They tell us that mental health is a disease. That it isn’t anything to be ashamed of. That it is just as much a subject of medical professionals as the flu, Covid-19, or cavities. That my multiple-doctor diagnosis of bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety, depression, and ADHD are illnesses that, like diabetes, can be managed with medication.

Yet also there are those self-improvement gurus who promise us cures through positive thought, the law of attraction-style manifestation, and, of course, buying their books, programs, or conventions.

As one of the one in five Americans* who suffer from mental health this year I find myself wading through the vast information out there on mental health in 2021. The good thing is that the stigma is less and that there is a lot of awareness of how mental health effects a life.

Mine has brought me from running my own freelance design business to being unable to work or get out of bed or get through a day without crippling anxiety.

But I’m determined to get my life back.

I have just moved into a six-month program Massachusetts has offered to those who suffer from severe mental health issues and addiction. This is my series documenting that journey

This will be my documentation of that journey