When i first got diagnose I was just getting out of the military and they told me that I have PTSD and I have Schizophrenia with some physical walking problems. I was living in a van, rental house and a girlfriend. I had a ptsd moment that put me in the hospital. I lost everything and didnt remember much after treatments…and had to start over. I took a bus and went to a therapy facility. I was in rehab for a year and a half of physical therapy to learn how to walk again and after several hospitalizations and many moves relocating I would find myself back in the hospital again. I would work and try to maintain a personal relationship but stress and triggers would land me into the hospital again. While in theY hospital i heard of NAMI for the first time.

I started going to several connection meetings and was introduced to facilitating clases.. My social worker referred me to gateway clubhouse for daily work while i work on my goals.  NAMI helped me express myself and learn about mental illnesses. Mostly i learned about me and how im not alone. In nami i learned coping skills, and how to deal with different enviormental triggers and manage my stress levels. I learned med management and hospital stays are not enough. NAMI has 12 principles That act as boundries for my thinking and responces. I recieved lots of information about human behavior and people in general.