Hi, I am Elizabeth, I want you to hear me say this:

  • Having a mental illness is incredibly difficult. It can be all-consuming and exhausting at times. People don't understand it. As a society, we are barely moving the needle in the right direction. These days, if you mention anxiety or depression, some people are a little compassionate because anxiety is a universal feeling and everyone feels down from time to time so they assume depression is similar (which it's not). But the second you say, "I hear voices" or the word "psychosis" everybody shuts up. The conversation stops. Nobody knows how to react so the conversation stops and they dismiss you as crazy. I am a highly functional person with a family and successful career. However, taking care of my mental health is critical for this to happen. I have nobody to really talk to outside of my medical team. It would be great if people could get curious instead of shutting down.

  • I am not a victim and while mental illness can explain behavior, it is not an excuse. I must hold myself accountable for managing it responsibly and repair any damage done in my life it may have caused. Sometimes I am angry about having to manage this disorder every single day - it is a constant struggle. But I will never let it define who I am.

  • When I'm in a dark place, I know I have a great medical team. I work with a therapist and psychiatrist to help manage my symptoms. Because of this, I am able to stay out of depressive episodes fairly well. The last depressive episode caused me to be hospitalized. It took a long time for me and my family to recover. Having cancer taught me to always turn toward gratitude. If I ever feel myself slipping away from that, I know it's time to alert my doctors before it gets worse.

  • If I could ask the world to stop doing one thing it would me to stop shutting down and getting awkward because they are uncomfortable when people are struggling with mental health issues. That does nothing but shame those who need help the most.

  • I feel bravest when I have encouragement and support from people who have compassion and understand how hard the struggle can be when I feel like stability is beginning to slip away from me.

  • I am still grieving the lost opportunities I had when I was younger and my illness was not controlled. I've lost friendships, career opportunities, and the opportunity to chase my dreams.

  • I am proud of the fact that I am a creative and intelligent person. I do not let my diagnosis hold me back.

  • Get curious instead of judging my bipolar disorder. When someone takes an interest and asks questions that show they want to learn more about it, I feel braver and more confident.

Next
Next

Joanne