MENTAL ILLNESS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR THE KYCAN WEBSITE
Doug
referred us to these recovery book titles during our interview:
Please note: Your participation with our interviewers is completely
voluntary and your responses
are
appreciated.You may feel free to pass on answering any
of the questions if necessary.
What is your first name only, age and gender? Doug, 46,
male
1) What is your mental illness and/or do you have a
substance abuse problem?
I have
dual-diagnosis. Which means not only do I have bipolar disorder, but I also have
a
drug
addiction.
2) How and when did you become aware that you have a
chemical imbalance that is also called a mental
illness?
I was diagnosed
with a mental illness when I was 20 years old. But I didn’t become
really
aware that I
needed to treat it with medicines until I was 37 years
old.
3) What are the warning signs you should look for with
your mental illness?
My
thought process goes A to D verses ABCD like a normal person. I become paranoid of
the
media and my environment and people around me. I also go on spending
sprees.
4) What was the worst part of your mental illness
experience?
The
worst part of my mental illness was back when I was 20 years old when I was in
and out
of
Central State Hospital for 2 years.
A) During what time frame
did the worst of your experiences occur?
The time frame between my worst experiences occurred between the age of
20 and 22
years old when I was in and out of Central State Hospital
.
B) How much impact on your life did the worst of your experiences
have?
I had a lot of nervous breakdowns and I was in and out of Central State
Hospital a lot.
I also lost my friendships because they didn’t know how to handle my
illness and my
anger.
5) How has your mental illness affected your
life:
`A)
Mentally?
I
realize that I have to take one day at a time and if I was to do drugs again I
would go
back
to where I left off. I have a very short memory and racing thoughts and paranoia
if I
don’t
take my medicines. I am 46 years old and I did drugs for 6 years. Therefore,
I
have
a emotional and mental growth of a 40 year old.
B) Physically?
I still have a craving for drugs and get tired easily.
C) With your family?
Even though my family supports me and understands me I still feel like
I’m different.
D) With your
friends?
I have to choose my friends wisely so that I don’t relapse. There is still that mental barrier
of making trustworthy friends because I am afraid of rejection.
E) Spiritually?
I was very angry at God because I didn’t know why this was happening to
me.
F) Your
finances?
I spent a lot of money on drugs and spending sprees.
G)
Your career?
I quit my job and a month later quit college.
H)
Your health?
I had ulcers and I constantly craved alcohol and other drugs.
I) Your extracurricular activities
(sports, games, family time etc.) ?
I didn’t play any sports or games and avoided any kind of family time.
All my relationships were drug-related.
6) Is it genetic? If so how many family members have the
mental illness?
My grandfather died an
alcoholic, so it is genetic. My
cousin committed suicide at 22
years
old from drugs and he
probably had a mental illness.
Nobody in my immediate family has a
mental illness.
7) At what point did you become able to understand the
issues associated with your mental
illness?
I realized that I had
to change my attitude and my friends when I went through Possibilities
Unlimited Drug Rehab
when I was 22 years old. Since then I have been 23years drug- free.
Even though I was drug
free I still had (5) medical relapses in the hospital in that 23 year time
frame because I
wouldn’t take my medications responsibly.
I finally realized that I had
bipolar disorder at the
age of 37 and today I take my
medications ritually and have been
stable for 9
years.
8) How long have you had your mental
illness?
I was diagnosed with a
mental illness when I was 20 years old so I have had my mental illness
for 26 years. I started doing drugs when I was 16 and
I did them for 6 years so I have been
drug-free for 23 years.
9) How long has it been since you had a mental illness
relapse and/or a substance abuse relapse?
My
last drug relapse was in 1985 so it has been about 23 years. My last medical
relapse was in
1999
so it has been about 9 years.
10)
Have you ever been suicidal and when was your last time?
Yes, I have been suicidal and the last time I
was suicidal was in 1999.
11) How did the process of
achieving an understanding of your illness start?
I realized I had
a drug problem when I was in Possibilities Unlimited Drug Rehab when
I was 22 years
old. I realized I had bipolar
disorder when I was going to BRIDGES classes
and started working for KYCAN when I was 41
years old.
A) Was there an influential person or
persons involved?
Dr. George Ross of Possibilities Unlimited Drug Rehab made me realize I
had a drug
problem. Dr. Pete Steiner made me realize I had bipolar
disorder.
B) Were there some events that had an
influence on you?
