Best Wishes from Rebecca Chamaa: A Creative Schizophrenia Goodbye

It's hard to believe that 14 months ago, I wrote my first blog for Creative Schizophrenia. It seems like a month or two ago. That is the way with time as we get older, though. It slips away so quickly, almost as if it speeds up. After over a year of writing for this blog, it is time for me to move on and pursue other writing opportunities. This experience has been rewarding, and I don't take it for granted. I want to leave you with my hopes for all of you in 2024 and beyond.

My Hopes for Those with Schizophrenia and Their Caregivers

As I said goodbye to Creative Schizophrenia, I want to wish you the following:

• I hope that if you have schizophrenia, your symptoms will be minimal in the new year and the future. I hope that you will participate in a treatment plan that works for you physically, emotionally, and spiritually. 
• I hope that many doors and opportunities are open to you and created for you so that you can feel like you are doing something meaningful and rewarding. (In fact, I hope that job opportunities will be more plentiful and employers will be more supportive of those of us with severe mental illness.) 
• I hope you will continue to seek out communities like HealthyPlace to connect with people with similar experiences, learn about your diagnosis (or the diagnosis of a loved one), and never feel alone. 
• I hope that despite your schizophrenia diagnosis, you will find many opportunities for joy in your day-to-day life. 
• I hope you find inspiration in the stories of people living successful and rewarding lives and accomplishing magnificent things despite their severe mental illness. I hope that you are one of the people who inspire others. 
• I hope you have or can create a supportive network of people to help you on difficult days. I hope the difficult days are few and far between.
• I hope you take the saying, "We can do hard things," to heart and know you can do much more than you probably believe. 
• I hope you will feel seen and heard by your doctors, family, friends, and others. I hope you know your story is important, and the world needs to hear your voice. 
• I hope that if you set goals and resolutions for 2024, you can take the steps necessary to see every one of them come to fruition. 

Lastly, I hope you are both healthy and happy. 

Thanks for supporting me these last 14 months.