Hi A.D.,

Welcome to the Connection!

Here you will find other people who have been in your shoes and can offer encouragement and support and feedback.

I understand what you are going through.

I was diagnosed with SZ when I was 22 and it took me three years to recover to the point where I obtained a job as an administrative assistant: my first job after college.

I got sick when my grandpa was in a coma hooked up to the respirator in the summer after I graduated college.

I still had not-so-good days in the early years of my recovery too just like you are experiencing now.  The diagnosis of SZ, especially along with a hospital stay, changes your life forever.  Nothing is the same.  You could feel shattered and I understand so well your use of the word lost.  I spent three lost years coming to terms with the diagnosis and with my altered life.

A woman community member here is on Seroquel and with diet changes and exercise she was able to lose a lot of the weight she gained.  So I can tell you it's important to keep active and do whatever kind of fitness routine you can even if that just means talking long walks in the good weather or walking briskly in a mall in the winter.

To be honest: I had bad days when I was in my late twenties and early thirties so I can't say the change into mostly good times will be quick or easy.  You need to embrace the struggle and live with your pain and I hope you are seeing a therapist: either a cognitive therapist or a talk therapist.

If by bad days you mean you still have symptoms then you must be honest with your psychiatrist and talk with him or her to see if a change in dose or in medication is warranted or else the addition of an anti-depressant or other drug.  Sometimes one drug alone doesn't do the trick.

I would also recommend you do volunteer work if you're not able to work at paid employment right now.  Or to consider going to school or getting a part-time job sometime down the road as you become ready.

Lastly I will recommend you join a NAMI connection peer support group if you live in the U.S.  Dial NAMI at (800) 950-NAMI (6264) to find the name and number of your local chapter that hosts peer support for people diagnosed with mental illnesses.

I attended a peer support group for close to five years and it was there I met some of my best friends by the way.

Also: you might want to Create a SharePost here at the connection which is like a journal entry so that we can give you support and feedback for what's going on.

Things can get better: you can recover.

Once again welcome.

Regards,

Christina