Ashley Smith

During the course of those months, I learned about my diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. It wasn't fearful or frightening to have the diagnosis because I had a very good doctor. Dr. Wu, he told me I can go back to school as long as I take my medication and manage my stress. And so that's been my foundation of recovery, that legal intervention.

During the course of those months, I learned about my diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. It wasn't fearful or frightening to have the diagnosis because I had a very good doctor. Dr. Wu, he told me I can go back to school as long as I take my medication and manage my stress. And so that's been my foundation of recovery, that legal intervention.

Dr. Wu told me I can go back and do what I want to do as long as I just take my medication. And so that was the beginning of my recovery back in 2007.

Dr. Wu told me I can go back and do what I want to do as long as I just take my medication. And so that was the beginning of my recovery back in 2007.

Dr. Wu told me I can go back and do what I want to do as long as I just take my medication. And so that was the beginning of my recovery back in 2007.

It was a process. And reflecting on what I know today, looking back, I had some symptoms in high school, but it didn't affect my ability to function until my third year at the university. And so I had a lot of symptoms. I mean, I thought that everyone in the jail was trying to poison me. I thought everyone was in on the cafeteria staff was putting stuff and poisoning my food and things like that.

It was a process. And reflecting on what I know today, looking back, I had some symptoms in high school, but it didn't affect my ability to function until my third year at the university. And so I had a lot of symptoms. I mean, I thought that everyone in the jail was trying to poison me. I thought everyone was in on the cafeteria staff was putting stuff and poisoning my food and things like that.

It was a process. And reflecting on what I know today, looking back, I had some symptoms in high school, but it didn't affect my ability to function until my third year at the university. And so I had a lot of symptoms. I mean, I thought that everyone in the jail was trying to poison me. I thought everyone was in on the cafeteria staff was putting stuff and poisoning my food and things like that.

So I dumped the train intentionally to not get in trouble for it. And then the phones weren't working after hours. And then I would go to seclusion. And it was just, I was just a mess. But fortunately, I was forced to medicate. And I'm really grateful for that intervention because I was not going to take the medication. I didn't understand what was happening to me or that I was not well.

So I dumped the train intentionally to not get in trouble for it. And then the phones weren't working after hours. And then I would go to seclusion. And it was just, I was just a mess. But fortunately, I was forced to medicate. And I'm really grateful for that intervention because I was not going to take the medication. I didn't understand what was happening to me or that I was not well.

So I dumped the train intentionally to not get in trouble for it. And then the phones weren't working after hours. And then I would go to seclusion. And it was just, I was just a mess. But fortunately, I was forced to medicate. And I'm really grateful for that intervention because I was not going to take the medication. I didn't understand what was happening to me or that I was not well.

Everyone else thought but me. I've been on medication since then. I've been doing very, very well with my recovery. I'm just very fortunate to find medication that works well for me.

Everyone else thought but me. I've been on medication since then. I've been doing very, very well with my recovery. I'm just very fortunate to find medication that works well for me.

Everyone else thought but me. I've been on medication since then. I've been doing very, very well with my recovery. I'm just very fortunate to find medication that works well for me.

Yes, yes. And as I mentioned, this was a family crisis because my family put a missing persons report on me. No one knew where I went or what happened or why I left just all of a sudden. And so in my recovery, my mom told me that she saw me telling people how I made it through. And this was in jail in the hospital, in the state hospital, when she used to visit me daily. And we would do exercises.

Yes, yes. And as I mentioned, this was a family crisis because my family put a missing persons report on me. No one knew where I went or what happened or why I left just all of a sudden. And so in my recovery, my mom told me that she saw me telling people how I made it through. And this was in jail in the hospital, in the state hospital, when she used to visit me daily. And we would do exercises.

Yes, yes. And as I mentioned, this was a family crisis because my family put a missing persons report on me. No one knew where I went or what happened or why I left just all of a sudden. And so in my recovery, my mom told me that she saw me telling people how I made it through. And this was in jail in the hospital, in the state hospital, when she used to visit me daily. And we would do exercises.

We'd read the Bible. We'd talk about my plans when I got out of jail and things like that. And so it was just very, it's been a process. And ever since then, I've been wanting to not only help myself, but help other people. And so we were introduced to NAMU, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, through Dr. Wu and my treatment team at that hospital. And I've been a member of NAMI since 2009.

We'd read the Bible. We'd talk about my plans when I got out of jail and things like that. And so it was just very, it's been a process. And ever since then, I've been wanting to not only help myself, but help other people. And so we were introduced to NAMU, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, through Dr. Wu and my treatment team at that hospital. And I've been a member of NAMI since 2009.

We'd read the Bible. We'd talk about my plans when I got out of jail and things like that. And so it was just very, it's been a process. And ever since then, I've been wanting to not only help myself, but help other people. And so we were introduced to NAMU, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, through Dr. Wu and my treatment team at that hospital. And I've been a member of NAMI since 2009.