Mental Health

I have been fairly transparent about my mental health struggles over the years. I have been diagnosed with a number of things, primarily Bipolar I and Schizoaffective Disorder. A lot of people in my life are also bipolar, so I have a lot of experience with it.

First off, if this is your first time reading about mental health, I want to say that it's okay to not be okay. It's okay to be struggling. It's okay to be in pain. It's okay.

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Secondly, I want to say that I am not a doctor, and I am not qualified to give medical advice. I am just a person who has been through a lot of stuff, and I want to share my experiences with you.

My Story:

I have been hospitalized an unfortunate number of times, and have been on a number of medications. My struggles started in 2015, and I have been on a journey ever since.

I can sometimes get highly delusional from mania, and I have been known to say and do some some really stupid things while in that state.

Here are some things that have helped me:

• Avoiding Stress:
  • Unfortunately, this is not always realistic.
  • When nothing else is working—believe it or not—splashing cold water on your face can help reset your nervous system. It triggers what is known as a "Diver's Reflex".
• Sleep:
  • I try to get enough sleep, every night. This is crucial for me.
  • Bipolar disorder is very easily triggered by lack of sleep.
• Support Network:
  • I have a good support network of friends and family that know about my condition and how to help me.
  • Maintaining these relationships, and the complexities that come with them, is a full-time job.
• Medication:
  • It took me a long time to find the right medication. I had to try a lot of different things, sometimes multiple times.
  • Abilify is my saving grace, these days. I take it once a month as an injectable.
• Slowing Down:
  • Taking things one day at a time.
  • Sometimes, one hour at a time.

I find working on my website, listening to music, and playing video games to be helpful, as well as cannabis. I also find that exercise is helpful, but I don't do it as much as I should.

Resources for Others

I have found a number of resources to be helpful in my journey. Here are a few:

• To Write Love on Her Arms - A non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, &c.
• The Trevor Project - Crisis intervention. Here you can reach out to a counselor if you’re struggling, find answers and information, and get the tools you need to help someone else.
• The Mighty - A community of people sharing their stories and experiences with mental health.
• NAMI — National Alliance on Mental Illness.
• DBSA — Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.
• Mental Health America — Mental Health America.

Just remember, if you're in America, and you're thinking about harming yourself, please call 811 (or even 911) and go to the nearest emergency room. They will help you.

Also, I promise you, my brain has told me some really convincing lies. It's not worth it. You are loved, and you are important. You are not alone. I promise.

Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter or email if you need someone to talk to about this stuff. I'm here for you.