My name is Chloe Flores, and I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder when I was 20. Before that, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and OCD, and at 17, I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Although those diagnoses began five years ago, managing my mental health is an ongoing part of my life. At my lowest point, I couldn’t distinguish reality from what wasn’t real. I didn’t know who I was, what day it was, or even who the president was.
When I became pregnant, everything changed. For the first time, I wasn’t only responsible for myself, but for someone else. That motivated me to start taking my medication, attending therapy, and focusing on recovery one day at a time.
The process wasn’t easy. I experienced extreme highs followed by deep depression, and when I was eight months pregnant, I became severely suicidal and was hospitalized for what would be my 13th or 14th time. During that hospitalization, I was prescribed antipsychotic, which made a tremendous difference in my life.
Today, it feels incredibly liberating to think clearly without being overwhelmed by thousands of racing thoughts. I truly believe that without my antipsychotic medication, I would not be where I am today. This is my journey, and this is where I am now.
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