To my readers I have a confession to make. I have schizophrenia, but I don’t think that is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I think my experience of schizophrenia has made me a better person, because I am an empath and I often feel other people’s pain, which is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing because I have compassion and can listen to other people’s sad stories of being victimised and stigmatised and really relate, but being an empath I can feel the emotional pain of these people and want them to know there are people who care when they are suffering and if you have a little faith, there will always be someone who will listen and say I HEAR YOU.

I have a strong faith in God and this has guided me throughout my darkest hours, when it feels like no one cares or understands, and when the negative thoughts become agonising I force my mind to feel better, by doing something caring and positive for a loved one ❤️. I believe goodwill generates goodwill and doing something nice for someone helps my own healing. There is way too much negativity surrounding a diagnosis of schizophrenia, the stigma is awful to bear from cruel small minded people who believe that people with schizophrenia are evil and inferior. My experience of it is that this judgement of us, contributes to and compounds the more negative symptoms and leads to people self harming, comfort eating and feeling suicidal. Just how many people have committed suicide because the emotional pain caused by stigma is to hard to bear.

Honestly battling schizophrenia feels like a war in your mind between good and evil. I am a highly functioning person and I am determined when I am unwell that evil is not going to claim me. I make myself think positive and go put of my way to think kindly of myself and my loved ones. I am truly grateful for the good people in my life, who have some compassion for the impact on me of this spiritual 🙏 battle. I will always advocate for the basic human rights of those who suffer like I do, and I will always listen to and make time to treat people well and empower them to have faith and be positive in their life. When you are feeling disempowered, you need to find whatever works to empower you. What empowers me is my belief in angels. That God sends us angels, as his employees to heal the damage caused by people who stigmatise mental illness. I truly have met some wonderful people working in mental health, my psychiatrist in particular. My psychiatrist is a very wise man and we often talk about faith and people having a life purpose. My purpose is to bring a little empathy, compassion and care to those having such a spiritual battle. I’m not an angel, just a human brought up to be loving and caring.

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