Personal Narrative-Assisted Suicide Case Study

Words: 673
Pages: 3

Social work introduced itself to me at a very young age. I remember the day my parents picked me up from elementary school on a gloomy day and we drove hours when we finally arrived at a broken roofed psychiatric home. I remember the members there acting how I perceived as different; one lady stood still like a statue, while another man was cursing at the wind. This was the day I was introduced to my uncle, Andy, who lived in that broken roofed psychiatric home. Andy was diagnosed with schizophrenia (a mental disorder, which is characterized by a difference in emotions, behaviors, and perception). Within a couple of weeks, my uncle, who smoked his lungs out, laughed uncontrollably at his own thoughts, and talked to the voices in his head moved in with us. Having a disability in our society meant that one would be more likely to become ridiculed due to societal norms and stigmatization; being discriminated against by friends, family members, and strangers allowed me to become sensitive to the scars that people carry. One of my aunts called me “crazy” for maintaining such a close connection with my uncle. Although Andy had visible and invisible differences, we knew that these differences were no more than diversity. …show more content…
Although Andy was still alive, the last year of high school was traumatic because my uncle had become my best friend throughout the years. My family and I immensely relied on our social workers and counselors as they came in and out of our homes. Their dedication, empathy, and passion allowed them not to only provide support and services for my uncle, but also for our family. I could not have thrived and became who I am without the accommodations of our social workers. My solution and motivation to overcome struggles I face is by giving back to my community that has given me so