"A Day In The Life"

I created the "Bipolar Bears," and this page, in honor of those suffering with Bipolar Disorder. Here is my story:

When I was 15 years old I began struggling with anxiety. At first it was not being able to ride the bus home from school because I was too nervous, then it was not wanting to go to school because I was too afraid to leave the house. By the time I was a senior, I had found a way to control my anxiety, I wouldn't eat. I'm 5'3", and I reached 100lbs, I look back at photos from that time and realize that I looked anorexic, which now I know I was.

I finally saw a doctor when I was 19, although it was my family doctor. She told me that I had generalized anxiety disorder. She prescribed me 2 medications that worked for a total of 5 months. I lied to her and my family and told them that I felt better, all the while starting to feel worse.

I started to become more depressed and withdrawn, and then I met my now husband David. In him I found someone that I could confide in, and to my surprise he didn't judge, or run away.

I continued down this spiral over the next 8 years. I surprised myself by surviving through our wedding on May 28 2005, which to this day I am extremely proud of. Then, things got even worse. In January of 2007, when I was 24, I freaked out...I screamed at my husband over a dang Dr Pepper!!

That was when I realized I needed help. I had finally had enough. I couldn't take it anymore, I didn't WANT to take it anymore. I had to do something, if not for myself, then for my family. So I sucked it up and called a psychiatrist.

When I came out of that first appointment with MY doctor, it felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders. I finally had a diagnosis, I was suffering from Bipolar Disorder. I had medication to keep me stable, a doctor to talk to, my family to talk to, my friends to talk to, and what seemed like a whole world of people to talk to.

I can happily say, that after 3 years of trial and error, I have finally found a combination of medications that has helped me change from a woman suffering from Bipolar Disorder, to a woman LIVING with Bipolar Disorder.

I suffered with this disease for almost 10 years. NAMI is fighting to change that. With the money that you donate, they can help tons of people like myself get the help they need to learn to LIVE with their disease.

Help the "Mind Of America" by sponsoring me on My NAMIWalks Page and/or join my team the "BiPolar Bears."

~I'm not "crazy," I'm just "A Little Bit Special"~