Mariko Okumoto
Interviewed by: Katie Cadigan
Mariko was working as a nurse when she began feeling depressed and hearing voices. She was soon diagnosed with schizophrenia, and over the next several years, Mariko was repeatedly hospitalized. At a doctor’s suggestion, she began visiting an Asian mental health clinic, whose cultural understanding helped her. Twenty-five years after receiving a diagnosis, Mariko found a dosage of medication and a therapist that work well for her. She also benefits from peer support, and she currently works at Project Return supervising support group leaders. Explaining the importance of self-help, Mariko quotes a friend from Project Return: “‘No matter anybody says, you know what your illness is. You have to work on it. No matter what the doctor says, you can do it, and have faith and try. No matter how long it takes, you can do it…’ So I live by that, and it took a long time, but I’m there now.”