There's so much stigma and negativity regarding mental illness and it's so unfortunate. It's terrible because people diagnosed with these types of illnesses are just like the rest of society.

It took a lot of internal debates and courage to write this article. I'm writing this article for a couple of reasons. The first reason being that I'm diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I've been diagnosed with the disorder when I was very young and for years now, I've been so ashamed of my illness. I learned, however, not to be ashamed. Everything happens for a reason and I'm so grateful that doctors diagnosed me early. Another reason is that there's so much stigma that's surrounded by mental illnesses that, with this platform, I was hoping to decrease the amount of negativity surrounding this important issue, whether it's by one person understanding the issue or one thousand people understanding the issue.

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Some of the harmful effects of stigma can include lack of understanding by friends, family and coworkers... the belief that you'll never be able to succeed at certain challenges or that you can't improve your situation." Personally, I have faced the belief that I'll never be able to succeed, not by other people's opinion's but by my own.

Another quote from the Mayo Clinic is, "Lack of understanding by family, friends, coworkers or others you know." This is right. Some people may not understand what you're feeling somedays, just know that you are the priority! Being the priority is something I have trouble with.

**Please note that these opinions, except for the quote's, are my own. If you feel like you are struggling, please talk to someone! "The NAMI Information HelpLine can be reached by calling 800-950-6264, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., ET, or by email at info@nami.org. We will then respond to your email when we return to the office. If you are in an emergency call 911 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255)."**

http://www.nami.org/Find-Support/NAMI-HelpLine/NAMI-HelpLine-FAQs

http://nownyc.org/service-fund/get-help/mental-health-counseling/#MentalHealth