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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.