A Little History About Me
Meds have helped and caring for people too
NEW YORK CITYVOICES: Summer 2006
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By Josephine Ducas I was diagnosed with schizophrenia since I was 19 years old. I am 42 now and I can say to myself that my life is where I want it to be.
At 19 I was hospitalized and given medication. I had to live in a halfway house where people like me needed medicine. I needed to be there both because of my illness and because I had no where else to live. Things weren�t working out between me and my family. There was a lot of animosity between us that still exists today. I could never go back to live with my parents because they don�t understand how to treat a person with schizophrenia.
When living in a halfway house or a facility for people with mental illnesses, it is mandatory to take the medicine. Everyone living in such a facility was on supervised meds. Supervised meds are to be taken in front of a social worker. I lived most of my life in such facilities.
It was only five years ago that I met my boyfriend and he asked me if I wanted to live with him. After seeing each other for two years I ended up moving in with him. I felt like I no longer needed the support of a mental facility and it was good not to depend on the mental facility.
There is a responsibility when living with someone. The bills have to be paid and you need to maintain the apartment and take care of each other.
I still take meds even though I feel at times I don�t need it. I�ve been on meds most of my life and it was only recently that I asked myself if I still needed it. I don�t like taking meds, but I take it to avoid going to the hospital. I believe it is important to monitor the meds with the doctor. It is also important to be open with the doctor and tell him how you feel about taking meds.
I�ve never been happier in my life and it is great to live with someone who cares about me. My boyfriend and I have been living together for three years.
In between my triumphs there have been downfalls. This year alone I was hospitalized twice for not taking meds. There have also been ups and downs in the relationship, but we always work things through. I hope someday I won�t need meds, but for now I continue to take it under the doctor�s supervision.
I no longer live in a mental institution where I have to take the meds daily. I monitor myself with the meds and I only take it if I need it, especially at night when I can�t get a good night�s rest.
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