Sanjeet Sihota
Interviewed by: Katie Cadigan
Sanjeet was a student at UCSB when he became ill. After leaving school, he was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and was hospitalized several times during the next four years. He struggled with the side effects of medication, with memory impairments, and with the pain of having been diverted from his dreams. A year later, he began visiting a program called the Life Adjustment Team in Culver City. With the support of their psychosocial rehabilitation programs and the dedication of the staff, Sanjeet began to move toward recovery. Describing the support of a particularly committed staff member, Sanjeet explains, “These illnesses can be so traumatic, and that type of connection is needed to give hope to the person just to start to try again. So, he offered me the type of relationship was more than just his job. He was able to convey that ‘I care about you as a human being. I believe in you so much.’” During this time, Sanjeet volunteered at a senior health center, and he soon enrolled at Santa Monica College. After transferring to UCLA, he graduated with a B.A. in psychology, and he received his Master of Social Work at USC. Sanjeet is currently a social worker in private practice.