Something I am Proud Of:

I’m most proud about my life that got back on track. It was as series of destructive behaviors that ruined my education, career, and relationships. At times I could be the life of the party, and most times I felt like a shell of a person. Everyone says I was both ends of a spectrum; it was always like walking on thin ice with me. And most of my decisions were taken in a whim. Until the moment when I finally went to therapy and got to tell my late mother about it. And after 27 years of really bad fights, she embraced me with open arms. I used to run away, and having the chance to make peace with myself and my mother changed my overall lookout in life. That’s the thing I didn’t even dare to dream before. Everything started to fall into places after that, I feel supported and understood even after my mother’s gone. I’m now way more aware about my mood fluctuation and able to navigate it. Being a responsible adult might be trivial for other people, but it’s a huge achievement for my (used to be a hot mess) self.

Advice for Newly Diagnosed:

It can be hard to accept at first, knowing that there’s part of you that needs adjustment only to function normally. And that’s okay, that doesn’t lessen your value as a person at all. Instead, you’ll discover more sides of yourself you never knew existed. Simply because when you don’t succumb in things that distort your reality, you have more room to explore yourself. Take your time to process, study about every diagnose given by your doctor. It’ll help you to forgive yourself and move forward with your life. There’ll be setbacks, it’s normal. One day at a time, and one day you might look back and realize how far you’ve come. Take notes on your sleeping patterns/what you eat, track your moods, find a supportive peers, and exercise regularly. It helps a great deal. Lastly, appreciate yourself for every improvement made.