Know The Signs

Good evening! Friday blog! May is Mental Health Awareness Month! The green ribbon! Let me say up front, I am not a medical person, I am not an expert! I am Bipolar I, rapid swings between depression and mania! Bipolar or Manic- Depressive Disorder! I take my meds faithfully! I have a mental illness and so did Denny! He also was Bipolar I! He also took his meds! Before diagnosis, I had never heard those words! We both retired because of it! All of Denny is at rest now! It was not his favorite thing to talk about! Only to the Dr. He had the stigma! I do not! How is anyone going to learn anything if people don’t open up! It does not bother me one bit saying it! Nobody looks away when you say you have heart disease, a sick heart! Nobody looks away when you say diabetics, a sick pancreas! You know the picture! When I was growing up, the words were, nervous breakdown! Or, it’s the blues, it will go away, snap out of it, really? Because when the brain is sick, it also needs medication to get well! Dopamine and serotonin depletion, very serious! It should be taken seriously! My mom would not be here if she did not take care of her heart and take her meds! Diabetics need insulin! Lung disease, need I go on! I think and believe mental illness is so serious, I call it terminal! The sick brain just gets sicker without medication! I was suicidal, I did not want to die, I did want the mental anguish to stop! Hospitalized 3 times for help! I praise God and my wonderful family for their love and support! Excuse my French, I took them to hell and back! When I say I am thankful and grateful, it’s beyond measure! There is life after depression and mania! There are 6 Zeph Centers in Toledo, if you are struggling in any areas, I urge you or a family member to help you! Do not be ashamed! You did not make yourself sick! Nor, did you do anything wrong! Know the facts, read about it! I have been going to the Zeph Center on Central for 20 years and I could care less what anyone thinks about it! I am taking care of my brain, because my family is worth it! Denny went there 7 years! Nonprofit! I have never paid a dime or received any bills! The Drs. and nurses are wonderful! It is also the Zeph Center downtown I go to for addiction therapy! Love my Counselor! I have been taking care of me with phone, FaceTime and Zoom appts! That’s why going through this grief process is so important to me! I do not want anything tipping my scale the wrong way! I really cannot stress this enough! Especially with everything and everyone being so isolated! So, with all of that, please take care of your brains! In case you did not know it, it’s a very important part of you! Love and prayers to all of you! Good night! God bless!❤️🤗🙏🏻🤗❤️