“There was a shift in the world, bringing us together at the same place, at the same time. And in the matter of one afternoon, our hearts opened to feel something we’d never considered before. A man I had known for years, and yet, I was truly just seeing for the very first time.”
‘Just 5 years old he prayed, ‘Please God, send me an Earth Dad.’ Turns out, he didn’t need to be ‘found.’ He was right there all along.’: Woman finds love close to home after husband’s suicide
‘I was unable to rest or sleep. I didn’t realize how sick I was until I could no longer take care of myself.’: Woman with acute mania, bipolar urges, ‘You are so much more than your diagnosis’
“If it wasn’t for my mental illness, I might still be in a loveless marriage, stuck working on the same old nursing unit, without any aspirations of becoming a best-selling author one day.”
‘Sometimes, I felt in control. Then I was a prisoner in my own head.’: Mom battles antidepressants, misdiagnoses to find ‘understanding’ of PMDD
“I was unhinged. I used to imagine watching my children from heaven, making sure they were safe. I would visit the doctor, pleading for someone to help me. I didn’t know what was wrong with me.”
‘With a huge grin, my mom said, ‘Your daughter is an honor student? Well, mine’s a lesbian!’ She was so proud.’: LGBTQ mom shares what Pride means to her
“I felt as if my face was about to melt off. ‘Mom, I’m gay and I have a girlfriend. I think I love her.’ She started howling, deep belly laughing.”
‘You have NO business being a mother.’ He wanted love and I wanted to be left ALONE.’: Mom survives postpartum depression, ‘It’s okay to ask for help’
“I GENUINELY believed my son was better off with anyone besides me.”
‘You’re too SEXY to be depressed.’: Woman with bipolar disorder urges ‘don’t be afraid to ask for help’
“I became homeless, left my husband, and was incarcerated 3 times. Many people thought I was going to die because of my reckless behavior. I easily could have.”
‘He raged, ‘Just STOP eating.’ Shocked and embarrassed, I did. I learned to eat quietly or not at all.’: Woman seeks recovery from eating disorder, trauma, ‘I’m reclaiming my joy’
“‘STOP scraping your teeth on your fork!’ he yelled. I feared family meals. I became strong when skinny and untouchable when numb.”
‘I’d LOSE MY HEAD and blow up at the smallest situation. Visiting the kids left me feeling blessed to be ALIVE.’: Man seeks help for mental health, starts charity journey
“I burst into tears. ‘What’s wrong?!’ They were so confused. They didn’t know any different than the life they were living. Seeing these children happy inspires me to show more gratitude.”
‘We’re being secretly recorded for a reality show!’ There was something wrong with me. I was completely paranoid.’: Woman with Bipolar Disorder becomes advocate, ‘It’s a constant battle’
“I was in a shoe store with my mom, talking to strangers in what I thought was Spanish. I’m not bilingual, but in my mind, I thought I knew the language. I’d been off my whole life, but I never knew why.”
‘I’m FINE!’ I heard my son call out. Something very wrong was happening. It was an out-of-body experience.’: Mom of 2 battles PPD, becomes advocate, ‘Motherhood shouldn’t be so hard’
“’I have 2 children under the age of 2. It’s not going to be easy.’ Up with the sun came an abrupt halt and the idyllic mom vanished.”
