Chris
Chris
I’m no longer afraid of waking up each day
Chris is a bright, lively person whose energy lights up a room. He is a great conversationalist and—after graduating from law school—works as an attorney, a life-long dream of his. At many times, getting to this point felt impossible.
Chris overcame many hurdles in his journey to getting the right diagnosis and proper medication for his mental health condition, bipolar disorder type II. Chris did not receive a proper diagnosis until age 25.
Before getting that diagnosis, for over 12 years, Chris struggled with depressive episodes and obsessive-compulsive tendencies. His compulsions made him feel chained to his bedroom, not able to leave until everything was “just right,” and his depression caused him to neglect self-care and general life tasks.
Chris also has diagnoses of ADHD, OCD, and PTSD, and the symptoms of these conditions contributed to his struggle to live a healthy, happy life. He recalls being in constant emotional pain for many years.
Exhausted, Chris felt hopeless and believed that his life would never get any better. After years of trying different medications and therapies to alleviate his conditions, he feared that he was destined to live the rest of his life in pain and was ready to give up.
Had I given up when my antidepressants didn’t work, I wouldn’t have known that there was a life I could live free of pain. It took years, but I eventually found the right medication and therapy.
Receiving the correct diagnosis saved Chris’ life. He began dialectical behavior therapy and started taking a mood stabilizer.
He felt a huge sense of relief when he finally saw improvement in his decade-long symptoms and gained a sense of clarity about why treatment had taken so long to work before his proper diagnosis.
I am no longer afraid of waking up each day. Every day I wake up and it’s better, I feel like I can live again.
Chris chose to share his mental health journey because he wants people to show that it is worth “struggling forward” to receive proper mental health treatment.
It is not hopeless. There is a life up ahead that is not full of constant pain.
Through sharing his story, Chris also aims to raise awareness about how debilitating and real mental health conditions are. His mental health journey was often misunderstood.
He recalls statements like “Wow, you must be a really great lawyer when you’re manic!” and “You must have been safe during COVID because you have OCD.”
“It is not hopeless. There is a life up ahead that is not full of constant pain.”
Chris recognizes that these types of comments highlight the need for more robust education and open dialogue around mental health. Chris believes in being transparent about being human.
Through his openness, he hopes to make people feel less alone in their own mental health struggles and more comfortable seeking support.
Mental health conditions can be incredibly painful, and it is crucial to be kind and accommodating toward yourself.
It is not a sign of weakness to get help. It is good to ask for accommodations—you deserve support.
Chris hopes that sharing his mental health journey aids in destigmatizing mental health and emphasizes the importance of an accurate diagnosis.
I hope that through sharing my story, I can highlight not only the immense amount of suffering individuals with mental health disorders experience, but also the possibility of finding the right care that enables people to have the lives they deserve.
