TOPICS

My story

My name is Tami Afriat. My story is inspirational, original and courageous.   I was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1996 at the age of 20. I have been treated with Clozapine and do monthly blood tests.

Without treatment, I used to believe that I could write down and say other people’s thoughts.  This is the originality of my experience that some patients experience as well.  It would benefit others with similar symptoms to hear about mine, as most people that don’t have schizophrenia can’t understand what we go through on a daily basis.  So my personal story will be discussed

My system

My system  is peer supported speaking and helps teens and adults who are at risk and I offer solutions by my inspirational talks and with my products.  My mood band is very basic and easy to use. Those who tried it say it grounds and distracts them. My system also promotes discussion of mental illness in the classroom where we help each other discuss our issues with openness and by sharing names of products. 

 Peer support is an effective system that helps those with mental health as it brings about discussion and understanding through my speeches..  My peer supported system, besides the public speaking, is to introduce and give out a mood bracelet that changes colour when body temperature changes, grounding and distracting the person. 

My invention

 Elastocalm promotes calmness in people who face profound mental issues such as anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, and schizophrenia. I will be giving these out during my speeches.

I personally suffer from Chronic Paranoid Schizophrenia and

Real or not real?  My ambivalent feelings towards mental health system

Then my ambivalent feelings towards the mental health system will be spoken about.  Clinicians thoughts being transmitted into my head which where harmful on their side, yet the schizophrenia society of Ontario saved my marriage and saved my life.

The stigma within the mental health system and outside the system will be explored.  This includes employment supports where the system only provides volunteer work not paid work,  yet they promise paid work.

My successes by sticking with the medication

 I am also married with child.  Which further makes me a great role model.   I have also sold many mood bands and this has been a great success.

I will discuss how my mental illness started when I was 15 years old and could have been treated back then but it wasn’t recognized as an illness, but rather, a behavioural issue.

My experience in a mental health facility will be discussed, and how I stick to my meds now after a negative experience..

I will speak about how I was treated as a mental health survivor when on my meds and without meds.

The medications and their side effects, and why some people get off their meds.

Why I went off my medication 20 years ago but now stick to it.