Once labelled, everyone sees you are 'delusional'

I have been labelled as Schizoaffective, I first started hearing voices when I was 14. It was during a time of great stress, fear and pressure when I was abused physically and drugged. I am told that these first few years were the prodromal phase of the condition; a precursory few years where things started to happen psychosis wise, these symptoms went largely unnoticed at the time. When I was 17, I got my first diagnosis of psychosis and first really and genuinely became disturbed because of hearing voices. It was a very lonely and traumatic experience which took away all hope for my future.

I got no help and when I was 18, I got admitted to a psychiatric ward and eventually diagnosed. The ward was horrendous and I could tell many horror stories to do with abuses of rights (basic human), and other things which went on.

I was stigmatised by psychiatry and have experienced this even recently (in the past few years). I told on the people who physically abused me and was just labelled delusional by a disbelieving psychiatrist. This left me not being able to talk about it for ten years.

Anyway I despised these people and their system so much at the time, that when I learned that recovery happened, I decided to do it (partly) just to prove the point (out of spite a little). I found some meds which are tolerable and went of to university to study.

I got readmitted halfway through my degree and in the same ward environment got told I was delusional for thinking I could do a PhD by a new psychiatrist.

I am now better again and well on the way to proving her wrong as if I do my best this year I might take up a doctorate.

What keeps me well is being stretched. When I was a small child I was moved up two years at school because I misbehaved in class. A child psychologist tested me and said it was because I was in the top percentile, intelligence wise. Being stretched at university has exactly the same effect. My behaviour is normal because I am intellectually pushed at uni and it really contributes towards recovery and staying well.