Tags: by Gayathri Ramprasad | Feb 14, 2013 |
As a child growing up in India, I often heard the adage “Work is Worship” but could not fully comprehend the significance of work in a person’s life. As an adult who has overcome debilitating mental illness to pursue a meaningful career as a mental health advocate, I have come to experience the healing power of work. In traveling the world and talking to people affected by mental health issues, I have learned that one of the things they aspire for the most is meaningful employment. Unfortunately, many of them do not find the opportunities and supports they need to realize their potential and become contributing members of our global community. In this blog post, I would like to share inspiring stories of people who have defied their diagnoses and discovered meaningful careers and highlight an organization that is promoting recovery through work. I hope these stories will inspire us all to empower people struggling with mental health issues to find gainful employment. Because, as Sigmund Freud says, “love and work are the cornerstones of our humanness.” Successful and Schizophrenic By Elyn R. Saks THIRTY years ago, I was given a diagnosis of schizophrenia. My prognosis was “grave”: I would never live independently, hold a job, find a loving partner, get married. My home would be a board-and-care facility, my days spent watching TV in a day room with other people debilitated by mental illness. I would work at menial jobs when my symptoms were quiet. Following my last psychiatric hospitalization at the age of 28, I was encouraged by a doctor to work as a cashier making...
