In April of 2007, I left a psychiatric hospital knowing that I would always need an antipsychotic medication to maintain stability. But as I resolved to stay in treatment, I did not realize what a difficult and unpredictable new journey I was embarking upon.
I would need to find a provider who would really listen and want to partner with me. I needed a convenient pharmacy to dispense my meds and reliable transportation to doctors’ appointments and other crucial appointments. Additionally, I would need to complete extensive paperwork to access services such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). At the time, I could not have envisioned the time and effort it would take to establish a solid and reliable path to recovery.
Once these details were set in place, I could resume chasing my dreams and look forward to a bright future again.
Keeping appointments
Sometimes in schizophrenia, a person is initially offered a wide and diverse treatment team, which can give the person their best chance of stability and help them thrive. In other instances, a treatment team must be built over time from various sources identified by the patient. A doctor or psychiatric nurse practitioner is fundamental for prescribing medication, and a good clinician will do whatever it takes to convince a person with psychosis to always take their medications as prescribed and engage in treatment. Often, a psychiatrist or nurse practitioner will also offer talk therapy and support, and even friendship.
In addition to a prescribing clinician, sometimes a person with schizophrenia will work with a counselor and or a psychologist for talk therapy. Others may benefit from a case manager.
As these appointments are being set up, it is imperative to keep a calendar, carefully track appointment times, and manage transportation. People who don’t drive should arrange help from a family member or friend in advance. Others may use their local bus system. If someone is taking the bus, they should practice in advance, traveling to the place where the appointment will later be held to get comfortable knowing where they need to go.
For those on Medicaid, at least in Ohio, free transportation to and from appointments can be arranged. Personally, I have used the free transportation provided by Medicaid on occasion to visit my dentist.
Labs and Meds
Some people who struggle with schizophrenia or other psychoses need regular lab work. About a year after I consented to treatment, I began the medication clozapine, which required a weekly blood test for six months. Fortunately, a lab was a long walk from my parents’ home, where I was living at the time, though my parents were kind enough to give me rides so I did not have to walk. I usually saw the same phlebotomist, and as the weeks went by, we told each other about our lives and became friends. Sometimes, getting a blood test or a long-acting injectable provides an opportunity for deepening relationships.
In addition to getting lab work done, I also had to diligently pick up my meds every month. Fortunately, at first, my pharmacy was also close to my parents’ house, and the pharmacy staff members were helpful. Today, I know everyone in my pharmacy by name, and I enjoy having the opportunity to see them when I get my medications.
Finding a prescriber
In my experience, finding a clinician was a very difficult challenge. I felt my first doctor did not listen to me, understand me, or have the initiative to really get to know me. He seemed to be treating my schizophrenia, but not me as an individual. However, he did me a great service by prescribing a medication that would greatly improve my life.
Fortunately, a year following my diagnosis, I was referred to a professor at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Henry Nasrallah, who listened to me and tried to understand my experience. He also found out about my history in depth and knew about my college scholarship, the research I had done before my illness began, and my experience performing violin in orchestras and for a recording company. He wanted to get me back to that life.
A relationship with a clinician should go both ways. A patient should have a way to get hold of the provider quickly if needed. The clinician must see the patient as a person with hopes, dreams, and a history. Nasrallah gave me a phone number where I could connect quickly, if needed. At that point, it was up to me to be respectful of his time and not call unless my need was urgent. When I met him in 2008, I immediately felt a sense of connection. In my case, this connection was so strong that we would later establish a nonprofit organization together in 2016.
Paperwork for social services
Today, in 2026, having been in sustained recovery for 18 years, I do not need many of the services and the support I did in the beginning, such as Social Security income. But applying and being approved for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) was part of my journey to independence. Fortunately, following my diagnosis and while I was still very ill, my dad filled out most of the paperwork to apply for Medicaid, food stamps (SNAP benefits), and SSI.
Psychiatry Essential Reads
SSI, Medicaid, and SNAP personnel have always worked with me dependably. There have been a few mistakes in my paperwork over the years, and our Cincinnati Legal Aid office has fixed these errors for me every time, always quickly and pro bono.
Managing schizophrenia is hard enough, but it doesn’t end there. One must be diligent about appointments, labs, getting meds, and completing complicated legal paperwork. But it is worth it. Once these habits are set in place, the prospect of solid and sustained recovery becomes increasingly possible.