I have been mentally ill since 1973 and it really hit me full-blown in 1985, caused me to lose a good paying job as a kitchen utility worker at a hotel-casino near me...the years between 1985-1998 were lots of hospitalizations because of paranoia/voices/bad dreams that NO ONE BELIEVED I really had..I was in a supervised housing program, different than the housing I'm in now, and the caseworkers there thought I was using my illness as an excuse to be a slacker...I tried to kill myself by OD'ing five times between 1987-1997..each time I sought help rather than death..was on mellaril, trilafon, clozaril, risperdal, geodon, pamelor, prozac, paxil...I was finally DX'ed with schizoaffective in 1998 after many hospitalizations and incorrect diagnoses...I have been able to get most of my life in order with the help of caring people such as my mental-health staff and fellow survivors. I'm now thankful for each day I have my wellness, one day at a time..