My name is Alexia.

I am an 18 year old girl with schizoaffective disorder. I was diagnosed about two years ago, but have been living with the disorder for four years. When I was first struggling with symptoms, I had no similar role-models. I had no psychotic peers. Obviously I felt alone, but I also knew there were other people who felt the same way I did. And I wanted to help.

Typically, schizophrenia begins for men in their early 20s; for women, their early 30s. Because of this, many adolescents with this and similar disorders are left behind for treatment options and outreach. I believe that it's important to create an environment where teenagers and young adults can comfortably explore the details of serious mental disorders. Mental illness exists outside of medical environments and textbooks, so information on them should as well.

What can we do when our representation is dangerously inaccurate? We can spread accurate information to the best of our ability. I want to showcase the best and worst of these disorders. I also want to show the everyday lives of people living with positive, negative, and/or cognitive symptoms. Men, women, and children with these disorders are people. Their lives reflect that, and show a unique perspective on the world around us.

This project will show artwork, poetry, stories, and snippets of our lives. We will also provide information as well as we can.