sCHIZoPHReNIa diARiES
TRUE STORIES BY REAL SCHIZOPHRENICS
Marco Baldini's Story of Recovery from Schizophrenia
MARCO BALDINI'S STORY
I had to give up practicing law because of the side-effects of the medication and the lack of motivation and inability to concentrate on my work. I slowly relearned most of the life skills necessary to find employment and function independently outside of hospitals. I worked at a drop-in centre working with people with schizophrenia and reconnected with many friends in the community.
In 1989 I began a relationship with a woman that continues today. She has been a tremendous support and encouragement to me over these past five years. I feel that successful relationships are a key factor in overcoming serious illnesses such as schizophrenia. The other person acts as a sounding board and gives feedback on a day to day basis and helps one grow and gain insight.
Since October of 1992 I have been working with three other people, two consumers of mental health services and one family member, in a partnership education program through the Schizophrenia Society and with the Ministry of Health. We work at educating various groups about serious mental illness using our partnership talks. In them we describe our personal experiences with mental illness and how it has affected our lives.
This has proven to be a very powerful and successful way of teaching many people about mental illness. It has also become a way of breaking down the barriers between families, consumers of mental health services and professionals and allowing them an opportunity to work together to further the cause of mental health.
In conclusion, my experiences with schizophrenia were initially very devastating, derailing my career and almost destroying my future. Since those difficult times, I now use my experiences in a positive way to educate others and advocate for better services for all consumers of mental health services.
Editor's Update (Feb. 14, 1996)
Since November 1995, Marco Baldini has been working full time as a legal research assistant for our provincial government. Last summer, Marco and Leslie bought a new condo in Victoria, and have settled down to marital bliss in our province's capital city. In addition, Marco is on the Board of Directors of Riverview Hospital (our largest provincial psychiatric facility). This week, at the Riverview Hospital Board of Directors meeting, Marco made local psychiatric history. He proposed a motion that: "there be an immediate freeze on all further downsizing of Riverview Hospital." His motion was passed unanimously.
