I would like to start my blog by reiterating my new favorite quote by Brene Brown. She said; "When we deny our stories, they define us. When we write our stories, we get to write the ending." Well, Brene Brown, I'm not denying my story or writing the ending for it. I'm just writing the beginning.
Yesterday was Bell Let's Talk Day I know that I'm a day behind. As many of you know, I have Cerebral Palsy, but the girl with the smiling face also has BiPolar Disorder. What this means for me is trying to keep my moods on an even keel with medication and monthly doctor's visits. I've also had years of support from great therapists and my wonderful family. My whole point in revealing this struggle is so that I can lift another person up out of the hole that they find themselves in.
I am really not ashamed of this invisible disability, in fact, I'm the first person to admit it. Now, don't get me wrong, I was resisting the medication at first, eleven years ago, but now I know that I can't' live without it. I would like to tell you that having this illness has been easy, but it's been the hardest eleven years of my life. I still have my ups and downs and major episodes of not being my head. These will continue to plague me throughout my entire life. If you take one thing away from this post, I hope it's this question: "If mental illness had a face, what would it look like to you?"