by Denise in Washington
My diagnosis with ADHD last year at 54 years old was both shocking and relieving. I was shocked because I thought that ADD was a childhood disorder, and I was relieved because it explained some painful aspects of my life.
by Cathrine in Michigan
My name is Cathrine. My birth was traumatic and a root cause of my mental and physical conditions. I suffer from BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder), Depression, ADD, Anxiety and panic disorders. Some of my mental problems I have suffered from all my life and some have gotten worse and developed due to my hypothyroidism and my environment.
by Kimberly in Florida
I was 8 years old when I had my first panic attack. I was so scared and thought that I was going to die. My mom reassured me that everyone had them. None of my friends were having panic attics nor were they being mentally and physically abused by their dads. As I got older, I became more overwhelmed. I think the only reason I kept it together was because I was so afraid of my dad.
by Jerie in Georgia
Hello my name is Jerie. I am presently residing in Georgia undergoing the stigma, labeling, and misdiagnosing of Mental Illness as a result of one call over twenty years ago. I have been in and out of ER, hospitals, mental health facilities. I am out of work, involved in criminal abuse, and medical abuse. I am improperly medicated, and kept from providing for my family, church, and normal life for over half of my life thus far.
by Rayelle in Minnesota
My mental illness has affected my life since I was around five years old. I grew up in a very violent and abusive home in Minnesota, as have a lot of my mentally ill friends. I have five siblings who grew up there with me and we all suffered the wrath of alcoholic parents who used us as punching bags. I was beaten regularly and even have memories of a sibling that was murdered in our kitchen, but no one ever talks about it or acknowledges it even happened. That caused a lot of anger and rage towards most of my direct family members, and I have cut most of them completely out of my life. That, I believe, was the healthiest thing I have ever done.
by Hope in Arizona
I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder when I was 28 years old and was found ripping a Bible in a church. I had never expressed anger before, having grown up in a dysfunctional household. My parents abused drugs, and I was subject to activities that one might read about in newspapers but never admit to. I had experienced so many traumas in my life that I was good at blocking memories from my mind entirely.
by Kerri in Wisconsin
I was emotionally, physically and sexually abused by my ex-husband, who I had two children by. The abuse dragged on for seven years, ending in 1995 when he was finally charged with sexual assault, false imprisonment, domestic violence, and battery. I've been struggling with PTSD. I have a low self-esteem, bipolar and depression.
by Tamoa in Virgnia
I am just turning 35 years old and have lived with mental illness all my life. I remember asking my mother when I was little, "was I retarded like my uncle'" who is now 60 and has the mentality of a ten-year-old. I was crying all the time and could not sleep at night because I was afraid of things coming out from the bed or closets that I was actually seeing. My parents didn't think anything of it at the time. As I got older it became progressively worse.
by Yolanda in Florida
At the age of 21, my doctor delivered devastating news and diagnosed me as suffering from bi-polar disorder. In my early teens, I experienced episodes of pure misery, which could quickly turn into extreme jubilation. In those early years though, I only understood the depression side of the disorder. After all, how could extreme exuberance be connected with an illness?
by Lea in Arkansas
I was the next to the youngest out of five kids. I did graduate from school, but I struggled. I really didn't have time to make friends in school because I tried so hard just to pass. When school was out, I went home and slept!
