Voices of Recovery: Pat Deegan 

Pat Deegan's story and her wonderful ability to write with passion as well as scholarly style has deeply influenced my recovery and many students and peers I have worked alongside. This short film captures the essence of her journey.

Powerful and this never gets old

Pat Deegan is an absolute legend, was an inspirational lady.

Thank you Pat for all you have done to help others. You are an amazing human being of compassion and insight.

This is an inspirational video. I was diagnosed with schizophrenia about 6 years ago. I have completed 9 graduate credits at New York University's Silver School of Social Work and received all A's. I am currently on break from school, but work full time during nice weather as a landscaper, and part time as a snow shoveler in winter. I am currently taking a low dose of antipsychotics. I wanted to ask an open question to people with experience taking antipsychotics about a scary mental state that involves dizziness, very obtrusive auditory and visual fields, and extreme fear. The state has only occurred when I am on HIGHER doses of antipsychotic medications. Again, the events are frightening and feel like they could be described as a type of psychosis, but they only occur when I am on HIGHER doses of antipsychotics, which seems to resonate with Pat's opening statement in this video that the medications felt as disabling as the disorder. The distressing experience seems to be triggered by physical exertion or stressful social experiences, such as being in a crowded room or after an 6 or 8 hour shift of hard manual labor shoveling snow. Has anyone had similar experiences? I am hoping to become a mental health professional but am distressed by the constant push from my doctor to increase my medications, and the increased medication appears to correlate to this intermittently occurring mental state that makes it difficult and frightening to work hard.

Inspiring. I love your passion for your mission. It's awesome!

So very inspiring. I have DID. And I too have my sights set on doing something in the Mental health field, but really did not think it was possible. My Peer support counselor told me about Pat Deegan and I just had to hear your stories. Thank you for sharing.

She's the best.

I had a similar experience where I was diagnosed with schizophrenia at the age of 16 and put on a medication for 28 years and I have been off of the Medication for around two years now and I'm very well. I use personal medicine every day. I hope to meet and talk to Pat one day so we can chat about our personal experience's.

Wonderful case vignette! What an inspiration! I am only a peer specialist and the whole world is ahead of me!

so inspiring, thanks for all you do

I watched this video in my peer support training class and I came here to subscribe and watch more videos. I am intrigued.

Thank you for sharing and you are an amazing woman.

This is great, thank you!

Strong minded.

Much respect

so wonderful

You go girl!!!

lot of love to you :)

♥️💯♥️💯♥️💯♥️💯

I don't have schizophrenia but have been diagnosed bipolar disorder with psychotic feature and tbi, I would like to know how did she come off from meds, I try but it seems hard and I fear and don't want to end up in a hospital again 😢

Dignity.