I honestly believe that if I do what is right for today God will bless me
and those lives I
touch with the MAD2000 (Mentors Against Drugs 2000) Program. MAD
2000
Program is where I do speaking engagements on substance abuse.We also
started the
YOU program which is a
internet business of positive motivational books to read to help
consumers become productive individuals.
C) What has worked for you when dealing
with ongoing issues?
I apply my Possibilities Unlimited
Program, keep my doctor
appointments and take my
medicines ritually. I also
give back to community by doing my MAD2000 (Mentors
Against Drugs) Program in the Jefferson County schools. I am active in
church an go to
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings when needed.
12) What is helping things go well for you now?
I can
only change myself for the good and realize that I can’t change or control
others.
I
still take one day at a time and apply my Serenity Prayer (Let go, let God)to my
past.
13) What has helped you in your recovery from your
mental illness:
A) Your
attitude?
I believe in focusing on the future with a positive attitude and making
the days count.
B) Your outlook on
life?
I honestly believe that if I do what is right for today, I will be blessed tomorrow.
C) Your mental health
treatment?
I apply my Possibilities Unlimited
Program, keep my doctor appointments and take my
medicines ritually and continue working for KYCAN as part of my
recovery.
D) Has a trained counselors
input and feedback worked?
Yes, it has helped me with my attitude and
perseverance.
E) Have you learned to avoid certain
actions associated with mental health because of
the consequences involved?
Yes, I don’t hang around
people who do drugs. I also focus
on one task at a time to avoid
being idle
which makes a me very self- disciplined person.
F) Has an awareness of the
experiences of others helped you find your way? And in
what
ways?
They say “experience is the best teacher just make sure it is somebody
elses experience.”
G) Has trying to repeat the
recovery successes of others been a source of guidance for
you
during your own recovery?
Yes, we have a library full of
positive motivational books of other successful individuals
in the YOU Program.
14) Tell us how you are coping with your mental illness
today:
A) Medical
treatment?
I
take my medicines ritually, apply my Possibilities Unlimited Program, see my doctor
regularly. I also do my
MAD2000 Program and read positive motivational books from the
YOU Program.
B) Support
groups (AA, BRIDGES, KYCAN, church etc.)?
I use church and KYCAN and Alcoholics Anonymous as my support groups.
My
family supports me and they respect the fact that I can’t drink at family
functions.
C) Family
support (make amends and rebuild relationships)?
I have made amends and
rebuilt my family relationships.
D) Do friends
help(new supportive friends)?
I have friends at KYCAN, church and Alcoholics
Anonymous.
E)
Spiritual (relationship with your higher power) ?
I
believe that there is a higher power and apply my serenity prayer (Let go, let
God) to all
my challenges.
F)
Exercising ?
I exercise 3 times a week.
G) Career or job
(presently coping or changing jobs)?
Working at KYCAN has given me my life back and is helping me achieve my
dreams.
H) Working on a
goal (achievable, believable, concrete and specific)?
I hope to get more speaking engagements with the MAD2000 (Mentors Against
Drugs)
Program. We have established the YOU Program that helps consumers
become productive individuals and realize you can
recover.
15) What kind of changes have you made in your
recovery?
I’ve
become more caring towards other people.
I don’t get discouraged by comparing myself
to
others with respect to things and accomplishments because I have been blessed.
16) What are some of your challenges with your
recovery?
I
still crave alcohol when I am around people drinking but I realize that if I do
drink I will
end
up in a mental hospital, jail, still leading a destructive lifestyle or dead. I
still feel a stigma
with people that know I have a mental illness.
17) What are your strengths?
I
care about people and give God the credit for my
achievements.
18) What do you appreciate the most these
days?
That
I am able to work at KYCAN and help consumers realize their dreams and that I
have
my
health. I also appreciate the fact that I stood for something great so that the
future
generation
of kids don’t have to go through what I had to go through.
19) What kind of advice would you give another consumer
in their recovery?
Admit
that they do have a mental illness and that they need to treat it with
medicines. Admit
that
they are powerless over drugs and that a power greater than themselves can
restore them
to
sanity. Apply their serenity prayer (Let go, let God) and take one day at a
time. Read
positive
motivational books in their recovery.
20) How has KYCAN helped you in your recovery
process?
KYCAN
has helped me realize my dreams and reach my full potential J J J
Doug
referred us to these recovery book titles during our interview:
Thank You for your participation Doug!