Find A Balance; Don't Mourn A Lost Dream.

Can the right attitude, therapy, and medication truly allow someone with a mental illness to achieve anything, even their wildest dreams? Join me, Diana Dirkby, as I challenge this widespread notion on "Schizophrenia as I Live It." Through my personal journey living with paranoid schizophrenia, I'll reveal the compromises I've had to make and the reality of managing the illness while pursuing a career. As a former research mathematician turned writer, I share how redefining success and finding fulfillment has been crucial in my journey. 

Hear the unvarnished truth about balancing ambition with acceptance and why it's important to choose supportive collaborators and projects that align with your strengths. I'll also discuss my fictional work, "The Overlife," which mirrors my experiences with schizophrenia. Whether you live with a mental illness or support someone who does, this episode offers valuable insights into achieving a fulfilling life without being unfairly blamed for struggles or pressured by unattainable role models. Listen in for a candid conversation on finding happiness and fulfillment amidst the challenges.

#DianaDirkby #TheOverlife #A TaleofSchizophrenia #Schizophrenia #MentalIllness #FamilyDynamics #CaregiverBurden #Resilience #Hope #MentalHealthAwareness #MentalHealthStigma #Strength #Love #Compassion #SecondChance #Transformation #Fiction #MentalHealthPortrayal #FamilyStruggles #EmotionalTurmoil #PoignantStory #GrippingNarrative #UnforgettableCharacters #MustReadBook

Pastime With Good Company by King Henry VIII, played by The Chestnut Brass Company 

Pastime With Good Company, composed by King Henry VIII, played by The Chestnut Brass Company

Transcript

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I 1:05

Hello , my name is Diana Dirkby and I live with paranoid schizophrenia . You are listening to my podcast Schizophrenia as I Live it . One of the most misleading assertions about mental health consumers I hear both from people who stigmatize mental illness and those who fight the stigma of mental illness , is with the correct attitude , therapy and medication , a mentally ill person can do anything they want , including realizing their dreams . Those who stigmatize mental illness use this assertion as an excuse not to show compassion to consumers of mental health when they are struggling . The struggle must be the fault of the person who has a mental illness , but the wrong attitude . Those who fight the stigma use this assertion to encourage consumers of mental health to look to successful role models who live with a mental illness . Such role models are often mental health consumers with talent , good luck and support from friends and family . They may be geniuses , like the mathematician John Nash , who my spouse and I met when we lived in Princeton and who lived with schizophrenia . In my case , the invasion by the brain disorder , schizophrenia, of my mother's world and mine was only manageable through making giant compromises . Some of my listeners know me through my social media , for example my Instagram dianadirkby_ account at dianadirkby_ writings account at dianaderkby under slash writings . The posst show that I had a career as a research mathematician before I took early retirement and became a writer . I had always been a writer , but retirement from mathematics left the room to focus seriously on publication . I have two books published the Overlife , A Total of Schizophrenia , based on my mother and my experiences with schizophrenia , though the book is in the fiction genre . My forthcoming book is Three Kidnapped , Three Siblings , Three Furies . In the book the Overlife , the narrator , Sarah , who mirrors my experience with the illness schizophrenia , has nonetheless a different life path to mine due to various good fortune and misfortune from her life and the people she knows that I did not experience . Such is the freedom of fiction .

I 3:41

You may ask how I made a career as a research mathematician and that I also can write well . The answer is that I was at a considerable disadvantage compared with my colleagues in mathematics without a mental illness , and that writing can be a challenge when schizophrenia symptoms take the upper hand . I am a mathematician and a writer despite schizophrenia , one who has had to make compromises and still hold down a job as a mathematician , one who writes by keeping schizophrenia symptoms at bay . It became clear to me early on , as it did to my character , Sarah , that my mother's schizophrenia and mine would prevent me from reaching my full potential , as it is viewed by the most talented and ambitious people I would meet along my way in life . I was initially disappointed by this prospect , but within a few years I could replace it with the goals: do well enough to keep your job and ensure you enjoy your life as much as possible . That's exactly how I made a career in mathematics . I chose the math problems I liked and the collaborators who would support my situation , and I worked on those problems with those people . I also did a lot of solo work , where you have a lot of flexibility to work when you are at your best and rest when you aren't .

I 5:12

An analogy may be to imagine someone on a large sea in a little boat big enough to keep them safe and get them where they want to go . Even though they may have many bigger ships for competition , their little boat may be comfortable and not shy away from weighing anchor in a sheltered bay to ride out a storm in relative tranquility . You have a different experience , but still reach your goal , even though many others may get there before you . You have to let the fact that you are not first to be irrelevant to your happiness .

I 5:48

There are many very successful people living with a mental illness , people right at the top of their chosen profession . In fighting stigma , it is good to let people know that someone can manage both a mental illness and be among the best in their chosen career . The error is to allow these role models at the top to dominate the list of people mental health advocacy boasts about . It is also a massive achievement to live with a mental illness and be happy and fulfilled , even if you aren't famous . That is much closer to the norm and is a worthwhile quest . Through therapy and medication , give yourself good tools . Then find a way to be fulfilled and happy , even though some dreams you may have had are never realized .

I 6:39

Thank you for listening .