This week I had the opportunity to interview the lovely mental illness advocate Olivia! She's based in the UK, loves sloths and Halloween, and is one of the most badass women I follow on Instagram. These are all tidbits I pulled from her Instagram bio, but her story lies a little beneath the surface. Olivia lives with bipolar and anxiety disorder and has dealt with bulimia. This is what she has to say about her mental illnesses:

Trigger Warning: Mentions of suicide, suicidal ideation

I deal with bipolar disorder and anxiety and have been diagnosed since the age of 18, and I’m now 25. I was experiencing symptoms from the age of 14. I was feeling incredibly low and sad, to the point where I was suicidal. I was also relieved. Relieved that I had a reason for my behavior, a reason for why I was acting the way I was.

I am on an oral medication, an antidepressant, and an injection which is an antipsychotic. I also am going to one-to-one therapy at the start of June. I love self-care, which can include anything from having a long bath with bubbles to reading a good book, to watching one of my favorite shows on Netflix.

I only work part-time because of [my illness], I used to work full time but experienced a breakdown and had to cut down my hours. I left education after sixth form (which is basically like college in the U.K.) after a breakdown and never went back. I’m very lucky to be in a relationship with someone who completely understands me and respects me, and knows how to handle me when I’m having an episode.

I wish people understood how difficult it is to do daily tasks like washing, brushing our teeth and even getting dressed. I wish people understood that we can’t help our episodes and we have no control over them and I wish people understood that medication isn’t a bad thing and shouldn’t be treated as such! I wish there were more groups accessible for everyone with mental illnesses to attend to discuss self-care, ways to manage and how to look after yourself; there’s group therapy in the U.K. but it requires been put on a waiting list for months at a time. I was so sick of feeling like I was the only one going through this, and wanted to reach out to others and see if I could make a difference by simply talking about my personal issues.

I was in a really bad job with people who didn’t understand my illness and believed I was making it up, and it ended up with me leaving with no notice as they basically bullied me out. I deal with people telling me I am attention seeking, I deal with doctors telling me to drink more water as some don’t take my mental illness seriously.

Back when I was 14 and going through the severity of bipolar disorder, I had no idea that recovery was even a thing. I truly believed I wouldn’t make it to 18. When I got to 18 and was diagnosed it was a relief. Finally, I had answers. Finally, I felt that I was getting somewhere. Unfortunately, recovery isn’t linear. It has its ups and its downs. I ended up trying to commit suicide back when I was 22, and ended up having weeks off work due to it, and feeling like I was back to square one. Luckily, with the help from loved ones I managed to find myself back on the road to recovery. I have been self-harm free for over a month now, having managed three years prior to an episode. I have been in recovery from bulimia for seven years now, and I’m really proud of that.

Olivia is based in the UK, but a couple of the topics she brings up could apply anywhere. Mental health care is often not prioritized in healthcare systems, so long wait times are an unfortunate reality that many patients face. The added burden of mental health stigma can make people feel alienated as well.

By having more conversations about mental health, hopefully, we can destigmatize it and get the healthcare system to take it more seriously. Often times, mental illness becomes more severe over time if left untreated which is why receiving a diagnosis can be relieving as Olivia mentioned.

As you lovelies know, I have my own recovery narrative, so Olivia is yet another living example that it really does get better. Yes, it's not a linear path in any way, but progress is possible and life is always worth fighting for. I truly believe that.

If you want to follow Olivia's story, and I'm sure you do, you can follow her on Instagram and Twitter @selfloveliv!

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW ARE STRUGGLING WITH SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND/OR TENDENCIES, REACH OUT IMMEDIATELY. NO ONE SHOULD GO THROUGH THIS ALONE. SUICIDE IS SERIOUS.

National Suicide Hotline: 1 (800) 273-8255 - available 24/7