Freedom From Labels

Freedom From Labels
By John Laue

Hello. My name is John Laue. I am a mentally ill person diagnosed on different occasions as schizophrenic, manic depressive, borderline, and as a narcissistic personality. I take medications for my illness. So far they have worked fairly well although I have some periods which are worse than others.

I’ve chosen to call myself a schizophrenic because that label seems to fit my symptoms best. I’m well aware of the stigma attached, but not ashamed of being mentally ill. It’s just one of the many labels I’ve had through the years (I’m 64 years old.). I’ve been called just about everything by this time. Never mind that people in authority sometimes tell you you are this or that. Even if it fits it doesn’t have to be permanent. The important fact to remember is you’re a human being first, much more than any of your smaller labels, of which there are an infinite number. And as a human being, you’re entitled to respect yourself and not let labels get you down.

There was a time when the label schizophrenic meant to doctors that you had no future. Now all enlightened physicians know this isn’t the case. Schizophrenics can recover, can be stabilized on medications, can have decent and productive lives. I and many people I know are proving this every day. According to the Harvard Mental Health Newsletter, to which I subscribe, schizophrenia gets no worse after the first two years and may begin to get significantly better.

I had about two years of very severe symptoms during which I couldn’t work. Later with the support of a very fine psychiatrist, Dr. David Shupp, I became a high school teacher and counselor and had a 20 year career. Now I’m retired, a nationally published poet and prose writer, a member of the Steering Committee of my Writers Union Local, and a former Co-Chair of my county’s Mental Health Board. I still speak to high school health classes about mental illness in cooperation with the Mental Health Resource Center and write a column about it on the web.

I am not a Ph.D. in psychology, although I have had considerable training in that area. I am not a “qualified” counselor outside of the school system. However I’ve had first hand experience of mental illness, both in myself and in my mother, who was incarcerated for 30 years in an institution for the mentally ill. I know something about having a life, getting better, achieving goals in spite of obstacles. I want to share this knowledge and would welcome hearing about any ideas, activities, types of therapy, etc. that have helped you.

My web address is Joelmobius@aol.com. The address for my column is http://members.aol.com/Joelmobius. I invite you to check it out and hope that you find some things that are helpful there either to contribute to your understanding if you’re related to a person who’s mentally ill or to make your life better if you are that person.

John Laue

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