You’re Just Like Me: SomberScribbler

So, you have a Mental Illness?…Which One?
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) with secondary diagnoses of borderline personality (BPD) and obsessive personality disorders (OPD)

When you were diagnosed, what age where you? Where were you in your life?
Diagnosed with MDD at 21 by GP. I was in my last year of undergrad. Found out the BPD and OPD diagnoses a few months ago by going through the chart my psychiatrist keeps on me. I don’t know why he didn’t tell me. Right now, 29 and halfway through my Ph.D.

How do you cope/relax from your mental illness?
Blogging, drawing, journaling, medicating, sleeping and totally freaking out.

What are 3 words that you would describe how your illness makes you feel?
inadequate, exhausted, hopeless

If you could talk to world leaders about mental illness, what would be the one thing you discuss?
Funding and availability of mental health services. Wait times to get help are too long and when you finally do get help, you are cut off after a certain point whether you are better or not. Paying for weekly private care is too expensive. It’s not realistic for those with chronic, treatment-resistant mental illnesses that require a lifetime of care.

What is some advice you would give someone who is fighting mental illness?
Talk about it. People will be less shocked and understand it better the more we talk about it.

How can we keep in touch with you? (blog, Facebook, Twitter)
Blog: http://somberscribbler.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @SomberScribbler

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If your interested in being featured as a B.U.L.’s(Bipolar, Unemployed & Lost) weekly GUEST BLOGGER, please email the above questions and answers to bipolarunemployedlost@gmail.com. We will feature your Q&A! I’d love to hear your experience and motivation to fight this horrible disease. Anonymous Welcomed!