Introducing Rebecca Chamaa, Author of ‘Creative Schizophrenia’

My name is Rebecca Chamaa, and I am excited to start writing for the blog, Creative Schizophrenia. I hope to share parts of my life and illness with you to understand better what living with schizophrenia can look like for someone who has dealt with mental illness for almost 30 years.

The Journey to a Schizophrenia Diagnosis for Rebecca Chamaa

I had my first psychotic episode at the age of 27 or 28. My first diagnosis was bipolar disorder with psychotic features. I lived with that diagnosis until I was nearly 40 years old. My psychiatrist, at the time, updated my diagnosis to schizoaffective disorder. After seeing me for several months and noticing that my moods stayed stable, my diagnosis changed to chronic paranoid schizophrenia.

Getting the correct diagnosis was, for me, like many people, a long journey. I have symptoms of schizophrenia every day. Still, medication, diet, exercise, good sleep habits, the support of my husband, and regularly seeing my doctors make it possible for me to live a rewarding and productive life.

Beyond the Limitations of Schizophrenia

For more about me, watch this video.

On Creative Schizophrenia, I plan to write about the symptoms and struggles of living with a severe mental illness and the triumphs and joys. For me, having schizophrenia is not easy, but I have hopes, dreams, and goals that I work towards trying to achieve despite limitations. I hope to share the good and bad times with you so we can learn from each other what it means to have the best life possible with a heavily stigmatized and misunderstood diagnosis.