I am a survivor of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, an eating disorder, self harm, and suicide. Although I am a survivor my fight is not over. Far too often people think that a mental illness can be cured and that is far from the truth. Back in October of 2010 I felt as if my life had fallen apart and I was admitted into a psychiatric hospital for the first time. I never really knew that these types of hospitals existed or that the things I was struggling with were common among people my age. I was 16 at the time and I truly felt so alone. From October 2010- May 2013 I was admitted into 6 different psychiatric hospitals. I was admitted so many times that I cannot even give you a number. When I was struggling through those years in my life I honestly did not see myself having a future. I stopped planning my future and I did not care about the long term effects that my choices had on my life because I did not foresee myself living through it all.

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I suffer from anxiety, PTSD , and depression. Lost a brother to suicide. I’ve used self harm to self medicate. Feeling like it gave me some control of the pain imposed on me. I was apart of a religion that taught me I was “sinning” because 

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I can only speak from my personal experience, but I am here to tell you that depression and anxiety are not always incurable diseases. They are not always physical ailments. And that suicide is not always caused by bad brain chemistry and nothing else.

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Mybname is Paul. I have been dealing with mental illness most of my life. I have PTSD, DEPRESSION, ANXIET, AND SUICIDAL TENDENCES.  I mention all of thes in bold lettering to offer a hand to say, “I do struggle myself.”  The blessing is I have a job that allows me to give a little bit of myself back.  I have tried to end my life more then once. I know how addicting cutting can be or just the thoughts of ending everything.  I am the last person to ask for help. Even when I should be the first,  I Apologize if this seems to be all over the place. My mind since my brain injury from assault lt has changed my view on life.  I had to relearn how to walk and talk all over again from being in a comma. I do have static paralyses in my right hand. I am so learning how to better myself every day. Sometimes you just need a little help.  Due the COVID 19. I have retreated and not looked for any support on my own. I experience a few NAMI programs. I would like to force myself to make time to manage my mental health the best I can..So, for inspiration.  I am requesting help.  My life is Stagnant and is a lot of struggling on a daily bases. I work as a personal trainer with people with disabilities. It is very rewarding to know that I am doing with folks is pain management.  And is rewarding the little gains of lowering someones pain and mental outlook on what they can do to better them self. Personally finically I am barely making it for for now.

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Navigating a world that often feels cold, insensitive, and unaccepting of mental illness is lifelong work, a healing journey with ups and downs that has no end. As a highly sensitive person who has lived with anxiety/depression/OCD/ADHD since childhood, struggled with self-harm, substance abuse, and eating disorders, and is a rape and domestic abuse survivor, I have sought out many forms of therapy over my lifetime, both traditional and alternative.

One concept that I became familiar with in Dialectal Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is having a toolbox. Every individual’s toolbox looks different and will evolve over time. It is essentially a list of our skills and techniques for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. I would like to share some of my go-to tools for self-soothing and traversing times of heightened anxiety/the unknown: 

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Hello.  We all can live a great, purposeful life managing Bipolar Condition or any mental health situations. 

The social stigma of mental illness used to bother me to no end…and contribute to my problems!  I’m over that now, but I prefer to call it Bipolar Condition vs. “Disorder”.  I also prefer to discuss Mental Health vs. “Illness”.

My story in general: 

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My name is Heather, and I’m a teenager from Virginia. Ever since I was a child, anxiety and depression has been a part of my life. I started going to therapists and taking medication at a young age. Thoughts like “What is wrong with me?” and “Why am I not normal?” flooded my brain. It took me a long time to realize that my mental illness wasn’t my fault. I think a lot of people struggle with that.

In 2013, I had an awful bout of depression and struggled with self-injury. I was suicidal. I can’t pinpoint a certain cause, but there were many stressors in my life. I started to spend less time with others and I isolated myself in my room.

Everything changed when I called the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. I called them because I knew that I was dangerous to myself. They helped me calm down and eventually my parents brought me to an inpatient center. I was upset at first, but it was truly what I needed. My medication was changed and I received therapy. It helped me tremendously, and I think being in the inpatient center has taught me how to deal with my mental illness day by day.

A couple years after I became a You Matter blogger for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. I realized that I could share my story. Others who hear it won’t feel so alone. Now I hope to get involved with mental health organizations.

Those who have experienced mental illness firsthand or have family members or friends with mental illness can be voices for those who are struggling. Yes, I still struggle with anxiety and depression. But being a voice for others going through what I’m going through tells me that I matter. You can make a difference.

You are not alone.

I was recently at a dinner with two friends, when we began discussing mental illness and mental health treatment.

All three of us have openly had periods of struggle with both depression and anxiety, but we all had very different takes on treatment, particularly in regards to antidepressants.

“I wouldn’t go on them,” said the first friend.

“I would go on them, but just until I feel better,” said the second.

My take was the opposite: I have been taking antidepressants on and off my entire life, and since deciding to take them consistently nearly three years ago, my life has turned around. I plan to be on them forever.

Conversations like this are not uncommon. When it comes to mental health issues, opinions are often polarized and strongly held.

I understand that antidepressants are not for everyone; many people are fortunate in not suffering from mental illness, and even many of those who do would prefer to have medication be their last resort.

For me, medication is a part of a more comprehensive treatment plan to avoid falling back into the throes of the major depression that I know always lingers beneath the surface of my delicately balanced equilibrium.

I remember what it feels like to be unwell.

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TO ANYONE WITH ANY MENTAL ILLNESS OF ANY AGE:

(you don’t have to be in middle school)

Middle School’s known to be some of the hardest years of our lives, between hormones and homework it’s tough enough to make it through without mental health and the stigma it so often carries. As it’s impossible to make it through a class without someone making a joke about a mental illness either a friend of mine or I have, I’ve come to a certain conclusion. Teenagers will be teenagers, it shouldn’t be that way, it shouldn’t be an excuse to kidding about things that people truly struggle with on a daily basis, but it is. Sometimes things in life are just stupid, but we can’t let that get to us.

I’m a 13 (almost 14) year old in the ignorant year of 8th grade, towards the end of last year a few things in life went really, really wrong, and it resulted in a series of unfortunate events (no pun intended). Basically, by the time 8th grade started, I had not only experienced my fair share of panic attacks, gone to a therapist several times, but I had also been diagnosed with depression and an anxiety disorder. I had basically hidden from my entire grade during the summer, so as school started up again and I was struck by a mass of indirect insults towards my mental illnesses, let’s just say there was a lot of tears at the beginning of the year.

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Hi my name is Linda and I am a 51 year old who has been struggling with depression for most of my life.  I would like to share my story of my struggle with mental illness and suicide.  I have become BOLD with regards to sharing my battle with depression and suicide in hopes that I may reach at least one person and help them with their struggle or help someone to understand what it is like to have this disease.

In high school, the depression presented itself in a big way and I really began to struggle with self-worth and hopelessness.  Then suicidal thoughts started coming to the forefront.  Back in the 80’s depression and suicide were things that most people didn’t talk about and would keep behind closed doors.  I really didn’t understand what was going on.  All I knew was that I didn’t like myself and I felt that I was no good to anyone.  At that point, all I could think about was ridding myself of the hurt and pain I was feeling. 

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