Interview with
Phillip Laux, former MHTL consumer
Q: When were you a resident in the OCO MH Transitional Living
Program?
A: I lived in
the TL program from 03/01/99 – 08/01/02, I was a resident in both the TL Supervised
Residence and in the TL Apartment Treatment Program
Q: Would you mind sharing your diagnosis with us?
A: Not at all,
I was diagnosed with schizophrenia, paranoid type back
when I lived in the program, my diagnosis has changed to schizoaffective since
then.
Q: How did you learn about our program?
A: I had
recently separated from my wife, and I was living in between my mother and
father's homes. I had an Oswego County
Case Manager who recommended and referred me to the OCO TL program. I was under great stress and suffering from
many symptoms of schizophrenia at that time.
I had little to no motivation, I was isolating,
and paranoid.
Q: What type of services did you receive while in the program?
A: I mainly received help with medications, socialization, rehab services,
and symptom management.
Q: What type of staff support did you receive?
A: Other people
were willing to understand and were supportive with my struggles. It helped take the stress off myself and my
family.
Q: Are you satisfied with the services you received?
A: Definitely! If I ever had to come
back, I would.
Q: Do you feel the services could help others?
A: Definitely, I would, and do recommend
people to the program. I currently work
as a peer advocate through Catholic Charities and I recommend people to the
program from there.
Q: What were some of your goals while you were in the program?
A: I did not always know it, but my biggest goal was to learn the
importance of my medications and to cope with my symptoms. I always had goals to go back to work and to
school, but I felt like it was impossible.
Now, I feel lucky!
Q: What were some of your biggest obstacles?
A: The biggest obstacle was to realize and
accept that I was ill. You never want to
believe it. I would think I was better,
so I would go off my medications, or I would think the medications were poison
and I would stop taking them.
Q: How did you overcome the obstacles?
A: While in the
program, the staff worked with me on the importance of my medications. I was able to realize and accept that I have a Mental Illness, that does not mean that I am a mental illness.
I am still Phil, who has a Mental Illness, not Phil the mental
illness. Once I accepted it, everything
fell into place.
Q: How did the program help you improve your life?
A: Leaps and bounds! I was able to achieve impossible goals. I am currently working at Catholic Charities
where I began employment while I was still a resident in the program back in
January 2002. I have maintained my
employment for over 3 years. I have
maintained in my apartment that TL staff assisted me in finding. I am currently enrolled in ITT tech to
complete my education in electronics.
This was a goal in my life before I was diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
Q: Is there anything that you would like to add?
A: It is not the illness that defines who you are!
Again, we congratulate Phil on his accomplishments,
and thank him for his willingness to share his story. Phil currently works with the Peer Advocacy Program
of Catholic Charities. Their