Carly
Carly
I had to challenge myself and face my fears
I am not going to lie and say that treatment is easy—it is by far the hardest thing I have ever done.
But it is so rewarding, not only for yourself but also for your loved ones.
For Carly, the rewards of getting help for her mental health conditions have been immense.
Her commitment to therapy and medication has enabled her to pursue a college education, become an advocate for mental health, and move forward with a positive outlook.
Treatment has helped me graduate college, make friends, keep friends, build relationships, date, and much more. Without therapy and medication, I would not be where I am today.
Carly has been in treatment since she was diagnosed with ADHD and obsessive compulsive disorder around the time she was seven years old. She has also been diagnosed with bipolar II disorder.
Treatment has helped me greatly. What has helped me the most is a type of treatment called ERP, or exposure and response prevention.
ERP has taught me to challenge myself and face my fears instead of obsessing and ruminating about my obsessive thoughts in my head.
Carly took important steps to address her OCD diagnosis during a stay at McLean Hospital’s OCD Institute. Unfortunately, her bipolar symptoms presented serious challenges.
Perhaps my hardest diagnosis to wrap my head around and cope with is my bipolar diagnosis. When I am in an episode, all I can think of are negative thoughts. I physically ache, I cry, and I want to die.
I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. I lay in bed for days but am unable to sleep. My mind just races with thoughts the second I put my head down on my pillow.
My OCD likes to join in, and I have to do weird things like just sit and think and analyze my racing thoughts.
My family laughs at my weird habits, but I’ve learned to just laugh—or cry—with them and move on.
Moving on for Carly means continuing her treatment but also telling the world about her experiences.
She published an article on Buzzfeed about her time at McLean, and she attended the International OCD Foundation’s Annual OCD Conference.
There, she met with friends, therapists, counselors, and others dedicated to advancing society’s understanding of the importance of mental health.
Carly is determined to use her story to help others.
Imagine being so far gone that you physically cannot leave your college dorm room, to getting the help I needed at McLean’s OCD program, to graduating college.
It is an amazing feeling to finally be happy.
Although the stigma of mental health is strong and overshadowing, there are so many resources, support groups, and treatment options that will make you see that the mental health is real, and it deserves more attention.
