I am 30 years old and I have Bipolar Disorder. I was diagnosed at age 17 when I was in my first year of university. During the first few years I was in complete denial. I knew people who had depression, but Bipolar Disorder seemed a whole lot scarier. When I was hospitalized I would tell my friends and professors things like, "I hit my head during rehearsal and they're holding me in the psych ward for observation because I was acting funny due to the concussion". It seems funny to me now that I thought people believed me. 

In my twenties, I had a major episode that lasted nearly a year and a half. I was in and out of hospital for much of that time. While I was ill, I lost my job, I was asked to leave school and I lost quite a few of my friends. It was then that I realized the severity of my situation and I began to take steps towards recovery. It was scary admitting that I had this illness, but I learned that with the right supports I was able to take charge of my life again. I became an active participant in my own recovery. To me, this means being my own advocate in support of my mental health. I acknowledge my limitations, but I am always searching for opportunities that will help me improve and maintain my recovery. I am now willing to look for help when I need it, and to share my stories of success with others. In the past two years, I have graduated with honours from university and I am now working in the mental health field. This is quite a different outcome than what a doctor predicted for me nearly 15 years ago, when he told me that I would be lucky to have a job at all -- and most likely would work in a factory. Having Bipolar Disorder doesn't hold me back from what I want to do. Sometimes it makes it more difficult, but I know now that I am strong enough to handle whatever life throws at me.

Recovery is possible and I want everyone to have the same opportunity for success that I have had. Recovery does not mean a life without symptoms (aka "I'm cured!") but it does mean that a person is able to acheive their best within their own capacity. I think that people living with mental illness can have this success provided that the appropriate supports are accessible.