Lily’s Story

As the 4th generation to suffer from bipolar disease I feel blessed to have survived; however my father, grandfather, and uncle all succumbed to suicide. Each of these men were highly successful, accomplished men who suffered. In large part due to the stigma of 'mental' disease they did not get the appropriate medical care, if the afflication had been heart disease they wouldn't have thought twice of going to a doctor. Sadly mental disease is shameful, and is a sign of weakness with the lable of 'unstable', not being able to 'handle' yourself. Yet who would tell someone writhing on the floor with a seizure or a heart attack to buck-up, be strong, and get a grip of themselves? Starting in my teens I struggled with the extremes of crippling depression and the highs of very risky behavior. I tried self-medicating and spent thousands of hours and dollars on therapy, with no success. In my early 30's I was finally diagnosed with bipolar Type 1 disease and wow for the first time I felt 'normal'. Today, I have been successfully treated for 20 years through medication and have a high functioning life; with a career, good marriage, and 3 children. However, I still cannot reveal myself at work or with many friends. Even some medical professionals contribute to the stigma, for example during treatment for breast cancer one of my doctors shamed me for taking lithium and anti-depressants.  The stigma is deadly. Thank y'all for helping...