Michelle's Story
I have been affected by mental illness my entire life. My grandmother, my mother, myself, and my son all have bipolar disorder. In addition, I have been diagnosed with several other mental illnesses, beginning at age 16. I have been institutionalized 5 times, have had numerous suicide attempts, a drug overdose, have survived several abusive relationships and multiple marriages, have been homeless, and have had to go through two rounds of shock treatments, all because of mental illness.
I had a younger sister who also suffered from mental illness, and she committed suicide at the age of 44. I am grateful to have found your website, and support your efforts to get the word out that we need more help from the government, more research, more education, more and better treatment, and more people to be aware of this problem and to join in the effort to help people with mental illness… so that no one else has to suffer like I have had to… so that no one else has to commit suicide like my sister did.
I'm one of the lucky ones. I have survived. Too many others (like my sister) have not.
Michele Sexton
