ABSTRACT
During the last major psychotic episode, I lost everything that was important to me: my home, my career, many relationships, and certainly my dignity. I was homeless on the streets of San Francisco for over a month, seeing and hearing things that were not there, lost and unable to understand how to help myself. I lost thirty pounds in about thirty days and terrified my loved ones who could not find me and
had no idea if I was even alive. Once I was capable of getting help and seeing things slightly more clearly, it became apparent that there were only two important things in my life-my health and my relationships. I understood then that I could lose my relationships if I decided not to commit to my own mental health, and that is how I found the strength to recover. I made an internal vow that I would continue treatment and that I would work as hard as I could with all my intention to stay sane, because I was loved and because I love. My life continued to be difficult until I found the right combination of medication, and counseling, but it was through my relationships that I found true peace and freedom from my circumstances.
