I have been with my mental illness since 2004. It has been a great struggle for me, but through lots of challenges I seem to keep it together and finished school.  I suffer a dual diagnosis, bipolar disorder, ptsd, panic and anxiety attacks and substance use disorder. I been in a seven year remission. Despite all my mental challenges I’ve been through some other things also like abuse due to my mental illness. It’s been a journey but I keep strong and keep going. Ain’t no way I will let anyone break me. I’ve come too far in recovery

I first began to experience symptoms of bipolar disorder in my early teens. i was put on Lithium while in a hospital and right away the almost catatonic depression I was in began to ease. From there on in, it seemed medication would be the answer to everything that was wrong with me. For years i was on every depression medication available, tricyclics, MAO inhibitors–when one stopped working, I was simply put on something else. Then things got better and I needed no medication through my twenties. i still struggled with lows, but there were no suicide attempts, I was able to live and love, to work and, for the most part, even enjoy life. Then, at the age of 29 I had a manic episode and my medication nightmare began.

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I’ve been dealing with my fiancé’s bipolar disorder for 6 months now.
Are episodes of depression, drinking binges, extreme highs, lack of empathy part of bipolar disorder?
I’m trying to learn all I can about this mental illness. I love him very much but it feels like I’m on a roller coaster ride with his emotions. I want to hug him and slap him at the same time.
Now I know I am not alone, and find some comfort in that. From what I’ve read the symptoms vary. Thanks to everyone for sharing, now I know I am not alone and find some comfort in that.

Hello all,

My name is Isabel and I have been diagnosed with Manic Bipolar Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Schizophrenia, Depression, Paranoia and have pretty bad anxiety. I suppose I thought of writing this because having a mental illness eats up the joy in life. I have been struggling since I could remember, especially because these “disorders” are apart of my genetic history. Family members have given themselves to alcohol and drugs ; unfortunately that includes myself. There is so much I want spill because it has taken me a long time to realize that there is millions of people out there too that suffer from disorders. At certain occasions I feel alone in this world because of the illness(s). Please for the sake of yourself, loved ones even strangers at times, there is going to be hope. Self harm does harm, food isn’t always comforting, and drugs/alcohol are never the answer. 

Just know that someone is always willing to listen, especially me. The hotline that NAMI provides is AMAZING! Use it to your best advantages. Love you guys.

I have been struggling with mental illness from a young age. I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, adhd, ocd, borderline personality disorder, anxiety, psychogenic seizures, and a learning disability. I also am I recovering addict. I would like to spread my story to those in need to show them that the darkness does fade as long as you have the strength to flip the light. The goal is to inspire everyone but if that is not possible I aim to touch at least one person.

I first thought of suicide in grade school and have struggled with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder for over 10 years. My life was controlled by fear and I have struggled with negative coping skills for years. Self-harm was a way to control the pain I felt and then I ended up turning to substances to numb myself. Because of some childhood experiences and traumas in my late teens and early twenties I developed severe PTSD. I have had several attempts to take my own life with the most recent one being extremely severe over six months ago. I used to hate myself and think the world was better off and that I was a victim of a cruel world. In June of this year I took some of the power back. I decided to learn from my past and look at the positives.

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I hate mental illness. It has robbed me of the man I love. As he goes through active mania, depression, anxiety, suicide, or drug addiction, I can only watch and sit in pain, silently. I hurt!!!! I hurt because he becomes consumed with trying to find silence in his head. He seeks comfort from outside of himself, which is nothing but destruction.

I just recently found the family meetings and the family to family 12 week class. I went to my first group meeting last night. It was so wonderful to listen to others talk my story. I was able to talk my story and they got it, no judgment. I wish this would have been something available a long time ago. Maybe things could have been different for us. I would of been better educated on the illness. I would of learned the difference and how to love HIM and help the disease without judgment, control or anger.

See we have been married 21 years, we have been inseparable for 23 years. He left 8 months ago on a whim. I was used to that because he would just come up missing for weeks and not know where he had been. I would get a call from an institution or police department to come and take care of the situation. He always came back home. I miss my best friend, my lover, partner, father of our children. We still see each other and talk. But he is cycling again and pushing me away, harder than he ever has before. He says he doesn’t want to hurt me anymore, but it still does.

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i have schizoaffective bipolar type disorder as well as gad and ocd, i had bpd as a prior diagnosis as well with just bipolar disorder. i have been dealing with anxiety everyday as well as flashback of trauma snd family abuse, i was sexually abused twice, everyday is a challenge, mainly my thoughts and fears and paranoia it all causes my depression, my mood i can get pretty angry even in public a few times, i have family that knows im ill but not very understanding and much supportive, i suffer from being insecure bc of my disease or disorder whichever and ashamed bc i know im someone u can easily judge. i had a hard life, anxiety runs in my family and bipolar i believe. ive had past suicide attempts which were serious and glad im still here, i dont have any friends who understand my illness or or to much supportive of it. im on psyche meds that are somewhat helping.

I think of mental illness as added weight on your shoulders. It is much harders to move forward in life, and if anything, you are unable to move at all. 

I had a brain surgery(tumor in left temporal lobe) in 2012. Resulting in, major depression,

Anxiety, PTSD, neurocognitive disorder, social anxiety, and personality disorder.

I try and try and try, but moving forwards seems not to be an option or me. I want to do better, but my mind and emotions are damaged. 

My thoughts race 100mph daily. It hard to focus on my current situation which leads me to failing tasks at work. Mental Illness is not a joke, and in my opinion, there not doing enough for the people who suffer with this. 

I am 20 years old now, and have suffered my entire childhood with Major Depression, anxiety, and Social anxiety. 

Me as well as speaking for millions of other americans, we need help. 

Hello, I have always thought that sharing my story with the mental health community is important to bring hope to others that are just like me.

I’m a 37 year old divorced mother of two boys. I have been in therapy of some kind or another since I was 7 years old. Mental illness runs in my family as well as substance abuse addiction. I believe I was born with my many disorders that progressed and worsened as I got older, abused illegal drugs, prescribed medication and had my children. In my early childhood I showed all the many signs of OCD. I also grew up in an extremely chaotic family where my mother suffered terribly with her own mental illness that was never acknowledged or treated and an emotionally absent father. My two older siblings coped with this by using and abusing drugs and my older sister was put into rehab when I was seven. My older brother simply moved away and is still an addict today covering up his own mental health issues. My younger sister was extremely emotionally disturbed and would act out violently towards my parents but especially towards me. She would later become a drug addict for many years and thankfully entered recovery 4 ½ years ago.

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