Something I am Proud Of:

During the battle of finally getting my diagnosis, I’m extremely proud of my ability to keep fighting to get answers, fighting for anyone to listen and fighting to stay alive. I have always thought my voice was my strongest weapon or super power, but using it to get diagnosed truly proved that. I’m alive today because I chose to speak up when something felt very wrong in my body and mind – something I encourage people in my community to utilize daily. I learned that while my mind was screaming for answers, no one could hear me unless I spoke it out loud. While there were incredible resources available like therapy and my primary care, they couldn’t help me until I chose to be brave and advocate to help myself. I’ve used this lesson to spread awareness and continue advocating for others that feel similar… I will always remember that moment that changed my life; using my voice to speak up and out.

Advice for Newly Diagnosed:

My brain is my superpower. I’m going to say that again – YOUR brain is your superpower. The empathy and feelings that we as people living with Bipolar surpass anyone else – and that means that we have the ability to be world changers. We feel so deeply, which means we can communicate deeply. When I was first diagnosed, I saw this disorder as scary and all the awful stereotypes the media perpetuates. I cried to my therapist that I didn’t have a single healthy bipolar person in my life because sadly my uncle lost his life to the disorder. She stopped me, as I’m stopping you, to say: YOU are a healthy bipolar person. YOU are seeking help. YOU sought a diagnosis. YOU found answers when something felt off. YOU are taking your meds. YOU. ARE. A. HEALTHY. BIPOLAR. PERSON. While this disorder that we live with gives us extremes, know that it does not own you or your story. Be proud of your brain. Be proud of the obstacles you’ve faced to get to a diagnosis; that in itself is a feat that most aren’t brave enough to reach. Your brain is your superpower, because it got you here. Use it. Love it. Thank it. Cherish it… because we were gifted something that the rest of the world wasn’t: a special brain with the ability to change the world and how they see a “healthy, normal person.” We are healthy. We are normal. We are people. And we will not be stereotyped, because our brains refused to be put in boxes.