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yes. absolutely yes. it's not easy. i have really good friends who never questioned my phases of not being able to allow anyone in the house, or when i was afraid to answer the door, or when they would find the tv or entry phone system smashed or any of my other exhibitions of lunacy. it definitely helped to have a couple of cats - even when i couldn't look after myself i could just about manage to look after them. them needing me was a precious motivator. I was also well enough to hold down jobs for reasonable periods of time. i am now 36 and have my own family, expecting second baby and coming off my meds. It's hard. It's really hard. I measure triumph by the hour, rather than by the day!