern me. In the end, as I approached the limits of my own capacity for functionality, I was regarded as a success by others.
In my fifty plus years of experience with schizophrenia, I've learned that medications have determined my capacity for functionality and therapy has enabled me to take advantage of opportunities that were compatible with that level of functionality. In the last analysis, though, if my medications and therapy were to improve my quality of life, I have had to take action. And with my disability, taking action has always involved taking risks.
The old adage, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained," may be a cliché, but there is a kernel of truth in it. I see consumers every day who are taking risks in an effort to improve their lives. They start with small risks and work their way up. As has happened with me, sometimes they succeed and sometimes not, but they never stop trying. These consumers have more pluck than most of the "successful" business executives I've worked with over the years. The only real failure for a consumer is the failure to try.
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Please remember, this writing reflects my own experience and opinions. If you, or a loved one, are experiencing the symptoms of schizophrenia, or any other mental illness, you should seek professional assistance.
