Let us create a world...

My daughter has been diagnosed with Bipolar 1 and PTSD. 

The day she was diagnosed, the first thing she said was, "What if my friends find out?"

I didn't know what to say. 

I also have Bipolar 1 and PTSD, among other things. I know all about the stigma. So I tell her I have these illnesses as well, that many people in the world have a mental illness, and that I love her more than anything. I explained what her medications were and what they would do. I allowed her to ask any and all of her questions and answered her as honestly as I could.

And then I told her she didn't need to tell anyone anything. I explained that some people would judge her. They might tease her, and though it wasn't right, it was something she could handle. I told her to report any bullying to the school officials. I told her to keep her mental illness a secret if she wanted to. By the time she went walking off to class, my heart was shattered.

Dr. Margarita Tartakovsky explains that common myths regarding mental illness include: (1) those with mental illness are violent, (2) they are unpredictable, and (3) they never get better. She says ideas like this lead to fear, avoidance, and discrimination. These misconceptions stop people who are suffering from seeking help.

Today, I gave my daughter necessary help. 

It is hard, she's only 7. I don't have support from my family. They think this is all my fault. However, I know she needs this help now so that she can learn to manage her illness as she gets older. She has some of the same illnesses I have, and I know with enough time, I will be able to teach her how to function with her illness. It is no different than needing to wear glasses or having an allergy or asthma. She will have to take a medication every day, she will have to watch what she eats and she will need to learn to control her environment, and her reactions. She will have to learn to ask for what she needs, and she will need to learn to cope when she can't have what she needs.

Taking steps to be healthy can be very difficult.

It takes a lot of strength to admit you are struggling and need help. I took that step and I feel like I'm stabilizing. My daughter admitted her struggles and she gets to learn how important self care and mental health is.

We are on a difficult road, but bravely we step forward, together. Take that step with us. Let's admit our struggles, and find the help we deserve. Let's change perceptions. Let's create a world where my daughter doesn't feel ashamed of her illness, but instead, realizes the strength within her.

-Nikki

Tartakovsky, M. (2009). Media’s Damaging Depictions of Mental Illness. Psych Central. Retrieved on March 5, 2015, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/medias-damaging-depictions-of-mental-illness/0002220