They immediately assumed that I had set it off (Geez I must have some magical powers considering that I only looked at it!)! Anyway, after a while, I got moved out of that section into the open ward after behaving. I stayed for 5 minutes, took some food out of the fridge, and just walked out (again). This time, I just happened to know someone who lived about 6 or 7 blocks away (in this ward, they have the patient's trust that they will not just walk out - there is no fence surrounding the outside here). I saw my friend, who got her grandmother to talk to me for a good three hours. She said that the doctors are not out to get you, they are trying to help you and that it is not a setup against you. After we got escorted back to the psychiatric ward, I got put into the HDU (highly dependent ward). This ward wasn't very big, the outside had a huge fence surrounding it, and there were twice as many staff as patients. After four days in here, I behaved myself, got moved out into the open ward again, promising the staff that I will not escape again, and got discharged after staying at the psychiatric ward for 12 days.
As is the norm with psychiatric hospitals, they put me on some medication and tried to discharge me as quickly as possible. Anyway, I was put on Risperidone (antipsychotic), and Cipramil (antidepressant). The Risperidone was the first medication that slowed my mind down incredibly to only having the ability to think one line of thought at a time, and also getting rid of the suicidal and other useless thoughts that I had. I had slowed down incredibly - and at first, the medicine made me feel like a zombie. I couldn't really think at all, and perhaps it wouldn't have made much difference if a lobotomy had been performed on me. Anyway, I got used to this medication and all things were looking well.
Ok, so I quit KFC (thank god for that), started volunteer work for 5 months at an op-shop, and then just chilled out after that and didn't do anything until I started the Information Technology (IT) TAFE course in July this year. I rejoined Townsville Brass around August 2003, and all is well now. Anyway, from the second ward visit, I got diagnosed with schizophreniform disorder (this is schizophrenia for less than 6 months - you have to have it for 6 months or more to be diagnosed with the full schizophrenia). On February 2004, my antipsychotic got changed to Seroquel because I was gaining a heap of weight and my hormones were all over the place. These days, I am living at the Student Lodge here (see the photo gallery), still playing tuba for the band and studying the IT TAFE course full time. I am now on the Disability Support Pension (see my diagnoses page to see what I have), and do not have a job. After dropping out of university twice, I decided that my really ac! tive and racy mind is not cut out for a life of uni anymore, and I am taking the easy life by doing a much simpler and more relaxing IT course. Last thing I would like to say here, recently a shrink told me that if I go off my current medications and get sick again, I will be officially diagnosed with schizophrenia. Being on the medication is the only reason why I am not a full schizophrenic.
