NAMI Blog

"I don’t know entirely what other grief is like, but dealing with suicide felt like being in a hole. You want someone to come by and help you out of the hole. Then you learn that if someone does throw you a rope, you still have to climb out of that hole yourself."

"I was finally diagnosed with PTSD, and although it was not a diagnosis I wanted, having a diagnosis meant I could educate myself on my disorder and learn to live with it."

Sometimes, our dark days can help us appreciate the better days we've worked so hard for. 

"I felt like people were really finally seeing me — the real me."

"In my 17 years of nursing, I’ve become an advocate for those who are vulnerable to the discrimination against mental illness. I bear the scars of this epidemic in our society."

"I look at the girl I once was, who desperately wanted those around me to understand my struggles, but who was drowned in shame and stigma. I speak for her."

"I did not win this time, but perhaps I will tomorrow. I may not be recovered right now. I may not be in a normal state of mind, but I will be again."

"I wish all people with mental illness, whether we’re struggling or well, will be accepted, respected and fairly treated. It’s time for individual and social change that recognizes our humanity."

For Carrie, part of her bipolar disorder is not being able to tell when she's ramping towards a manic episode. Here's how she stays self-aware of her symptoms. 

Here are the five strategies that helped Matthew cope during the recovery stages of schizoaffective disorder.