Emeka Chima<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>Expert in Information Systems and Peer Support Specialist: Emeka Chima<\/strong><\/p>\nEmeka Chima earned an associate of arts degree from Montgomery College in Germantown, Maryland, in 2020, and in 2022 he received a bachelor\u2019s degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus in the field of Information Systems. At Montgomery College, he was a Dean\u2019s List recipient twice and was inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. He currently works as a peer support specialist for an outpatient mental healthcare clinic for first episode psychosis adolescents and young adults.<\/em><\/p>\nRaised by his Nigerian father and his mother from Washington, D.C., Emeka experienced a happy childhood. As the oldest of five, he had the privilege to watch over his younger siblings. In high school, he played soccer and flag football, winning three trophies. His mother is currently a cybersecurity analyst for a Department of Defense contractor. Emeka would also like to work in such a field.<\/p>\n
However, about age 15, Emeka began to hear voices. Initially, while in class, the voices would command him to look away in the distance. Gradually, the voices became more powerful, telling him to isolate himself from others, even family members whom he loved.<\/p>\n
Uma noite, as vozes ordenaram que Emeka se cortasse com uma faca. Ele come\u00e7ou a delirar, acreditando que se apenas se machucasse, \u201ctudo ficaria bem\u201d. Ele se lembra de ter entrado em p\u00e2nico e gritado enquanto brandia uma faca no ar. Olhando para tr\u00e1s, Emeka se esfor\u00e7a para descrever seus pensamentos na \u00e9poca. Ele sentiu como se precisasse fugir.<\/p>\n
A tia de Emeka o ouviu gritando e acalmou a situa\u00e7\u00e3o, acalmando-o, enquanto o convencia a largar a faca. Posteriormente, Emeka se sentiu culpado por \u201cagir mal\u201d, sem saber que estava lutando contra o in\u00edcio de uma doen\u00e7a mental grave.<\/p>\n
A few weeks later, Emeka had a similar experience, brandishing another knife, but this time he was alone. The voices commanded him to keep the knife with him at all times for self-defense. Although the voices sounded like a family member to Emeka, he realized that his family would never want him to harm himself. In the following days, Emeka confided in his father that he was hearing voices and stated that he might need help.<\/p>\n
Soon after, during the night, Emeka began hallucinating again. This time, he heard a crowd of people, unexpected visitors who came without immediate warning and seemed closer in his imagination than reality. As the night went on, Emeka heard a voice consoling him and confirming that everything would be okay, as well as another voice telling him to hurt himself.<\/p>\n
Na manh\u00e3 seguinte, quando o pai de Emeka visitou Emeka em seu quarto, ele pensou que Emeka poderia estar tendo uma convuls\u00e3o. O av\u00f4 paterno de Emeka lutou por muitos anos contra o transtorno bipolar, e seu pai suspeitava que Emeka tamb\u00e9m sofria de problemas mentais. Juntos, eles foram para o hospital.<\/p>\n
Enquanto estava no hospital, Emeka foi diagnosticado com esquizofrenia paran\u00f3ide. Ele ainda tinha apenas 15 anos. Apesar da devasta\u00e7\u00e3o de saber que ele tinha um dist\u00farbio cerebral, Emeka descobriu que seus sintomas poderiam ser explicados por seu diagn\u00f3stico, o que lhe deu al\u00edvio. Ele tamb\u00e9m descobriu que havia tratamento. Depois de tr\u00eas semanas na ala psiqui\u00e1trica, ele alcan\u00e7ou a estabilidade, recebeu alta e voltou \u00e0 escola. Ele ainda era um j\u00fanior na \u00e9poca.<\/p>\n
The next year was difficult for Emeka. The first medications he tried left his eyes bloodshot, and he felt like he had a hangover though he never drank alcohol or abused drugs. He did not have a regular doctor and often forgot to take his medication. Over the next year, he was hospitalized four times for breakthrough symptoms, but the hospitalizations resulted in little benefit.<\/p>\n
During September of Emeka\u2019s senior year of high school, however, he had a new start when he was accepted into a treatment program called EPIC (Early Psychosis Intervention Clinic) through Johns Hopkins Medicine. Through EPIC, Emeka began a trial of clozapine, a medication for treatment-resistant patients. Within a week, Emeka began to see great improvement. He recalls feeling like his recovery on clozapine was a \u201cmiracle.\u201d<\/p>\n
On clozapine, Emeka finished high school with high honors, winning awards for every class. He did not know exactly what career he wanted to pursue, but he was confident that he would succeed.<\/p>\n
After high school, Emeka completed his information systems degree and has recently received honors towards his bachelor\u2019s degree at the University of Maryland Global Campus. He has also been involved with the nonprofit organization, Students with Psychosis since April 2020 and serves as President on its Executive Board.<\/p>\n
Emeka says: \u201cWhen it comes to young people with brain disorders, I would advise not to hesitate to receive help because there is both a physical and emotional need to be surrounded by people who understand. Working through the recovery process can feel overwhelming, but we can develop the resilience to achieve mental wellness.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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![](\"https:\/\/curesz.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Emeka-cropped.jpg\" "\\"Emeka\\"")
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