I went through a manic high for weeks as a part of my schizoaffective disorder. Even music sounded prettier. I have experienced the crash and I’m depressed now. Thanks to therapy and meds, the lows are never as intense now Grateful to have a therapist on speed dial. This too shall pass.

This morning looks like Fleetwood Mac, pumpkin spice coffee, a text to a few friends about what I’m grateful for. Recovery taught me to appreciate the ordinary and mundane. After insanity and addiction, I’m lucky to alive. open.substack.com/pub/lifeafte...

Health is wealth. I spent years chasing the corporate ladder into management and lost my sanity in the process. I took a $30k pay cut to step back into an individual contributor role. On paper, it looked like going backward. In real life, it gave me my mind back.

I'm schizoaffective, currently on 5 psych meds (2 antipsychotics, 2 mood stabilizers, 1 antidepressant) — and symptom free! My psychiatrist is now tapering me down to 3. So many misconceptions about these illnesses. With meds + therapy, people DO recover. Proud of this journey. 💙

Depression is a con artist. It never kicks the door in — it slides through the cracks while you're still smiling at coworkers. My new essay on schizoaffective disorder, psychosis, and finding faith again after chemistry convinced me I was a prophet: open.substack.com/pub/lifeafte...

Remote work has been a godsend. With my schizoaffective disorder, paranoia starts to creep in when I’m working around people. To all the CEOs harping on RTO mandates, I leave you with this: for some of us, remote work isn’t about comfort or convenience. It’s what makes staying employed possible.

I'm on the schizophrenic spectrum (schizoaffective). I have been hospitalized twice for psychosis. I'm also a wife, mom and a seller at a leading saas company. To all those out there struggling with severe mental illness, don't let it define you. substack.com/@claravaleps...