What I've Learned So Far is a book of poetry written to help mentally ill people get back on their feet and recover. It has poems that describe the hardships I face dealing with my illness. I strongly encourage having a spiritual attitude, so I also included poems about spirituality. Lastly, I wrote poems about being in love. I personally feel having a loving mood to go through life is important, too. I know it is easy to become stagnant and get in a rut, especially after a psychotic episode. This book can invoke motivation for one to recover from a mental illness.

Author Biography

I'm not trying to boast, but at an early age I was very introspective about life and what affects me. I'm not saying at all that I'm an authority of psychology, but I know what helped me get my life back in order. In my teenage years, I started abusing marijuana, and tried acid. Along with living in a broken home, and being in a very unhealthy relationship, I had my first psychotic breakdown. I was diagnosed with schizophre nia. Within two years, I had another breakdown, so I was considered chronic. Having too much pride and being hard-headed, I took decades to finally admit the nature of my illness and stay on medicine. I believed for a long time that I'd be cured, if only I came up with the root of my problem. I believed I could be my own doctor. Through government aid, I did go to college and earned a degree in management. I am grateful for my education, even though I never used it for my career. Right now, I am working a few jobs, supporting myself. I am also grateful for my past working experiences. Together with medicine, therapy, education, and the support of family and friends, I have grown into a re-sponsible adult. I am a productive member of society. I wish, I would have recovered sooner. However, it is what it is. I can't erase my past. I hope you enjoy reading these poems as much as I enjoyed writing them. Thank you for your time.