My journey hasn’t been pretty; in fact it’s been like a war – a war without guns.
From my first boyfriend teaching me how to self harm at age 14 to battling two different voices in my head, the road to recovery has not been easy, but I’m getting there. I visited Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Clinic and was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder with psychosis. This diagnosis took me by surprise – aren’t those only terms used for crazy people?
Then I learned what Bipolar Disorder really is: periods of mania and periods of depression. I was still a sane, normal girl and the psychosis was just a symptom that will go away. The road to recover has led to discovering many different therapies that worked for me such as yoga therapy, massage therapy, aroma therapy and color therapy. I also had to change my diet and continually take my medication, which sometimes I tried to resist.
I’ve lost many people in my life who don’t believe mental health issues are real diseases but I’ve built stronger relationships with those that support me.