Mike
Mike
There is no age limit for getting help
I know that for older people, mental health was the kind of thing that was never talked about.
But with each generation, people get more perspective, and attitudes start to change. Stigma about mental wellness is still hanging on, but things are getting better.
Maybe we can phase it out, generation by generation. We need to normalize mental health and therapy.
A few years ago, when Mike was working as a sports reporter, he submitted a story to his newspaper that chronicled his personal struggles with bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and addiction.
When I got my first year of sobriety under my belt, I wrote a freelance piece for my paper.
I got a lot of really good feedback. People would reach out to me online. Some people sent me letters.
I got so much awesome feedback that it inspired me to look for ways to keep telling my story.
Mike’s story starts when he was 16. After the death of his grandfather, he started having panic attacks, thinking about death and existential questions.
At that time, he was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, and he started therapy. He also had mood swings that indicated bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, that condition went undiagnosed until he was in his mid-20s.
“If I had been properly diagnosed earlier, my life would have been a lot different. Fortunately, I chose to seek help, and my life has been so much better since.”
Without a proper diagnosis—and without the medications and treatment to manage his symptoms—Mike self-medicated with alcohol.
Because I wasn’t on proper medications, I made a whirlwind of bad decisions.
I felt terrible and alone, as if no one understood what was wrong with me.
I went to many therapists, but when I was 26, I went to a psychiatrist who talked to me for 15 minutes, asked three to four questions, and diagnosed me with bipolar II disorder.
The psychiatrist said that being unmedicated for the last decade stunted my maturity.
Faced with his new, complete diagnosis, Mike broke down in tears, thinking that someone finally had an answer. He has seen the same psychiatrist since then, and they have a great relationship.
Also, after much trial and error, he found the proper medication for his bipolar disorder. Now, with the right combination of therapy and medication, Mike is effectively managing his conditions.
If I had been properly diagnosed earlier, my life would have been a lot different. Fortunately, I chose to seek help, and my life has been so much better since.
Today, Mike is moving forward with his life. Sober for more than three years, he has gone back to school to study sports broadcasting and video production.
He loves to watch and play sports, and he spends time engaging in “nerd culture”—playing video games, reading comic books, and watching superhero movies.
Mike is also passionate about telling his mental health story and encouraging people to get the help they need.
It is becoming more and more prevalent for young people to get tested, get the proper diagnosis, and find the help they need.
But there is no expiration date or age limit for getting diagnosed or getting put on the right medication.
So, if you think something is wrong, you should see someone.
