For every setback we face, there is a comeback in grace.
For every dark episode we are challenged to overcome, there is a story of survival and strength.
There are stories behind mental illness that many never hear. People fear the conversation. Why? They have ‘heard a rumor” or saw someone with bipolar on the news. I am over it. Many of us are out here functioning and fighting to live. And we are doing an amazing job, too!
We have a broken health care system that fails the mentally ill. We have a faith community that fears the conversation. Fighting to just get through each day, those dealing with the mental health issue get lost in the shuffle and tossed to the side. We need to care every day, not just when the news hypes up a story and calls it a ‘mental health problem’.
These are just a few examples of the impact mental illness has on our society. Not only on a national level, but on a global level, these numbers are staggering.
- The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention reports suicide is the 10th leading cause of death
- According the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 18% of the US adult population is affected by an Anxiety Disorder
- Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health report that 4.4% of US adults experience bipolar disorder
I am here to talk about the reality as a Christian living with Bipolar Disorder. My hope is to flash a small light through my faith to those who suffer with a mental health illness. There is no shame here, no holding back the raw and authentic truth, and there is no judgement to those who choose to share their story with me.
