5 cents

Hi Peanuts Gang members!
This mental health group is very important to me because I am required to attend group therapy. I found it impossible to find a group therapy regular session that is the kind paid for by insurance. So I started the Peanuts Gang and my psychiatrist, Dr. Van Nyguen, is happy for me. Next week when we meet at the Lake Merritt duck pond we are discussing several things. Being mentally ill, a permanently disabled psychiatric patient and on psychotropic medication, how does this make you feel about your own personal identification? I used to hide it at work, trying to be accepted by co-workers as normal just like everyone else. It was too difficult for me. The jobs I had were full time but it was too stressful trying to be normal psychologically considered by the boss. Then I got a job and I decided to claim ADA accommodation because my psychiatrist required me to attend sessions and I had to go during work time. It was a medical facility and the bosses were understanding. I stayed on that job for almost 10 years. I am retired now. My parents passed away. The stigma is gone with their passing, and I have embraced mental illness as a given reality and openly reveal my disability to others. I am more comfortable being naturally me. I am able to behave mentally debilitated and feel like wow, I am a neat person! I have a definite purpose in life and can achieve and be fruitful and important to the community as a handicapped person. And people are willing to accept me sometimes. Not always. Too many people, the mentally disabled belong separated from others. But this is the challenge for me. I have US Constitutional rights to be me and live a free individual in this country. Everyday I have a legal battle to take good care of myself. The debilitatingly handicapped are the most victimized people, we are more vulnerable. This is a proven statistic. I invite all the Peanuts Gang members to open their pages and express their feelings and thoughts about what being a mental patient means to you...Perpperment Patty