@Queenie I haven't been around the forums much lately and haven't been following the ups and downs that you have been through, but wanted to wish you a belated congratulations!!!
I am not surprised that you got the top grade. It is very obvious that you are smart, articulate and an incredibly capable person. You have the worlds most stigmatised mental health condition, you would have copped so much judgment and a 'set and forget' mentality from doctors and yet you were able to finish with flying colours as you say!!
Schizophrenia is rarely spoken as being synonymous with resilient, but anyone that has come through psychosis that takes you out of life for a few years is a very resilient person in my books. There's is no comparison to an experience like that, and the English language wouldn't be able to describe it accurately, well my vocab can't anyway. It certainly debunked a lot of assumptions I had made about what it would be like and it does make you a much more empathetic person.
Young and old would look up to you as a peer support community worker, you've already graduated from the University of Life with a PhD and having lived it from the inside will give you immediate respect from clients. You know the challenges and systemic barriers facing people with MI and you also understand traumatic loss and family breakdown. I would love to be your client and have you as my mentor, you will have insights that cannot be taught.
Best of luck and enjoy a celebration this weekend,
Corny xx
