Mental Illness and Living Alone

Mental illness and living alone can be one of the most challenging part of the illness.  I lived alone for fourteen years before I got married.

The challenges I faced

I seldom completed tasks.  If no one was chasing me up about something, then I would say that task was often considered undone or unfinished.  Yep! I also  found it difficult making priorities and keeping to them. 

Being a man who was not brought up to cook, I found it challenging cooking a decent dinner.  In fact, when I met Zoe she used to tease me and call me Mr Chicken cause that seemed to be the only food I ate only time.  Chicken was so easy to fix up.  Food was a chore to prepare, there was no variety as such.  I often ate Chinese takeaway. That plus the side effects of the medication meant the weight was piling on!

Often my flat was very untidy as I never expected visitors.   Attempts at keeping the flat clean and tidy were only on the rare occasions I was expecting visitors.  There seemed to be a lethargy about doing things I was not compelled to do.

Interestingly, at the time I was faced with mental illness was when I needed to have people around me the most.  I love company.  Zoe, on the other hand enjoys her own company.  We are all built differently, I discovered.

I discovered that I was easily distracted from the tasks that I was focused on.  I was not aware of the state of my environment most of the time.  I found it difficult completing tasks with precision.

Because I lived alone, no one of course gave me feedback.  So I was totally oblivious to what needed improving or working on.  

On one or two occasions  leading up to a mental health crisis, I hallucinated about what was happening outside my door at night.  Once I was imagining that there were people outside laying siege on me.    Another time I left my flat late at night to go to my neighbors for company, a very unusual action by me. I was aware of who they were but I am not certain I made very good sense in my conversations.  A few days later I found myself running to the nearby hospital.

So what do you do when you are single and living alone?  

A milk collection was arranged as a way of checking on my welfare.    I do remember stories of how unpicked milk bottles have given indication of things being badly wrong for people living alone.

Social activity was a way of keeping me on the straight and narrow.  My life was fairly ‘miserable’ until I started having more social activities.  These also provided avenues for me to be accountable  to others and to also get out of the house.

When I met my spouse I got a greater motivation to share and socialize as we got to spend most evenings together. Before this all my social activity were in public places.  I got to focus on others than myself.  Social activity was very instrumental in helping along with my recovery from mental illness.  I believe those challenged with mentally illness are the ones that need companionship the most.  By the same token, they also can be the most challenging people to be around!

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About The Author

Chuck

It all started with Eze (fondly called Chuck) fainting at the airport. When he regained consciousness, Chuck found himself in a mental hospital. He was diagnosed with Psychotic Depression. Over time, Chuck was diagnosed with a range of other mental illnesses with the final one being Schizophrenia. Unbeknown to him about this latest record on his medical files, Chuck carried on with day to day living over the next 14 years until he met Zoe. Over the next 4 years, Chuck and Zoe began a journey of faith to defy the odds of mental illness. Today Chuck’s medical records say NO MENTAL ILLNESS. He defied mental illness and is helping others do the same.

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